Hot Computers & Programming How-Tos
How To: Program conditionals in GlovePie
You can connect your Nintendo Wii Wiimote to your PC using GlovePie input emulation software and a bluetooth connection. Learn how to program conditionals - if, if/then, and if/else statements - in GlovePie.
How To: Use the Lego Mindstorms NXT Editor
The Lego Mindstorms system may seem like a toy at first, but it is actually a very powerful robotics system used by universities, schools, hobbiests, and kids alike. Learn how to use the Lego Mindstorms NXT editing and programming software to program movements for your robot. Use the Lego Mindstorms NXT Editor.
How To: Program movements in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system
Learn how to program movements in the Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics system using movement blocks within the NXT programming environment. You will be able to configure move blocks to move parts of your Lego robot at varying degrees and speeds. Program movements in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system.
How To: Program loops in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system
If you want your Lego Mindstorms robot to perform one task repeatedly, it will be much more efficient to use a loop. Learn how to program loops in the Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics system within the NXT programming environment. Program loops in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system.
How To: Program wait blocks in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system
Programming a Lego Mindstorms robot to do more than just move continuously involves using the wait block within the NXT programming environment.. Learn how to use wait blocks to program your robot to respond to certain conditions including touch and sound. Program wait blocks in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system.
How To: Program the light sensor on a Lego Mindstorms robot
The light sensor on a Lego Mindstorms NXT robot can be used to help the robot navigate obstacles or follow light sources. Learn how to program light sensors and the calibration program in the Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics system using movement blocks within the NXT programming environment. Program the light sensor on a Lego Mindstorms robot.
How To: View sensor data from a Lego Mindstorms NXT robot
If you want your Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to function as accurately as possible youneed to understand how to get data from the viewing sensors via the NXT brick. Learn how to use the NXT brick and the NXT programming environment to view and change light, sound, or touch sensor data on a Lego Mindstorms Robot. View sensor data from a Lego Mindstorms NXT robot.
How To: Program switches in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system
To get some great functionality out of your Lego Mindstorms NXT robot it is important that you know to how program basic decision-making tasks. Learn how to program switches in the Lego Mindstorms NXT programming environment. Program switches in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system.
How To: Use the Lego Mindstorms NXT Brick
The Lego Mindstorms system may seem like a toy at first, but it is actually a very powerful robotics system used by universities, schools, hobbiests, and kids alike. The NXT Brick is the basic component of the NXT system - learn how to use it to build robots and program or check functions. Use the Lego Mindstorms NXT Brick.
How To: Program display blocks in the Lego Mindstorms system
Lego Mindstorms NXT robots are capable of displaying images, text and/or feedback on their screens. To get them to do this you have to learn how to program display blocks in the NXT programming environment. Program display blocks in the Lego Mindstorms system.
How To: Create blocks in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system
If you find yourself using the same functions over and over again in the Lego Mindstorms NXT robotics system it may be helpful to program your own subroutine or block to save time in making other programs. Learn how to use the my blocks function in the NXT programming environment to create subroutines. Create blocks in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system.
How To: Program cascading switches in Lego Mindstorms
Programming cascading switches in the NXT programming environment allows you to program a Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to perform several if/then functions and react to inputs differently outside of a sequence. Program cascading switches in Lego Mindstorms.
How To: Program multiple tasks in Lego Mindstorms NXT
Learn how to program a Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to perform multiple tasks simultaneously in the NXT programming environment. Program multiple tasks in Lego Mindstorms NXT.
How To: Program data hubs in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system
Data hubs allow you to create interactions among the different function blocks in the NXT programming environment. Using data hubs allows you to program your Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to perform complex tasks or output information based on these tasks. Program data hubs in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system.
How To: Create advanced blocks in the Lego Mindstorms NXT
Learn how to create more advanced subroutines or blocks in the Lego Mindstorms NXT programming environment that will use data hubs and other functions to perform complex tasks. Create advanced blocks in the Lego Mindstorms NXT.
How To: Program variables in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system
Using variables allows your Lego Mindstorms NXT robot to store numbers or text based on input. Learn how to program variables using the NXT programming environment. Program variables in the Lego Mindstorms NXT system.
How To: Replace your CPU
Learn how to replace you computer's central processing unit (CPU). Includes tips on buying a new CPU and installing it.
How To: Resurrect a crashed hard drive
Has your hard drive been broken, overheated, or simply worn down from old age? Learn how to recover data from a crashed hard drive with a few simple tips and utilities. Resurrect a crashed hard drive.
How To: Retrieve a lost Windows password easily
Have you lost the password to your Windows PC? Learn how to retrieve your Windows password with several different approaches.
How To: Optimize Windows' performance
Have you just installed Windows or are you looking to improve Window's performance. Learn how to make Windows function faster and more efficiently by adjusting system settings and using a few free tweaking programs.
How To: Program in PHP
Learn how to install PHP and some of the basics of PHP programming including some basic commands including conditionals and booleans for creating scripts and command line interfaces.
How To: Automate tasks using batch files
Learn how to automate tasks in Windows using batch files. Learn basic commands that can be used in batch files and how to use commands from other programs to create batch files.
How To: Add custom entries to the Windows context menu
Whenever you right click a file in Windows it opens up the context menu, which gives you options of what to do with the file. Learn how you can add your own custom options to the context menu by editing the Windows registry.
How To: Record and capture audio from any video in Windows
Learn how to record audio from video files (even Flash .flv files or Youtube videos) using the Windows sound recorder. All of the software used in this tutorial comes bundled with Windows.
How To: Make your Windows XP run faster
Learn to disable services and startup items you don't need and enhance system performance in Windows XP.
How To: Maintain your PC
Heat, moisture, dirt, static, and fragile electronics are only some of the many PC dangers that can ruin your PC. Watch this video and get some great tips on how to maintain your Personal Computer Maintain your PC.
How To: Install a hard drive into a Powerbook 15" G4 Titanium
Watch and see how to install a new hard drive into a Powerbook 15" G4 Titanium system. Install a hard drive into a Powerbook 15" G4 Titanium.
How To: Hide a file inside of a jpeg
Blogger Jimmy R. demonstrates how you can embed hidden files into an innocent-looking JPEG image using the free 7-Zip and the Windows command line.
How To: Organize a Windows start menu
Learn how to organize and declutter an overloaded start menu in Windows. But be careful if you have multiple users with different preferences because this will make the same start menu for each user.
How To: Setup a wireless home network
So you know how to setup a network in your home, but how do you go wireless? The Lab Rats, Andy Walker and Sean Carruthers show you how to setup a wireless (WIFI) network.
How To: Change your computers appearance
This easy tutorial shows you how to change your computers appearance. You can change your computers windows, buttons, color scheme and font size.
How To: Use a disc drive
This video shows how to use a disc drive. We all have damaged discs that the kids or dogs have ruined. This video shows how you can save some of these discs.
How To: Adjust your Windows automatic update settings
This video shows how to adjust your automatic update settings for Windows. This will keep your PC up to date and working at it's best.
How To: Hide or show network icons in Windows XP
If you're reading this, you're connected to some network or directly to the Internet. Have you ever wondered how to set the network icon on the Windows XP Task Bar? This video will teach you exactly how to do this simple task. Make sure to hit "play tutorial" in the top left corner of the video to start the video. There is no sound, so you'll need to watch the pop-up directions. Hide or show network icons in Windows XP.
How To: Install and run Python 2.5 on Windows XP
Ian Ozsvald walks you through installing and testing Python 2.5 downloaded from Python.org. This includes how to start Python from the Start Menu and writing your first (Hello World) line of Python code.
How To: Install IDE Eclipse with Pydev extension on a Mac
This tutorial is a short Hello World tutorial on setting up the free IDE Eclipse w/ Pydev extension on the Intel Mac OSX. Shows you how to quickly setup and get developing with Python.
How To: Turn your Linux machine into a Django server
Django is a Python web framework used for rapid application development in any environment. In under 10 minutes, you can go from a bare Linux (Ubuntu) installation to a fully functional Django server.
How To: Download IPython
IPython provides a far more powerful alternative to the standard Python interpreter, incorporating features such as string-completion, code-line macros and a rich history. This is free software that Ian Ozsvald has found to enhance the Python coding experience.
How To: Use the textpad editor from within IPython
The IPython interactive Python shell allows the use of an external editor for editing multiple lines of code. Here Ian Ozsvald shows how to replace the default (Notepad in Windows) with your favorite light-weight editor and how to use it from within IPython.
How To: Debug Python using the IPython shell
Ian Ozsvald shows how the powerful, interactive python shell IPython can be combined with the Python debugger to provide a powerful debugging environment.