To do this, right-click the unopened message in your inbox, and then click "Options" to open the window that includes "Internet Headers." If you simply forward an e-mail message to someone, these headers will be lost, so whenever you are reporting spam to your ISP, or notifying a friend that someone has stolen their e-mail identify, be sure to cut-and-paste the message header from the spam message and send it to your ISP or your friend in the body copy of your e-mail message to them.

To better understand the headers and how you can use this information to track down e-mail offenders, visit this page on the Scamorama.com Web site.

Also read Dr. Ralph Wilson’s comments about "spam spoofers" in his July 30, 2003 issue on his Doctor Ebiz site.

When my computer arrived, it was set in the middle range, at the 800x600 setting, but when I was having trouble viewing a Web page one day (the right-hand side of the page wasn't visible), I changed my settings to the widest possible view, which is 1024x768. Suddenly all the type got smaller, and I quickly decided that I prefer the middle view best. The big type at 640x480 is too big, and the small type at 1024x768 is too small, but the middle type is just perfect for me. (I know this sounds a bit like The Three Bears story, but you might want to experiment and see which view you prefer.)

If your eyesight is poor, or you simply want the text on your computer screen to look larger than it normally is, you can change the VIEW settings to maximize type size. For example, click VIEW in Internet Explorer, and TEXT SIZE, and you’ll see that you have several options for typeface size. Note, however, that using a size larger than Medium (the default on most computers), may cause problems when viewing some Web sites where images are "sliced and diced" for faster loading. While the text size will increase, the graphics will simply split apart, causing a page to look as though it was improperly designed.

The less voltage that gets through a surge protector, the more effective the protection. Surge protectors are now rates by joules, the higher the better. (For more information on this topic, type "surge protectors" into your browser's search engine, and check out the new joule technology circuitry that absorbs and reroutes surge energy to ground, or, in the event of a catastrophic surge, completely disconnects the power.) When buying a new surge protector, look for one that offers a manufacturer's warranty that includes not only replacement of damaged surge protectors, but of damaged hardware caused by a power surge.

Don't count on a surge protector to save your computer in the event of a direct lightning strike. To dramatically cut your chances of loss here, avoid using your computer during storms and unplug the system until the lightning stops. Although your backup tapes or disks may be current, it could take you a couple of weeks to replace your computer system and get back to work, so what's a couple of hours' downtime during a storm?