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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, October 5, 2008
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please have a mammogram or take someone you love to have one.
We’re taking next Sunday off to observe Columbus Day. See you on the 19th!
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Worst Email Scams
This Week's Topic: Backing Up Your Files
Question: Internet Explorer Menu Bar
Websites of Interest: Columbus Day; October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month; Yom Kippur; Sukkot
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Special Feature: Worst Email Scams
The following is from switched.com:
Scam #10: Pay Or Die
The Come-On:
A hitman has been hired to kill you but there's a chance he'll let you live.
The Scam:
An e-mail from the killer says you'll survive if you pay him off immediately. Naturally, the scammer hopes you'll panic and send the money, but there's no immediate threat. Often, they'll include some generic personal details that are easily found on the 'Net to heighten your fear.
What You Can Do:
Keep cool, even if the threat seems credible. Ignoring it is the best idea, and if you feel the need to, contact the authorities. After all, a death threat is a death threat is a death threat.
For now, this completes our series on Worst Email Scams. We hope you benefited from this information. We are sure there are scammers out there scheming and dreaming up new ways to trick people. We here at Sharper Training Solutions are committed to helping our friends stay safe and will pass on information about new scams and hoaxes as soon as we get it.
Please visit our newsletter archives for information on the scams we have highlighted in previous editions of this newsletter:
Investment Pump & Dump scam:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/072008.html
Cancel This Order! scam:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/072708.html
You Win! scam:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/080308.html
Nigerian Letter scam:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/081008.html
Gone Phishing scam:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/081708.html
US Bombs Iran scam:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/090708.html
Make Money From Home! scam:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/091408.html
Phishing for Stimulus scam:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/092108.html
Donate to Scammers scam:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/092808.html
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Today's Topic: Backing Up Your Files
Question: Both of my children told me I should put all of my files on a USB drive for safe keeping. Can you tell me which one to buy and how to do this?
Answer:
First of all, you need a USB drive, also known as a flash drive, data stick, or thumb drive, big enough to fit all of the files you want to store on it. Here are the steps to determine what size drive you will need:
If you are using Windows XP
Since most people save their files in My Documents, you will have to find out the size of that folder.
You may have a My Documents icon on the desktop. If you do, right click on it; a menu will open. Left click on Properties. It may take a few moments for the computer to calculate the information. When it is done, it will display the size of the documents in the folder, the amount of space it is using on the disk, and the number of files and folders contained in the folder. Click OK or the X button when you are done noting the file size.
If you do not have the My Documents icon on the desktop, right click the Start button; a menu will open. Left click on Explore. This will open Windows Explorer. The window will be split in two parts. Look for My Documents on the left (you may have to scroll up or down to find it).
Right click on My Documents; a menu will open. Left click on Properties. It may take a few moments for the computer to calculate the information. When it is done, it will display the size of the documents in the folder, the amount of space it is using on the disk, and the number of files and folders contained in the folder. Click OK or the X button when you are done noting the file size.
If you are using Windows Vista
You may have an icon for the Documents folder on your desktop. If you named your computer, for example, with your name, you will see an icon with your name right under it. If you did not name it, look for an icon that says User’s Files.
When you find the icon, double click on it. A window will open, split in two parts. You should see Favorite Links with a list under it, including Documents, Pictures, Music and more. Look for the word Folders, at the bottom left. To the right of Folders is a small up arrow. Click on the arrow.
You will now see a list with the word Desktop on the top. Beneath that you will see your name (if you named your computer) or User’s Files. Double click on that. A list will display; Documents will be one of the items on the list.
Right click on Documents; a menu will open. Left click on Properties. Click the General tab at the top. It may take a few moments for the computer to calculate the information. When it is done, it will display the size of the documents in the folder, the amount of space it is using on the disk, and the number of files and folders contained in the folder. Click OK or the X button when you are done noting the file size.
If you do not have the icon on the desktop, right click the Start Orb; a menu will open. Left click on Explore. A window will open, split in two parts. You should see Favorite Links with a list under it, including Documents, Pictures, Music and more. Look for the word Folders, at the bottom left. To the right of Folders is a small up arrow. Click on the arrow.
You will now see a list with the word Desktop on the top. Beneath that you will see your name (if you named your computer) or User’s Files. Double click on that. A list will display; Documents will be one of the items on the list.
Right click on Documents; a menu will open. Left click on Properties. Click the General tab at the top. It may take a few moments for the computer to calculate the information. When it is done, it will display the size of the documents in the folder, the amount of space it is using on the disk, and the number of files and folders contained in the folder. Click OK or the X button when you are done noting the file size.
Now that you know the size of your files, you can determine the capacity of the USB drive that you need. If the size of the files is measured in MB, then everything will fit on a 1GB drive. If, for example, the size is 3.6 GB, then you will need a 4 GB drive.
Since the price of storage has decreased so significantly over the last few years, you may want to buy a USB drive larger than you need right now. This will give you room for files created in the future.
In the next newsletter, we will learn how to save all of your files to your new USB drive.
Visit our newsletter archives to learn what a USB drive is:
http://www.computerkindergarten.com/html/092307.html
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Question: Internet Explorer Menu Bar
I cannot find the menu in Internet Explorer on my new computer. Does it have one?
Answer:
Yes, it does. In Vista, you’ll have to turn it on.
To view it temporarily, press the Alt key. You’ll see the menu; give your command and the menu will disappear again. This gives you maximum screen space without wasting anything on a menu you only use occasionally.
If you prefer to have the menu displayed at all times, follow these steps:
Press the Alt key. You will see the menu appear. Click View on the menu, point to Toolbars and then click on Menu Bar. The menu will display and remain in the window, even after closing Internet Explorer and opening it again.
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Websites of Interest:
Columbus Day
Learn the history of Columbus’ voyage, the ships, the crew and more. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/oct12.html
For the children, Kid’s Domain lists Columbus Day websites from all over the world.
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/columbusday.html
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Visit these websites for breast cancer information, facts, statistics, symptoms and treatments, early detection, mammography screenings, and much more.
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/
http://tinyurl.com/l65of
Yom Kippur
Thursday is Yom Kippur. Learn more about this holiday at this website:
http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday4.htm
For the children, you’ll find coloring pages, greeting cards, games, and more at this website:
http://www.torahtots.com/holidays/yomkipur/yomk.htm
Send Yom Kippur greeting cards online to your friends and family.
http://browse.postcards.org/postcards/cards/0925/
Sukkot
The Festival of Sukkot begins the fifth day after Yom Kippur. Learn all about Sukkot at this website.
http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday5.htm |
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