Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
More opinion than answer, these articles contain Leo's editorial commentary on various issues relating to computer, technology and more.
Are computers simply too unsafe to use?
With all the attention that malware and security issues keep getting it's easy to think that there's no hope for safe computing. There is.
I thought my posts were private/anonymous/protected?
Google was forced by court order to reveal the identity of an "anonymous" blogger. It's worth understanding the risks that this implies.
Not found? Not acceptable. Websites can do better.
Websites can do a MUCH better job of helping visitors find what they want; the 404 'not found' capabilities of most web servers is one powerful way.
On Kids, Parents and the Internet
An old problem finds a home on new technology: cyber bullying and other internet related harassment seems to be on the rise. What's a parent to do?
Sometimes the only solution is to have someone look at your machine.
Diagnosing some types of failures remotely can be extremely difficult. Sometimes you just need to have someone get hands-on with the machine.
The Plight of the Average User
Most folks "in the industry" have a slightly off-target view of who the average computer user is. After 4 years of Ask Leo!, I've formed an opinion.
What's wrong with an email "blast"?
Words matter, and the word "blast" when used to describe an email mailing implies something significantly less than respect for your recipients.
Why I (still) don't like challenge/response spam blockers
An error caused my newsletter to come "From" the wrong address. Flooded with challenge/response mails I wonder: what other messages are you missing?
Outlook Express's day has come and gone. It's unsupported and often loses email. I'll explain what I think you should do instead.
Why didn't Microsoft fix this horrible bug?
Not all bugs will be fixed - or fixed quickly. Not all bugs are even actually bugs. I'll look at why some bugs might never get fixed.
Backups are one of the ways that people can protect themselves from everything from hardware failure to virus infections. So why don't people backup?
Will computers ever be malware and bug free?
It's not uncommon for folks to ask why computer systems seem as fragile and as vulnerable as they so often do. It's a legitimate question.