Ask Leo!: Web en-us 2008 Leo A. Notenboom and Puget Sound Software, LLC Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:24:11 -08:00 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:24:11 -08:00 720 http://ask-leo.com/images/altile144.jpg Ask Leo! http://ask-leo.com 140 140 Tech Questions? Get Answers! Ask Leo! How do I get the old msn.com homepage back? http://ask-leo.com/how_do_i_get_the_old_msncom_homepage_back.html The msn.com page has changed and there seems to be no way to revert back to the original of before Nov.13th. You can use the customization and make the selection my.msn.com and then rearrange the page to suit you - but this is still not the same as the original. Why does Microsoft impose this on people without giving a choice? Everyone I know just HATES the new version of msn.com. Is there a way to revert to the page as it was before Nov. 13th?

]]> I'll show folks what's up, since not everyone is seeing this today, and I'll also make some guesses as to why the changes were made, and what your options are.

The answer to the last one might well be "not many".

]]> leo@pugetsoundsoftware (Leo A. Notenboom) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:24:11 -08:00 Technology What's a safe web site? http://ask-leo.com/whats_a_safe_web_site.html How do I know if a site I'm about to visit is a safe web site? Is there any software I can use to know this, or some other technique?

]]> This turns out to be a frustratingly difficult problem to solve.

It's not that there aren't some solutions to identifying safe web sites, but rather that the solutions themselves can often be inconsistent.

But used properly, there are some ways you can at least gather a little additional data before taking the plunge and clicking that link.

]]> leo@pugetsoundsoftware (Leo A. Notenboom) Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:53:53 -08:00 Technology Is leaving a website open on my computer dangerous? http://ask-leo.com/is_leaving_a_website_open_on_my_computer_dangerous.html If I leave a website open on my computer, am I susceptible to hacking?

I have 128bit WEP security on a single machine home wireless network.

]]> It's not at all uncommon to have browsers and websites open for lengthy periods of time, even when we walk away from our computers. I know I certainly leave several open for hours, if not days.

This may, or may not, be a security risk, depending on several factors.

]]> leo@pugetsoundsoftware (Leo A. Notenboom) Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:26:04 -08:00 Technology Is it ".html" or ".htm", and when do I need a trailing '/' when typing a URL into my browser? http://ask-leo.com/is_it_html_or_htm_and_when_do_i_need_a_trailing_when_typing_a_url_into_my_browser.html Is it necessary for some sites (& for me when going to them) to put a / at the end of their address? Life is hard enough!

]]> I'm going to expand on your question a little, because it actually opens up a small can of worms ... a small, but confusing can of worms.

You see, the answer is "yes", "no", "sometimes" and "usually not".

There's an amazing lack of consistency.

]]> leo@pugetsoundsoftware (Leo A. Notenboom) Thu, 28 May 2009 09:15:38 -08:00 Technology What can a website I visit tell about me? http://ask-leo.com/what_can_a_website_i_visit_tell_about_me.html When I visit a web site that collects visitor statistics - I understand they can see my IP which will tell them I am a Verizon customer with a Mac/Intel operating system, the area where I may live, what browser I use, if I'm new to the site, and click information on the site- but can the site collect the following information:

- My computer name (the name I assigned to my computer)?

- Profile information???

- My browsing history (any/all sites I've visited and when) or can they just tell the number of items in my history?

- Email addresses associated with my computer?

I've reviewed similar questions but I'm not sure I truly understand what information a web-server can collect from my connection/browser.

]]> This turns into a fairly complex answer pretty quickly. It's both more, and a lot less, than you might think.

This article will start by covering what every website sees.

]]> leo@pugetsoundsoftware (Leo A. Notenboom) Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:56:07 -08:00 Technology