Q: Is there a way of getting Outlook to check the spelling of my emails automatically?

A: Outlook can be configured to automatically check spelling by selecting Options from the Tools menu and then selecting the Spelling tab. Ensure the Always Check Spelling Before Sending option is checked, then click OK.

Q: I am short-sighted and cannot read text in the web browser properly. Is there a way of making the words bigger?

A: There are a few options for users with problems seeing small screen fonts. The first and most obvious is to run your screen resolution at 640 x 480. This is a little simplistic. A better solution would be to enable Large Fonts in the display options. This has its own problems, as some software is not able to cope with this feature very well. If you want a simple solution for browsing, you can change the text display sizes in Internet Explorer by holding down the CTRL key and using the mouse wheel to change the size of the text. This does not work on every site and will not change image sizes but is a handy feature. If you do not have a mouse wheel, you can set the size by going to the View menu and selecting Text Size.

Q: I am interested in designing a garden on my computer. Any ideas on what software I could use?

A: A number of packages do what you want. Often they are tied in with plant encyclopedias to help you make your plant selections. Two that seem to be well-regarded are: 3D Garden composer (www.gardencomposer.com) and 3D garden designer V3.0 from Macmillan Publishing (www. macmillansoftware.com).

Q: Can you tell me whether I can listen to the radio over the internet?

A: The simple answer is "yes", (try www.bbc.co.uk) but just how good it is depends on the type of connection you have to the internet. If you have a modem connection then the quality can be a little poor as well as erratic. You may also be paying for the call, so it could be argued that you may be better simply buying a radio!

If you have a leased line or you are not paying for calls, it is a viable proposition but, if you are on a network, you should check with your network administrator you are not taking up all the internet bandwidth.