InBox

By DON McALLISTER

Welcome to InBox, where we attempt to answer your internet questions.

Liz is considering her dairy company's offer of ihug ultra as an alternative solution for her problematic provincial internet connection.

Yes, it's ideal for your situation, Liz (she's 13km from an exchange). Data downloads bypass your phone line and are beamed directly into your computer via a satellite dish. You still need your phone line for uploads. But as upload requests typically represent only a small percentage of total data transfers when using the web, you'll get much better access speeds.

Moffy has received .doc attachments that open as squares and dots and are generally unreadable.

The .doc file type normally requires Microsoft Word, Moffy, which you obviously don't have. You can download a Word viewer from www.microsoft.com/office/000/viewers.asp.

Craig's email downloads to message number five and then freezes.

Email programs only believe they have messages when all have been downloaded, Craig. Don't stop the program mid-stream, or all will download again next time. Use your internet provider's web mail gateway (webmail.ihug.co.nz - for ihug), which will show you all the headers. Pick out the faulty one and delete it. After the next download, your machine should work correctly again.

Caroline warns us of a nasty trick that nearly fooled her. Microsoft apparently sent her a security update in .exe form. She was suspicious, looked closer and found what appeared to be a Russian source. Some lowlife had copied the contents of a Microsoft Security Update email and attached a virus file.

Remember Microsoft always uses links to stop malicious impostors infecting your machine.

Leo's floppy is listed last in My Computer and he wants it top of the list.

Open My Computer. Select View/Arrange Icons By/Auto Arrange. That's all it takes to reset it to the Windows default order, Leo.

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