Q What is the difference between digital radio transmissions received through Freeview television and via a DAB radio?

Robin Lloyd, Hemel Hempstead

A Freeview digital radio is usually broadcast at a higher resolution than DAB, and is therefore of a better quality, but a huge debate is raging about the standard of digital radio in Britain (see www.digitalradiotech.co.uk). Without wishing to take sides, in the blue corner we have critics who say that the squelches, gurgles and interference make digital radio pitifully sub-FM standard; in the red corner, we have those who refer to the better quality of satellite digital radio as a positive pointer to the future.

BROWSED OFF

Q After about half an hour of using the internet, I get the following message — “Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close” How can I get rid of these maddening messages?

Josette Morgan, via e-mail

A I suggest that you switch web browsers. There are great free alternatives that work well, offer more security than Internet Explorer and have some cool features. Try www.mozilla.org/products/firefox or my favourite, Deepnet Explorer (www.deepnetexplorer.com).

SPEED DIALLING

Q Internet speed-up products claim to improve dial-up rates by 10 times. Do they work?

Peter Bunbury, Bristol

A Onspeed (www.onspeed.com), Propel (www.propel.com) and other so-called internet accelerators compress the web pages and images you receive so that you have less to download. My own experience with Onspeed suggests that the benefits are patchy, depending on which sites you access, and that image quality suffers on the fastest settings. While pages load more quickly, there can also be a discernible gap before loading starts, especially with sites you’re visiting for the first time. My advice? Save your money and invest in broadband. Prices are dropping, and it will revolutionise your surfing and your life.

LAPTOP SCRAPHEAP

Q My daughter’s laptop screen has gone dim and she has been told to scrap the machine because it is old. Is there any alternative?

Colin Christensen, via e-mail

A Old laptops have slumped in value, so it may make sense to look for a replacement. You can pick up second-hand machines at computer fairs for about £200 — visit www.britishcomputerfairs.com. If you really want to keep the machine, try a specialist repair centre such as the Laptop Site (www.thelaptopsite.com/repaircentre.cfm).

LOST PASSWORD

Q I have just started a diary using Word on my computer, but have forgotten the password to access it. Is there a way to retrieve my work?

Sue Parkes, via e-mail

A Download the Advanced Word 2000 Password Recovery program from www.elcomsoft.com/aw2000pr.html and see if that can find your lost memories. The full version costs £17.60, but there is a demo to try before you buy. Add this experience to your notes, under “must remember passwords in future”.

Send your questions to: dontpanic@sunday-times.co.uk

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