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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, March 14, 2004
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Accessibility Options in Windows XP
Tips & Tricks: Keyboard Shortcuts – Add a Web Page to Favorites
Featured Computer Term: DLL File
This Week's Topic: Keep Your Computer Healthy
Questions: Window Will Not Open Maximized; Backup Outlook Express Address Book
Websites of Interest: St. Patricks Day; The Merck Manual; Virtual Tours; Women First Health Care
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Special Feature: Accessibility Options in Windows XP
Some of us take for granted the fact that we can use a computer without much difficulty. However, there are many computer users out there who have vision and motor skill problems that prevent them from working with the computer in a normal way. Microsoft has recognized this problem, and has included some basic accessibility tools with Windows.
To take a look at these tools, open the Start Menu, point to All Programs, then Accessories, then Accessibility.
Here's what you will find there:
Accessibility Wizard - This wizard will let you customize the look and feel of Windows. You can change the size of the text and configure audio features as well.
Magnifier - This tool will provide you with a window that magnifies the area of the screen where the mouse is. You can customize the degree of magnification (from normal to large).
Narrator - You can use this program to read the text on the screen for you. It can also read the content of menus, buttons, etc.
On-Screen Keyboard - Allows you to input text with your mouse/pointing device.
Utility Manager - The Utility Manager enables users to check an accessibility program's status, and start or stop an accessibility service.
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Please tell your neighbors, friends and family about our classes and our
email newsletter.
If you would like us to send this newsletter to 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.
If you think a friend or family member would like to attend our classes,
we'll send them a printed list of upcoming classes. Send a stamped,
self-addressed envelope to: STSI - Class Schedule, 50 Lee Avenue, Babylon NY 11702.
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Tips & Tricks: Keyboard Shortcuts – Add a Web Page to Favorites
Here is a quick way to add a web page to your favorites: hold down the CTRL key and press the D key. The website that you are looking it will now be at the bottom of your Favorites list.
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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
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Featured Computer Term: DLL File
Question: My computer got an error message that said that a DLL file was missing. What does this mean?
Answer:
DLL stands for Dynamic Link Library. A DLL file contains a set of functions or data that can be used by a program. This means that a programmer can just write the instructions once and then refer to the DLL file whenever that particular information is needed. A DLL file may be used by different programs. These files are constantly used by your programs without you even knowing it. Windows itself requires a core group of DLL files to run properly. When these files are missing or corrupted, they can cause applications to stop running.
If you receive a DLL error message, jot down the name of the DLL file and visit one of these sites to see if you can find a replacement that you can download:
http://www.dll-files.com/
http://www.dll-files.com/
http://www.dynamiclink.nl/frames/index.shtml
http://www.5starsupport.com/info/dll.htm
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: Keep Your Computer Healthy
To keep your computer in good shape and running optimally, periodically perform these three simple tasks: clear temporary internet files, run disk defragmenter and run disk cleanup.
Clear Temporary Internet Files
When you use the Internet, your computer is constantly storing files and programs. If you don't clean them out regularly, they can negatively impact your computer's performance and the reliability of your Internet connection. Remove these Temporary Internet files. This is also known as clearing your browser's cache.
To do so, open Control Panel (Start, Settings, Control Panel). Depending on your version of Windows, click either Internet Options or Network and Internet Connections and then Internet Options. In the Internet Properties dialog box that you now see, click the Delete Files button in the Temporary Internet files area. Click OK.
Deleting your Temporary Internet files may take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.
Run Disk Defragmenter
Disk Defragmenter is a program that will consolidate all of the free space on the hard drive, and can help make programs load and run faster.
Click Start, point to Programs, Accessories and System Tools. From System Tools, click Disk Defragmenter. Select the drive you want to defragment and click OK.
Defragmenting your hard drive may take up to several hours if you have not done it recently. If it is taking too long and you want to finish later, you can exit while Disk Defragmenter is still running by clicking the Stop button.
If you have a screen saver running, turn it off before starting Disk Defragmenter.
Run Disk Cleanup
Disk Cleanup can clear space on your hard drive by giving you the choice to delete Temporary Internet files, empty the Recycle Bin, delete files in the Temp directory, etc.
Click Start, point to Programs, Accessories and System Tools. From System Tools, click Disk Cleanup to begin.
Click the Disk Cleanup tab. In the Files to Delete window, review the options that are checked. These can be safely deleted. You may also review the additional options not checked by highlighting each item and clicking on View Files before deciding if you can safely delete those files. Once you have safely determined which files to delete, click OK.
Disk Cleanup is not available on Windows 95.
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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
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Question: Window Will Not Open Maximized
I am having a problem with Word that is making me crazy. Whenever I start the program, it only appears as a button on the taskbar. Clicking on the taskbar button doesn't maximize Word, and the only way I can get the full display is to right-click on the taskbar button and select Maximize. Please help me.
Answer:
There are several possible causes for this problem.
Right-click on the taskbar button and take a look at the choices displayed. If the choices include Maximize and Minimize, but not restore, then Windows already has the Word window open, it is just open off screen. To correct this, open another program in addition to Word, and then right-click on a blank area on the taskbar. From the resulting menu, left click on Cascade. Now both program windows (Word and the other program you have open) are back into the screen area where you can see them. Close Word and reopen it, and things should be back to normal.
Another possible cause is that Word is configured to always start minimized. This is normally done by modifying the shortcut used to start the program. Right-click on the shortcut used to start Word, and then choose Properties. On the Shortcut tab of the Properties dialog box, choose Maximized in the Run box. Now, the next time you start Word using this particular shortcut, it should be maximized on the screen.
Note: these steps will apply not only to Word but any program window that does not open maximized.
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Question: Backup Outlook Express Address Book
My computer died on me and I bought a new one. I had to enter my friends and familys email addresses all over again in this new computer. I would like to also store this information on a floppy disk, in case anything happens to this computer. Would you tell me how to do this?
Answer:
It is a good idea to back up important things like this periodically. Things can happen to computers and it could save you a lot of unnecessary work. To back up your address book in Outlook Express:
Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, click Address Book. This opens the Windows Address Book.
In the Address Book, click File in the menu bar, point to Export, click Address Book (WAB) (If this option is not available, it is probably because Microsoft Outlook is installed on your computer. you will have to open Outlook and use the File and Export menu in there).
In the resulting dialog box, change the Save In to 3 ½ Floppy A (make sure the floppy disk is in the drive). Click in the Filename box and type in a filename. Click the Save button.
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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.
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Websites of Interest:
St. Patricks Day
Dublin is the place to be to properly celebrate St. Patricks Day. You may not be able to be there but you can read all about it on the web at:
http://www.stpatricksday.ie
Although not much of it is actually substantiated, much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patricks Day. Learn about traditions, customs and history at this website:
http://wilstar.com/holidays/patrick.htm
Lucky Leprechauns, kissing the Blarney Stone, shamrocks, Erin Go Bragh . . . what does it all mean? Find out here:
http://www.marvelcreations.com/stpatrick.html
Want to learn how to make a great Irish stew or potato soup or, better yet! Irish coffee? Visit this website:
http://www.christmascarnivals.com/stpatrick/recipes/
Send your Irish (and non-Irish) friends an e-card.
http://www.freewebcards.com/cards/stpatricks/
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
Merck provides a searchable database of publications on a wide variety of disorders, medications and more.
http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/home.jsp
Virtual Tours
Visit this web site to take very cool virtual tours anywhere in the world. Great photography and graphics.
http://www.geographia.com/
Women First Health Care
Here is a website loaded with useful information for women in midlife.
http://www.womenfirst.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.
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