A few days ago reader Michael contacted us with the following question:

I have Windows 7 and want to make my KMP Player my default media player, but when I go to assign a default player, Windows doesn't show any of the media players I have purchased or downloaded.

Actually, there are several ways to change the default media player (or other program) that Windows 7 uses to open specific file types. Let's take a look at them, one by one:

The first one, and most obvious, is changing file association within the program you want to use as default. Most programs include an option in their configuration settings that allows you to select the file types you want to open by default.

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We've had a question from reader Dave about downloading high definition video from YouTube:

"I can download almost all videos on the net into .flv files and convert them to .MOV for use in Final Cut Pro, except HD. When I choose the HD settings on YouTube it goes right to a screen that plays the video in HD but I can't download it in HD. Any suggestions?"

Yes! There are lots of ways to download video from YouTube, and one extension I know allows you to download HD FLV files is Download Youtube Videos +. This Firefox add-on puts a toolbar in the browser which flashes whenever video is available to download. It's available to download here.

Once installed, and Firefox has been restarted, go to your YouTube page and choose the video quality that you want from the pop-up menu on the video player.

Once chosen, simply click the flashing Save Video button on the toolbar, and a menu will drop down. There will be more than one file available to download, but basically if you want the highest definition, choose the biggest file! This will be downloaded to the same location as all of your Firefox downloads, ready for use whenever you want.

If you have any questions, please email us at: ask@onsoftware.com

This Ask OnSoftware topic is a hardy perennial which we've received lots of emails about. Most recently, reader Alvas wrote to ask:

I just can't settle down with Nero. Its bloat just disturbs me. Now I am settled with Burnaware Free. Can you guys please recommend some good VCD/DVD authoring tools?

Of course we can!

Alvas is completely right about Nero. While it's very easy to use for relative newcomers,  it's so overloaded with features that it can feel totally overwhelming. After all, what do most of us want Nero to do? Burn DVDs, surely? So if you're sick of Nero too, here are some suggestions for quality, free DVD authoring tools.

DVD Flick

For fairly experienced Windows users, DVD Flick could be the best solution. It allows you to compile your own DVDs, stitching videos together and adding menus. It may not be the prettiest program out there, and your menus may not look quite as good as the ridiculous ones I saw on the Blu-ray for Terminator 2 last night... but DVD Flick is a sturdy and reliable little app.

Sothink DVD Movie Maker

Boasting a sexier user interface than DVD Flick, DVD Movie Maker is one of several great apps from Sothink. It performs mostly the same functions, but includes more templates for creating DVD menus. Our editor Nick liked its features for including subtitles on your DVD as well as its good support for multiple formats.

InfraRecorder

This is my recommendation, mainly because I used it quite a lot over Christmas. InfraRecorder is  a quick and simple DVD writing tool that does away with such graceful touches as menu creation templates. What it does, though, is handle burning DVD images and video files: and it performs these tasks with the minimum of fuss. If you're looking for a basic, high-speed DVD writing app for your Windows machine, go for InfraRecorder.

Don't forget that if you have any software related questions, just email us at:

ask@onsoftware.com

...and if we like your question, we'll answer it here on the blog.

This is just a quick post to let our readers know that nearly everyone at OnSoftware will be in holiday between now and the new year. We'll publish a few posts but not as many as we would normally.

In the meantime, don't forget to send in your questions and suggestions to ask@onsoftware.com

We wish you all a very happy holiday season and an awesome-software-packed 2010!

Months after the release of Snow Leopard, it still seems that many Mac users are having problems with Mail in Snow Leopard. An earlier post we wrote on Solving Problems with Mail in Snow Leopard attracted many users who discussed some of problems they were having and possible solutions. One user however, Francis in Australia, wrote directly to OnSoftware in quite a pickle:

I have a new MBP which came with Snow Leopard, and then I did a migration assistant from my previous MBP from Leopard. After that was done I loaded Mail to get on with things and Snow Leopard performed some first time upgrade to my mail files - to make them play with Snow Leopard. Is this upgrade to my mail irreversible?

Unfortunately for Francis, the update is irreversible. The obvious solution would be to use Time Machine to roll-back to her Leopard installation for now but Francis adds:

However I only have backups now from my Snow Leopard as after I was up and running with Snow Leopard all looked OK on day one so I backed up with Time Machine with a fresh Snow Leopard backup.

This is one of the obvious dangers of backing-up to Time Machine too quickly after a new OS install. Users should wait at least a week or so before backing-up to Time Machine after they've installed a new OS. Otherwise, the advantages of using it to rescue situations like this are zero. Finally Francis adds:

I need to get back to Leopard so I'm thinking of doing a clean Leopard install and then bringing across only my home folder and all contents from a clone backup I've made of Snow Leopard. Will my mail files - which have been upgraded inside Snow Leopard - work on Leopard's version of Mail. Or am I screwed?

The chances are, that mail files modified in Snow Leopard's version of Mail won't work with Mail on Leopard. It's already been established that, due to the way Mail handles plugins for Mail, many Mail plugins have been broken by Snow Leopard and it's updates.

The obvious question to Shirley here is whether the mail is backed-up to a server. If so, it should be possible to delete the "~/Library/Mail" folder and then when Mail is reopened, it will rebuild all of the mail from the server. However, the best solution all-round would be to specify exactly what are the precise problems Shirley is suffering in Snow Leopard. There's a good chance that whatever it is, can be solved by reading the post and discussion in our first post on this issue.

The overall moral of this story though - don't rush into making Time Machine backups after installing a new OS!

[Alternatively, stop using mail clients altogether. Ed. ]

We've just had a plea in from OnSoftware reader for some help with a problem she's having with Windows Live Messenger. Shirley writes:

I have MSN Messenger Live 8 (or it might be 8.5) and I have a problem when I try to do video chats with my granddaughter. Sometimes when we both can see each other, but others she will not be able to see me, even though I can see her. Do you have any suggestions for me on how to correct this problem?

This isn't an uncommon problem, Shirley, and unfortunately there is no straight answer because the cause of the problem could be one of a number of things, related to your webcam hardware or software, or to Live Messenger. Here's what I'd recommend you try to do, in chronological order, until you find the solution:

1. Check your hardware - It might sound obvious but you should make sure that your webcam is plugged in correctly and switched on. You should be able to see the device from the 'My Computer' panel the Windows Start menu. If it's not showing up then try reinstalling the driver software that came with your webcam.
2. Update Live Messenger - It sounds like you're using an old version of Windows Live Messenger there, Shirley. Download the latest build of the program from here and install it. It could be that there are some compatibility issues with the version your granddaughter is using.
3. Try Trillian - If you're still having no luck with the Live Messenger program, try switching to Trillian Astra instead. This is a free application that lets you make video conferences over a range of different instant messaging networks, including Windows Live. It's a great program, and I find it a lot more streamlined than Live Messenger (note, that your granddaughter wouldn't have to switch to using Trillian as well).
4. Switch to Skype - If all else fails, you could always both switch to using Skype as your means of video chatting. The video features of Skype are second to none, and the call quality is excellent. This is the solution I always use for chatting with my friends - even with my buddies who I normally text chat with on Live!

After reviewing the improved snapshot management functionality in the latest version of VirtualBox, OnSoftware reader Mark contacted us with an interesting question:

I've become an avid reader of your weekly newsletter and look forward each week to explore your recommendations. I was interested in VirtualBox after reading about it on your site. I'm running Windows XP. I tried downloading the file "VirtualBox 3.0.6 for Windows hosts x86/amd64" from www.virtualbox.org but during the installation a warning came up suggesting that I should not continue as the software  is not recognized as being approved with "Windows Logo" and went on  to say that completing the download could corrupt my system. Should I be concerned?

The Windows Logo testing error message Mark refers to is not something that just happens in VirtualBox. It may appear when installing other applications as well, but as long as you trust the software developers and the application you're about to install, you don't have anything to worry about.

This error means that some components – usually drivers -  inside the program you're installing couldn't be properly tested by Windows during installation. It doesn't mean that the program is dangerous, or that it's going to crash your system, erase your hard drive or any of those horrible things you may have thought about... well, not necessarily. It's just that Windows wasn't able to complete the test on those particular items. Our advice for Mark then, in this particular case of VirtualBox, is to ignore that message and go on with the installation. I did, and my Windows XP is perfectly fine!

Once again, this message should be ignored only in those cases when you're installing a trustworthy application, coming from a reputable developer. In case of doubt, do some Google research. It may help you decide whether you should continue with the installation or not.

Don't forget to keep on sending all your problems, questions and doubts to ask@onsoftware.com so that we can provide handy solutions for you and the rest of our readers!

There are few things as annoying as a program that's easy to install, but almost impossible to remove from your computer. One of them is Windows Live Messenger, which comes preinstalled with Windows Vista and can get a bit stubborn when trying to get rid of it. One of our readers, Jean, had this problem and decided to ask OnSoftware for help:

I already have enough stuff registered in this lousy, abominable pop-up computer. How do I get rid of that WINDOWS LIVE MESSENGER window that pops on my screen??!!

If you're in the same situation as Jean, you'll be glad to know it's easier to solve that it seems. All you have to do is download WLMUninstaller, a handy application that locates Windows Live Messenger on your hard drive and removes it in a couple of minutes.

WLMUninstaller is dead easy to use: run the program – no installation required – and click Uninstall to remove Windows Live Messenger from your computer. That's all! WLMUninstaller does leave some traces behind (a couple of folders and files inside the Windows Live directory) but the actual IM client will be gone forever.

Do you know any other trick to effectively uninstall Windows Live Messenger? Feel free to share it in comments! Also, keep on sending all your problems, questions and doubts to ask@onsoftware.com so that we can provide handy solutions for you and the rest of our readers.

Here at OnSoftware we get lots of emails asking about software. Most of the time they are complicated questions, like how to partition your disc while dual booting on an external drive... or something along those lines. Sometimes, however, we get questions with more human interest.

A while ago a reader emailed asking for help with her math skills. She wanted to know if there were any programs or applications that could help her become more comfortable with numbers and less embarrassed by her lack of math skills. The good news is that there are - lots of them! Even better news is that our reader is not alone, and there are many people who have similar problems. Lucky that our reader was brave enough to ask, right?

That got us thinking here at the office - always a dangerous thing - but this time, we've come up with a great idea! We're going to produce a short series of posts with advice and software tips for people who have problems with numeracy, reading, spelling or money skills. They'll be of use to lots of people, and best of all, you'll be able to brush up on your skills without even leaving the house. Whatever your level, you'll find something useful, so stay tuned and don't forget to spread the word. You never know who might need the extra help...

Part 2: Math

Part 3: Reading

An interesting query from one of our (anonymous) readers on a topic which has even cropped up in our editorial meetings:

Hi! I've been thinking about buying a smartphone, and one of the features I've heard people talking about on mobile blogs is "Augmented Reality". What is that, and why is it useful? Should it affect my choice of phone?

Though it seems like something of a current buzzword, Augmented Reality as a term was actually coined in the 1980's. In simple terms, Augmented Reality - also called AR - means the enhancement of what you have around you by adding a layer of data to it. In other words, you can use AR to make your surroundings 'smarter' - pointing out places of interest, for example.

On my HTC Magic Android phone (AKA the myTouch 3G), I've tried out a few of the more popular AR apps and I can honestly say that while I don't use them 24/7, knowing that I have them to hand is a great feeling. Wikitude AR is the first Augmented Reality app I tried and its results were impressive. Simply point your phone's camera at anything you like and Wikitude combines GPS location, your phone's internal compass and a variety of data streams (most notably Wikipedia) to provide you with a wealth of information about what you're looking at. A newer competitor, Layar, performs similarly but with the advantage of being free and open - meaning that anyone can add their own data layer to it.

Another application, Google's Sky Map, may not be considered to be a classic use of AR but in my opinion it's a great example of what Augmented Reality can do. Using it to locate and name celestial objects is actually really fun and enhances a fun hobby.

If there's one thing that's still poorly supported on Macs by Instant Messenger clients, it's the iSight camera. You'd think by now, IM clients would have advanced enough to allow users to make video calls but even major ones such as Adium still don't. Biggest culprit of them all however is Microsoft Messenger for Mac which left one OnSoftware reader ruing the day he'd bought a Mac:

Hi, I am hoping that you can give me some assistance in how to get the webcam feature to work on MSN Messenger for Macs. I was assured that before I bought my Mac that MSN Messenger works as it does on my old PC. It mentions about being a corporate user and the webcam function working. How do I become a corporate user? If you could get back to me as soon as you can with a solution it would be much appreciated.

I really feel for this user because converting to Mac can be a frustrating experience at first and stupid things like this can really make you wonder whether it was worth all the bother. It's ridiculously unfair of Microsoft when PC users can use webcams and audio with MSN Live Messenger but Mac users can't.

Microsoft have obviously decided that, if you've got enough money to buy a Mac, then you should have enough to give them some too because as the user suspects, only Messenger for Mac corporate users can use a webcam. If you're in the same position you have two options. One is to pay hundreds (if not thousands depending on the license) of dollars and upgrade to the corporate edition which also requires Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. The second, is to use pay nothing and use aMSN instead. Hmm, tough one.

aMSN is an open source MSN Messenger clone so its interface will feel familiar to Messenger for Mac users. The important thing however is that it's absolutely free and it supports webcams. Starting a webcam conversation is easy.

1. Open a chat dialog with the person you want to chat to:

2. Click on the webcam symbol:

That's it you're done! I was using an integrated iSight camera but it should work with any external webcam. Although you can't do audio conversations with aMSN, you can record and send sound bytes to other users. There are other advantages to aMSN over Messenger for Mac too including the possibility to sign-in to more than one account at once and conduct video conferences for free.

In case you don't know, OnSoftware is on Twitter: so if you want to keep up with what's going on here, follow us! Find us here at twitter/softonic_en.

If you don't use Twitter, why not give it a go? It's a surprisingly good way to stay up to date with whatever you're interested in! And if you follow us, we'll follow you back - meaning you can send us suggestions, tips and software questions that we'll answer here on the blog.

The web browser has slowly evolved from being just one more program on our hard drive to becoming almost the only tool you'll ever need, thanks to the popularity of web apps. This is why it's important to keep it perfectly updated, and tailor it according to your needs and tastes. One of these small customization details is the browser home page, that is, the first web page that loads when launching the browser; something our reader David seemed to have some problems with:

I want to delete the Google search page from my Firefox home page.  Don't quite know how it got there in the first place but I want to delete it.  Please advise how I can do this and thanks!

I must say I don't really understand what David meant by 'deleting' the home page, but assuming that what he wants to do is changing the home page, it's quite easy: simply open Firefox, go to Tools > Options and in the Main tab, enter the address of your preferred website in the 'Home Page' text field.

Besides this basic functionality, there are other tricks you can use to spice up your browser home page. One of them is opening several webpages at the same when you launch the browser. All you have to do is entering the addresses of all the web pages you want to use as home pages in the same field described before, separating them with vertical bars.

An easier way to configure multiple home pages without having to type that much is opening all the web pages you want to use, then go to Tools > Options and click the 'Use Current Pages' button.

We've received quite a few emails in our Ask OnSoftware inbox, but when it's time to turn any of them into a post, we try to select the ones that are more useful for our readers - and for us as well. This is the case of one of the latest emails we got, where Alicia complained about opening PDF files in Firefox. Here's what she wrote:

I'd like to take advantage of this great service to ask about something that makes my life a bit more complicated. I switched to Firefox a while ago, I love it and I find plug-ins really useful. However I have a big problem with it: PDF files.

Firefox is not always able to open them, as IE normally does. Sometimes the browser just goes nuts, as if the PDF plug-in was not working properly.Then I have to manually download the PDF document and open it from the hard drive with my standard viewer.

I have the Adobe plug-in installed and have configured Firefox to use it for PDF files. I've also tested the PDF Download plug-in, but that didn't solve the problem either. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't so I ended up uninstalling it in case it created conflicts with the other Firefox extensions. Is there anything else I can configure, load, test or check?

Opening PDF documents in Firefox is quite a common action but it's also surprisingly problematic. Clicking on a PDF file link sometimes means ending up with a never-loading tab, a suddenly slow system or even worse, a frozen browser that cries out to be restarted. Here's a few tips that can help you solve this situation.

The Web provides you with lots to do: you can follow the news worldwide in real time, listen to your favorite music, enjoy online videos, chat with people on the other side of the globe and learn about hundreds of different subjects, among other things. But there is more to the Internet than just using it for fun. You can, for example, use it as a hard drive to store your files, either for private use or to share them with other people. This is precisely what Nelson asked us about in his email to ask@onsoftware.com:

Dear Sir,

I'd like to know if there is any way (I'm sure there is) to create a free online space where I can store my files (books, videos, audiobooks, pictures, music, etc.) so that I can share them with other people and let my family and friends on the other side of the pond download them with just a couple of clicks - perfect for people without extensive technical skills. Is there anything similar to that? If so, what's its name, and where can I find it?

Thanks in advance,

Nelson Tobon L.

There are actually dozens of websites that offer storage services for your files. In fact we've already written a couple of posts about them. You can find free hosting services with basic functionality, fee-based services with advanced tools, and even storage solutions specializing in a certain kind of content, such as music files or documents. Let's take a deeper look:

Multipurpose hosting services

First of all, we have a bunch of websites that allow you to upload any kind of file and download it by using an encrypted URL. Rapidshare, Megaupload and Hotshare are just some of the most popular ones. Most of these services offer both a free, slightly crippled version and a paid, full-featured version.

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