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Welcome to today's edition of the Computer Kindergarten for Grownups
Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, November 17, 2002
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Should I Delete Cookies?
Featured Computer Term: ROM
This Week's Topic: Creating and Using the Links Bar in your Browser
Question: AOL: Switching Screen Names While You Are Still Online
Learning Series: Microsoft Word - Hidden Text
Featured Websites: Reminder Emails; Microsoft; Complaints; November is Peanut Butter Lovers Month
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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: Should I Delete Cookies?
Question: I am trying to free up spaced on my computer by deleting unnecessary files. I’ve been told that I should delete cookies? Should I do this? And how do I do this?
Answer:
You can delete the cookies if you want. If you do, you will have to re-enter information at some websites. Cookies hold your username, passwords, and other information so that you don't have to type them in each time.
To delete cookies, in Internet Explorer, click Tools on the menu bar, then Internet Options. Make sure the General tab is selected; click the Delete Cookies button.
To learn more about cookies, what they are and what they do, take a look at past newsletter articles on our website at:
http://www.stsico.com/html/cookies.html
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Today's Computer Term: ROM
Pronounced rahm, acronym for read-only memory, ROM is a part of the computer’ s memory on which data has been prerecorded. Once data has been written onto a ROM chip, it cannot be removed and can only be read.
Unlike main memory, which is called RAM(Random Access Memory), ROM retains its contents even when the computer is turned off. Therefore, ROM is referred to as being nonvolatile, whereas RAM is volatile.
Most personal computers contain a small amount of ROM that stores critical programs such as the program that starts the computer.
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Today's Topic: Creating and Using the Links Bar in your Browser
We all have a few favorite Websites that we return to frequently. If you’d like to make it easier for you to visit these websites again, you can put shortcuts to them on the Links bar in your browser. This shows you how to make a push button link to any site, or to any page within a site.
Internet Explorer users:
1. Open Browser. On the Menu bar click View. Hover your mouse over Toolbars, and be sure that Links is checked in drop down menu (if not, click on it). On right hand side of your top tool bar you will now see a Links button.
2. Go to a web page that you use frequently and would like to create a shortcut to. When you're at the site you want to create the Link button for, put your mouse cursor on the blue e or the icon next to the URL (the www address) and click, hold down the mouse button, and drag the URL out of the address bar, and drop it over the Links button.
Click on the button with the two right arrows (>>) at the side of the Links button, and you'll see that a new link has appeared in the drop down list, with the page title listed.
3. Change the title: if it's too long, or doesn't say what you want it to say, right click the link button, and left click Rename. Type the name you want for this button, and click OK. It will now have the name you want.
To visit the site next time you're on-line, just click the button and the page loads. You don't have to type anything.
Netscape users:
There's a link icon to the left of the location field. Drag this link and drop it to create a link button. The principles are the same between the two browsers, but the details are a bit different. To rename a link, go to Window > Bookmarks > Edit Bookmarks. RIGHT click the bookmark you want to work with, and select Properties.
Type in a new name, click OK, close the window, and you're done. It's a bit more involved with Netscape, but like anything, once you've done it a few times it's easy.
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Question: AOL: Switching Screen Names While You Are Still Online
Question: I use America Online and have two email addresses. One I use to correspond with friends and family and the other I use when I want to be online and not be bothered with Instant Messages. I was told that there’s a way to switch from one to the other without signing off and back on again.
Answer:
Yes, there is. To switch screen names without signing off
1. On the Sign Off menu, click Switch Screen Name.
2. Select the screen name you want to switch to.
3. Click Switch.
4. Enter your password and click OK.
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Progressive Learning Series: Microsoft Word - Hidden Text
Hidden text is really just another formatting option for text, just like bold, underline etc. Under the menu Format | Font you'll see Hidden down in the options, usually last on the list.
To hide text just highlight the text and choose Format from the menu bar, then click Font. Click Hidden and it'll disappear from the screen (but not from the document).
Having hidden the text you'll want to see it, naturally. To do that go to Tools on the menu bar, then Options, then View and under Formatting Marks check the box Hidden Text. When you click OK, the hidden text will now show up with dotted underline to indicate it is Hidden.
Tip: A quick way to display hidden text is to click the Show All toolbar button. This will display hidden text and other formatting marks.
When you print the document, you'll see a printing dialog option (under Options) to print hidden text.
Why use Hidden Text?
There are a few uses for hidden text:
- A exam or test can be prepared as a single document with the answers hidden in the copies printed for the test.
- In a contract or legal document, you can hide sections that don't apply to certain types of clients. Instead of having multiple documents (and the confusion / inconsistency that can result) you can have just one document with hidden text as required.
- Some people use hidden text for comments / alternative text etc. Really the reviewing and comments options in Word are a better place for this but you have the choice.
- To remind you of something to do with that document.
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Today's Featured Websites:
Reminder Emails
This Web site is a free birthday or event reminder service. You can enter birthdays, anniversaries and miscellaneous events for which you want reminders and, about a week before the event, you’ll be sent a reminder email.
http://www.diarysmart.com/
Microsoft
For free software that you can download, take a look at the Microsoft website. This website offers upgrades to software, utilities, free Clip Art, themes, stationery, and much more.
http://office.microsoft.com/Downloads/default.aspx
Complaints
Federal agencies overseeing major industries like airlines, autos, housing and banking use your feedback to prompt product recalls, launch investigations and develop new regulations. While there are no guarantees of immediate action, voicing your opinion online is a good way to prompt change and -- if nothing else -- vent a little. This website is a good place to find a list of companies and organizations with direct links to official sites
http://www.governmentguide.com/consumer_services/complaint.adp
Peanut Butter Lovers Month
Break out the grape jelly! November is Peanut Butter Lovers Month. Everything you could possibly want to know about peanut butter can be found at this site:
http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com/ |
