Ray Saitz: More solutions for those annoying computer dilemmas

It seems that just when one computer or internet problem is solved, another one arrives to take its place. Since the last time I wrote a column offering solutions to some tech problems, new ones have presented themselves. Here are some fixes for some other computer dilemmas.

Some readers of my Christmas column were perplexed that a favourite website for kids called NorthPole.com displayed a large empty box where graphics used to be with the warning that the content was blocked. Other people who play some of the hundreds of free or inexpensive casual games at Pogo (pogo.com) have been concerned that many will no longer function; Pogo has posted a list of the defunct games (tinyurl.com/ycw25cyx). Both of these situations are due to the end of Flash.

At one time Flash technology was the basis of much of the internet. Websites used Flash to display graphics and videos and even YouTube depended on Flash to make things work. But change is a constant of technology and Flash is now living out its last months as a high-tech tool.

Although Flash was a superb tool it had security problems and internet charlatans learned how to exploit its flaws to install viruses and other malware. Web developers lost trust in it and developed new coding for web browsers and platforms that would do the same things as Flash but with fewer risks.

Google, Firefox and most other browsers have now disabled Flash plug-ins and as a result many websites, such as NorthPole.com and Pogo, are faced with rewriting their coding to support new standards. Pogo decided to just drop Flash games completely.

The problem is that you may be receiving irritating and repetitive pop ups to download updates for Flash, a technology that is no longer functional. The solution is to click the download link but when asked about updates check the Do Not Ask Again button, or open the Settings in Win 10 and under Apps uninstall Flash altogether.

A reader wanted to know how to download several long essays on websites to read when she wouldn’t have an internet connection. This is also useful if the website changes often and you’d like to keep a permanent copy of an article. Luckily it’s quite possible, but choosing the method to use is the real dilemma.

You could use software which involves downloading a program and figuring out how to use it. Pocket (getpocket.com/) is free but requires you to set up an account. You save articles while connected to the internet with your Windows computer and if you install the Pocket app on your smartphone or tablet you can sync the saved material to the mobile device for later reading. Other programs are HTTracker (httrack.com) which is freeware for Windows or Linux and the horribly named Sitesucker (ricks-apps.com/index.html) for Macs, iPad, and iPhone.

Or you can use your web browser to save the page. On a laptop or desktop open the menu by clicking on the three little dots in the upper right of Edge or Chrome or the three horizontal lines in Firefox. Choose “Save Page As” in Firefox and in Chrome or Edge click on More Tools and the “Save Page” command. It’s trickier on an Apple or Android mobile device but you can find general instructions at the PC World site (tinyurl.com/vz6ora2).

Besides browsing the internet and checking your email, you probably use your computer to type documents. The problem for a casual writer is that Microsoft Word is expensive and complicated. LibreOffice (libreoffice.org/) is free but just as complicated. The good news is that if you want a free, simple, word processor you already have one.

It’s called Wordpad and on a Win 10 computer click Start, scroll down the list of programs and Wordpad is in Windows Accessories. Right click on the name and pin it to the taskbar or Start menu. Wordpad is really simple to use and can save files in text, Word, or Open Office formats which can also be opened in Word or LibreOffice.

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