Q. I write my senators and congressmen often using online contact forms. Before having my computer serviced at a local repair shop, it would fill in my name and address when I entered the first letter or two when addressing my senators. Now I have to enter my whole name, address, etc every time. How to I get my computer to fill in my name, etc.?
A. What you are describing is known as AutoComplete and is a feature of most Web browsers. AutoComplete is a useful tool for performing repetitive tasks like filling out Web forms that ask for the same information again and again.
When your computer was serviced it is possible that your settings were lost.
Not to worry, you can easily re-enable this and get back on the road to giving your elected representatives a piece of your mind.
Start by opening up Internet Explorer and then clicking on Tools and then Internet Options.
Under the tab marked Content click on the Settings button for AutoComplete and you will be presented with several check boxes. The one you want to make sure is checked is the one next to Forms.
Once that is checked and you close out of these option Windows, Internet Explorer will keep track of the forms you fill out and offer to auto-complete any subsequent forms you fill out.
In Firefox the setting is under Tools, Options and then the Privacy tab. The check box next to Remember search and form history controls whether or not Firefox keeps a history of form fields or not.