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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, January 13, 2008
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Scam Targets Elderly Seeking Tax Help
Tips & Tricks: Open Programs More Conveniently
This Week's Topic: Program Patches
Question: CD Drive Type
Websites of Interest: Coffee Drinks Illustrated; On This Day in History; The Daily Coyote; Translation
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Special Feature: Scam Targets Elderly Seeking Tax Help
The following is from consumerAffairs.com
Many seniors seek help preparing their state and federal tax returns, especially if that assistance costs little or no money and comes with the promise of a refund. But law enforcement officials warn that scammers are exploiting that vulnerability and seniors nationwide are falling for it.
The Social Security Administration reports scam artists are approaching seniors across the country and offering to prepare tax returns for Social Security recipients.
The victim is instructed to get a 1099 statement for the last three years from Social Security. The SSA has no choice except to provide this information to beneficiaries, although they have been warning anyone who requests this information about the scam.
Once the intended target receives the information, the scam artist prepares three years of tax returns for a fee. The returns show Social Security benefits as income and mistakenly take the standard deduction to create a refund amount.
The beneficiary files the faulty tax return and receives a refund from the IRS.
Once the IRS realizes the error, the refund is either removed from the beneficiary’s bank account or the IRS sends a demand letter for the refund amount. By that point, the scam artist has moved on and the beneficiary is out the $40 to $100 they paid to prepare the return, and they've had to pay back the refund.
And that may be just the first chapter. Since the scam artist has the victim's personal identity data, including Social Security number, they can open phony credit accounts in the victim's name and possibly get access to bank accounts and other assets.
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Tips & Tricks: Open Programs More Conveniently
Question: My grandson fixed my computer so that I can click on Start and see my bridge game right above. I don’t have to go all the way through the menus. How is that done? Because I’d like to do that for a few other programs. Thank you.
Answer:
That’s called Pin to Start Menu.
In Windows XP and Vista, the left column in the Start button menu is divided into two parts. The lower part contains your recently used programs list. This will show the five or six programs that you used last. The programs listed here will change as you open and close different programs. If a program that you would like to open is on this list, just click once on it and it will open.
The upper part of the left column, right about the recently used programs list, is an area where programs can be listed permanently. When a program is pinned there, you will always see that program in the list, no matter how many other programs you are opening and closing. This is a good place to put a program or two that you use all the time.
To pin a program there, find the program in the menu. Right click on it. A menu will display, left click on Pin to Start Menu. This will put that program on the left hand side of the menu, above the start button.
If you would like to remove a program from that area, right click on the program. From the resulting menu, left click on Remove from this list.
Programs can be added to or removed from this list at any time.
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Today's Topic: Program Patches
Question: Last week’s article on Windows Service Packs was very helpful. On a related note, can you explain what a patch is?
Answer:
A patch, also called a Service Patch, is a quick fix for a program bug.
Many programs are released in a beta test, which means they are given to a limited number of users. During this period, most bugs are found and fixed. However, when the software is released to the public, occasionally additional bugs are discovered. If the particular bug can pose a threat to the user or the user’s computer, as in a security issue, a patch is immediately released to repair the problem.
The patch is not always the best way to fix the problem but does provide an immediate solution until the software developers can release an updated version of the program.
Patches for the Windows operating system will be made available in the periodic upgrades that Microsoft releases. For other products, patches can usually be downloaded from the software Web site.
A word of caution: A popular scam opens a window in the middle of your screen, informing you of available and necessary Microsoft and/or program updates. If you do what this window tells you to do, you will download a virus or some form of malicious software onto your computer.
Your computer will notify you of legitimate Microsoft service packs and system updates by displaying a message down by the system tray (bottom right, by the clock). That is the only place you will see this message displayed. If you see anything else, simply ignore it and close the window.
If you would like to reread last week’s article on Windows Service Packs, please visit our newsletter archives:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/010608.html
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Question: CD Drive Type
Question: How do I know if my computer has a CD burner? I know it has a CD drive, but can I save to a CD? Thanks!
Answer:
Some CD drives will have a logo on the front of the tray. Take a look. If it says CD Drive or DVD drive, then it is not a burner. If it says Rewritable or CD or DVD RW, then it is a burner and you can save to it.
If is says nothing, you can get the information from the Device Manager. To open Device Manager, right click on the My Computer icon on the desktop. Left click Properties from the resulting menu. Click on the Hardware tab (Vista users, click Device Manager).
Click on the Device Manager button. This will display a list of all the hardware on your computer. Double click on the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. This will display a list of the disk drives and will tell you if they are RW (burners) or not.
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Websites of Interest:
Coffee Drinks Illustrated
This interesting website will show you the difference between a latte, cappuccino, mocha and regular cup of coffee.
http://tinyurl.com/2nywsx
On This Day in History
Visit this website to see important events that happened on this date.
http://www.on-this-day.com/
The Daily Coyote
This is an adorable website about a young woman who found a 10-day old coyote and is raising him. Take a look at the beautiful pictures. Scroll to the bottom and start reading from there.
http://dailycoyote.blogspot.com/
Translation
Type in some text, select the From and To languages, and this website will translate it for you.
http://babelfish.altavista.com/ |
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