|
Welcome to today's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Monday, March 11, 2002
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Another Virus Hoax
Featured Computer Term: Internet Cache
This Week's Topic: Alphabetizing a List
Question: PDF Files and Adobe Acrobat
Learning Series: Microsoft Word -- Understanding Views
Featured Website: Women's History Month
***********************************************************************
Special Feature: Another Virus Hoax
Another email hoax has been making its way around inboxes.
Here’s part of what it looks like:
PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERYONE ON YOUR CONTACT LIST!!
A new virus has just been discovered that has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive ever! This virus was discovered yesterday afternoon by McAfee and no vaccine has yet been developed. This virus simply destroys Sector Zero from the hard disk, where vital information for it’s functioning are stored.
This email, warning of a Sector Zero virus is a hoax. There is no such virus, as there is nothing called Sector Zero on a computer. If an email says anything along the lines of send this to everyone you know, it’s a pretty sure thing that it’s a hoax.
You can usually find out if these types of e-mails are real or not by checking one of several virus hoax sites. The addresses of these sites are listed at the end of this newsletter in the links sections.
We did a special feature on virus hoaxes and how to spot them in the March 3, 2002, Computer Kindergarten newsletter.
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/030302.html
***********************************************************************
Today's Computer Term: Internet Cache
When you view a web page, it is stored on your computer. That store is your computer's cache. When you go back to a page, your browser looks in the cache to see if the page is there. If it is, it is displayed for you right off your own hard drive. It's faster that way to view a web page, since it doesn't have to load via the modem connection.
But what if the page has changed since you viewed it last? You won't see the new web page. You'll see the old one stored on your computer. To be sure you're seeing the latest pages, you can click the 'Refresh' or 'Reload' button.
To clean out your cache so it's not taking up any extra space (those web pages and graphics do take up some space, and you should regularly clean out your cache) do the following:
1. Open Control Panel: Start > Settings > Control Panel.
2. Double click on Internet Options icon.
3. Under Temporary Internet Files, click 'Settings' button.
4. Click 'Delete Files' under the Temporary Internet Files area.
You're done. All the temporary Internet files are removed, and your cache is cleaned out.
***********************************************************************
Today's Topic: Alphabetizing a List
The following question is from a newsletter subscriber:
I wonder if you know of a program that will help me alphabetize things on a list, such as a CD list. I will need to be able to add songs from time to time. Your newsletter is very informative.
Answer:
The Sort feature will alphabetize any list for you.
The best way to make a list like that is in Microsoft Excel, which is part of Microsoft Office. You can also use Microsoft Works -it has a spreadsheet module that works exactly like Excel.
Simply type your list in a column, then highlight the list and click the button in the tool bar that has the letter A above the letter Z and an arrow pointing down. This will sort your list. If you add more items, just highlight and re-sort your list.
You can use this method for names and addresses, names of CDs and songs on them, or any other information you want to keep and alphabetize.
***********************************************************************
Question: PDF Files and Adobe Acrobat
Thanks to newsletter subscriber Maria for the following question:
I can never open a pdf file. A box opens up asking me which program I would like to use to open the pdf file. None of my selections seem to work. I will anxiously await your reply. Thank you.
Answer:
Short for Portable Document Format, PDF is a file format developed by Adobe Systems.
PDF captures formatting information from a variety of desktop publishing applications, making it possible to send formatted documents and have them appear on the recipient's monitor or printer as they were intended.
In order to open a PDF file, you need a free program from Adobe called Acrobat Reader. Acrobat reader is a program that will allow you to read files saved in the Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format.
PDF files are very common on the internet because the Acrobat reader is free. If someone has a document that they want anyone to be able to read, no matter what kind of computer, software, or Internet connection, they save it as a PDF file and then anyone can install the free reader and view that document.
If you want to be able to read these PDF files, you should download and install Adobe Reader on your system. The address for the website where you can download it is in the links section at the end of this newsletter.
***********************************************************************
Progressive Learning Series: Microsoft Word -- Understanding Views
Word provides different ways you can view your documents, depending on your particular needs. The major views available in Word are Normal, Outline, Print Layout, and Web Layout. You can choose which view you are using by clicking on the view controls at the left side of the horizontal scroll bar, or by selecting a view from the View menu.
Regardless of the version of Word you are using, there are three distinct views you can use for your documents--Normal, Outline, and Print Layout. In addition, if you are using Word 97, a new view--Online view--is available.
Print Layout view is the one most closely related to what your document will look like when you actually print it. (In some versions of Word this view may be called Page Layout view.) In this viewing mode you can see your headers and footers in place, what your margins look like, how your frames appear in relation to text, and what your graphics look like in your document. This is the viewing mode you should use if you want to always see what your document will look like. You should not confuse Page Layout with Print Preview. Page Layout allows you to easily use Word's complete set of editing tools, whereas Print Preview does not because the various toolbars are not automatically available. In addition, Print Preview slows down Word quite a bit, even from the otherwise slow Page Layout view. (If you have a newer, faster computer, this slowdown should not be much of a concern.)
Normal view is the one you will probably use for most of your writing and editing. It offers a good balance of speed and appearance, whereas Print Layout view can slow down your system. When using Normal view, you can generally see how your text will appear on paper. This means you can see what each line will look like, how the text appears, and where the lines will break. You can also see where each page will break. Normal view also offers a benefit over Print Layout view in that you can use the style area to see what paragraph styles have been applied to your document. Print Layout view does not display the style area.
Outline view is used when you want to work with large portions of your document at the same time. It allows you to collapse your document and view only the major headings. The text under each heading can be hidden so it does not obscure your view of document organization. When you select Outline view, an additional outline toolbar appears at the top of the current window or document pane.
Web Layout view is the newest view, first appearing in Word 97 under the name "Online view." It is designed to allow you to easily see how your documents will look if used in an online environment. If you are using Word 97, Online view also presents the Document Map at the left of the program window so that you can easily navigate to different areas of your document. (Beginning in Word 2000, Web Layout view does not automatically display the Document Map.)
If you open multiple documents, or you are use multiple panes to view the same document, switching views in one of the windows or panes will not affect the others. Word controls this independently, thus you can use one document pane to see what your document looks like in one view, and another to work with the document in an entirely different way.
***********************************************************************
Today's Featured Website: March is Women's History Month.
Take a look at some of the websites celebrating this event and some dedicated to special women in history.
Here’s a website filled with poetry, prose, fiction, and social commentary - all written by women. These aren't best-selling authors, though; they're average ladies with families, jobs, etc. They just so happen to share an affinity for the written word.
Girlswrite does not make anyone a dime. It is a total labor of love -- and a very enjoyable website.
http://www.girlswrite.com/
Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie has probably had more readers shivering and looking over their shoulders for a supposed friend with mayhem on the mind than any writer since A. Conan Doyle. So it's absolutely appropriate to find a site dedicated to Dame Agatha and her many beloved sleuths and murderers.
Titled "Delicious Death," you'll find a complete listing of Christie's works, their many editions, plot descriptions, character lists, and information on the many adaptations for film, radio, and television.
Fans of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot will also find separate pages devoted to those to characters.
Check out this nicely designed site!
http://www.stmarymead.com/
Celebrate Women's History Month at these websites:
http://www.Feminist.org
http://www.FeministCampus.org
http://www.MsMagazine.com
http://www.nwhp.org/whm/themes/themes.html
The History Channel website highlights the lives of influential trailblazers each day of the month. http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/womenhist/
Nachthexen: Russian Women Pilots. From an FAA feature for Women's History Month, this website details the missions carried out by Soviet women during WWII.
http://www.faa.gov/avr/news/Nexen.htm |
