Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, June 20, 2010
To all the dads – We wish you a very happy Father’s Day!
The editors of this newsletter will be taking vacation for the next two weeks. We wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July!
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Beware of Copycat Websites
Tips & Tricks: Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts
Featured Computer Term: The Top 30 Internet Terms for Beginners: 10. ISP
This Week's Topic: Facebook
Question: Auto Arranged Icons
Websites of Interest: History of Father's Day; Fatherville; Independence Day; Learning How To Cook; The Boomerang
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Special Feature: Beware of Copycat Websites
The follow article is by Sid Kirchheimer of aarp.org
Debbie Hughes was doing some very early online Christmas shopping when she typed “Tiffany & Company” into the search bar.
“Up came a website called Tiffany & Company On Sale and I thought, wow!” says the 57-year-old Ohioan. “They were selling a sterling silver necklace and bracelet for $228–what it usually costs for just the bracelet.”
But the website didn’t belong to the famous New York jeweler, despite looking quite a bit like the one that does. Its address—www.tiffanyco.mn—was a tweak of the real Tiffany website, www.tiffany.com, and the .mn meant it was registered as a Mongolian site.
And the discount designer jewelry that Hughes ordered? It did arrive—in a package with a Chinese postmark. “It was chrome-like junk,” she tells Scam Alert. But the gift box was a very clever copy of a Tiffany box.
It took Hughes, who operates a home-based business selling books and DVDs over the Internet, nearly four months to get a refund from her credit card company. The fake Tiffany company ignored her e-mails requesting a refund, and its website had no telephone number.
Popular Brands Make Prime Targets
The scam here is called “cybersquatting.” It occurs when a dishonest business steals or alters the website domain name of a well-known company and launches a copycat site to deceive online shoppers.
“There are many, many websites out there counterfeiting high-end, well-known brand names—Tiffany, Nike, Ray-Ban and others,” says Sue McConnell of the Better Business Bureau in Cleveland, which investigated Hughes’ case. “Anything that is popular and pricey is ripe for these counterfeiters, who lure you in with bargain prices.
“They often simply copy and steal pages from the real website and place them on their own,” says McConnell. The merchandise, if it’s delivered at all, is usually poorly made knockoffs.
The BBB has fought an uphill battle against these sites. “When you’re dealing with scammers in foreign countries—as is the case with many cybersquatters—it’s tough,” says McConnell.
“You don’t get a lot of cooperation from those governments or other authorities, who don’t care [about protecting American customers]. And it’s not as though a company in Mongolia is interested in resolving BBB consumer complaints.”
How to Recognize A Counterfeit Website
Carefully read the address, or domain name, that appears in the line at the top of your browser. Beware of any website whose address has even the slightest change from the company’s name. That includes extra words, such as TiffanyonSale or SterlingTiffany, says McConnell, or anything but the usual .com or .org ending.
Call first. Some cybersquatting customer service telephone numbers are outright bogus; others connect to fax machines (so you cannot reach a person). Avoid any website that has no posted phone number.
Verify any brand-touting “bargain” website at the corporate headquarters of the real company. A phone call by the BBB to the authentic Tiffany & Co. revealed that it neither operates nor sanctions any sale or overstock websites. Also check with the BBB for past complaints about specific websites.
Check the domain name registration. Websites such as Whois.net can reveal who owns a website’s name. Avoid sites that shield that information behind a proxy registration service. Another red flag: a familiar American brand name being sold at an Internet address that ends with the ID letters of a foreign country—as did the fake Tiffany site. MN is the abbreviation for Mongolia.
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Tips & Tricks: Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts
Restore, Minimize: Hold down the Windows key (Windows logo) and press and release the down arrow. A maximized window will restore; a restored window will minimize.
Snap to the left: Hold down the Windows key and press and release the left arrow. The window will be half the size of your screen and dock on the left side of the screen.
Snap to the right: Hold down the Windows key and press and release the right arrow. The window will be half the size of your screen and dock on the right side of the screen.
Minimize All Inactive Windows: Hold down the Windows key and press and release the Home key. All windows except the active window (the one you are working in) will minimize.
Show Desktop: Hold down the Windows key and press and hold the space bar. The desktop will display. Release the space bar to return to the window in which you are working.
Zoom: Hold down the Windows key and press the + key to Zoom in (Magnify). To return to normal, hold down the Windows key and press the minus key.
Win key + R will open the Start menu's Run box.
Win key + F will open the Start menu's Find window.
Win key + E will open Explorer.
Win key + D will switch between minimizing all open programs and showing them all.
Win key + Tab will cycle through items on the taskbar.
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Featured Computer Term: The Top 30 Internet Terms for Beginners: 10. ISP
Whether you are brand new to using the Internet, or you've been using it for years, there are thirty important terms that are absolutely worth learning. Join us for our ongoing series on Internet terminology, where, with the help of Paul Gil from about.com, we provide definitions and information on the Top Internet Terms for Beginners.
This Week: 10. ISP
ISP is Internet Service Provider. An ISP is a company that supplies Internet connectivity to home and business customers. Your ISP will offer varying services for varying prices: web page access, email, hosting your own web page, hosting your own blog, and so on. ISP's will also offer various Internet connection speeds for a monthly fee. (e.g. ultra high speed Internet vs economy Internet).
In our next edition: Download
Please visit our Newsletter Archives to review the terms we’ve already covered:
http://computerkindergarten.com/30internetterms.html
Is there a computer term or phrase that you'd like to see an explanation of? Email it to info@computerkindergarten.com and we'll put the term and its definition in an upcoming newsletter.
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Today's Topic: Facebook
Question: My grandchildren want me to use Facebook. Can you help me get started?
Answer:
Facebook is the new way to communicate and can be a lot of fun. It is a social networking website where users create profiles that contain photos and lists of personal interests, exchange messages, and join groups of friends.
Look up relatives and send a friend request, or accept a friend request from someone you know, and those people get added to your friend list. When they post anything on their profile, you will be able to see it, and they will be able to see whatever you post on your profile. This is a great way to share news and photos with all of your friends at once. If you have anything personal to say to just one person, that you do not want all of your friends to see, then you can send a private message.
Old friends can be found: list the high school and college you went to, and you will see lists of people who you graduated with. Send a friend request and before you know it, you are catching up with friends from years ago.
Here are some informational websites that will help you get going with facebook:
The first thing you will need to do is set up a facebook account. Visit this website for the steps:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2081063_set-up-facebook-account.html
Now that you have your account set up, learn how to create your profile:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4464690_set-up-facebook-profile.html
This website has many instructional videos that will help you maneuver around facebook. Learn how to find and invite friends, add photos, join groups, use applications and much more.
http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/1261_facebook-use.htm
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Question: Auto Arranged Icons
My grandkids were using my computer. When they left, the icons were different and I cannot move them back to where they were. When I try to drag them, they move right back to where they were.
Answer:
The icons are set to auto arrange. That means they remain on the left side of the screen in straight columns and rows. To turn auto arrange off, so that you can move the icons anywhere that you want on the desktop, follow these steps:
In Windows XP
Right click on a blank spot on your desktop. A menu will open; point to Arrange Icons by.
Another menu will open; click on Auto Arrange. This will remove the check mark and turn the option off.
In Windows Vista and Windows 7
Right click on a blank spot on your desktop. A menu will open; point to View.
Another menu will open; click on Auto Arrange. This will remove the check mark and turn the option off.
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Websites of Interest:
History Of Father's Day
http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/festivals/father/history.html
Fatherville
Here is a website for fathers with a tremendous amount of resources that can make parenting easier.
http://www.fatherville.com
Independence Day
Please visit our website for links to great websites featuring 4th of July information, history, fun, games, clipart, recipes and much more.
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/indenpendence.html
Learning How To Cook
Everything you need to know to confidently make your way around the kitchen.
http://www.learninghowtocook.com/
The Boomerang
All about boomerangs.
http://www.startlocal.com.au/articles/educational_boomerangs.html