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Welcome to today's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, January 20, 2002
This week we celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In our Featured Website section below, you’ll fink links to some websites containing information about the man and his accomplishments.
In this Issue:
Featured Computer Term: Button Bar
Topic: Shortcuts and Hotkeys
Progressive Learning Series: Microsoft Word - Bullets and Numbering
Featured Website: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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With everyone going online, more than likely some of your friends and relatives are online for the first time. Do them a favor and give them a few tips.
1) Watch out for Net Hoaxes. There’s a lot of nonsense out there; don’t buy into it by forwarding the garbage to everyone you know. Take a look at the Links section at the bottom of this newsletter for a list of Hoax websites; check them before forwarding emails that may be hoaxes.
2) Don't open attachments. Some of the nonsense can do you, or at least your computer, harm. Open attachments only from people you know.
3) Use one credit card for all online purchases. Make sure your credit card company is easily accessible (toll-free number) and that they’re quick and willing to charge back any errors (or worse). Don’t use your debit card online, ever. And, don’t forget, you don’t have to wait for the end of the month to check on your credit card bill; you can call for the balance and activity.
4) Forwarding jokes is NOT what the cool kids are doing.
5) Solitaire is not the only game that you can play on your computer. Try Hearts, FreeCell and the other games you see (use Help if you don’t know how to play the game). There are also lots of games online to download or to play right at the Website.
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Trojans
Lately there seems to be an increase in Trojan attacks--- where a malicious program arrives disguised as something else.
Most of them have been very inept. One, for example, begins, "Thank you for your recent credit application. After reviewing your information..." and asks you to open and fill out the attached form, which is a Word document.
If that document is opened, a macro embedded in the document would run, triggering a second, outright malicious exe file to run: That malicious program would attempt to steal information from your system and/or perform outright destructive acts.
If you have a good and up-to-date antivirus scanner checking your email; and if you make it a practice never, ever to open documents or spreadsheets or any file attachments of any kind from people you don't know and trust; and if you also virus-scan those you get even from people you do trust (hey, accidents happen); chances are you'll never be harmed by this kind of attack.
As always: Be careful!
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Today's Computer Term: Button Bar
The Button Bar is a row of buttons that give you one-click access to regularly used items on the menu line. Instead of clicking File on the menu and then Print, you can click an icon of a printer, and the print dialog will appear. Buttons are used as shortcuts.
The Button Bar can be turned on or off in many programs and windows. Check the View menu for access to the button bar.
The Button Bar is also called the Toolbar.
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Today's Topic: Shortcuts and Hotkeys
The following are questions from newsletter subscribers.
Question: I have very bad arthritis in my hands and have a difficult time using the mouse. A friend told me that I could use the keyboard instead to do many tasks. Is this true? If so, how can I find out which key to use?
Answer:
Most tasks can be performed using the Function keys (F1 through F12), the Modifier keys (ctrl, alt and shift), and combinations of the Function keys, Modifier keys and alpha keys. These are called Keyboard Shortcuts.
Take a look at the Microsoft Website for a very comprehensive list of all the functions available. The link to the Website is at the bottom of this newsletter in the links section.
Almost every program has Keyboard Shortcuts. Check the program’s Help for a list. If you have or purchase a book for your program, you will usually see a list of keyboard shortcuts in it.
Question: A friend told me that I can set a hotkey for very quick access to websites. What is a hotkey and how do I do this?
Answer:
A hotkey is a keyboard shortcut that is usually a combination of the ctrl key, the alt key and one letter. That means that you hold down the ctrl and alt keys, press and release the letter, and then release the ctrl and alt keys.
Using Internet Explorer, you can assign a hotkey for quick access to your most-used Websites.
If you haven’t done so already, go to the Website and put it into favorites. In the Favorites menu, right click on the Website and choose properties.
In the dialog box, look for something that says Shortcut key. Next to that you should see None. Replace "None" with any desired letter you wish to make a hotkey and click OK.
You'll now need only to press Ctrl and Alt and the letter that you designated.
Make sure the hotkey you designate is unique; that is, not in use by another application.
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Progressive Learning Series: Microsoft Word - Bullets and Numbering
A bullet is a dot or symbol used to highlight points of information or to itemize a list that does not need to be in any particular order.
* blue
* red
* green
The Bullets and Numbering feature also allows you to create numbered paragraphs for items that need to be in a particular order. The numbers you insert increment automatically.
The Bullets and Numbering feature is accessed by selecting Bullets & Numbering from the Format main menu. In the Bullets and Numbering dialog box that follows, you may click the Bulleted tab and select the bullet style you want. Or, you may click the Numbered tab and select the number style you want.
Once the bullet or number style is chosen, you may type your text. The bullet or number is entered automatically each time the Enter key is pressed. If the hanging indent option is selected, the bullet or number begins at the left margin and the text automatically advances to the first tab stop. To return the second line of text to left margin, deselect the Hanging Indent option in the dialog box.
You can add bullets and numbers to existing text by selecting / highlighting the text and then choosing Bullets and Numbering from the Format main menu or clicking the appropriate icon on the Formatting Toolbar.
When using the Bullets and Numbering feature for numbered paragraphs, adding or deleting paragraphs will result in all paragraphs being automatically renumbered.
Symbols may also be used as bullets. To change the bullet style to a symbol, select the bulleted tab and click Modify in the Bullets and numbering dialog box. Then click the Bullet button. The Symbol dialog box appears, allowing you to select a desired symbol. If you desire to see other symbols, click the list arrow to the right of the Symbols From text box and select another symbols set.
Bullets may be removed from a bulleted list by selecting the list from which bullets are to be removed and clicking the bullet icon. Clicking the right mouse button displays a shortcut menu. Choose Stop Numbering to remove bullets from the selected text and discontinue the indenting that accompanies bulleted items. Choose Skip Numbering to remove bullets from the selected text but continue the indenting of subsequent lines.
Bullets and Numbering may also be accessed by clicking the Bullets or Numbering icon on the Formatting Toolbar. The Numbering and Bullets buttons on the Formatting Toolbar.
Automatically Starting a Bulleted List
Typing a symbol, then a space, and then the first item can start a bulleted list. Make sure you're set up to do this by going to Tools, Auto Correct, click the tab "Auto Format as you type", and check "Automatic bulleted lists."
Word will change certain keys into bullet symbols. For example, type => and press Enter for a thicker arrow, -> and Enter gets you a longer arrow, or just > and Enter gets an arrow. An asterisk (*) followed by Enter delivers the standard bullet, a hyphen (-) and Enter gets a dash, and two hyphens (--) and Enter provides a square block for a bullet.
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Today's Featured Website: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Take a look at the Seattle Times website for stories, photo, some audio clips and a very interesting Civil Rights timeline.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/mlk/
Also from the Seattle Times, how the holiday came about, ways it's celebrated, and other related topics.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/mlk/holiday/index.html
Listen to audio clips of speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
http://www.archervalerie.com/mlk.html
Stanford University’s website provides a biography and some of his speeches and letters.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/
Life Magazine has a nice tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.
http://www.lifemag.com/Life/mlk/mlk.html
From Louisiana State University, this website provides a biographical sketch and much more information.
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/hum/mlk/
For the Kids:
http://familyeducation.com/topic/front/0,1156,1-4644,00.html
http://users.rcn.com/tstrong.massed/Martin2000.html
http://www.holidays.net/mlk/
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