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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, August 1, 2004
In this Issue:
Special Feature: The Print Screen Key
This Week's Topic: Change the Screen Resolution
Question: Auto Hide the Taskbar
Question: Size the Taskbar
Websites of Interest: Air Traffic Control; Dining on the Road; Early Audio Recordings; Sci Fi to Reality
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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.
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Special Feature: The Print Screen Key
Question: What does the Print Screen key do? I press it and nothing happens. Thank you for your newsletter. It is a wonderful service.
Answer:
The Print Screen key (which may be labeled PrtSc or PrtScr, depending on your keyboard) does not send the screen contents to your printer as you might expect.
When you press the print screen key, Windows takes a picture of whatever is on your screen and puts it into a program called Clipboard. This takes place behind the scenes so it will seem like nothing happened.
If you want to print what is on your screen, you have to put the picture that is in Clipboard into a program that you can print from. To do so, open your word processor.
Once in the Word Processing program, click Edit on the menu, the Paste. You should now see the picture of your screen. To print, click File on the menu, then Print.
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Today's Topic: Change the Screen Resolution
I just bought a new computer and everything on the screen is very small. How can I enlarge everything so that I can see it better?
Answer:
You can change the screen resolution. When the resolution is high, you will see more content on the screen but everything will be smaller. With low resolution, less will fit on the screen, but what is there will be large and easy to see. To see more on the screen, you will then have to scroll either vertically or horizontally.
Since you want to make the images on the screen larger, you will lower the resolution. Here is how:
Right click on a blank area on your desktop and then left click Properties from the resulting menu. This will open the Display Properties dialog box.
Click the Settings tab on the top of the window.
On the lower part of the window is the Screen Resolution with a slider that can be dragged with the mouse.
Drag the slider to the left towards Less.
Click OK.
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Question: Auto Hide the Taskbar
My grandson was showing me something on his computer and I noticed that his taskbar only shows when he points the mouse at it. That seems like a very useful feature. It is out of the way unless you need it. He told me that it has to be hidden but I really did not understand what he said. Can you explain?
Answer:
You can Auto Hide the taskbar. (The Taskbar is the bar at the bottom of your screen that has the Start button on the left and the time on the right)
Auto Hiding the taskbar will give you more room on your screen, and, when you need to switch to a different open program, access the Start menu, or see the time, all you have to do is point the mouse at the bottom of the screen. The taskbar will pop up for you. When you are done with it, move the mouse away and it hides again.
To set Auto Hide, right click on a blank spot on your taskbar. Left click on Properties in the resulting menu.
If you are using Windows 95, 98 or ME, click on the General tab and then click Auto Hide. This will put a check mark next to Auto Hide. Click the OK button to close the window.
If you are using Windows XP, click on the Taskbar tab and then click Auto Hide. This will put a check mark next to Auto Hide. Click the OK button to close the window.
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Question: Size the Taskbar
How do you change the size of the task bar? My task bar is about an inch and it used to be only about a quarter inch high. I also want to thank you for all your knowledge that you share.
Answer:
You can change the height of the taskbar pretty easily. Here is how:
Point the mouse arrow at the top edge of the taskbar. You will know when you are pointing to the right place when the mouse arrow turns into a vertical double-headed arrow. As soon as you see that arrow, hold down the left mouse button and drag the taskbar down.
It takes a steady hand. If you drag the taskbar too far down, all you will see if a very thin grey line across the bottom. Point to that and drag it back up again.
If you ever want to make the taskbar bigger, you can drag it up the same way.
Note: If you point to the taskbar and do not see the double-headed arrow, you will need to unlock the taskbar. To do so, right click on a blank spot on the taskbar; from the resulting menu, left click on Lock the Taskbar. That will remove the check mark.
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Websites of Interest:
Air Traffic Control
If you are taking a flight from a major US airport, this site is a great resource. Check on departure times and delays.
http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp
Dining on the Road
If you are planning a road trip, take a look at this site for finding good restaurants along the highways and back roads of America.
http://www.roadfood.com/
Early Audio Recordings
Learn the history of early recorded sound. This site has information on early phonographs, records and much more.
http://www.tinfoil.com/
Sci Fi Reality
Science fiction fans will enjoy this website. It lists current technology that was mentioned in science fiction novels years ago.
http://www.technovelgy.com/ |
