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Welcome to today's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, October 27, 2002
Halloween is this Thursday - Have a Happy (and scary!!) one!
Important Reminders:
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Have a mammogram or take someone you love to have a mammogram.
Daylight Savings Time ends today. Don't forget to turn your clocks back.
"Fall falls back; Spring springs ahead."
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Tips and Tricks: Reading the Name of a Program on the Taskbar; Forwarding E-mail; Open a New Browser Window; Quickly Close Pop Up Windows
Featured Webpage: All About the Internet
Featured Computer Term: Plug-In
This Week's Topic: Laptop Ergonomics
Question: Checking the Status of Sent Email
Featured Website: Halloween
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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: Tips & Tricks
Reading the Name of a Program on the Taskbar
Sometimes, the name of a program running in Windows is longer than the taskbar's button. If you hold your mouse cursor over the button for a few seconds, the entire name will be displayed. Also, if you have a file open in some tasks, the filename currently being reviewed is usually also displayed.
Forwarding E-mail
When someone sends you an email that you would like to send to someone else, you can do this very easily - you simply Forward it.
To forward e-mail to someone, open the e-mail, read it, and then click the Forward button in the window. The message will be automatically copied into a new e-mail message and the subject line on the new e-mail form is automatically filled in. It will show the subject of the original e-mail preceded by the letters Fwd:.
All you need to do is fill in the address field. If you add a personal message, what you type will appear right above the message you are forwarding when your recipient reads the e-mail. Click Send and you're done.
Open a New Browser Window
If you don't want to leave the Web page you're looking at, but would like to visit a link in the page, just right click the link you're interested in, and then left click Open in New Window.
Another browser window opens and the new page displays. You’ll have two windows open; when you’re done with one, just click on the X button on the top right to close the window.
Quickly Close Pop Up Windows
Question When I’m surfing the Internet, before I know it, I have so many windows open on the screen with all that pop up advertising. I have to go to each one to click on the X to close it. Is there any quicker way of doing this?
Answer Yes, there is. You’ll see buttons lined up on the taskbar (the grey bar across the bottom of the screen) -one for each window that’s open on your desktop. Right click on each button; when you right click, you’ll see a menu pop up with several choices -left click on Close. Do this for each window you want to close.
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Today's Computer Term: Plug-In
A Plug In is a program that adds a specific feature to a larger system. Plug ins are commonly found on the Internet as software applications that are used by a web browser to view a page element.
The web page you view may have elements in it that are not recognized as HTML (not automatically displayed on your screen). In order to view these elements it will be necessary to download the plug-in so that you may view the page as it was designed. Most pages that require plug-ins will provide a link to a site that will allow you to download the plug-in. Once you download the plug-in, you may return to the original site.
Now that your computer has the necessary plug-in, your web browser will be able to automatically run the plug-in software application that is necessary to view the page element.
There are a number of plug-ins for your browser that enable it to play different types of audio or display video messages. An example of a plug-in is a program called Shockwave, used to play audio or video elements on a website.
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Today's Topic: Laptop Ergonomics
In our last newsletter, we discussed computer ergonomics -using a computer in such a way as to stay healthy. There are many ways to practice good ergonomics on a desktop computer, laptops, however, are killers when it comes to comfortable and healthy computer use. Because of the keyboard design and attached screen, you find yourself hunched over the laptop -crooking your neck or bent over in order to read the screen and trying to put you hands on the keyboard to type.
Here are some suggestions to improve usage:
Lean back to keep your spine straight, and then lower your head so your chin is down toward your chest. This helps to also keep your neck straighter and prevents you from hunching over.
Don’t cross your legs. This makes it harder to balance the laptop, which will cause your body to tense up. It will also put your arms in an uncomfortable position in relation to the keyboard.
Use a large three-ring binder that is fairly full. This provides a sloped angle and raises the notebook up, helping to align your hands for more relaxed typing. This will also keep the heat off your legs.
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Question: Checking the Status of Sent Email
Question: Can I tell if someone has read the email I sent to them?
Answer:
Not in every email program. You can if you are using America Online and the recipient is too.
Go in to your Mailbox and click Sent Mail or Check Mail You've Sent (depending on your version of AOL). Click the message you’re interested in and click Status at the bottom to find out if and when the recipient read the mail.
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Today's Featured Websites: Halloween
Really scare yourself this Halloween -read something by the original master of horror: Edgar Allen Poe! For more about him and his works, take a look at this website:
http://dcls.org/x/archives/poe.html
Monsters for Halloween and fans of myths and legends will enjoy this Encyclopedia of Monsters site, which has compiled an A-Z list of mythical creatures. When you look up each creature, you find a short description and a history of its myth, usually accompanied by an illustration.
http://webhome.idirect.com/~donlong/monsters/monsters.htm
Here’s another scary one: read about Mary Shelley, and especially her infamous character, Frankenstein, at this website:
http://home-1.worldonline.nl/~hamberg/
If you're at a loss as to what it's all about, what to do for fun, and what to serve at your Halloween party, this Web site can help you. There are some great graphics here, too.
http://www.holidays.net/halloween/
Why do kids trick or treat? Find out the answer to this question and many more at the holiday spot website.
http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/trick_or_treat.htm
Want your pumpkin to be something special this year? Check out Swan's Pumpkin Farm's site for ideas, instructions, and templates you can print out and use.
http://www.thepumpkinfarm.com/carvemenu.html
For some other great crafts and projects for the kids, visit All Crafts.
http://www.allcrafts.net/halloween.htm#pumpkin
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