Not sure about you but I like the Ribbon UI added to the Microsoft Office UI. I find it very useful and nice. To add it to the next Microsoft Windows OS seems like a given. But as usual you get the “I think this is stupid” or “I can’t stand the Ribbon UI” comments from either Windows haters or people who simply want to stir up some debate over “what’s new” out there. I honestly don’t see anything wrong with this idea. What about you? Do yo...

I am currently looking into putting a list of parts for a future computer, parts that will change as time goes bye till I finally get it but I always find myself stuck on one particular hardware due to one feature I like but am not sure if it's worth getting. The power supply has always been a pain. Between picking the right amount of watts and the brand name I end up with headaches. But the one thing I have yet to decide is to either go modular or not. The ability to pick only the cables tha...

I have a portable version of FireFox that I use at work thru my PortableApps.com menu off my portable drive. I prefer it to IE. Howevere at home I have the full install of Firefox on my onw PC. Today I was reinstalling my portable FireFox because I was having issue with it these past few weeks. My job computer was slow with little memory and a not so great processor by todays standards so Firefox combined with my job applications made for a painfully slow experience on my job computer. Now I hav...

OK, so I bought a new Linksys WRT120N wireless router. I bought Linksys because like Dell and Western Digital, it's the most common brand I know for routers and most people trusted them. I admit I don't keep up with the latest upgrades in their devices so I have to also admit I bought this model with ignorance. It seems Linksys latest routers have had major issues with connetion drops and more. Ironic that I checked every other device I bought and failed to check this one and turns out it's a...

OK, so I look forward, hopefully, to build a new PC next year. But as I did some research on what I would like to buy as hardware I find myself confused about the processors I am considering. My goal is to build a decent rig good enough to play most of todays games (except maybe Crysis) with decent frames per second that does not cost an arm and a leg. Hopefully under $900. However I've been stumped at the CPU point of the build as I find myself looking at 2 CPUs of different models but...

Ok, once again I am invoking the brain powers of my fellow Joeuser (and all ofther Stardock cross-posted forums) computer pros to help me with a dilemma. So, due to the video card on my laptop dying on me, my great friends from my online clan were kind enough to provide me with some spare computer parts so that I could rejoin the FPS world and play again. However I have a small problem and was wondering if anyone could give me some sujjestions on how to trouble shoot the problem. The probl...

Here at my job, some consider me the computer geek of the floor. Even though we have an IT Dept full of real computer geeks (real because they have degrees, diplomas and actually get paid to do fix computers), it's easier to ask me since I'm on the same floor and I am not as busy working on computers. But leave it to me to be the one to instill fear of Window 7 on my co-workers as I bragged about install Windows 7 on my laptop only to have it blow up on me (not literally) 2 weeks afterward? W...

I need help, can't isntall Windows 7. Every time I try to install Windows 7 from a CD, the computer ask me to hit any key to continue but no matter how hard I try I can't find the "any" key on my keyboard. By then the computer just boots into the original Windows that is currently installed. Please help me find the "any" key so that i can enjoy Windows 7. Powered by Zoundry Raven

I have an article I wrote a few weeks back, found here , asking about getting a copy of Windows 7 from a friend who got it from school at student discount. I got some great answers but I am still curious about something. Does this copy sold to students have a way for Microsoft to know if it's a student copy or is this copy just like any copy you buy at the store? I ask because I remember I bought a PC many years ago from a guy who built and sold them and he had installed an unregistered copy...

I need some 911 tech help here. My PC has suffered a terrible accident and am not sure if it will survive.   OK, so here is what happened. On Friday night I was playing Call of Duty World At War with my friends online. All of a sudden, I the middle of the game the computer froze; it made a loud buzzing noise (probably from the sounds of the game freezing up) and the screen went all pixilated. I had to force a shut down and when it came back it would crash when ever I started a game, w...

Ok, last time I asked for help, I asked for someone nice enough to make an image for me depecting the US from an aerial view with the US Flag sodta faded over it and the words Proud American in it. Some was nice enough to help me out and I am very appriciative of his help. Actually, 2 people help so I wanna thank vStyler and BoXXi for their contributions. This time, however, I would like to be involved in the process and want to make my own Logo for my upcoming podcast blog. Wanna create some...

For those who don't know or have not heard of Cloud Computing (I just recently learned about it), basically it's the ability to use software and store data on the Internet, specific websites with software to do things you need done that require minimum or no software to be installed on the PC and also stores your files and other data on the same servers. Personally I think Cloud Computing is a pretty cool idea. Convenient so that you don't have to be stuck on one specific computer to access...

I know that Windows by default hide the extentions fo just about every file. My question is do you leave the extentions hidden or do you like to be able to see them? My job has all their extensions visible. I am not sure why but can assume why they do. I can only think of 2 reasons to have the extentions visible. 1) To know what type of file it is. Quite often I tend to activate the show extension option in Windows to know what kind of file I am looking at when I am looking for a program t...

OK, so I know that people who are students can get copis of Windows at discounted prices. If they bought a copy and then, for what ever legit reason, decided not to use it. Could they give it or sell it to someone else, not necessarily a student? I'm curious cause I have a freind who does not want his copy that he will be getting because he got himself a Mac as a birthday gift and decided he did not want to use Windows anymore. I told him about using Windows on his Mac with that virtual progr...

Got a question, if purchasing a video card for the PC (say an nVidia 9800 GTX) would you recommend buying a new MoBo with or without onboard video? I ask only because what if one has problems with the card (for what ever reason) and one would still want to use the PC till the card issue is corrected, without onboard video that would be a problem. On the other hand, what if the MoBo comes with an onboard ATI video drivers (just because you can't find one with nVidia video drivers that you want), ...