Articles written by Lee Mathews

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About me - Lee Mathews

I'm a full-time computer technician now into my second decade of experience, as well as a husband and dad.

Why am I on Helium? Well, I enjoy writing and blogging, and I've got a lot of information to share. I also like to think that I'm good at presenting technical

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Entertainment > TV News & Commentary Dateline's To Catch a Predator: Helpful service or illegal entrapment?: 5 of 32
Because of how closely Dateline works with police authorities on To Catch a Predator, I don't think there's any way it can be termed "illegal" entrapment. I just can't see local police being "ok" with participating (on tv, no less) with an operation that was anything other than legal.Let's figure out first what "entrapment" r... More..
Computers & Technology > Computer Maintenance How to clean your computer: 2 of 10
When people are told to keep their computers clean, they're often lead to believe it's the operating system that needs to be cleaned up.In truth, that's only part of the job.The dirt on your keyboard? Annoying, yes, and it shouldn't be there, but it's not going to mess things up too much. Smudges on the screen? Unsightly, and... More..
Computers & Technology > Spyware & Adware How to get rid of adware: 1 of 5
There are a lot of misconceptions about adware to clear up before you look at how to clean it up.What is adware?It is any software that causes the display or download of advertising on a computer while the program is being used. What does that mean? Well, for starters it means that your favorite P2P or file sharing program co... More..
Computers & Technology > Software (Other) Which is better: Downloading software or buying it on CD?: 1 of 5
What is a better option, buying software online and downloading it or buying a CD? Let's look at a couple of things first before making a decision.Let's take a piece of major software so we can compare an online version and a packaged version of the same thing. Apples to apples and all that. How about Norton Antivirus 2008?Th... More..
Arts & Humanities > Citizen Journalism Should bloggers and citizen journalists have an opportunity to get credentials so they can cover Congress the same way mainstream media journalists do?: 2 of 9
Should someone that gives you advice about which cough syrup they use be allowed to prescribe drugs? No, that doesn't make any sense. That person isn't a doctor, and they haven't gone to medical school.So why should a "citizen journalist" be allowed to get press credentials to cover Congressional hearings?In short, they shoul... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Software & Utilities Free security measures to take for your computer: 1 of 4
Making sure you're safe and secure online seems like it's getting more and more complicated, but it doesn't need to be. Knowing what risks are out there and what software is available to combat those risks will give you a huge advantage.The very first thing to do is to make sure your connection to the internet is secured. If ... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Tips BitTorrent for free downloads: A safe alternative to Kazaa or Limewire: 1 of 4
The bottom line is that there's no such thing as "safe" when it comes to downloading things for free on the Internet. Why? Plain and simple, if you're doing something illegal, there's always a certain amount of risk involved.Torrents are a specific file format, and don't have anything to do with the "BitTorrent" website or pr... More..
Business > Business News & Issues Big blunders in business: How your business can learn from common mistakes: 6 of 21
Success in business is just like everything else - mistakes are going to be made, and you've got to do your best to learn from them when they happen. Of course, looking at common mistakes that other businesses make can prove extremely helpful, too. I have a few key rules that I've developed for myself over the years, and I've... More..
Computers & Technology > Computer Maintenance Best free PC registry cleaners: 1 of 3
The Windows registry. A lot of my retail customers seem to think that it's something viral, simply because of the number of bogus alerts certain websites pop up about needing to "clean it now." So what is the registry, and what free software is best to clean it?The Windows registry is a complete catalog of all the hardware, s... More..
Computers & Technology > Computer Maintenance How to enhance your PC's speed: 10 of 24
Over my years of building and repairing computers, I've arrived at several ways to improve a computer's overall performance. Let's start by taking a look at a working computer's weak points and then learn what can be done to improve the situation.1) The RAM. Not having enough memory installed in your computer has always spell... More..