Ask Leo! #421 – What Servers See, Combining Documents, Yahoo email safety and more…


The Ask Leo! Newsletter

*** Featured

When I visit a website, can the server identify me?

When I visit a website, are they able to identify my IP address? If so, how can I block them from being able to identify me?

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Not really, but kind of.

I know, that's really vague and doesn't really clearly answer the question, but there's a reason for that.

It depends on what you mean by "identify me."

In the strictest sense, a server cannot identify you personally - not without your cooperation.

On the other hand, the information that a server can gather without your help can cause some folks concern.

Continue reading: When I visit a website, can the server identify me?
http://ask-leo.com/C2237

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*** Answercast

Answercast #84 - Office updates, safe email, combining documents, Gmail labels and more...

Ever wonder how Gmail labels compare to folders? Want to remove a program from your start menu or backup AOL? Get too many update notices or wonder if Yahoo is safe? All that and more in this Answercast from Ask Leo!

Listen

Continue reading: Answercast #84 - Office updates, safe email, combining documents, Gmail labels and more...
http://ask-leo.com/C6201

Why do I still get Office 2010 updates after uninstalling it?
Are Office 2010 updates still appearing when you've elected to run 2003? It might not be a problem.
Continue reading: Why do I still get Office 2010 updates after uninstalling it?
http://ask-leo.com/C6202

Is Yahoo email safe?
Yahoo email is safe enough... depending mostly on you, the user, and your personal safety habits.
Continue reading: Is Yahoo email safe?
http://ask-leo.com/C6203

How do I fix "COM surrogate stopped working" when browsing pictures?
"COM surrogate stopped working" may mean that two pieces of Windows have stopped talking with each other. There are several repair options to try.
Continue reading: How do I fix "COM surrogate stopped working" when browsing pictures?
http://ask-leo.com/C6204

Is there an easier way to combine documents than Copy/Paste?
Combining documents with the Copy/Paste commands is as simple as copying the text from each document and combining them into one master document.
Continue reading: Is there an easier way to combine documents than Copy/Paste?
http://ask-leo.com/C6205

What's this thing called "PROGRAM" in my Start menu?
A program in the Start menu can be located as a file on disk. It can then be researched to discover exactly what it is for and what it should do.
Continue reading: What's this thing called "PROGRAM" in my Start menu?
http://ask-leo.com/C6206

How do I put two labels on a message in Gmail?
Gmail labels for messages can be a bit confusing until you realize that labels are labels.
Continue reading: How do I put two labels on a message in Gmail?
http://ask-leo.com/C6207

How do I backup my AOL email?
Backing up online email is important and easily done using the IMAP email protocol to download to an email program on your home computer.
Continue reading: How do I backup my AOL email?
http://ask-leo.com/C6208

How do I install something if I keep getting an LUA error message?
LUA error messages are there as a line of defense to protect your computer from malware. You'll need to be running as administrator.
Continue reading: How do I install something if I keep getting an LUA error message?
http://ask-leo.com/C6209

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*** Last Issue's Articles

*** Comments

The Most Important Attitude

Brock writes:

Typical engineer mentality. Thinks that people can change behavior like changing a bit in a register. "It's simple,just be open to change." Stick to hardware and software issues Leo. You have no clue on human behavior.

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The Most Important Attitude

Don writes:

Leo: You are absolutely right on with this one. I (have to) provide computer (and other) technical support to a number of families who are actually frightened of and totally resistant to change. What bothers me the most about them is that they make no effort to LEARN, so I've come to describe them as "learning disabled". No matter how many times you show them how to do something, it doesn't stick. Many want to write the steps down on a post-it and stick it on the monitor, and I have one person whose monitor frame is totally covered with post-its. I try to tell them to stop doing that; to understand conceptually what the steps are doing, so you won't need the post-it. Never works. And what is REALLY puzzling. . . some of these people are engineering college graduates!!! I.e., technically oriented. . . but cannot grasp anything about how a computer works. Can anyone explain that to me?

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The Most Important Skill

Calvin writes:

Thank you for this article. I agree 100%. I am also one of those who while born in Canada did not speak any English until I started school. One other area of importance I have not seen mentioned is publishing. In this day of self-publishing thanks to Amazon, etc., there is a dearth of literature available that uses correct grammar, syntax, punctuation and spelling. How does an aspiring author expect anyone to purchase a book (or a second) if they cannot even use words properly? I see such unbelievable mistakes as using their and there incorrectly. An author will get no money from me for such lazy publishing. Proof read, don't just use spell check. Spell check is used as a crutch. Just because you have spelled a word correctly does not mean it is actually the one that should be used in that sentence. Learn the meanings. I love the previous mention of diagramming sentences. I fear this knowledge has been lost and is not being taught in schools today.

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The Most Important Skill

Ray Foster writes:

Leo, your English is very clear, to me. I enjoy reading your articles because you make it clear. Here is my pet peeve, when you ask a clearly, yes or no question, five minute later they are still trying to explain why their answer, (which you haven't gotten yet) isn't answered yet.

In defense of whomever is answering that yes or no question (and in case it was me :-)):
Many of what we think are yes or no questions don't have yes or no answers. For example: can I run Mac OS on a PC? If all I can say is yes or no, then I have to say yes. However you walk away with a VERY misleading answer. Why? Because while it can be done, it's very difficult, possibly problem-ridden, and even of questionable legality. (Search the web for "Hackintosh".) Forcing yes or no, or stopping as soon as you read yes or no often bypasses critical information.
So I absolutely do find myself preceding the answer with an explanation. An explanation that hopefully clarifies the yes or no that follows, and why even a technical yes may really be a practical no.
Computers are incredibly complex. They may only think in terms of 0 and 1, but questions about them are rarely anywhere near that simple

-Leo

*** Leo Recommends

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It's easy to get wrapped up around pricing when looking to register a domain. SimpleURL's prices are quite inexpensive, but certainly not the absolute lowest that you'll find around. You might be able to save a buck or two by going elsewhere.

Continue reading: SimpleURL - Inexpensive Domain Registration ... with Service
http://ask-leo.com/C3926

Each week I recommend a specific product or resource that I've found valuable and that I think you may as well. What does my recommendation mean?

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