只需三分钟:颈椎病无影无踪

颈椎病自我康复操：

这套操不需要按摩穴位，每个人均可以很快学会并练习。经常练习可以改善患者颈部的血液循环，松解粘连和痉挛的软组织。无颈椎病者可起到预防作用。准备姿势：两脚分开与肩同宽，两臂自然下垂，全身放松,两眼平视，均匀呼吸，站坐均可。

1.左顾右盼:

头先向左后向右转动，幅度宜大，以自觉酸胀为好，30次。

2.前后点头:

头先前再后，前俯时颈项尽量前伸拉长，30次。

3. 旋肩舒颈:

双手置两侧肩部，掌心向下，两臂先由后向前旋转 20—30次，再由前向后旋转20—30次。

4. 摇头晃脑:

头向左-前-右-后旋转5次，再反方向旋转5次。

5.头手相抗:

双手交叉紧贴后颈部，用力顶头颈，头颈则向后用力，互相抵抗5次。

6. 双手托天:

双手上举过头，掌心向上，仰视手背5秒钟。


References:
http://www.360doc.com/content/11/0223/14/0_95394637.shtml
http://www.360doc.com/content/11/0323/07/5776850_103726704.shtml

3 Simple Steps To Fixing Your Computer Issues

Every day dozens of tech questions cross the desktops of editors and contributors on MakeUseOf Answers. Many of them are easy to answer and have actually been asked and solved previously. Looking at other Q&A forums, the same scenario unfolds.

It seems that many people don’t understand how to use the Internet. Or maybe they are overwhelmed by the amount of information presented. Or are they just plain lazy? Worse yet, I suspect there is a much, much larger number of users who never deal with issues in the first place. They simply accept error messages, slow computers, and broken hardware or software until their system breaks down completely. They do this, even though they have access to the Internet, where easy and free solutions are relatively easy to find.

Prologue

One example. The other day I met a neighbor in the staircase. We chatted and she casually asked what my job was. I explained that I work for this website, managing a Q&A forum and writing articles about computer software and online tools. As soon as I had dropped the world ‘computer’, I had her full attention. She put on an impish grin and begged to ask a question. She went on to explain about her computer that didn’t turn on anymore, wondering what could be the cause. The thing is, I know she has WiFi and thus I suspect she has another Internet-enabled device she could use to search for help.

So I have been wondering what makes it so hard for people to look or ask for help and how to help them. This article is my answer. It’s for anyone with IT issues who isn’t currently dealing with them. It is a quick and easy instruction on how you can find help yourself or easily receive help. For free. The only requirement is that you have access to the Internet and use it. Anywhere.

1. Search Google

Yes, Google it ! Whatever your issue is, go and type your question into a search engine, for example Google, then see what comes up. With over 300 million websites out there, chances are someone posted the exact same problem on a forum, someone else solved it, and Google will find it for you. This is how MakeUseOf receives a lot of traffic every day.

If you don’t get a match immediately, try to reword your question and watch for what searches Google suggests. Here are some tips how to properly use Google search:

• Best Google Search Tips (cheat sheet)
• Master the Google Operands – Search Like a God & Save Time
• 6 Ways To Reduce Irrelevant Results On Google Search
• 3 Google Tricks When You Don’t Know What to Search For
• 5 Advanced Gmail Search Operators You Should Know

2. Ask Your Question On a Q&A Forum

So Google didn’t give you any satisfying results or you are overwhelmed with the amount of information. Don’t panic, that’s fine! That’s precisely the reason forums exist. You need step by step instructions from real people. And fortunately there are people who love to help and they are waiting for you to ask your question. Seriously!

First, find a Q&A forum that matches the topic of your question and post your question. Remember that the people you are asking don’t know anything about you or your situation. So provide them with all the information they may need. For example if you have an issue with a specific website, include the URL, any error messages and symptoms, the browser you are using to access the website, other browsers this issue does or doesn’t occur with, and what you have tried already to fix it. Yes, do mention that you have searched Google and couldn’t find a solution that made sense to you.

Here is a list of Q&A forums for technology and internet related questions:

• MakeUseOf Answers
• Protonic
• PC Help Forum
• Tech Support Guy
• Suggest A Fix

3. Ask a Friend

If you are not able to fix the issue yourself because no one understands what you are talking about or because the suggested fixes are too complicated, ask a friend for their opinion or help. Before you do that, please read this article of mine, especially the conclusion!

I understand that it isn’t always easy to ask someone else for help. Let me tell you though, that people love the recognition they receive, when someone asks them for help. When you ask them for help, you do so because you think they have the skills to help you. In other words, you acknowledge their skills. This is an honor! So being asked for help is appreciated, as long as it is done with the right mindset, occasionally, and without abusing the helpfulness.

To make it even easier for someone else to help you, offer them ways to help you without having to visit your home. Obviously, this will only work if your computer is still running, if you have Internet, and if you are dealing with software issues, rather than hardware damage. There are many remote support tools you and your friend could use. One of them is Soluto, which we have written about here:

• Soluto Launches ‘Quick Question’ To Allow PC Users To Get Help With One Button [Updates]
• Be A Super-Geek With Soluto’s New Version: An In-Depth Look

Epilogue

I didn’t offer to help my neighbor. When she asked her question, I could see myself crawling underneath her desk, pulling out a dusty old desktop PC, working on it for hours, ordering parts, re-installing Windows 98, and subsequently being her best ‘can you fix this‘ buddy forever. Honestly, that’s a nightmare. You don’t do that for strangers, you only do that for people you love!


References: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-simple-steps-fixing-computer-issues/

What Is The Easiest Version Of Linux To Learn?

With each day that passes, more and more people are giving Linux a try. It’s free and it can hold its ground against both Windows and Mac, so why not? And maybe you want to give it a try, too–but you keep hearing about how difficult Linux is, how it’s a “geek-only” operating system, etc. Thankfully, there are certain versions of Linux that will help ease you into the process.

But before you decide to switch to Linux, you should think about why you want to switch. If you just want something prettier than Windows, for example, then maybe Linux isn’t for you. Consider some of the key differences between Windows and Linux before switching. Similarly, when switching from Mac, think about your reasons for doing so.

If you’re still reading this, then that means you’re still considering the switch. Great! Let’s take a look at some of the easiest version of Linux that will make the switch as easy and painless as possible for you.

Ubuntu: The Most Popular

For those who have heard about Linux here and there but haven’t really looked into it much more than that, Ubuntu is often synonymous with Linux. And for newbies, why shouldn’t it be? Ubuntu is one of the largest, if not the largest, Linux distributions in the world. With that kind of size, Ubuntu brings to the table something that smaller distributions can’t: userbase.

With so many Ubuntu users out there, if you run into a problem while using Ubuntu, it’s almost a guarantee that someone else has run into that same problem. And with the abundance of community activity, you can ask for help and receive it almost immediately.

Another benefit of Ubuntu’s prevalence is that Linux developers almost have no choice but to support it. For the most part, any Linux program will run on Ubuntu.

But personally, I believe Ubuntu is the easiest Linux to learn because of WUBI, the Windows Ubuntu Installer. When you using WUBI, you can install a copy of Linux straight inside Windows which can be accessed through dual booting. If you don’t like it, you can uninstall it just like any other Windows program. In other words, zero risk.

Zorin OS: The Most Familiar

Zorin OS is a distribution of Linux built off of an Ubuntu foundation. But even though it has roots in Ubuntu, the developers have made some significant decisions that clearly differentiate Zorin OS. What is the driving philosophy behind Zorin OS? To offer an interface that closely resembles the Windows interface so that users from Windows will feel more comfortable.

Everything from the desktop layout to the start menu will look familiar to you. But as you grow more accustomed to the Linux environment, Zorin OS allows you to venture into different interfaces using its Look Changer feature. It also uses Nautilus Elementary over Nautilus–the Linux counterpart to Windows Explorer–because it’s tighter and cleaner.

For more information on Zorin OS, read our Zorin OS overview.

Linux Mint: The Most User-Friendly

Linux Mint is the second most popular Linux distribution, right behind Ubuntu. Interestingly enough, Linux Mint is actually built on top of Ubuntu. Though Ubuntu might have a larger audience, Linux Mint is often hailed as one of the most user-friendly distributions available.

What makes it so user-friendly? Unlike Ubuntu, which doesn’t come with many prepackaged goodies due to licensing issues, Linux Mint comes loaded with plenty of codecs, drivers, browser plugins, and more. This means that most programs will work right out of the box without needing to be tweaked or troubleshooted.

When I first started learning Linux, I actually started on Linux Mint. I’ve tried a few other distributions over the years but I still like Mint the best. Is it any wonder why DistroWatch has it ranked as the #1 Linux distribution?

Conclusion

I don’t mean to say that your Linux experience will be incredibly difficult if you don’t use one of the three distributions above. Similarly, I don’t mean to say that these three distributions will make your Linux experience full of flowers and happiness. All I’m saying is that these three distributions are known for being some of the easier ones on a relative scale.

With that said, I think you’ll have a lot of success switching over to Linux if you are prepared beforehand. Research as much as you can, as that will be the primary factor in determining how difficult a switch is.

And remember: if you don’t like Linux, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.


References: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/what-is-the-easiest-version-of-linux-to-learn/

Why You Don’t Need Desktop Chat Clients Anymore

Remember the days of MSN Messenger and AIM? Those two were the first chat clients I ever used. Once I started using them more and more, it became cumbersome to switch between clients and contact windows. Soon after, multiple-chat clients came about, the popular ones being Miranda IM, Trillian, Pidgin and Digsby. They’re still available, but do you really use them? Or need them? I have Trillian installed on my computer and I honestly can’t remember the last time I opened it. It’s basically just been an unconscious decision to stop using it.

So what do you use instead? I’ve found myself gravitating towards online chat clients instead. Many of them are built into websites I’m using already, so why have an additional program running?

Your Browser Is Already Open

Likely when you’re on your computer, you have some sort of website open. It’s very unlikely that you aren’t using your browser for some purpose already, so why not combine it with communication too?

In addition to already using your browser, you’re probably already using one (if not more) of the websites which contain a chat client. You know, Gmail, Facebook, Outlook.com… need I list more? Those are pretty much the top three that we use to communicate with. There’s also Yahoo Mail, which also has its own messenger, but who really uses that anymore?

Save On Space & Resources

Along with your browser already being in use, you can save on space and resources on your computer by not running additional programs. For most computers this isn’t a major concern since they’re built to handle more resource-extensive applications now days. That said, every little thing adds up and it’s not a bad idea to still keep things to a minimum. Although I do like desktop applications for certain things, I also find myself using web apps for an equal replacement at times.

Your Contacts Are In The Cloud, You Should Be Too

Perhaps you thought that all this time your contacts in your standalone desktop chat client were saved on your computer, and in some local clients that’s the case. However, the majority of the time, they are stored in the cloud with the services you’re connected to – Google, Facebook, etc. So in that sense, you aren’t really tied to any specific client. This means you can go anywhere and be on any computer and still talk to your friends and family.

There are certainly portable applications that allow you to take your favorite IM client with youby using Portable Apps. But in my opinion, that’s a bit more of a hassle. and again, you’re already going to be using the Internet, so you might as well use it for this too.

What About Video Chatting?

You might be thinking “but I use Skype all the time! How am I supposed to use that online?” Well, you might not realize this, but Facebook and Skype are best friends, and you can video chat on Facebook, through Skype. There’s really no need for Skype to be installed on your computer.

Skype isn’t the only player in video chatting anymore though, and they certainly knew this and jumped to partner with Facebook to help fill the gap that the mighty Google has shown a lot of success in. You may have heard about Google+ Hangouts. Have you tried them? If not, you should – it’s quite nice. And as an added bonus it works directly within Google Chat in Gmail.

If you want even more convincing, check out Tina’s article 5 Reasons Google Hangouts Are Cooler Than Skype For Video Chats.

The Web Chat Client Alternatives

We’ve already touched upon Facebook Chat and Google Chat, which are the two primary services you’ll likely be using the most. However, if you’re an Outlook.com (Hotmail) user, you can also connect your Facebook account to that account while still staying in touch with your native Windows contacts.

Note that Yahoo can also sync to Facebook and allow you to talk with Yahoo and Facebook contacts simultaneously from your Yahoo Mail page. I haven’t been really impressed with the chat features though and it seems quite cumbersome to use compared to other online chat clients.

But what about outside of the “standard” services that we use though? Well, perhaps you’ve heard of Meebo. That’s a pretty popular one and… oh, what? Google bought it?

Well, so much for that then. Thankfully though, Meebo isn’t the only option. There are quite a few alternatives, but my overall favorite is imo.im.

imo.im certainly isn’t the only web chat client – Craig covered some new similar sites like Instan-t Express Web IM and ILoveIM. Another great service that seems fairly new is IM+. There are quite a few others available too like WeBuzz.IM, Nimbuzz and older ones like eBuddy.

imo.im has been around a while too, and it is evident that it is continuing development and constantly adding new features. One feature that makes it stand out is the ability to send short audio clips of what you want to say. Not only can you send audio clips though, but you can also place calls to any service. This is the only web chat client which can do this, that I know of.

It also can connect to Skype, which is very rare. IM+ can also do this, but it can’t place calls, which is a big shortfall when it comes to communicating with Skype contacts.

Below is a complete list of the best web chat clients, the ones in bold being the ones I recommend.

• Google Chat with Google+ Hangouts
• Outlook.com Messenger
• Yahoo Mail Messenger
• Facebook Chat with Skype
• imo.im
• IM+
• Trillian for Web
• ILoveIM
• Instan-t Express Web IM
• eBuddy
• WeBuzz.IM
• Nimbuzz

Websites Aside, There Are Also Extensions

Something we often don’t think of in this area is the simple browser extension which can replace a full-fledged desktop chat client. This slightly depends on your browser though. In doing some quick research I found that there are many more chat clients available for Chrome than Firefox. There were a few Firefox add-ons, but nothing close to the quantity and quality in the Chrome Web Store.

Below are some Chrome extensions that I’d recommend:

• Windows Live Messenger Extension
• eBuddy Chat
• Nimbuzz Messenger
• IM+ Bar
• Gtalklet (covered on MakeUseOf)

Final Thoughts

There are quite a few options to chat online, but amongst a lot of the “clutter” there are only a few good ones. Even in the ones I’ve covered in this article, there are some that stand out far greater than others. Through my testing and opinion, these would be again the bolded ones which I listed in the web chat client section.


References: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/why-you-dont-need-desktop-chat-clients/

10 Great Geek Hacks: Repurpose Everyday Objects & Get The Most Out Of Your Electronics

If you’re looking for a way to get the most out of old everyday objects that have become obsolete, like cassette tapes and CD’s, or want to put everyday objects like binder clips, bread clips and ceramic bowls to good use, we’ve put together a list of 10 really cool geeky ideas to upcycle, hack and reuse things lying around your house.

There is no end to the ways that you can put all your old gadgets and bits and pieces to good use – just browse Pinterest for 10 minutes and you’ll find a hundred and one cool projects to keep you busy all weekend. Our list sticks to the more geeky gadgetry that we know MakeUseOf’s readers will love.

Use a Ceramic Bowl Instead Of Speakers

If you’d rather spend your money on a decent pair of earphones, you can always turn to an everyday object you most definitely have to enhance your at-home listening with your iPod, iPhone, or any other smartphone you happen to own. Simply turn your music on, stick your phone in a ceramic bowl, and hear the difference. The concave shape of the bowl will help amplify the sound, and a ceramic bowl offers the best results.

Use Binder Clips To Organize Your Cords

If you’ve got a lot of gadgets and electronics sitting on your desk, chances are you’ve got a jumble of cords running sitting right next to them. A great way to keep them handy and easily accessible is to use large binder clips, attach them to the edge of your desk, and thread the cables through the opening. That way you keep them organized, in sight, and won’t run the risk of losing important USB cables.

Use Bread-Bag Clips To Label Your Cables

Once you’ve got your binder clips in place on your desk, another place where cables might still be a bit of a mess are under the desk leading to your power strip. So that you don’t unplug the wrong gadget or electronic device by mistake, you can use bread-bag clips to label each cable clearly. Don’t have any bread-clips handy? You could always simply make your own.

Turn Old Cassette Tapes Into Cool Retro Lamps

You probably can’t remember the last time you played a CD, let alone a cassette tape. If you’ve still got a lot of cassette tapes stashed away in your attic or garage, and simply couldn’t bear to part with them, you can actually turn them into a bit of impressive home decor. One way to impress your friends would be to turn the cassette tapes into cool retro lamps. Here’s an easy guide to follow to create one of these beauties yourself.

If creating a lamp is a little too complicated for you, there are a few other easier projects you can do to get the most out of your old cassette tapes – like turning them into iPod Nano casesor business card holders.

Turn a Cassette Case Into a Cord Organizer

Now that you’ve found a way to put those cassette tapes to good use, you’ll likely have a bunch of cassette cases lying around that you don’t know what to do with. You can turn them into cord organizers, or also use them to hold your business cards. Since cassette tape covers are relatively small, they’ll come in handy for your smaller USB cords and earbuds, particularly when you’re travelling and want to keep everything nicely organized.

Turn CDs Into Coasters & More

If your CDs aren’t getting much use anymore either, you can repurpose them into cool coasters, a candle mat to catch dripping wax, or even as a dock for your smartphone.

Buying coasters made out of CDs can run you about $18 if you can still find them, so if you have a ton of old CDs lying around and are feeling a little crafty, you can always decorate them yourself and turn your old CDs into something entirely new. Another idea we’ve come across for getting the most out of your CDs is to stick them on the front and back of your bike as makeshift reflectors.

Use a CD Case As a Recipe Holder

So now you’ll want something to do with those CD cases right? You can turn them into recipe card holders. Not only will you end up with a completely organized set of recipes that you can easily look through by labeling the spine of the CD case, you can also use them to prop up the recipe in plain view while you cook.

Turn An Old TV Into a Fish Tank

This is certainly the most difficult of the ideas we’ve come across but turning your old TV or computer screen into a fish tank has to be one of the coolest ways to get the most out of old retro gadgets. Of course this is not the kind of task you should undertake unless you really know what you’re doing.

Use Burnt Out Lightbulbs As Picture Frames Or Vases

If you’ve got some burnt out lightbulbs lying around the house, you can use them to create vases, terrariums, or even turn them into interesting and unique picture frames.

Do you want more ideas on what to do with lightbulbs? Try turning them into salt and pepper shakers, an oil lamp, a mini fish tank, and more. Check out this really cool Pinterest boarddedicated entirely to cool uses for old lightbulbs.

Before you give any of these electronics hacking projects a try, be sure to take a look at this guide on how to hollow out a light bulb.

Organize Your Cables With Toilet Rolls

Yet another way to keep your cables and cords organized is to use toilet rolls. You can fill a shoebox with toilet rolls to stick your cables in, but you can also find a few ways to keep it looking pretty. All it takes is a bit of wrapping paper and you can dress up the toilet roll to look a lot nicer than it really does. Don’t have any wrapping paper handy? Just use a page out of a magazine.

References: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-great-geek-hacks-repurpose-everyday-objects-electronics/