Rick's Daily Tips

Have a WordPress blog? If so, you need to update your server to PHP 7 before January 1!

Posted on December 27, 2018

If you’re a blogger there’s a good chance that your blog is powered by WordPress.

If it is, I recommend that you check the version of PHP that’s currently active on your web server. If it’s running a version that’s lower than 7 you really need to update it to at least PHP 7.0 before the end of December.

If you’re unfamiliar with PHP, that’s the web programming language that the WordPress core files are written in. In other words, PHP is the engine that powers your WordPress blog.

As with virtually everything else that’s related to WordPress, older versions of PHP will eventually be retired and stop receiving security updates. And that’s about to happen with PHP on December 31, 2018.

[Read more…]

How to give Windows 10 a Windows 7 style Start Menu

Posted on December 19, 2018

Microsoft dramatically changed the Windows user interface when they released Windows 8, and most users (myself included) didn’t like many of the changes.

To their credit, the folks up in Redmond listened to our feedback and made Windows 10 look and feel more like Windows 7.

Most importantly, they brought back the beloved Start Menu.

The Windows 10 Start Menu is still a bit different from the Start Menu in Windows 7, but I actually like it better. That said, we all have different tastes so it’s not a bit surprising that some folks prefer the Start Menu from Windows 7.

Every week I receive at least a couple of emails from folks asking if there’s a way to force Windows 10 to use a Windows 7 style Start Menu.

Well, the answer to that question is yes, thanks to a fantastic free utility called Classic Shell. Just follow the steps below to install it on your PC: [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I get my printer to work if I don’t have the installation CD?

Posted on December 16, 2018

Question from Brittney F.: My old computer stopped working and I had to buy a new one.

I need to install my old (but great) HP Deskjet 1050 J410 printer on the new computer but I’ve lost the installation CD.

Also, the old computer had Windows 7 on it but the new one has Windows 10.

Do you know of a way to get this printer to work with my new computer?

I’d really appreciate it if you can help me out. I really need a printer and I’d rather not have to buy a new one if I can help it.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

How to get free 2-day shipping on ALL of your Christmas gifts

Posted on December 16, 2018

(#ad)

These days many of us choose to do much of our Christmas shopping online since it allows us to shop from home and save gasoline while avoiding the frustration of navigating the crowded stores.

As the world’s largest and busiest online marketplace, Amazon gets a massive chunk of the online Christmas shopping business.

Why? Because their selection can’t be beat, they offer competitive prices on literally millions of products, and their return policy is one of the best around.

Amazon also makes it easy to get free 2-day shipping on most anything you want to buy. Simply sign up for a free 30 day trial of Amazon Prime (#ad), and anything you order for the next 30 days will come with free 2-day shipping as long as your purchases are Prime eligible. [Read more…]