Computers & Programming Features

How To: Turn your digital photos into Polaroids on a Microsoft Windows PC

Wish there were an easy way to give your digital photos the appearance of an old Polaroid picture? Well, there is. And it's easy! So easy, in fact, that this home-computing how-to from the folks at TekZilla can present a complete overview of the process in just under two minutes. For more information, including step-by-step instructions, and to get started applying a Polaroid effect to your own digital photos, take a look.

How To: Tell if your hard drive is failing in Ubuntu Linux

With this video, we learn how to tell if your hard drive is failing in Ubuntu Linux. If you have a failing hard drive, it will start making noises like clicking or grinding. If you hear these noises coming from your hard drive, you will need to get a new one before it fails completely and you lose all your data. You could have a failing hard drive but it doesn't make any noises. Hard drives come with a monitoring system so you can see what shape the hard drive is in. To see this, open up the ...

How To: Install the DHCP role on Windows Server 2008 R2

In this clip, you'll see how to install the DHCP role on Windows Server 2008 R2 and how to create a scope. It's easy! So easy, that this video tutorial can present a complete, step-by-step overview of the process in about five and a half minutes. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this video guide.

How To: Load images when programming in Java

Want to program your own Java games and applications but don't know beans about object-oriented programming? Never you fear. This free video tutorial from TheNewBoston will have you coding your own Java apps in no time flat. Specifically, this lesson discusses how to to load graphic images when writing code in the Java programming language. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this helpful programmer's guide.

How To: Create and join partitions in Windows 7, Vista or XP

In your Windows XP or Vista computer the hard drive contains only a single partition by default. Partitioning hard drive helps to easily manage you data by segregating them into different drives. You can partition a single drive into multiple logical drives. You can also delete the partitions. First go to the start menu and go to the Computer button. Right click on it and select the Computer Management option. In the Computer Management window, at the left hand side select storage and select ...

How To: Access Hotmail and Gmail through a local email client

In this tutorial, we learn how to access Hotmail and Gmail through a local email client. First, Google search "webmail Mozilla" and go to the official website. From here, you will click on the hotmail link and any other e-mail links you want for the add-on. Next, you will right click and save this to your computer. After this, go into your e-mail and go to the settings. From here, you will click on the "forwarding" tab at the top and then click "enable pop for all mail". Save these changes an...

How To: Change monitor resolution in Windows 7

You can customize and select your preferred monitor settings to improve the clarity of your monitor display. First open the start menu and go to the Control panel. In the Control Panel select the Display link. In the Display option window to the right hand side there are a few options available. Select the screen resolution option from them. Now there are many options present in there like Display, resolution, orientation etc., Using the display option you can select the monitor you want to m...

How To: Search through Safari history

Gary Rosenzweig of MacMost teaches us how to best utilize Mac's Safari web browser, and how to, when it's not necessarily immediately intuitive, search through your Safari internet browsing history. Selecting first the History option in your browser, and then Show All, you'll find that, oftentimes, there will be quite a large volume of information presented. Months and months of browsing history is unwieldy and too intricate. The solution, of course, is to use the search bar there will be ava...

How To: Format your PC external hard drive to work with a Mac

Thinking of switching to a Mac using an external hard disk, you'll need to format it so that the Mac can recognize it. In your Mac, go to finder, then applications. Scroll down to where it says disk utility and then select it. Here select your hard disk and press the partition button in the screen that comes up. Make two partitions and rename them to whatever you want. After that change the format of the partition to Mac OS extended. Now just press the apply button to apply the changes, be su...

How To: Delete all of your temp files at once on a Microsoft Windows PC

Free up space on your hard drive while protecting your privacy by deleting all of the temporary files on your MS Windows desktop computer or laptop. This clip will show you how it's done. It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this handy home-computing how-to from the folks at Tekzilla can present a complete overview of the process in about two minutes' time. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Build a custom external hard disc drive

External hard drives are cheap and widely available. You don't want any of those models though do you? You want to make the drive yourself because you are a DIY FIEND! This video will teach you how to take an internal hard drive and a separately-bought hard drive case, put them together, and make your very own custom external hard drive. If you have an old internal drive lying around this is a great way to give it new life.

How To: Use the Microsoft Windows Vista Sync Center

PCs are quickly becoming the center of our digital universe. With PDAs, cell phones, portable media players and other electronic devices; keeping your content synchronized has been a challenge. With the new feature, Windows® Sync Center in Windows Vista™, you now have a single place to keep all of your devices and information up to date. For detailed instructions on using Sync Center for your own data syncing needs, watch this how-to.

How To: Create a log-in session class with the PHP scripting language

In this clip, you'll learn how to create a ogin (or log-in) session class with PHP. Whether you're new to the PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor scripting language or are a seasoned web developer merely looking to improve your chops, you're sure to find benefit in this free video programming lesson. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Backup files on a CD in Windows XP

Backing up your files is very smart and important. You'll want to make sure that you copy your files somewhere external just in case something happens to your PC. The easiest and most convenient way to do this is to use a blank CD and burn your programs and files to it. In this video, learn exactly how to do this and keep your documents safe and sound.

How To: Zoom in and out on a Mac

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to zoom in and out on a Mac computer. To access the zooming tool, begin by clicking on the Apple menu and select System Preferences. Under System, select Universal Access and check On under Zoom. In Options, users are able to set specific settings such as the maximum and minimum range of zoom. The keyboard shortcut for zooming in is: Option, Command and =. The keyboard shortcut for zooming out is: Option, Command and -. This video will benefit those v...

How To: Use the Windows 7 Ease-of-Access Magnifier

Need help figuring out how to enable the Microsoft Windows 7 Ease-of-Access Magnifier tool? It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this Win 7 accessibility guide can present a complete walkthrough of the process in just over a minute and a half. For details, as well as to get started using the Windows 7 Magnifier yourself, watch this helpful how-to.

How To: Remove the fan assembly from a G5 iMac

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to remove the fan assembly from a G5 i-Mac computer. This process is very fast, simple and easy to do. Begin by laying the i-Mac screen face down and remove the screws on the back cover. Then remove the back cover of the screen. There are 3 fans inside the i-Mac. These fans are not supported by any screws. Just simply lift up each fan to remove it. This video will benefit those viewers who have an i-Mac computer and would like to learn how to remove t...

How To: Use Spotlight to find files in Mac OS X

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to use Spotlight to find files in Mac OS X. To activate Spotlight, click on the blue magnifying glass icon in the top right corner. Then type in the term to search. Spotlight will display all the documents and files that match your search. If you click on Show All, you will have more options in Spotlight. In the Spotlight Preferences, users are able to select the categories for Spotlight to search in or not search in. This video will benefit those vie...

How To: Change a drive letter in Windows 7

This video demonstrates how to change a drive letter to a certain drive in your Windows 7 computer. On you Windows 7 computer, go to Start > Control Panel. In the Control Panel, select System and Security then open the Administrative Tools. Look for and open the Computer Management tool. On the left side pane of the Computer Management window, select Disk Management. Look for and right click on the drive you want the drive letter changed. Select 'Drive Letter and Paths...'. Click change and s...