Whenever you are registering on a site, you can enter a + sign followed by a tag after your Gmail user name. For example if you are signing up for a car newsletter and your actual address is example@gmail.com you can instead enter example+car@gmail.com, the mail will still be sent to your normal inbox however if at any time down the line you notice spam being sent to this extension, you can not only tell where it originated from but simply filter all mail sent to example+car@gmail.com directly into your spam folder.

If you discover a site has spread your email to advertisers, simply:

1. Go to the Settings link at the top right of the Gmail homepage
2. Click on Filters, then Create a new filter
3. Type the tag you used (+car)  into the “To:” field
4. hit Next Step

From there you can set Gmail to simply delete all emails you receive addressed to that particular tag.

• Server Address
• Username
• Password

Now just open up the browser of your choice and type in the address bar “ftp://username:password@server.com“, replacing the information with your own and your browser should connect to the FTP.

If you do this in a Windows Explorer address bar, you will be able to drag and drop files as if the directory was a local folder on your computer, most other browsers however will allow you to navigate and download any of the files on that FTP server.

What is “Ping”?

Think back to those old war movies with submarines in them. At some point the submarine would have to dive, and a deadly game of battleships would begin with the enemy. There would be a brief shot of a radar with a spinning line on it, and a blip (or a ping). In computer terms, a ping is the response you get from another network device when you throw something at it. In this case it would be little packets of data, instead of sound.

A lot about a Ping is measurable, including how much data was sent, how long it took to get back, and where exactly you sent it (ie. what IP Address).

How Do I Use It?

To use the Ping utility follow these instructions:

1. Start->Run
2. Type in the letters: cmd
3. Hit OK

A black window should now appear (also known as Command Prompt)

4. Type the command ping followed by the host you wish to ping. For example: ping google.com
5. Hit Enter

If the command was executed successfully, you will receive several replies from that host. If it was unsuccessful, you may receive a “Ping request could not find ..” and so forth. Receiving a reply (unless under unique circumstances) usually means you’re good to go. When in doubt, try pinging a few hosts that you know will work. For example: microsoft.com, aol.com, bmw.com, or whitehouse.gov

6. When you’re done, type exit and hit Enter.

Putting it All Together

Feel free to explore the subject further. Ping will not only help you identify whether you’re online, but can also help you determine if a host or another computer on your network are available too. You can ping anything from a host name to an IP address.

So I was at work a few days ago, trying to figure out how to setup my Windows Vista: Home Edition computer to connect to a domain. Don’t ask me WHY my computer has Vista Home on it, at work, and not Business or Ultimate (my boss likes to cut corners). Anyways, I guess Microsoft figured that there should be no reason for someone to setup a domain at home since it’s primary purpose is to serve as a “home entertainment center”, so Home Edition doesn’t support it.

I ended up getting on the network using Windows Vista’s native VPN support though. Still annoying- but hey, that’s Microsoft.

Is it Possible to Set Up a Domain on Windows Vista?
Long story short- No. It’s not supported.

Which Versions of Vista Support it?
Vista Ultimate and Vista Business