If you think blacking out information in Microsoft Word  using the highlighter and then saving it as a PDF will hide your sensitive data, you are mistaken.   A quick copy and paste into notepad, will reveal that the blacked out information is still available.

I wrote about how to properly redact a PDF document, but I just found a handy redaction tool for MS Word 2007.  It is not an official Microsoft product, but it works great.  Once downloaded and installed, the tool  appears under the tab “Review”.  Highlight the information you’d like to redact,  click on “Mark” and continue through your document marking everything you want blacked out.   When you are finished selecting and marking,  click on “Redact document.”  Your sensitive data will be inaccessible.

Word 2007 Redaction Tool

Do you switch back and forth between Internet Explorer and Firefox and miss the bookmarks of the one when you’re in the other?  Then check out the Firefox extension PlainOldFavorites for a quick fix to this and get your bookmarks in sync.

What PlainOldBookmarks does is creates an extra option in your menu bar called “Favorites” right next to your “Bookmarks” in Firefox.  This is a list of all the favorites in Internet Explorer that you can now access, sort, add to and delete from right through Firefox.

Grab it for free from:

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In my last post, I briefly explained why Firefox is such a popular Internet browser.  One of the reasons is it is highly customizable.  With installable enhancements called Add-ons or Extensions, one can do everything from changing the color and look  of the browser window (which is called “Skinning”), to customizing tool use, to enhancing privacy and security.  Really, there are so many Add-ons with cool functions (and many that are superfluous), that I thought I’d list a few here for starters that are truly great pieces of functionality.

AdBlock Plus

We use this religiously at NYC Tech Guys and we always install it on our client’s browsers.  It prevents ads and banners from automatically loading on websites.  This often speeds navigation along and somewhat minimizes the distraction advertisements can create while you’re surfing.  It is easy to disable, too, on specific pages where you actually want to see a pop-up, video, or banner.  The ABP logo usually appears on the upper right corner of your browser and with a click or two you can ask it to disable on the page you’re on.  Easy. Useful. That’s what we like!

Surf Canyon

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