Q: Do you know any web site where I can get a free program to convert a PDF file to Microsoft Word? A: Adobe created its Portable Document Format (PDF) system to simplify exchanging documents. When viewed with Adobe’s free Reader software, PDF documents look the same on different computers: Their formatting doesn’t change. But […]

Q: I can’t send a web page through Windows Live Mail. On Internet Explorer 8’s Page menu, the “Send Page by E-mail” and “Send Link by E-mail” options are both “grayed out,” and I can’t choose them. Help! A: Windows 7 lacks an e-mail program, an inconvenience Microsoft tries to remedy by letting people download […]

Q: While searching for holiday sales using Internet Explorer, a Web site sent me pop-ups saying my computer needed to be scanned for viruses, then began scanning it. What’s going on? Is my computer safe? A: You’re seeing the result of a Web site that’s been “hacked” or compromised. Web sites, just like computers, can […]

Q: I use Windows Live Mail for e-mail. When people using Outlook Express (and perhaps other programs as well) try to reply to my messages they see the following error message: “You cannot send digitally signed messages because you do not have a digital ID for this account.” I can turn off the digital signatures […]

Q: I can’t find the tabs along the bottom of my Microsoft Works spreadsheet for switching between different spreadsheets. How do I turn them on? A: It sounds like you’re confusing Microsoft Works’ spreadsheet with its more powerful cousin, Microsoft Excel. Although both spreadsheets look similar on the surface, Microsoft Works’ spreadsheet has a major […]