Q. (Email message) I am running Internet Explorer 7.0.  When I logout of my bank site, for example, I am advised to close my browser. As you probably know, IE 7.0 has several tabs.  If I close the tab without closing the browser, does it have the same effect as closing the browser?

A. When you close your bank site tab in IE 7, and if there are other open tabs then you are not closing the browser. If the bank site tab is the only one open and you close it then you are closing the browser also. If you are on the Internet and elect to close e.g. using the X button with open tabs, you will be asked if you want to close the open ones.        
At a recent meeting, I reviewed IE 7 including some good URLs. The notes from this  presentation are available at: http://tinyurl.com/2qhjat. 

At the time of this writing, a beta version of Internet Explorer 8 is now available. Although aimed at "developers" it can be downloaded by anybody at http://tinyurl.com/2nkxkm.  It is compatible with Windows XP as well as Vista. 

Q. (Email message) Is there some way to open 2 active screens side by side on the monitor and have the cursor move across from one to the other so can work on each? (Vista).

A. Bring up only the 2 items you are working with e.g. a MS Word Document and a MS Excel Spreadsheet and then right click on the Taskbar and select "Show Windows Side by Side". You should thus be able to move from one document to the other i.e. move your cursor and work on each. Note the other choices when right clicking on the Taskbar.

Q. (Email message) I have Verizon DSL.  It has web mail which I have connected to Microsoft Outlook Express.

When I logon to Verizon, I see my incoming mail in my mailbox. I can read the mail and then dispose of it accordingly, i.e. send it to another folder, trash it, etc.  I can compose mail and send it.  I can use my address book to address the outgoing mail and, of course, I can edit the address book.

When I respond to a link in a document, i.e. the e-mail address of a writer in the Austin-American Statesman, it launches Outlook Express.  Why does it launch Outlook Express as opposed to opening the compose folder in Verizon web mail? 

Also, if I open Outlook Express while I have mail in my Verizon inbox, it wipes out the mail in the Verizon inbox and puts it into the Outlook Express inbox.  I had Earthlink dial-up prior to moving to Sun City in November.  Earthlink uses Total Access, which I think is a cover for Microsoft Outlook, to create a seamless mail interface on the desktop.  You open the mail in Total Access, manage the folders, address book, etc., and compose the mail in Total Access.  There is no back and forth as is the case with Verizon.

Do you know how I can configure my e-mail in Verizon so that it runs like Earthlink?

A. In this situation, Verizon is your Internet "Server" (ISP) and Outlook Express is the "Client".  You have opened an account using Outlook Express with an email address e.g. yourname@verizon.net. However, you are working directly on the Server’s site when you log on to Verizon to read your email, compose mail etc. Some users use the server’s site in this same manner to handle their email. When you "respond" to a link e.g. another email address such as the writer’s address in a newspaper, the client i.e. Outlook Express takes over.

I would suggest that you manage your mail using Outlook Express (client or Mail User Agent) most of the time. This is more functional than directly using Verizon (Internet Service Provider).  At times you can work directly with Verizon to make requests e.g. when you are away from your home computer.

As far as configuring your e-mail in Verizon, it should be similar to EarthLink as both are Internet service providers. 

Q. (Email message) I am interested in hearing about others' experience with Password Manager or other password management programs. Are they secure? Any recommendations as to which one to use? etc.

A. Your question rightfully brings up the problem of computer security and the necessity of safely managing the many passwords the average user has created for various situations e.g. banking, investing Internet sites.  Keeping a written list of passwords could be stolen or lost i.e. a rather poor methodology. Using the same password for different applications is not very safe.

Password Manager XP is a free program (http://www.cp-lab.com/) used by many satisfied computer users.  It appears to be a secure method in storing your passwords, IDs and other confidential material. This can all be done in one setting.

I have used Password Safe (http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/) another "freebie". I find it to work very well. It includes encryption protection.  

RoboForm is another popular password management tool (http://www.roboform.com/). A "free trial period" is available.

Q. (Email address) How can I change the address in the "Send to:" space once the address has been "sent" and returned to me since the address is typed wrong in error? 
This has happened before and I believe I used to be able to change that address.  I can forward the original e-mail but sometime others are reluctant to download/receive any e-mails "forwarded".

A. You are correct in stating that email recipients are reluctant to receive forwarded messages. I generally feel the same way. One way to solve your problem is to copy and paste the returned message to a newly created message then insert the correct mailing address.

Q. (Email message) I just purchased a new computer with Vista as the operating system. Is there any way that I can copy the Bliss wallpaper which I have always enjoyed from my Windows XP machine to my new computer?

A. Yes there is. One way to do so is to go to your Windows XP machine and bring up My Computer; Click C drive; click on Windows; click Desktop; click Web then copy  bliss.bmp (select> Ctrl + C) to a media such as a flash drive. You can then paste the bliss.bmp file into your new computer with Vista into the Web folder (Click C drive; click on Windows; click Desktop; click Web).

Q. (Email message) I just bought a new computer with Vista. I have been using Outlook Express. Are there any differences between it and the mail program in Vista?

A. Windows Mail (Vista mail program) and Outlook Express are very much alike. Having used Outlook Express, you should not have much difficulty in using Windows Mail. There are a few differences that are easy to learn. As far as the Toolbar is concerned, simply hover the mouse pointer over the buttons to determine what each represents.

There is no Identities selection; simply add new accounts when needed. There is no Address Book per se: use Contacts instead. Click on its icon to add people to your address book (File menu> New). You can access e-mail addresses and names desired with a simple click.  The Print and Delete buttons are now present and both respond to clicks.  An excellent useful Calendar is available. The Find button allows you to search for specific messages, persons or specific text; a very valuable tool for finding lost email. An outstanding improvement is the Search box available at top of the window. Better Spam and Popup control is available.

For more detailed information re Windows Mail, You might go the following Microsoft site: http://tinyurl.com/yffkuj.

Q. How do you stop those annoying balloon messages in Vista stating "Windows has blocked some startup programs ….."?

A. This message appears when you block a program's startup using Microsoft System Configuration (msconfig), then whenever you restart your computer. To stop the messages, right click the blocked programs Notification tray icon; choose Run blocked program System Configuration Utility, and then click the "Don't show this message..." checkbox.