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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, December 12, 2004
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Change a Filename
Featured Webpage: The Holidays
This Week's Topic: Put Favorites on Your Taskbar
Questions: Using Folders
Websites of Interest: Car Safety; Jigsaw; Last Name Frequency; One Look Dictionary; The Best
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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: Change a Filename
Question: How do I change the name of a file?
Answer:
Make sure the file is not opened. In some programs, if a file is currently being used (open) you will not be able to change its filename.
Open the folder that the file is in. Locate the file and right click on it. Left click on Rename in the resulting menu.
You will see that the filename is now highlighted. Type the new name; this will replace the old name. When you are finished, press Enter on the keyboard.
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Featured Webpage: The Holidays
Take a look at our website for a countdown to Christmas and for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa links to fun and useful sites.
Christmas: http://computerkindergarten.com/html/christmas.html
Hanukkah: http://computerkindergarten.com/html/hanukkah.html
Kwanzaa: http://computerkindergarten.com/html/kwanzaa.html
If you have any sites you think we should add, please send us an email with the website address and a short description of the site.
info@computerkindergarten.com
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Today's Topic: Put Favorites on Your Taskbar
Question: my grandson was showing me something on his computer and I noticed that he has his Favorites on the taskbar (the bar at the bottom of the screen that has the start button on the left and the clock on the right). All he has to do is click on that to list the favorites. I use my Favorites frequently and I think this would be very useful to me. Could you tell me if I can set up my computer to do this? Thank you.
Answer:
You can put your favorites on the taskbar in Windows XP. There are quite a few steps, described below, which you must follow exactly in order to do this.
Right click on a blank spot on your taskbar, and point to Toolbars in the resulting menu. A menu will come out to the side. In it, you will see a list of available toolbars. Favorites is not on the list, so you will need to add it manually. To do so, click New Toolbar at the bottom of the list.
The New Toolbar window will open. In it, you will see a list of folders on your computer. Favorites needs to be located and chosen in this folder. To do so, click the plus sign to the left of My Computer. This will open up My Computer and show you the list of drives on your computer.
Click the plus sign next to Local Disk (C:), then click the plus sign next to Documents and Settings.
Under Documents and Settings, find your user name. If there is not a folder with your name on it, you can try Administrator or Default User.
Click the Plus sign next to your user name, Administrator or Default User and you will see Favorites listed. Click once directly on the word Favorites (do not click the plus sign this time)
Click OK.
You will now have a Favorites button on your taskbar. If it does not contain your favorites, repeat the steps and instead of Administrator, try Default User.
To use your new Favorites button, click the two small right arrows. You will see the Favorites menu open on your screen, click the one you want to open Internet Explorer and go to that page.
If you no longer want Favorites on your taskbar, you can easily remove it. To do so, right click on a blank spot on your taskbar, and point to Toolbars in the resulting menu. A menu will come out to the side. Left click on Favorites.
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Question: Using Folders
Question: I have a lot of files in the My Documents folder. So many, in fact, that it takes me a long time to find the file that I am looking for. I would like organize by creating several folders and putting my files in them.
Answer:
Using folders and subfolders is a good way to organize your files.
To create a folder, open My Documents. Click File on the menu, point to New and then click on Folder. At the bottom of your list of files, you will now see New Folder. Notice that the words are highlighted. Type the name of the folder and then press the Enter key on the keyboard.
To open the folder, double click on it.
To move a file into this folder, simply drag the file in. To do so, point to the file and hold down the left mouse button. Point the mouse right at the new folder; when the folder name turns blue, release the mouse button. This will drop the file into the folder.
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Websites of Interest:
Car Safety
How safe is the car you are driving or the one you are thinking about purchasing? Find out at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website:
http://www.safercar.gov/
Jigsaw
Jigsaw puzzles without the mess! Hint: click on Puzzle of the Day then click on Shapes for number of pieces.
http://www.jigzone.com
Last Name Frequency
How common is your last name? Visit the Census Bureau site to find out.
http://www.census.gov/genealogy/www/namesearch.html
One Look Dictionary
If you need a quick definition, visit this website.
http://www.onelook.com/
The Best
From the New York Times, this site features articles on the Best in a wide variety of categories.
http://www.nytimes.com/library/magazine/millennium/m1/index.html |
