Computers & Programming Features

How To: Clean out old files in Windows XP

This is a step-by-step guide to cleaning out those old fires in your Windows XP computer. You want to start by clicking the "start" button and then clicking on "my computer". Once there, you are going to want to right click on the C-Drive to clean that one first and click on "properties". Once the box opens you want to click on "tools" on your tool bar and then click on the "defragment now" button. When the box opens click on the C-Drive and then click "Analyze" to

How To: Music to a CD in Windows Media Player

This video demonstrates how to burn music into a CD using Windows Media Player. To burn music from your computer into a blank CD using Windows Media Player: open Windows Media Player by going to Start, All Programs then click on Windows Media Player. once Windows Media Player is open, click on Burn. open the folder where your music is stored, select the files you want to burn then drag them into the Windows Media Player screen. after making sure you have selected the music files you want, ins...

How To: Upgrade a MacBook hard drive

This how-to video will walk you, step by step, through the process of upgrading the hard drive on your MacBook. More specifically, this tutorial addresses saving your old data by creating a copy, or cloning, your MacBook hard drive with SuperDuper, removing it, and installing the new drive. For precise instructions, press play!

How To: Get choosable options in a batch file

In this video the instructor shows how to choose options on a batch file. In a batch file if you write the command '@ echo off', the person running the batch file cannot see the commands being executed. You can use the 'if' condition to make the program execute either of two commands depending on the condition. While writing the if statements make sure that there is space between the 'if' and the '%' sign. If you write 'shutdown -t 30' command in your batch file, then the batch program when r...

How To: Use stored procedures in VB.net

Microsoft ASP.NET is a free technology that allows programmers to create dynamic web applications. ASP.NET can be used to create anything from small, personal websites through to large, enterprise-class web applications. All you need to get started with ASP.NET is the free .NET Framework and the free Visual Web Developer. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to call a stored procedure within VB.NET. For more information, and to get started calling stored procedures for yourself, take a look.

How To: Build a simple house in SketchUp

This video tutorial is in the Computers & Programming category which will show you how to build a simple house in SketchUp. Start with the floor plan, draw a rectangular main living space and attach a small extra room. Next you use the push pull tool and pull the house up to as high as you want. You can make it 21 feet. Now draw the roof line in the center of the house along the length and draw the lines for sloping part of the roof on either side. Now grab the center of the roof and lift it ...

How To: Open RAR & ZIP files

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to open RAR and ZIP files. This task is very easy, fast and simple to do. Begin by downloading the 7-Zip program. Then open the downloaded file and follow the instructions to install the program. Once installed, right-click on the zipped file, go to 7-Zip and select Open Archive or Extract Files. Once opened or extracted, users will be able to access the zipped content. This video will benefit those viewers who have received or downloaded a zipped fil...

How To: Browse and open files and folders on a Microsoft Windows PC

When learning to use a computer, as with anything else, it's important to start with the fundamentals. This clip for new Windows users does just that. Fortunately, you'll find it's easy to browse files and folders. So easy, in fact, that this home-computing how-to can present a complete overview of the process in just over a four minutes and a half. For more information, including step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Create extender controls with the Ajax control toolkit

Microsoft ASP.NET is a free technology that allows programmers to create dynamic web applications. ASP.NET can be used to create anything from small, personal websites through to large, enterprise-class web applications. All you need to get started with ASP.NET is the free .NET Framework and the free Visual Web Developer. You'll learn how to create extender controls with the Ajax control toolkit utilizing the ASP.NET Ajax extensions.

How To: Encrypt a Linksys router with WPA password protection

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to set and encrypt your Wi-Fi password using WPA on a Linskys router. Begin by opening your web browser and type in the address: Click Enter. Now type in your user name and password, and click OK. Then click on the Wireless tab and select Wireless Security. In the Security Mode drop-down menu, select WPA Pre-Shared Key and then type in a password under WPA Shared Key. Finish by clicking on Save Changes. This video will benefit th...

How To: Secure your sensitive data in Ubuntu with encryption

TrueCrypt is a free application that lets you encrypt designated programs on your Ubuntu system to prevent unwanted access. Provided you select a strong password, intruders will not be able to open your personal files and documents. This instructional video walks you through the process of installing TrueCrypt on your Ubuntu operated machine and demonstrates an example on how to create an encrypted volume within a select partition.

How To: Clean up your computer and make it run faster

This video is about how to clean up your computer. The first thing that you will have to do is to go to "Start" menu found on the lower left of the screen. Once you have clicked "Start", click "Run". Once a new window will appear, type in "TEMP" and press "OK". Then the "Temp" folder will appear. Go to "Edit" and click "Select All". Once everything is selected, right click a file and press "delete". A window will appear for confirmation and click "Yes". Then go to "Start" menu again and click...

How To: Use the Status Strip control in Visual Basic 2005

Interested in creating your own dynamic, web-based applications using Microsoft Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition? In this installment from the Absolute Beginner's Series of VB/ASP.NET form control video tutorials, you'll learn how to use the Status Strip control which is an elegant way for you to provide application progress or status information back to your users. For more information, as well as tips for being a smarter user of Microsoft Visual Basic, take a look! Use the Status Strip con...

How To: Set up and use parental controls in Mac OS X Leopard

Parental controls let you manage, monitor, and control how much time your kids spend on their Mac, the websites they visit, and the people they email and chat with. Parental controls are set up and managed in system preferences. Before setting up your parental controls, you'll need to create an account for your child. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to configure and use the parental controls that are built into the Leopard operating system. Watch this video tutorial for more.

How To: Upgrade memory or RAM on a laptop

Check out this computer hardware tutorial from Dummies.com. This tutorial is made for PCs. Upgrading your laptop computer's memory is a simple, do-it-yourself process. This video shows how to open your notebook and install more RAM to give your laptop a performance boost. Upgrade memory or RAM on a laptop.

How To: Optimize performance on your Windows Vista PC with CCleaner

There is a built-in tool in Windows Vista that allows you to clean up your hard drive and system, and it could be found by simply searching for "disk cleanup" in the start menu. But this provides a really basic cleanup, so for all of you who want something more extensive, there are free alternatives available on the web. Once is called CCleaner, which is a lot better. It's the number-one tool for cleaning your Windows PC.

How To: Use a webcam on MSN for Mac

In this Computers & Programming video tutorial you will learn how to use a webcam on MSN for Mac. Go to Google and carry out a search for aMSN and click on the 2nd result which has the download link. Then click on 'Mac OS X Universal', download the program and open it. Next you start a conversation by typing in your text. Then click on the button on the right side for webcam as shown in the video. There is also a button for sending an audio clip. This will open the webcam and then you can use...

How To: Register Visual Basics 2008 for free

Registering Visual Basics 2008 express edition is quite simple. It is a free registration. First open visual basic then go to the help option. Register the product and click on register now. It will ask you to sign into Microsoft email using your Hotmail account or if you do not have one you can create one and use it there. Use your user name and password where it asks to verify. Fill out all the form information, it may be real or fake, it does not matter. Then you will come to a registratio...

How To: Install the Adobe Flash Player in Internet Explorer

This video shows you how to easily install the Adobe Flash Player in Internet Explorer. The first thing you have to do is open the Internet Explorer and surf to http://get.adobe.com/flash/player/ . Scroll down the page, uncheck the Download Free Google Toolbar box and then click the "Agree and Install Now" button. Then, click the pop-up bar in the upper side of the browser that just appeared, and click the Install ActiveX Control. A pop-up window will appear. Click install and then wait until...

How To: Use the rounded corners control in ASP.NET

In this video tutorial, you'll be shown how you can easily add a little elegance to your ASP.NET user interface by using the rounded corners controls, which ships as part of the Microsoft Ajax control toolkit. For more information, as well as to get started using the rounded corners control with your own ASP.NET applications, take a look.

How To: Implement an in-app purchase feature in an iPhone or iPod Touch app

In this clip, you'll learn how to add an in-application purchase feature within your app. Whether you're new to the Objective-C operating language and Xcode IDE or are a seasoned developer merely looking to pick up a few new tips and tricks, you're certain to be well served by this tutorial. For more information, including a complete overview and detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video Objective-C programming lesson for iPhone & iPod Touch developers.

How To: Create an XML-driven video player using Flash CS4

XML video players are the most efficient and accessible type of video player that you can put on your website from both a user and a web designer standpoint. This video will teach you how to create one and put it on your website using Flash CS4 and Actionscript 3. After your do this, you will have saved yourself many future headaches by making it easier to modify and add videos in your player.

How To: Control a friend's PC with Windows XP Remote Desktop

Wartex8 demonstrates how to use remote desktop in Windows XP. Remote Desktop is a useful utility that you can use to control another computer and its applications.The necessary steps that are adopted to activate remote desktop are:1) Right click on my computer icon (either the icon on the desktop or the one on the start menu list) and select properties, and a new dialog box called system properties will pop up on the window.2) In the System Properties, select the computer name tab and write d...