|
Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, February 29, 2004
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Error Message - Illegal Operation
Tips & Tricks: Change Web Page Font Size without a Scroll Mouse
Tips & Tricks: Alphabetize Favorites
Featured Computer Term: Temporary Internet Files
This Week's Topic: Temporary Internet Files
Questions: Microsoft Word – Shrink to Fit; Windows XP – Add Favorites to the Start Button Menu
Websites of Interest: Leap Year; Online Typing Test; Online Dictionary
******************************************************************** ***
Using Links
A Link is a reference to a website. In this newsletter you will see links to
many worthwhile, informative and fun websites. Here are the instructions on
how to use links:
A link will be used one of two ways, depending on your email program.
If you see the link in blue, underlined text, all you have to do is click on
it and a window with the Website in it will automatically appear on your
screen.
If you see the link in plain text, you can copy and paste it into the address
bar on your browser. Highlight the link with your mouse, click Edit up on
the menu bar, and then click Copy from the menu that you just opened up. Open
your browser (click the Start Button, point to Programs, click on Internet
Explorer); click on the address bar. Click Edit up on the menu bar, and then
click Paste from the menu that you just opened up. Press the Enter key on the
keyboard and this will take you to the Website.
*****************************************************************
Special Feature: Error Message - Illegal Operation
Question: Occasionally I get a message that tells me that my computer performed an Illegal Operation. What does this mean?
Answer:
When a program is running on your computer, it is constantly sending instructions to the processor. The processor has a limited number of instructions it understands. This is referred to as its Instruction Set.
When the processor gets an instruction it is not programmed to understand or able to process, it considers this instruction an illegal operation.
Illegal Operation problems are caused by human error on the part of a programmer. Programs that we use are so complex that it is difficult for the programmers to find everything that could possibly go wrong with them. Testing is done and that finds many errors, but usually it does not find them all.
When you get an Illegal Operation message, there’s no need to panic. Just close everything that you can and restart your computer.
******************************************************************** ***
Tips & Tricks: Change Web Page Font Size without a Scroll Mouse
In last week’s newsletter, our Tips and Tricks feature concerned changing the web page font size with the scroll wheel on the mouse. We received hundreds of emails from subscribers who do not have a scroll mouse.
To change web page font size if you do not have a scroll wheel on your mouse, or, if you do, and prefer to use your keyboard instead, hold down the CTRL key and press the up arrow to increase font size, or CTRL down arrow to decrease font size.
If you have a scroll mouse and missed last week’s article on Scroll to Change Web Page Font Size, you can read it at our website:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/thisweek.html
Click on February 22, 2004
*****************************************************************
Tips & Tricks: Alphabetize Favorites
Open Internet Explorer. Click on Favorites in the menu bar. Important: This will NOT work if you use Favorites in the toolbar (the list of Favorites that appears in a pane on the left side of the window)
When your list of favorites drops down from the menu bar, right click on any one of the shortcuts in the menu and then click Sort by Name.
Your Favorites will then be alphabetized in both the menu and the Favorites pane on the left side of the window.
America Online Users: Sorry, there isn’t a quick way to alphabetize your Favorites. You can drag them into an order you want. Point to the Favorite, hold down the left mouse button, and drag up or down to wherever you want. Once it is there, release the mouse button. Be careful you do not drop it into another folder!
******************************************************************** ***
If you are reading this newsletter because someone forwarded it to you, there are directions for subscribing at the end of this newsletter. Or you can go to our website at http://stsico.com/html/newsletter.html where you can subscribe and view our newsletter archives.
http://stsico.com/html/newsletter.html
******************************************************************** ***
Featured Computer Term: Temporary Internet Files
Every time you view a web page, the information on that webpage is stored in your computer. The Windows operating systems stores this material in what are called Temporary Internet Files.
The purpose of Temporary Internet Files is to speed up your access to the Internet sites that you revisit. However, these files accumulate pretty quickly and in a few days of using the Internet, your computer can collect hundreds of these files. At that point, they are really not speeding things up anymore. They are just taking up room on your hard drive.
Take a look at Today’s Topic for the steps to delete the Temporary Internet Files on your computer.
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.
******************************************************************** ***
Today's Topic: Temporary Internet Files
Question: I read somewhere recently that if you delete the temp Internet files on your computer regularly it will speed up your computer. is it advisable to delete these files and how do I do this? I have been receiving your newsletter for a couple of years and I have to tell you I always learn something from each one!! I have sent subscriptions to many of my friends and they all tell me how much they love it, too.
Answer:
It is a good idea to delete your temporary Internet files.
To do this in Internet Explorer, click on Tools in the menu bar and then Internet Options. Once in the Internet Options window look in the middle of the page where it says Temporary Internet Files and click the button that says Delete Files. If you have a lot of them, this might take a few seconds, but when it is done, just click OK to exit.
In America Online, Click Settings on the AOL toolbar. Click Internet Properties or Internet (Web) Options (depending on your version of AOL) on the Essentials tab. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Delete Files. Click OK. (The process may take several minutes.)
******************************************************************** ***
Do you have friends who aren't as computer literate as you but would like to
be? Tell them to attend our Computer Kindergarten for Grownups class at the
library. To send them our schedule, send a stamp, self-addressed envelope to:
STSI, Class Schedule, 50 Lee Avenue, Babylon NY 11702.
Or, visit our website and print our schedule:
http://stsico.com/html/classes.html
******************************************************************** ***
Question: Microsoft Word – Shrink to Fit
I used to use WordPerfect but recently purchased a new computer that has Microsoft Word on it. In WordPerfect there was an option called Make it Fit, which I used when my file was 2 pages long and I only wanted it to be 1 page. It would automatically change the margins and text size to fit everything on one page. I cannot find this in Word. Does it exist?
Answer:
There is an option for this in Word, it is just a little harder to find.
Click File on the menu, then Print Preview. In Print Preview, there is a toolbar across the top of the window. Once of the buttons will have a picture of three small pages. When you point the mouse at this button, it will say Shrink to Fit. This will does the same thing that the Make it Fit option did in Word Perfect.
******************************************************************** ***
Question: Windows XP – Add Favorites to the Start Button Menu
I recently purchased a new computer with Windows XP on it. One of the things I liked about Windows 98 was that I could get to my Internet Favorites from the Start button, which I cannot do in Windows XP. Can I go back to using Windows 98?
Answer:
It is a lot easier to just add Favorites to the Start button menu.
Right click on the Start button and click Properties.
Click the Start Menu tab and click the Customize button next to the start menu style you are currently using. Click the Advanced tab. In the middle of the page you will see Start Menu Items. Check the box in front of Favorites Menu. Click OK until you have closed all open windows.
You will now be able to access your Internet Favorites from the Start Button menu.
******************************************************************** ***
If you are enjoying this newsletter and find the information useful, please
feel free to forward it to your friends and family members. If you would like
us to subscribe a friend, please send your name and their email address to
info@computerkindergarten.com with the words Subscribe to Newsletter in the
subject line of the email.
******************************************************************** ***
Websites of Interest:
Leap Year
Why is leap year necessary? Find out at this website.
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/leapyear2.html
Is your birthday on February 29? If it is, you might be interesting in having this day officially called Leap Day. Read more about it at the National Geographic website:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0224_040224_leapday.html
Online Typing Test
How fast can you type? Test yourself online at this website:
http://www.typingtest.com/
Online Dictionary
Here is a good website if you need a definition of a word. It will give you definitions from many of the most popular dictionaries as well as the meaning of your word in the arts, business, computing and more.
http://www.onelook.com/
If you have a favorite website that you think might be of interest to members
of this newsletter, email the address and a short description to
info@computerkindergarten.com and we'll spotlight it in an upcoming newsletter.
Does your business, club, organization or group have a website that you think
would be interesting or useful to members of this newsletter? If so, email
the address and a short description to info@computerkindergarten.com and we'll
spotlight it in an upcoming newsletter.
Do you know of any holidays or observations coming up that you'd like us to
spotlight in this newsletter? If so, let us know; we'll research them and list
some websites here. Send an email to info@computerkindergarten.com.
Questions? Send an email to info@computerkindergarten.com.
******************************************************************** ***
Got a topic you'd like to see addressed? Send an email to
info@computerkindergarten.com
******************************************************************** ***
Links
--------
You can read a copy of every Computer Kindergarten Newsletter written, since
the beginning, at the Newsletter Archives at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/computerkindergarten/messages/1
To send us an email:
info@computerkindergarten.com
******************************************************************** ***
If you're enjoying the Computer Kindergarten newsletter, let your friends
know about it; feel free to forward this to them.
To subscribe to this newsletter, send us an email at sharpertraining@aol.com
with the words SUBSCRIBE TO COMPUTER KINDERGARTEN NEWSLETTER in the body of
the email.
If you would like to subscribe a friend to this newsletter, send us their
email address and we'll invite them to join (make sure you include your name).
******************************************************************** ***
Thank you for reading the Computer Kindergarten newsletter. If you have any
comments, suggestions or questions, please send them to
info@computerkindergarten.com.
******************************************************************** ***
To subscribe to this newsletter, send an email to
info@computerkindergarten.com with the words SUBSCRIBE TO COMPUTER KINDERGARTEN NEWSLETTER in the body of the email.
Although we'd hate to see you go, to unsubscribe from this newsletter, send an email to:
computerkindergarten-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
******************************************************************** ***
|
