InterNoobs

Hi everybody! As you've probably noticed, the blog's been a bit quiet as of late. I've been pretty swamped with some other projects, and I sadly just haven't had as much time to write about computers and the internet and all that fun stuff. However, I will be sticking my head in to check on the forum at least once a week, and any private messages go right to my email, so if you do have questions, I'll do my best to help you out. I'll be happy to take requests for bigger how-tos as well, but it...

One of the things I consistently notice amongst fellow internet users is that many people don't know how to properly search for stuff. Google may have served you well in the past, but I'm going to share a few little tricks with you to help make your search results even spiffier.

Unless you avoid the news entirely, you've almost certainly heard about the hacking sprees that have been taking place over the past several weeks. Tens of thousands of usernames, passwords and email addresses have been released online for anyone to download. Thankfully, it seems that one kind soul has put all that compromised info to good use.

Powering the internet requires energy like anything else—so just how much does the wired world suck down?

Produced for Australian TV show HungryBeast, "Anatomy of a Computer Virus" is an infographic-in-motion "dissecting the nature and ramifications of Stuxnet, the first weapon made entirely out of code."

I don't know what I'd do without my computer. I can't do my job without the internet. I communicate with employers, friends, and family through emails, video chat and Twitter. I schedule meetings and plan deadlines. I bank. I shop. I read the news. I play games. I watch my favorite shows. Yes, I'd be rather lost without this little plastic box of circuits.

Time to confess a personal bias: I love Gmail. I think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I try to be impartial when I write about software and online services, but seriously -- of all the free email services out there, why would you use anything else?

I've decided to indulge myself and get a netbook. But I have no idea where to start, and my initial stabs at research reveal that netbooks have gotten overshadowed by iPads and Android tablets. (Nothing against tablets - but I like having a keyboard.) Do you guys have any recommendations? I don't need anything super-powerful, but I do like: small size, pretty design, ability to launch multiple applications without freezing up, something on which I can write, or browse the Web. I'd like to keep...

Just how private is your Facebook profile? To some extent, that's up to you. Many Facebook users share and poke their days away, never knowing about the plethora of custom privacy settings that lie just a click away. Facebook's privacy menus can look a little complicated to the newcomer, so today I'm going to give you a basic look at what lies under the hood.

I love my laptop. It goes wherever I go. Unfortunately, that means that it also gets pretty grubby after a while. The screen gets dusty. The frame gets smudgy. The spaces between the keys fill up with crumbs of questionable origins. And my desktop? That thing is a dust bunny magnet.

InterNoobs, assemble! We've got a newcomer here who needs the help of the hive mind.

Via MetaFilter: There's an FTC complaint being filed against Dropbox that says that they're lying about how files are encrypted and who's got access to them. Dropbox says that your files are safe.

If you like playing with open-source hardware, this movie's for you!

This article lists a bunch of tools you can use to build your own Dropbox. You might want to do this if you're really worried about privacy, or really want to learn how to do this on your own. Have you tried to do something like this before? Tell us about it!

Movies like to show hackers breaking passwords with fancy software and ludicrous gadgets. The reality of busting passwords open is much more mundane. Simple as it may sound, most passwords are broken purely by guesswork. Check out this infographic from ZoneAlarm, as well as this list from the Wall Street Journal of the fifty most common passwords gleaned from the 2010 Gawker hack. If your password is on one of those lists, you need to change it. Right now.

Hey there, mighty noobs! Just here to let you know that as of now, I'm on a very short hiatus. I'm leaving for an extended stay in Iceland day after tomorrow, so I'll be taking a week off to settle in and un-jetlag. I'll be back in action on May 6, so until then, feel free to ask questions and chat in the forums. Take care, and happy geeking!

@ Becky... would love a tutorial on enabling private browsing in Firefox and Chrome.

Okay, stop me if you've heard this one. You have a document that you want your co-workers' advice on. You attach said document onto a mass email. The first reply comes back with an edited version of the document. You begin to make changes, but another email comes in, with yet another edited version. Soon you're drowning in a desktop folder full of mismatched documents, all with the same name.

Making your way into an online community can be really exciting. Some life-long friendships and lasting romances begin in humble chat rooms and message boards. But for the novice internet user, one of the biggest hurdles can be trying to figure out just what people are saying to one another.

Take a look around the next time you open up the File menu and slowly scroll through your editing options. Are your coworkers quietly cringing? Your kids running for the other room? Sounds like you need a few good keyboard shortcuts up your sleeve. Memorizing the right combos can transform you into a super speedy Windows superstar. Forget the mouse. Keyboard shortcuts are the new black.

Becky, love the articles. Somehow I just came across your world now. Keep them coming!

Your best friend's on Yahoo!, your daughter's on AIM, and now your co-worker wants to connect with you over Windows Live. Before you know it, your desktop is overflowing with buddy lists and message windows. Mismatched alert sounds are dinging and buzzing incessantly. Your computer has become a disorganized, stressful place to be.

Say hello to your fellow noobs! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your experience with computers (even if it's none whatsoever). Don't be shy!

Is there something in particular that you need help with or would like to see explained? Awesome. Let's hear about it.

This animated video will tell you everything you need to know about how the internet came to be.

Do you love the internet? Me too. That's why you should learn about Net Neutrality. Though this video was made a few years ago, the basic principles have stayed the same, and Net Neutrality laws are currently on the tables of governments all over the world. Get informed and save the internet!

You may see the term "binary code" used in some of the blog posts here. You don't ever need to know what binary code is in order to use a computer. But if you're feeling curious and want to learn more about what makes your computer tick, check out this easily-accessible tutorial.

Just remember, no matter how bad you think you are at computers, you're one step ahead of this little tabby.

Wondering why your inbox is looking a little threadbare? It may be that you've violated a few unwritten rules of email etiquette. Here are a few basic tips that the web-savvy know by heart.

Welcome to InterNoobs! My name's Becky, and I'm looking forward to taking you through the awesomeness of the online world. Before we get started, there are a few forum rules.