Q: I recently bought a 22-inch computer monitor and it is absolutely killing my eyes. I have decreased the brightness as much as possible using the little buttons on the side, but that didn't really help. Do you have any ideas? At this point, I just want to go back to the very small screen I used previously.
Norma Driebe
A: That was a good first step -- trying to adjust the monitor's brightness to suit your eyes. But there are other controls to try as well. Open the Display Control setting in Windows and click on the button labeled Advanced Settings. Experiment with both the monitor's refresh rate and the Color Management settings. Getting to Display settings will vary based on your version of Windows -- so type those words into the Windows Help menu if you need help finding it.
If that doesn't help, or even if it does, then try this. Put a desk lamp behind the computer monitor and position it so the light hits the wall, not your eyes. This sort of backlight can make a big difference. Also avoid using the monitor in a completely darkened room. If none of that helps -- well, by all means, go back to the small screen.
Q: I am having a problem with Internet Explorer. It will show a message that it is shutting down. Sometimes it actually shuts down and other times it clears up. There is no pattern to this problem. It can show up almost as soon as I turn on the computer, but usually it happens after about an hour.
Linda Campbell
A: If you do a Google search you'll see a lot of folks have had the same problem. There are -- literally -- dozens of possible causes, unfortunately.
One thing to consider is simply using another browser. It's the coward's way out but may fix the problem. I can recommend Opera (www.opera.com) -- a free Internet browser that, to me at least, seems faster and more reliable than Internet Explorer.
If you want to stick with IE, then try this. With the browser open, click on the menu item labeled Tools. That will open up a list of various options. Find and click on the one that says Manage Add-ons. Now disable all your add-ons.
If IE starts behaving, you can try enabling your add-ons one at a time. If the problem is from an add-on -- and it often is -- you'll eventually enable one and the problem will pop up again. So you'll know what you can use as an add-on and what you can't.
Of course, the problem may be something else altogether. For instance, adware and spyware can cause the same symptoms. So use a program that checks for and eliminates that, too.
Q: Am I safe using my laptop for bank transactions (bill pay, etc.) using motel Internet connections?
Don McAllister
A: You are reasonably safe using a wired connection in your hotel or motel room. You are not at all safe using a wireless connection -- either at a hotel or in a coffee shop.
-tecbud@bellsouth.net
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