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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, March 19, 2006
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Microsoft Word – Bullets
Tips & Tricks: Delete Favorites
Featured Computer Term: Blogs
This Week's Topic: Remove Newly Installed Programs Highlight
Question: Downloading: Run vs. Save
Websites of Interest: Sunrise, Sunset; City Town Info; Understanding Money
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Special Feature: Microsoft Word – Bullets
In Microsoft Word, when you create a bulleted list, a symbol is added to the beginning of each line. This gives the appearance of a list. For example:
* Apples
* Oranges
* Bananas
To create a bulleted list, click Format on the menu, then Bullets and Numbering. Choose the bullet style you like and then click the OK button.
Type the first entry on your list and then press Enter. The next line will automatically be bulleted. To end bulleting, press the Backspace key twice.
To bullet an existing list, highlight the list, click Format on the menu, then Bullets and Numbering. Choose the bullet style you like and then click the OK button.
You can also create bullets on a single line, for example, if you are entering you address into a single line, you may want to separate your name, street name, city, etc.
* 100 Main Street * New York, NY 12345 *212-555-5555
To do this, move the insertion point to the place in the document where you want the bullet to appear. Click Insert on the menu and then Symbol. Click the character you would like to insert and then click the Insert button. Move the Symbol window out of your way and click to move the insertion point where the next character is to appear. Click the Insert button in the Symbol window. Repeat these steps to insert as many characters as you want. When you are finished, click the Close button in the Symbol window.
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Tips & Tricks: Delete Favorites
I have so many favorites in Internet Explorer. Half of the websites do not even exist anymore. How can I get rid of these?
Answer:
Right click on the Favorite that you want to delete. From the resulting menu, left click on Delete. A window will open asking if you are sure you want to send this to the Recycle Bin. Click Yes.
This will be permanently deleted the next time you empty the Recycle Bin.
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Featured Computer Term: Blogs
Question: My grandchildren frequently mention blogs. What is a blog?
Answer:
The following is from worldstart.com. (used with permission)
I've been hearing a lot of people talking about their blogs. What exactly is a blog and how can I start my own?
Answer:
Want to expose your thoughts to the world? Share your favorite links? Shout out your political, religious or personal beliefs? Well, a blog is the place to do it. It can be a soap box, a pulpit, a diary or whatever you want it to be. There are only a few rules and it can be any size or shape. You can choose to do pretty much anything you want to your blog.
A blog is just another word for "Web Log" and it is basically a Web site where you can post pictures, share links, make comments and write whatever you want. Another neat aspect of blogging is that visitors can comment on your posts creating an interactive and collaborative space. It's like your own little journal or newsletter for your friends and family (or whoever) to read. A blog can be a way of keeping close ones updated on what's going on in your life, or you can use the blog to meet new people from across the world. Most blogs have RSS feeds that notify you of new posts, so you don't miss one single word.
You may have heard about blogs back in 2004. They made a big impact on the U.S. presidential election that year. Bloggers exposed forged documents used in a news story causing the demise of a prestigious network anchorman. Some bloggers are even being recognized by the news establishment as legitimate journalists. Priests and pastors use blogs to encourage and inspire others with daily devotional posts. As you can see, there are several different things you can do with your blog, it's all up to you.
There's a blog for every interest and if there isn't, you can create one. Basic blogs can be created for free, while more involved ones might require a hosting fee.
For some lists of what's out there, check out these Web sites:
http://blogcatalog.com/
http://www.blogsearchengine.com/
http://www.blogarama.com/
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: Remove Newly Installed Programs Highlight
Question: When I put a new program on my computer, a pop up message dislplays telling me that I have a new program in my menu. I find this message annoying and unnecessary. Can I change the settings so this does not appear?
Answer:
Yes, you can. Here is how:
Right click on a blank spot on the taskbar. From the resulting menu, left click on Properties.
In the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window that now displays, click the Start Menu tab at the top and then click the Customize button. Click the Advanced tab at the top.
In the Start Menu Settings area, click the small checkbox next to Highlight newly installed programs. This will remove the checkmark. Click the OK button to close the Customize Start Menu window and then click the OK button to close the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window.
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Question: Downloading: Run vs. Save
When I download anything, a window opens asking if I want to Run or Save. Which one should I choose and what is the difference?
Answer:
In most cases, both of these options will setup the program for you and install it on your computer. The difference is where the setup file opens from.
When you choose Save, you can tell the computer where you would like the setup file to go, for example, the Desktop or the My Downloads folder. The setup file will be on the computer should you ever need to reinstall the program. You can also put this file on a disk if you want to install on another computer or need to reinstall on your computer.
When you choose Run, the file is downloaded to the Temporary Internet Files folder and setup starts as soon as the download is completed. When you delete the Temporary Internet Files, the setup download gets deleted too. If you ever need to reinstall the program, you would have to download the setup file again.
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Websites of Interest:
Sunrise, Sunset
This website will give you the exact time of the sunrise and sunset for your town. You can also see twilight times, moon phases and more. Click follow this link to choose your town.
http://www.sunrisesunset.com/custom_srss_calendar.asp
City Town Info
Whether you want to learn everything about the town you live in or research a town you would like to move to, this is a website to take a look at. You will see statistics including demographics, housing and much more.
http://www.citytowninfo.com/
Understanding Money
Visit this very informative website to learn all about money - how banks work, how credit works, the Federal Reserve, money supplies and more.
http://wfhummel.net/ |
