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Compiled by PETER SINCLAIR

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

David Bolstad asks for some 'handholding advice' - he's experiencing major problems with his email system. Well, he would, he's running Windows 3.11 in tandem with Clear Net Internet Explorer.

David, I'm not going to repeat what Grant (our resident geek) said when I told him.

He advises: "David's problem could be that his browser is not set up to use a mail program like Outlook. If it is IE4 or 5, he can check this under Tools/Internet/Options/Programs. It should have a default email program to use from the browser." IE3.02, he adds, has it too.

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Printers are hell, and John Hanna has just discovered this fact: "My printer does not recognise any tabulation settings, and the document does not have the first and second letters at both the beginning and the end of each line. As you can imagine I am getting rather frustrated."

Hopefully you won't need a can of petrol and a match, John. Sounds like a margin problem - most printers have a default as to how close to the top, bottom and edges they can print. It could be a combination of both margins and paper-size, so check out both these options for the printer (access its settings from My Computer). Your browser/mail programs have paper size/margin settings as well, unfortunately, so better check these too.

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From Peter Scott: "I am looking for a database to store details of my music CD and tape collection. I recall some years ago a shareware/freeware programme which could do just that but I am unable to find anything now. I could, no doubt, make up my own database, but if someone else has already done it..."

Any non-Napster users out there might like to e-mail InBox with the name of their favourite.

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"Are you aware of any software package that advises of new e-mail when the computer is turned on i.e. at the Desktop?"

Good news for Gareth Hughes – I do, and it's free. Messaging software ICQ can be set to do that very thing when autoloaded at startup, along with many other marvels.

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And finally, Ron: "Just had my hard drive formatted. Now whenever I open any windows they only open to postage-stamp size…how can I increase the size of these windows, why do they open so small?"

No problem, Ron. Right click the icon involved, choose Properties/Run/Maximized.

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