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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, April 27, 2008
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Identity Theft on the Internet – Protect Yourself
Tip # 5: Never Put Personal Information on an Insecure Website
Tips & Tricks: Google Flight Status
Question: Windows Vista: Adding Desktop Icons
This Week's Topic: Keyboard Shortcuts: Text Selecting Tricks
Question: Email Printing Length
Websites of Interest: May Day; The Lighthouse Directory; Brain Training; Yoga Basics
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Special Feature: Identity Theft on the Internet – Protect Yourself
Tip # 5: Never Put Personal Information on an Insecure Website
An insecure website is one that is not encrypted. Even if a site is genuine, information on an unencrypted site can be accessed by hackers.
Always check if a site is secure before entering any personal information. To do so, take a look at the address bar. All website addresses start with http; the address of an encrypted page will start with https. On some browsers, there may also be a picture of a small, closed padlock in one of the bottom corners.
If you do not see these security symbols, any information that you put into that page is not secure and could potentially be hacked into.
This article is Part5 of our series, Identity Theft on the Internet – Protect Yourself. To read our previous tips, please visit our newsletter archives:
Tip #1 Never Put Personal or Financial Information In An Email
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/033008.html
Tip #2 Beware of Phishing Attempts
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/040608.html
Tip #3 Never Post Personal Information Online
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/041308.html
Tip # 4 Never Click on Pop Up Advertising Windows
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/042008.html
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Tips & Tricks: Google Flight Status
Want to know if a particular flight departed on time and what its expected arrival time is? Ask Google to check. With Google, you can track the status of any U.S. and most international flights. In some instances, you can even see a map where the plan is in its route.
To check a flight, input the airlines letters and flight number. For example, if you would like to track United Airlines flight 502, type in UA 502. Google will display the departure time, whether the flight is on schedule or not, and the arrival time.
Please visit our archives for the Google Tips and Tricks we featured in previous editions of our newsletter:
Google Dictionary
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/021008.html
Google Stock Watch
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/021708.html
Google Calculator
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/022408.html
Google Weather
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/030208.html
Google Worldwide Clock
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/030908.html
Google Measurement Conversion
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/041308.html
Google Facts
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/042008.html
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Question: Windows Vista: Adding Desktop Icons
I just got a new computer with Windows Vista on it. it does not have icons on the desktop for My Computer and My Documents, which I used frequently on my old Windows XP computer. Can I get these on there? They really were convenient.
Answer:
Yes, you can. Here are the steps:
Right click on a blank spot on your desktop. A menu will appear, click Personalize. This will open the Personalize appearance and sounds window. On the left is the Task Pane. Under Tasks, click Change Desktop icons.
The Desktop Icon Settings window will open. Click the small box to put check marks in front of the icons you want on your desktop, or to remove check marks from icons you do not want on your desktop.
You will notice that there are some changes in terminology in Windows Vista. My Computer is now called Computer; My Documents has been renamed User’s Files.
When you are done making your selections, click the OK button at the bottom of the Desktop Icon Settings window. Click the X in the top right corner of Personalize appearance and sounds to close that window.
You will now see the Computer and User’s Files icons on your desktop.
Hint: you can change the name of the User’s Files icon if you like. Right click on it. Click Rename in the resulting menu. Type the new name and press the Enter key on the keyboard.
Please visit our Newsletter Archives for more on Windows Vista Desktop Icons:
Windows Vista: Creating Program Icons
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/041308.html
Windows Vista: Removing Desktop Icons
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/042008.html
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Today's Topic: Keyboard Shortcuts: Text Selecting Tricks
You can use your keyboard, rather than the mouse, to highlight text. Here are some convenient shortcuts:
Hold down the Shift key and press the left or right arrow to highlight one character at a time. Holding down the Shift and Ctrl keys and then pressing the left or right arrow will highlight a word at a time.
Try this with the up and down arrow. With the Shift key pressed, each time you press the up or down arrow, you will select a line. Hold down the Shift and Ctrl, and you can select a paragraph.
Place your Insertion Point (flashing vertical line) somewhere in the line. Hold down the Shift and press the Home key. All the characters between the Insertion Point and the beginning of the line will be selected. Hold down the Shift key and press the End key; all the characters between the Insertion Point and the end of the line will be selected.
Try this one: hold down the Shift and Ctrl keys and press the Home key. You document will be selected from the location of the Insertion Point to the beginning of the document. Shift, Ctrl and the End key will highlight all the characters between the Insertion Point and the end of the document.
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Question: Email Printing Length
How can I tell how long an email will be before I print it? I would like to know how many pages it will take up.
Answer:
Most email programs will have a Print Preview feature. Click File on the menu and then Print Preview. (If you do not see the menu, press the Alt key on the keyboard). This will show you a preview of the page and should give you an idea of how many pages to expect.
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Websites of Interest:
Thursday, May 1 is May Day. Learn all about this celebration at these websites.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day
http://www.theholidayspot.com/mayday/history.htm
The Lighthouse Directory
This website has information on more than 9,000 lighthouses all over the world.
http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/
Brain Training
Keep your mind sharp with games and exercises for the brain.
http://www.brainmetrix.com/
Yoga Basics
This website can educate and assist you in the practice of yoga.
http://www.yogabasics.com |
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