I've been writing here since 2005 — practical how-tos, personal essays, the occasional opinion. After a recent cleanup, the 22 articles below are the ones worth keeping.
I still write occasionally. If you'd like a note when something new lands, sign up below.
Articles
-
December 7, 2025This handy, low-cost tool can revive dead sections of your lights in minutes—saving you money, time, and a lot of holiday frustration. It…
-
December 7, 2025Question: I have a lot of books on my Kindle, but sometimes I’d like to read them on my laptop instead of on my Kindle. Is there a…
-
January 6, 2023Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be downloaded from your website in a given month. Every time someone visits one of your web pages,…
-
January 2, 2023“NO AC” means your sprinkler system is not getting power and is running on it’s backup battery. Here’s how to check…
-
December 30, 2022 With the foundation completed, it’s time to lay down the deck boards. You’ll spend the bulk of your money on this part,…
-
December 27, 2022We all hope our kids will grow up and live much longer than we do, but if your kids are off to school like mine are, then you’re…
-
December 22, 2022I’ve heard of companies finding data that people thought they had deleted from their work computer. How do they do that? Might be…
-
December 21, 2022Quick Response Codes – QR codes for short – can be linked to web pages. Here’s how to create one that links to your…
-
December 17, 2022Macs have a built-in way of letting you transfer files from one Mac to another using Airdrop over a wireless network connection. According…
-
December 17, 2022Here’s how to send photos and videos to another iPhone – even when there’s no cell phone coverage or wifi – using…
-
December 15, 2022Impress your friends with this simple and easy holiday-themed spice infused Bourbon recipe. Imagine the feeling of curling up by the fire…
-
December 14, 2022Many of my friends (and family members) have said to me “So Rick… how do I get started creating my own…
-
December 6, 2022Most web hosting providers include free website template building software to help the average non-programmer build a web site, such as…
-
November 25, 2022I have developed a tight system for putting up and taking down lights over the past few decades, that makes it fast and easy each year to…
-
November 21, 2022I’ve used Craigslist to sell dozens of household items over the years, and I’ve noticed the larger-priced electronics are…
-
November 18, 2022Question: Where can I download a free Christmas screensaver? Answer: There are a lot of free screensavers that you can download, but be…
-
November 8, 2022Question: Can you recommend an affordable data recovery program for my Mac? Answer: Before you spend any money on data recovery software,…
-
November 8, 2022Have you ever been midway through a software development project, and had your client request a change in features? That never happens in…
-
November 6, 2022Hi Ricky, I need to find an electrician near me in the Beaverton, Oregon area. Who do you recommend? Hi Ricky, I need to find an…
-
November 5, 2022Linux and Unix-based systems have a built-in scheduling service called cron, that runs in the background and executes commands defined as…
-
November 2, 2022There’s nothing worse than realizing too late that you accidentally deleted hundreds of precious photos from your iPhone or iPad.…
-
October 30, 2022I’m often asked how to set up a website, either for personal use or for a new business. Fortunately, it’s easy and very…