July 24, 2007
I had plans to write about my experiences with the iPhone, but I changed my mind. Not because I am not having a blast with it, but because I don’t know it well enough yet. I have had it a little while, but I haven’t “converted” over to it yet. I am traveling this week and will have some time to play with it. I am going to try and write next week’s column entirely on the iPhone.
So this week I thought I would address a reader’s e-mail that made some great observations:
Q: I have a .jpg file that I can’t delete. I created it myself with Word 2000. It is a background image created for my Web site. The file is just a two-toned gradient, nothing fancy.
I have tried to delete it directly, I have tried to create a new folder to place it in (which has worked on other .jpgs in the past) and have even tried a highly recommended program called GiPo@Utlilities (a computer magazine and several boards recommended it).
Nothing has worked. Will I be stuck with the file as long as I have the drive it’s on (or I finally go 100 percent Linux)?
A: I think the problem you are having is that the file you are trying to erase is “in use” somewhere on your system. Maybe you are using it as a background for your screen saver. Maybe you have it set to your wallpaper? If you switch screen savers and wallpaper, you might be able to get rid of the file.
Another possibility is that the file was marked read only. You should be able to see the attributes in Windows Explorer and switch it to read write.
Finally, the file may have a corrupted directory entry. One of the only ways to get rid of this is to reformat your hard drive. My suggestion is that you don’t go through all the backup and reinstallation and just leave the .jpg file on your system if the first two solutions don’t work.
Q: I have been using Word for my sites because I hate typing in a lot of code without seeing the results immediately. I would love to find a good freebie or at least inexpensive site builder that would let me use a WYSIWYG screen, the ability to cut and paste from Word Perfect, and to save in HTML code instead of the program’s own extension. I’ve yet to find a program that allows all of the above at a reasonable price. I’m sure there are a few other readers that would like to hear of one as well.
A: There are many HTML editors, but a good, cheap and free one is a bit harder to find. You can find a variety at www.download.com type in HTML free editor and check out the list.
I like using an old-time program called Hot Dog Pagewiz because I am used to it. But the new WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) ones are very nice. Try wysiwyg html editor or CoffeeCup Editor.
Next week: Direct from the iPhone.
Jim Harmening is president of Computer Bits Inc., an Orland Park computer services company. Send questions to Jim in care of Mary Beth Sheehan at info@bitsmail.com or at www.computer-bits.com. Personal responses are not always possible. Questions may be used in future columns.