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Welcome to today's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, December 15, 2002
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Windows XP: Using the Classic Start Menu
Featured Computer Term: Footer
This Week's Topic: Changing Window Size
Question: Windows Explorer in Windows XP
Learning Series: Microsoft Word - Synonyms
Featured Website: Christmas; Kwanzaa; Boston Tea Party; Holiday Party Menus; Winter Solstice; Now I’ve Seen It All
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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: Windows XP: Using the Classic Start Menu
If you’ve purchased a new computer within the last year, you’ll see that it is running Windows XP. You’ll notice the biggest differences in the Start Button Menus. If you prefer the look of the old start menu from Windows 98 and ME, it’s easy to change back to that. Here’s how:
1. Right click the Start button, and then click Properties.
2. Click Classic Start menu.
3. Click the Customize button to select items to display on the Start menu.
This will also add My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, and Internet Explorer icons to your desktop.
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Today's Computer Term: Footer
Footers are one or more lines of text that appear at the bottom of every page of a document. Once you specify what text should appear in the footer, the application automatically inserts it.
Most applications allow you to use special symbols in the footer that represent changing values. For example, you can enter a symbol for the page number, and the application will replace the symbol with the correct number on each page. If you enter the date symbol, the application will insert the current date, which will change if necessary each time you print the document.
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Today's Topic: Changing Window Size
Question: What are those three little buttons on the top right corner of the window?
Answer:
Those are called the Control Buttons. The one on the left is the Minimize button. This button will shrink the window down and off the screen. The application is still running, but it is invisible. All that you will see of the program is the taskbar button (a button on the grey bar on the bottom of the desktop screen). To bring the program back up on the screen, click its taskbar button.
The middle button is the Maximize/Restore button. This button will make the window as large as it will get, or if already maximized, will put the window into restore mode, which allows you to shrink or increase the window size. If this button has one square on it, it is in restore mode, which is partial screen. In this mode, you can point to an edge of the window and drag it to make the window larger or smaller. If you click on the maximize button, you will make the window as large as possible. You’ll now see that the middle button has two squares on it; this is the restore button.
The button on the right, the X, is the Close button. This will close the window and the application. Always save your work before using this button.
For graphical instructions on this topic, visit our website at: http://stsico.com/html/windows_intro.html
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Question: Windows Explorer in Windows XP
Question: I just bought a new computer with Windows XP on it and I can’t find Windows Explorer. I use that all the time; don’t tell me they’ve done away with it. By the way, I love your news letters, they are always so helpful.
Answer:
In Windows XP (and ME), the Windows Explorer program is a little harder to find.
In Windows 95 and 98, to open Windows Explorer click the Start button, point to Programs and then click Windows Explorer.
In Windows XP or ME, click on Start, point to Programs, then point to Accessories. You will now see Windows Explorer.
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Progressive Learning Series: Microsoft Word - Synonyms
When you're writing, you may find that you're using the same word over and over again and you'd like to find another word that will convey your meaning. Your computer can help you with this: let Microsoft Word suggest a synonym. Just right-click the word you'd like to change and left click Synonyms from the resulting menu. If Word has some suggestions, you can select the one you want by left clicking on it. If Word doesn't have any suggestions, you can select Thesaurus from the menu.
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Today's Featured Websites:
For the Websites of Interest section of this newsletter, we’ve come across many informative, helpful and entertaining Christmas and Kwanzaa websites -too many to list here. To take a look at them, visit our website at:
http://stsico.com/html/christmaskwanzaa.html
Boston Tea Party
On December 16, 1773, a group of American colonists, disguised as Mohawk Indians, made their way on board an English ship and dumped all the tea into the Boston Harbor. This later became known as the Boston Tea Party. Read about this event and the American Revolution at this site: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/E/teaparty/bostonxx.htm
Learn more about the politics of the time at this site:
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle/bostonteaparty-edenton.html Read an eyewitness account by one of the participants.
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/teaparty.htm
Holiday Party Menus
It’s time to plan your holiday menus. Allrecipes.com claims to be the Internet's most complete Christmas and holiday recipe resource.
http://www.christmasrecipe.com/
Winter Solstice
This year Winter Solstice will occur on December 21. At this website you can find out what it means and learn about the ancient origins of the Winter Solstice celebrations. The site explains the astronomy creating the Solstice and features ancient sites like Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland, which is designed to pinpoint the Winter Solstice.
http://www.candlegrove.com/solstice.html
Now I've Seen It All !
From our Now I’ve Seen It All files, at this website you can control the home of a man in Plano, Texas. For some reason, he lets strangers enter his home via the Internet and play with the lights, lamps, ornaments, kitchen appliances and more. Why in the world would this guy do this? Who knows! But he attempts to explain it on his WHY page.
The interesting facet of this website is the proof that we can control our homes from work or other remote locations. With a set up like this you’ll never have to worry if you remembered to turn the iron off or not.
Note: because of the huge amounts of bandwidth required to do this, expect an extremely slow moving site.
http://www.drivemeinsane.com/
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