Barb's Brainstorms

Computer Tip of the Week

2007-12-23T23:30:00.001-07:00

Computer Tip of the Week

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Lorna Smith, one of my readers, forwarded a really cute Santa puzzle. Click here to go to the website. A blank puzzle will appear. Click on the holly in the top left corner. A puzzle piece will appear. Left click and hold down the left mouse button to move it onto the correct piece in the puzzle. It's lots of fun and you might want to send it to your kids and grandkids.

Have a wonderful holiday and a bright new year.

All the best to you and your family

Barb Walker, The Computer Lady

Taming Your Computer Inc.

FREE SHIPPING!	Only 7 days left to order my book and receive free shipping until Dec. 31. They make great gifts for friends and family members who are "computer challenged." Click here to order from my website by credit card or use the printable order form to mail with your check.
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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-12-17T01:05:00.001-07:00

Computer Tip of the Week

Basic Web Lessons

I subscribe to the FREE AARP Computers and Technology e-mail newsletter (a.k.a. ezine) and the last issue gave a link to a wonderful page on their website where you can learn a lot about the Internet and how to get more out of it. Click here to go to Basic Web Lessons. Click on each of the numbered links to learn all about the Web and how to find what you're looking for. You might want to print the lessons and put them where you can refer to the information often.

All the best to you and your family

Barb Walker, The Computer Lady

Taming Your Computer Inc.

FREE SHIPPING!	FREE SHIPPING only lasts two more weeks -- Dec. 31. At this point I can't guarantee that you will receive copies before Christmas, but plan ahead for future birthdays and special occasions. Click here to order from my website or to print a mailable order form.
Offer Expires: Dec. 31, 2007

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-12-10T00:10:00.001-07:00

Computer Tip of the Week

Checking up on Charities

It's the time of year when we are inundated with requests for charitable donations. Call me suspicious, but I question the validity of many of these solicitations. Dear Amy's column in today's newspaper mentioned CharityNavigator.org, a website which assesses and ranks charities, foundations and nonprofits. It would be well worth your time (and money) to check it out and see if your favorite charity is using your money wisely.

All the best to you and your family

Barb Walker, The Computer Lady

Taming Your Computer Inc.

FREE SHIPPING!	Remember, it's not too late to order my book and receive free shipping until Dec. 31. They make great gifts for friends and family members who are "computer challenged." Click here to order from my website. Get it now and avoid the holiday rush.
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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-12-03T00:15:00.001-07:00

Computer Tip of the Week

Downgrading to
Internet Explorer 6

One of the recent Windows Updates is Internet Explorer 7.0. Personally, I've tried it and don't like it as well as good ol' 6.0. I don't care for the position of the toolbars and find that I'm always hunting for something. Well, a client recently asked me how to downgrade from 7.0 and go back to 6.0. I've told you I'm constantly learning new things, so I checked it out and it's not that difficult. Unfortunately, if you have Windows Vista you cannot do it. I believe Vista came with Internet Explorer 7.0 as the only version, so you can't downgrade -- there's nothing to downgrade to!

Using Google I found instructions and thought one or more of you might be interested in doing it yourself. It's really quite easy. Just click here to find and print the instructions.

All the best to you and your family

Barb Walker, The Computer Lady

Taming Your Computer Inc.

FREE SHIPPING!	Remember, it's not too late to order my book and receive free shipping until Dec. 31. They make great gifts for friends and family members who are "computer challenged." Click here to order from my website. Get it now and avoid the holiday rush.
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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-11-19T00:55:00.001-07:00

Greetings!

Keep your mind sharp -- not rusty!

Do you Sudoku?

Do you enjoy playing Sudoku, the number game? You can play it online at AARP's website. Click here to check it out. I haven't become addicted yet, but my granddaughter is a math whiz and she can do them in no time. There are other things to do on the site. When the main window opens, wait a moment and the large picture in the middle of the page will open. Just click on Sudoku Daily and a puzzle will appear.

Have you upgraded to Windows Vista and Word 2007? Are you having trouble finding a good manual? I don't plan to write another manual, but I have recommendations for a good manual for both. Click here to go to my website where you can view them and order from Amazon.com. Click on either manual and it will show you the order page on Amazon.

I've added several new senior friendly links to the links page of my website. These are sites that offer lots of good information and opportunities for seniors. Click here to see for yourself.

Do you have friends or family who would find this tip helpful? Please click on the link below, Forward email to a friend!, and send it to them. They're also welcome to sign up for my monthly newsletter as well as the Tip of the Week. Thanks for sharing.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-11-12T00:00:00.001-07:00

Greetings!

Penny Postcards

Old pictures of your state

A friend forwarded an interesting e-mail to me last week. It's called Penny Postcards and it's on the USGenWeb Archives website. This is a genealogy website and I have done lots of genealogy research on it. This feature, however, lets you choose your state, your county, and in some cases, your old hometown.

Click this link to go to their website. First click on your state, then your county, and scroll down to see if your hometown is there. If so, click on it. A page of postcards with scenes from long ago will appear. If you want to see the picture in a larger size, click on the picture. I printed several of the pictures to put in my genealogy material. Really cool!

Remember, from now until Dec. 31, 2007, you can order my book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond, and not pay shipping. That's a $4.50 savings. There are discounts for 5 or 10 copies or a while case of 26. Click here to check it out.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Computer Lady November Newsletter

2007-11-05T00:00:00.001-07:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Where has this year gone? Every time I turn around another month has flown by. Did you notice holiday decorations were in stores in September? What happened to The Good Old Days when they waited until AT LEAST November before they pulled out all the stops?

Speaking of time flying by, I celebrated my 62nd birthday last month and I'm planning to retire in about six months. If you are one of my clients, I've mailed you an announcement. If you live in the Denver area and you've been planning to call for an appointment but just haven't gotten around to it, don't wait. The clock is ticking, so if you need help, give me a call at 303 752-2152.

I'm happy to tell you that I have found someone to replace me. Jennifer Wallace of Denver Geeks is already handling my computer repair services as well as Vista training. Continue to call me for help, and if you need Jennifer's advanced skills, I'll give you her number. She's really sharp and I know you will love working with her.

Mass e-mails

I am a fan of Bill Husted, a columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His technology columns are printed in the Rocky Mountain News on Mondays. I was reading some of his old columns online recently and found this one about sending mass e-mails to all 250 of your closest friends (everyone in your address book).

He makes two good points:

1. Before you send out the next joke or alleged virus warning (most of them are hoaxes, even if they say they've been confirmed on Snopes.com), ask the people you plan to send to if they REALLY want to receive this type of message. Most people really do NOT want to receive all that stuff, but they're too polite to tell you so.

2. If you insist on sending them, use the BCC option in your e-mail program. BCC means the recipient will only see their own e-mail address and not all the other addressess you've sent to. It's a privacy thing. If you're not familiar with the BCC option in your e-mail program, use that program's Help menu to learn how to use it.

I also received the following message in one of those mass e-mails:

Any time you see an e-mail that says "forward this on to 10 of your friends," "sign this petition, you'll get good luck (or bad luck if you don't!)," etc., it has either an e-mail tracker program attached that tracks the cookies and e-mails of those folks you forward to, or the host sender is getting a copy each time it gets forwarded and then is able to get lists of active e-mails to use in spam e-mails, or sell to others that do.

I've checked it out with a couple of my geek friends and get varying answers as to its validity. But if it is true, just think how much spam you could avoid by NOT forwarding all those messages.

If you would like to check out Bill Husted's other columns, click here to go to the archive website of his articles.

Get off junk mail lists

Does junk mail fill your postal mailbox day after day? It's possible to have your name removed from these lists by notifying them you no longer want to receive their "stuff." Click here to go to the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Services page. You may register online and pay the $1 fee with your credit card, or you may fill in the information, print the form and mail it with $1 to be removed from these lists. I did this several years ago and it's very seldom that we receive more than 5-6 pieces of mail per day -- and none of it is junk (other than all that political stuff we're receiving right now). Think of all the trees you can save -- as well as room in your trash can!

Digitizing and Archiving Old Photos

I received an interesting e-mail this morning from one of my genealogy websites. It gives excellent information on how to save old photos, especially those old family photos that are irreplaceable. Click here to read the article. It discusses scanning as well as taking digital photos of your old photos. It's great information.

Do not upgrade to Family Tree Maker 2008 yet

If you're a fan of Family Tree Maker, my favorite genealogy program, do NOT rush right out to buy the new 2008 version. I've been reading evaluations of this program and the most important thing to know is that it's not a typical upgrade. This program is an entire REWRITE and they're still working out the bugs (tech support folks call them "issues.") Give them another couple of months to resolve these problems and then get the new version. As is true of any new version of a program, it's advisable to back up your data before installing the new program. "Just in case....."

Maxine

Sincerely,

Barb Walker
Taming Your Computer Inc.
303 752-2152

A Special Offer
just for you!

If you've been planning to order my book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond (for Windows XP) now's the time to do it. From now until the end of the year I'm offering free shipping on all orders in the Continental US. If you're not sure this book is for you, click here to see the Table of Contents. You may order online with your credit card or print an order form to mail to me with your check. Click here to go to the order page.

Special Price:
$23

With FREE shipping

Regular Price: $27.50

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-10-29T00:15:00.001-06:00

Greetings!

Protecting your passwords

Where did I write that down?????

It's very important that you write down all of your passwords in a safe place. I can't tell you how many times I've had to reinstall a program (usually e-mail) and during the process we have to enter the user's password. Well, there's the problem. They entered the password when they started using the program and stored it so they didn't have to enter it every time. Then they promptly forgot it. That makes it necessary to contact the company whose website you're trying to get back into and have them reset the password. Some of them almost make you sacrifice your firstborn before they'll do it. And while you're at it, make sure to note if the password is all lower case, all upper case, or some of both. Passwords ARE case sensitive and won't work if you don't enter it correctly.

Have you been hearing the terms "adware" and "spyware?" Do you know what they mean? Look them up in the glossary of your copy of Taming Your Computer -- the Simple Basics and Beyond. There's definitions for all kinds of computer terminology there. Get familiar with it and amaze your kids and grandkids the next time you see them.

If you don't have a copy, click here to order one. While you're at it, take advantage of the quantity discounts and order five or 10 copies and get a 20% or 30% discount. They make great holiday gifts for young and not-so-young computer users. (This manual is for Windows XP, NOT Windows Vista.)

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-10-22T00:45:00.001-06:00

Greetings!

Stop receiving credit card offers

Make room in your mailbox for GOOD stuff

I cut this tip out of a newspaper recently. Can't remember which one, but it's something I like to remind you about occasionally. Is your mailbox stuffed with unsolicited credit card offers? Would you like to shut them down? I did and it's wonderful. Here's what you need to do.

You can opt out of pre-screened credit offers with a simple phone call to
1-888-567-8688.
This is the Consumer Credit Reporting Industry's Opt Out line which allows you, the consumer, to tell them to stop sending you these annoying offers for a period of five years.

This service is for all companies that get their client base from the four major credit bureaus. It should end the majority of unsolicited credit applications.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-10-15T08:25:00.001-06:00

Greetings!

Always Use a Subject

Don't make the reader guess

This tip is rather important, at least to me. When you send an e-mail to someone, please make sure you use a Subject in the subject line. I receive many e-mails from people I don't know, and if they are not in my address book, they automatically go into my Spam folder. About once a day I check the Spam folder just to see what's landed there, and quite often there are several messages without a Subject.

Usually, if I don't recognize the e-mail address of the sender, I delete it without opening it. But once in awhile I will open a message and find that it's from one of you folks on my Tips list asking a question. If I had deleted it you would have thought I never received it or I just chose to ignore you. Obviously it's neither. Please give your readers a hint of what the message is about so they don't think it's some spammer wasting our time. I thank you and your friends will too.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-10-08T00:30:00.001-06:00

Good Morning!

Interesting medical websites

Loads of helpful information

I tore a small article out of the AARP newspaper a couple of weeks ago regarding websites with good general medical information. I'd like to share them with you.

Mayoclinic.com

Scroll down the page and notice all of the helpful links you can click on. There's even one called Symptom Checker. It's in the brown box on the top left corner of the page. Click on one of the symptoms on the following page and it will ask you for more information based on your symptoms.

The next one is:

Familydoctor.org

I can't even begin to list all of the helpful medical links for all ages.

The third one is:

http://medlineplus.gov /

This service is provided by the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. They even have videos of surgical procedures (click Surgery Videos on the right side of the page and then click the one you want to watch). What will they think of next?

And my tip to you: get your flu and pneumonia shots. I can speak from experience. Last year my husband had Influenza and pneumonia. It wasn't a pretty picture and it took him a long time to get his energy back. Take good care of yourself.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-10-01T00:45:00.001-06:00

Good Morning!

In the Shadow of the Moon

Take time to see this movie

Where were you when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon? If you are over 50 you probably remember well -- as well as the Kennedy assassination and other earth-shattering events. I was in Mississippi with my husband attending summer school at Ole Miss. We lived in student housing and didn't have a TV, so we joined several couples in the apartment of friends who did have one. I remember I was pregnant with my first child. It's funny the details you remember.

This weekend my husband and I saw In the Shadow of the Moon, a documentary about the 10 astronauts who went to the moon. The astronauts, a little older now, talked about their experiences. Just think, they are the only humans alive who have been to the moon! Normally I wouldn't use this weekly message to rave about a movie, so I'll let the Boston Globe do it for me. Click here to read their review.

This is one movie you should see. It brings back so many memories. Get a group of your friends together to see it and talk about your memories afterward. I know there aren't many movies out there anymore that you would actually pay money to see, but this one is.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-09-24T08:25:00.001-06:00

Good Morning!

Check it out before forwarding

Learn to verify e-mails

How many e-mails do you receive every week that warn about viruses or tell you about an Amber alert or insist that Bill Gates is going to give you millions of dollars if you just click on a particular website? Almost every one of those e-mails is a hoax, yet people forward them to EVERYONE in their address book without verifying them first.

Even if the message insists that the sender checked Snopes.com to authenticate it, don't believe it. Check Snopes for yourself. These messages are called Urban Legends and are started by someone with too much time on their hands.

Here's how to verify the authenticity of the message. Click here to go to Snopes.com, a website that will tell you whether a message is true or false. When the website opens you will see a Search box in the top right corner. Click in the search box and type a description of the questionable e-mail, such as UPS uniforms. About this time every year (holiday season) someone will recirculate the old hoax that terrorists have stolen UPS uniforms or have paid $32,000 to buy hundreds of them. My husband works for UPS and I'd like to know where you would go to buy those ugly brown things. They're only available to employees through the company.

Anyway, once you have typed UPS uniforms (or any other topic) in the Search box, click Go. You will see a long list of possible answers to your search. Click on one of them and you will be told whether it's true or false. You will also be able to read a description of the phoney e-mail. Until you have verified it's authenticity, please DO NOT continue to forward these messages -- they are a waste of time and upset some people needlessly. Forward messages responsibly. We will all appreciate it. Thanks

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-09-10T00:10:00.001-06:00

Select Multiple files or e-mails to delete

Save time!

Greetings!

Whether you are deleting multiple files in Windows Explorer or deleting documents in My Documents, if you have a list of files that are consecutive (adjacent to each other), simply LEFT click the first file, hold down the SHIFT key and LEFT click the last file. Press the Delete key and they're gone!

Check out page 58 of my latest book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond for step-by-step instructions on how to delete old documents. Let's clean up that hard drive! Also, don't forget to empty the Recycle Bin once you've deleted the documents. That's on page 49.

If you don't have a copy of my book yet, click here to order! You may order online or print a mailable order form. Start thinking about holiday gifts. There's a discount of 20% for orders of 5 copies and 30% for 10 copies.

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-08-13T00:39:00.000-06:00

Using System Restore

Moving back in time

Greetings!

Several people have asked me lately how to restore their computer to an earlier date. In most cases, they installed a new program and somehow it messed up their computer's settings and created a mess.

I found the following steps on Microsoft's website. It's very easy to understand:
1. Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click System Restore. System Restore starts.
2. On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next.
3. On the Select a Restore Point page, click the most recent system checkpoint in the On this list, click a restore point list, and then click Next. A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make. Click OK.
4. On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration, and then restarts the computer.
5. The System Restore Restoration Complete page appears.
6. Click OK.

Keep these instructions in a safe place. Some day you may need them.

Several people have e-mailed me asking what topics are covered in my latest book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond. Click here to take a look for yourself.

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Mouse Bytes from Taming Your Computer Inc.

2007-08-12T18:57:00.000-06:00

Mouse Bytes February Newsletter
Can Spring be far behind?

February 2007

In This Issue

Recycle previous editions of Taming Your Computer
Calling Tech Support
Advances in Alzheimer's Detection
The Internet makes the world even smaller

Recycle previous editions of Taming Your Computer

Many of you who have purchased copies of my new book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond, also own one or both of my previous books. Give them a new life by donating them to your public library or a senior center. The new book contains everything that was in the two previous books plus 20 new lessons.

Several senior centers around the country have ordered copies of the new book to use in their computer labs. They love the large print and easy-to-understand instructions. I received an e-mail from a lady last week who said, "I have really learned from your new book. Sat down and changed some things on my computer without my son's help! It was great."

Would you like to write a review of this book on Amazon.com? Click here to go to their website and add your comments.

If you haven't ordered your copy yet, click here to do so.

Greetings!

Have you purchased a computer, printer, digital camera or other electronic equipment with the promise of one or more mail-in rebates? It sounds good at the time of the purchase, but once you get home and discover how many forms you have to fill out, copies to make, and envelopes to address, you wonder if it was worth it. I think that's why manufacturers have rebates in the first place. Rather than reducing the price of the item in the store, they make you jump through hoops to get the promised rebate.

One of my favorite columnists in the Rocky Mountain News, Humberto Cruz, writes for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper and is syndicated in many papers around the country. Today's column in the News discusses that situation. I thought you might find his thoughts interesting. Click here to read the column. He states that some stores are phasing out the rebates in favor of store discounts. That one gets my vote, how about you?

Calling Tech Support

Do you dread calling tech support as much as I do? (Yes, I really do call tech support once in awhile.) My reasons for dreading this chore are:

Spending an interminable amount of time on hold.
Finally reaching a tech support person in India who claims his or her name is Steve or Stephanie and has an accent so thick I can't understand a word he/she says.

I had a recent experience on behalf of a client that reminded me that we have certain rights. In this instance I asked the tech support person to change the free 3 months of Internet service to the 6 months offered on the installation disk. The tech support person said this could not be done without signing up again with a different e-mail address. Now this sounded absolutely ridiculous to me. How tough can it be to go into their computer and make this change? He continued to insist that it could not be done and I continued to insist that it could. Finally I said, "Let me speak to your supervisor." He put me on hold and after about 4 minutes he came back on the line and said his supervisor would be with me in just one minute. Hold again. Another 5 minutes. Now he said his supervisor was standing right beside him and would be with me in just a minute. Another 5 minutes on hold and he finally came back and gave me the address of a website where I could print out a form to mail in with proof of purchase of the computer and then they would extend the free service.

I know that he was hoping every time he put me on hold that I would hang up. He has no idea how stubborn I can be. If you're ever in a similar situation, either ask for a supervisor or hang up and call back. You probably won't get the same tech support person and you might get someone you can understand and/or will be willing to help you with your problem.

One more suggestion: If you receive poor service from a company, remember it when you purchase new products. Ask others if they have received good tech support from the makers of their equipment. Your dollars speak. Spend them where you will be taken care of.

Advances in Alzheimer's Detection

The Internet is a constant source of information on any topic you're interested in. My son keeps tabs on new developments in Alzheimer's detection and forwards them to me. This debilitating disease has found its way into both sides of my family and we're always watching for new advances in the research. Several months ago he forwarded an article titled "Simple Eye Test Could Spot Alzheimer's Early On." This test shows great promise but is not yet available to the public. Click the link below to see what's happening in this important field of research.

Click here to read more about Alzheimer's Research

The Internet makes the world even smaller

I had an amazing experience this week. Let me tell you a story.

Mom and I are preparing for our first genealogical research trip to Salt Lake in April. Her mother's family came from the village of Bellaghy in Co. Derry, Northern Ireland. The photo above is Mom standing outside the old family homestead. On a whim I Googled Bellaghy Ireland and one of the results was a link to the website of the church our family attended. We visited the church and graveyard six years ago when we went to Ireland. We found the grave containing my great-great grandparents and four of their 11 children.

The website said, "We would be more than pleased to hear from you from anywhere in the world (including Bellaghy!). Tell us about yourself, your family, whether you have, or had, links with Bellaghy and if you want more information on the site or an ancestor or the local area. We can easily provide local information and, for the more difficult questions, we can find you a local expert!" I was so excited I immediately e-mailed the church telling them what we know about the family.

Imagine my shock, surprise and delight when I received a reply from the gentleman who is the church secretary and webmaster saying he had worked for our family 45 years ago during his summer breaks from high school! He also said his 79-year-old aunt lives on the same lane our family lived on! Is that a small world?

He went on to say that the church was not able to do research for us but he referred me to a researcher in the village who could help us. I contacted him and he also knew the family! We are eagerly awaiting more information about our family.

Do you know where your family originated? Google the town and country and see what you find. You might be in for an exciting surprise too. I keep reminding myself that the world is getting smaller and smaller!

Click here to visit the Church of Ireland in Bellaghy

I hope this newsletter and the FREE Computer Tip of the Week are helping you get more out of your computer. If you are not receiving the free tips, e-mail me and ask me to sign you up. You might learn something helpful every Monday morning when you receive the weekly tip.

Come on Spring!

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-08-06T00:44:00.001-06:00

Deleting Old Documents

Clean up your hard drive

Greetings!

How long has it been since you've deleted all those old documents on your computer? If your computer is more than a few years old, you may have a small hard drive and those unneeded documents are taking up valuable space. I spoke to a gentleman last week who said he had 500 DOCUMENTS in My Documents. He admitted that most of them were old and he no longer needed them.

If you have any of my books, there is a lesson on deleting old documents. Just check the Table of Contents. If not, that's one of the FREE lessons on my website. Click here to go to the list of lessons and click on Deleting Old Documents. Take a look at the other free lessons while you're there. You can print them all.

Remember, those old documents will go to the Recycle Bin and will still take up space on your hard drive. If you're sure you won't need them, empty the Recycle Bin (this lesson is also in my books). Click here if you'd like to order a copy of Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond. This book is intended for Windows XP, not Windows Vista.

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-07-23T01:44:00.001-06:00

Were my ancestors wealthy?

How much was a dollar worth then?

Greetings!

As you may have guessed, I'm addicted to genealogy. I have tracked ancestors through the census for various years and have always wondered what the value of their personal property, as stated on the census, would be worth in today's dollars? Were my ancestors wealthy? Well, last week I found a website that gives conversions between the value of a dollar from 1790-2005.

Here is a link to the website MeasuringWorth.com. For example, in the blank for Initial Year I typed 1860 because my gg-grandfather Samuel Wiley indicated the value of his personal property on the 1860 census was $400. On the next line I typed 400.00. In the blank for the Desired Year I entered 2005, because that is the most recent year the figure can be calculated for. Then I clicked on Calculate. The conversion is displayed in several different ways. Using the Consumer Price Index, $400 in 1860 would be worth $9,632.31 in 2005. However, using the Unskilled Wage the same $400 converts to $62,800.

Below the various figures you can click Measures of Worth for an explanation of each of the figures. I thought you might be able to find an interesting use for it even if you're not interested in genealogy.

Stay tuned. Who knows what I'll come up with next week?

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-07-16T13:14:00.001-06:00

Comparison of high speed services

Is it worth the extra $$$$?

Greetings!

Today's Rocky Mountain News carried an article in the business section comparing the cost and speed of dial-up versus high-speed Internet connections. Click here to read the article. If you have a copy of the newspaper, it's on page one of the business section. The print version includes a table at the bottom of the page that shows the comparison between dial- up, wireless broadband, DSL and cable giving actual times to download various types of files. For example, if you have a dial-up connection, it would take 42 HOURS to download a movie. By contrast, it would take 18-23 minutes if you had the superfast DSL or cable. You can see a comparison of price in both the printed copy as well as the online article.

There is a common misconception that by adding high speed to your computer, your computer and all of the programs installed on the computer will run faster. This is not true. High speed ONLY affects your Internet speed - - e-mail and web browsing.

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-07-09T00:19:00.001-06:00

This page cannot be displayed

Well, why not?

Greetings!

Have you ever tried to go to a website and received the message "This page cannot be displayed?" People ask me frequently what this means. Well, there are at least two possibilities:

The website no longer exists (websites come and go every minute of the day)
You spelled the website address incorrectly. Remember, there are no spaces in a website address.

So the next time this happens, try retyping the address -- that's the easiest thing to try. If it still doesn't work, the site just is not available.

It's July and I always consider summer half over on the 4th of July. Don't forget to get outside and enjoy the beautiful (hot) weather. It won't last forever!

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-07-02T00:34:00.001-06:00

Finding the Words to Patriotic Songs

I just can't remember.....

Greetings!

Here it is -- almost the Fourth of July. Do you ever have the words of a patriotic song going through your head and you can't remember all of them? I just used Google and typed "Patriotic Songs" in the search box and up came a whole list of songs. You can click on one of them and the words will appear. If you are patient and wait just a moment the accompanying music will start. Click here to go directly to this list of songs.

If you can't remember how to use Google, turn to page 110 in my latest book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond. There are more Google tips on page 112. If you have my previous book, The Simple Basics, it's on page 80. If you haven't ordered your copy, click here to do so. They make great gifts for beginners. This book is designed for use with Windows XP.

Have a safe holiday!

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-06-18T11:39:00.001-06:00

Tips for finding low airfares online

Save $$$

Greetings!

Today's Rocky Mountain News business section had a really good article about finding low airfares online. It's a long article so I'll just give you the link and you can read it yourself. Be sure to go to the end of the article for the subarticle called Sites For Finding Flights. It gives several websites to use when comparing fares. Click here to read the article. Bon voyage!

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-06-11T00:19:00.001-06:00

Move through online forms quickly

Tab don't click

Greetings!

Do you frequently fill in forms on a website to register or receive information? If you're typing information, than moving your hand to your mouse to click in the next blank, let me save you a second or two. When you have filled in the first blank, just press the Tab key to move to the next blank. And, for those times when you inadvertently hit the Tab key twice instead of once and you need to go back to the previous blank, hold down the Shift key and press Tab. It tabs backwards! Another time saver!

Last week I shared some quotes from Kids Say the Darndest Things About Their Dads, which I received from my friend, M'Liss Hunter with Frontier GMAC Real Estate. In honor of Father's Day next Sunday, here are a couple more. Hope you like them.

"If Mom says no, she means it. If Dad says no, it means maybe."

"Moms are the boss. Dads are just the honeys."

"It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need somebody to clean up after them."

Kids and their infinite wisdom!

If you're thinking of buying or selling a home, call M'Liss at 303 792-2500. She's a pro!

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-06-04T00:49:00.001-06:00

Delete Items Permanently

Keep the Recycle Bin Empty

Greetings!

Do you remember to empty the Recycle Bin frequently? (See page 49 of The Simple Basics and Beyond for these instructions.) You can permanently delete items (icons, documents, folders, etc.) by holding down the Shift key while pressing the Delete key. When you do this, the items are permanently deleted. However, make sure you never want to get them back because they will NOT go to the Recycle Bin. They're permanently gone.

Remember Father's Day

My friend M'Liss Hunter is a Realtor with Frontier GMAC Real Estate here in Denver. She sent out a really cute e-mail the other day with quotes about fathers. I thought I would share one or two with you. It's called Kids Say the Darndest Things (shades of Art Linkletter!).

"I shouldn't ask my dad what a word means unless I want to look it up in the dictionary." (How many times have you used that one?)

"Dear God, I want to be just like my Daddy when I get big, but not with so much hair all over." What funny things do you remember your kids saying when they were small?

My two grandsons, Aiden and Rhys, were playing with PlayDoh recently and I asked them what they were making. Aiden (3 1/2) replied that he was making spaghetti. Great-grandma was also playing and she said she was making green beans. Rhys, the 2 1/2 year old replied, "Grandma, I'm making sushi!" I hope I never forget that one. It's priceless!

Today I'll be picking up the second printing of my book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond. Do you have your copy yet? If not, click here to order. Start learning ways to make your computer more user friendly!

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Celebrate Memorial Day with Pride

2007-05-28T00:09:00.001-06:00

Celebrate Memorial Day with Pride

Remember our veterans

Greetings!

It's Memorial Day and it always brings memories of my dad. He served in the Merchant Marine in World War II and traveled overseas many times. He passed away in 1998 after living with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's for several years. I wish now that I had asked him more about his years in the service.

Unfortunately in the history of the world, there has always been war. Let's all hope and pray that someday, in our lifetime, there can be peace in the world. It's not too much to ask. Take some time today to remember those who have served and protected us through all the wars and conflicts. Thank the families of those currently serving and say a little prayer for their soldier's safe return. God bless.

Remember, May 31 is the final day for the FREE SHIPPING offer for my book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond. Save $4. Click here to order now. Beginning June 1 shipping rates will increase due to the recent hike in postal rates.

Sincerely,

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

voice: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.tamingyourcomputer.com

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Computer Tip of the Week

2007-05-14T00:39:00.001-06:00

Greetings!

FREE Translations

Try it, you'll like it!

Have you ever wished there was a quick way to translate text from another language into English? Well, there is. The Internet is full of wonderful treasures and FreeTranslation.com is one of them. Let's pretend that you received a message in Spanish from a long-lost friend. You don't have anyone to translate it for you, so you copy the text from the message, go to FreeTranslation.com, paste the text into the box on the right, and click Free Translation. Of course you will want to make sure that the language choices at the top of the box are correct, i.e., Spanish to English. It won't be a letter-perfect translation, but you'll get the general idea of what the message says. What will they think of next? Remember, instructions for copying and pasting are on page 80 of my book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond.

Don't forget to order your copies of Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond before the end of May to receive FREE SHIPPING. By the way, have you checked out the glossary at the back of the book? It's a great resource for all those techie-terms you hear your grandkids using.

Have a wonderful week!
Barb Walker
Taming Your Computer Inc.

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Phoney Solicitations

2007-05-07T00:45:00.001-06:00

Good Morning!

Phoney Solicitations

See who it REALLY is!

I have to thank my friend Anita Larson for this tip. I read it in her newsletter last week. It's something I didn't know and I'll bet you didn't either. Thanks, Anita.

How many times have you received an e-mail from an address that looks like your bank or credit card company or some other official looking business? They want to confirm your account or they're telling you that there's a problem with your account, or something that sounds urgent. They ask you to click on a link to verify your information to clear up the problem. I would guess that 99.9% of these solicitations are phoney -- phishing (pronounced fishing) expeditions that attempt to get your personal information to steal your identity.

Anita's newsletter said that you can see who the solicitation is really from by holding your cursor over that link (the underlined text) without clicking and look at the bottom of your screen. There you will see the REAL website address of the sender. I can almost GUARANTEE that it won't be from a legitimate company or organization.

DO NOT reply to these solicitations. Delete it immediately and call your bank or credit card company to verify your account. Sometimes they will ask you to forward the message to them so they can try to track down the sender.

Remember, FREE SHIPPING is available on all orders of my book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond, until May 31. That's a $4 savings. Click here to order your copy today.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Using a saved photo as your background

2007-04-30T00:00:00.001-06:00

Good Morning!

Using a saved photo as a background

Personalize your screen

Last week I showed you how to save a photo from within an e-mail to your hard drive. Today I'll show you how to use one of your saved photos as your screen background (also called wallpaper).

RIGHT click on a blank area of your desktop. A shortcut menu will pop up. LEFT click Properties at the bottom of this list. A dialog box will open. LEFT click the Desktop tab. The Display Properties dialog box will open. LEFT click Browse to the right of the list of available images. This will open My Pictures. If the picture you want to use is in a folder, double click the folder. If not, find the photo you want to use and double click it. Then LEFT click OK.

Wasn't that easy? There are so many things you can change on your computer screen. If you have Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond, review pages 9-25 to learn how to use them. Try one new thing each day for a week and congratulate yourself on your accomplishments! If you haven't ordered your copy yet, click here to do so.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Another keyboard Shortcut

2007-04-29T10:49:00.005-06:00

Good Morning!

Another keyboard shortcut

You can live without a mouse

I keep telling you that someday your mouse will die. It won't be pretty either -- it will just sit there and no matter how many times you click or move it or anything else, it won't perform. You might want to shut down your computer before you head out to the store to buy a replacement. (Look around -- there are so many kinds to choose from.)

To shut down your computer hold down the CTRL key in the lower left corner of your keyboard, and then press and release the ESC key in the top left corner of your keyboard. Your Start Menu will pop up. (Who knew it was so easy?) Now you can press the UP arrow in the bottom right corner of your keyboard and it should go to the Turn Off Computer button. Just press the Enter key and it will bring up the next menu. Use your RIGHT arrow key (bottom right corner of the keyboard) and move over to the Turn Off button. When it is highlighted, just press the Enter key again and it will shut down.

You can do more than shut down your computer using these keys. Once you have pressed CTRL and ESC you can use the arrow keys to move around the Start Menu to select other options. Give it a try. You may swear off your mouse completely (instead of swearing AT it!)

If you have Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond -- look at pages 38-43 to learn what all those "strange" keys are on your keyboard and what they do. Click to order your copy -- or order one for a friend. Get 5 or 10 friends together and place a quantity order -- you will receive a 20% discount for orders of 5 copies and 30% discount for orders of 10 copies.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Can you see your rooftop?

2007-04-29T10:49:00.003-06:00

Good Morning!

Can you see your rooftop?

Test drive Google Maps

As you read this I will be starting a week of genealogy research with Mom at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Wish us luck. It's our maiden voyage and we're likely to be overwhelmed.

Just for grins I used Google Maps to find the exact location of the Family History Library and then the satellite view to see the buildings in the neighborhood.

Would you like to see your neighborhood and maybe even your rooftop? First go to www.Google.com Directly above the long white Search Box, click Maps. You will see a new Search Box in the top left corner of the screen, just to the right of the Google logo. In this Search Box type your street address, city and state. Then click Search Maps. The first map you will see will be a street map of your neighborhood with your address marked. Close the little white box that shows your street address by clicking the tiny X in the top right corner. Now look in the upper right corner of the map and click on Satellite. This will show you a birds-eye view of your neighborhood.

Now look in the top left corner of this map and you will see a vertical bar with little "notches" and above that four directional arrows. At the top of the vertical bar you will see a + sign. Each time you click the + it will magnify the view of your neighborhood. If your home slips out of view, use the directional arrows in the top left corner to move the area of the view until you can see your house. If you keep clicking you will see a message on your screen stating that the magnification can't be shown (or something like that). I got so close I could almost see the bunnies in the back yard that drive my dogs NUTS!

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Save photos from e-mail

2007-04-29T10:49:00.001-06:00

Good Morning!

Save photos from e-mail

Do your kids send you photos in the message box of an e-mail so you don't have to go through the brain damage of downloading them? Wouldn't you love to save the photos to your hard drive? It's so easy you won't believe it.

Once you open the e-mail, RIGHT click the photo. A shortcut menu will pop up. LEFT click Save Image As. A dialog box will open asking you where you want to save the photo. Make sure My Documents is in the top line of the Save box. If not, click the dropdown arrow and LEFT click My Documents. When you see My Documents at the top of the box, double click My Pictures. If there is a particular folder you want to save the photo in, double click that folder. Then LEFT click Save in the lower right corner of the box.

If you're tired of the background on your screen, change it! Go to page 12 of my book, Taming Your Computer -- the Simple Basics and Beyond for instructions on how to do this.

Next time I'll show you how easy it is to place that photo you just saved from the e- mail on your desktop as the background. Tune in next week!

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Another keyboard Shortcut

2007-04-02T09:46:00.000-06:00

Good Morning!

Another keyboard shortcut

You can live without a mouse

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Fast Escape

2007-03-26T01:01:00.000-06:00

Good Morning!

Fast Escape

Closing Programs Quickly

A Tip of the Week reader e-mailed me last week and asked if there was a faster way to close programs than clicking the X in the top right corner of the program. Yes, there is!

Simply hold down the ALT key and press the F4 key on the top row of keys on your keyboard. Doesn't get much faster than that.

Did you know there are TWO PAGES of keyboard shortcuts on pages 44-45 of my book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond. Click here to order!

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Daylight Savings is early this year

2007-03-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

Daylight Savings is early this year!

Don't get caught with your clock down

Did you know that Daylight Savings starts on March 11 this year instead of late March as in previous years? Older computers may not be programmed to automatically make this change. If you wake up on March 11 and your computer clock has not "sprung ahead," you can manually make the change.

To do so, look for the time display in the lower right corner of your screen. Double click the time and a dialog box will open, showing the current date and time. Double click the hour shown below the clock and type the correct hour over it. Click OK and you're done. The Rocky Mountain News carried an article last week about adjusting the clocks on various electronic equipment. Click here to read it.

If you have a copy of either Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics or Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond, you will find these instructions at the bottom of page 11. If you have a new computer running Windows Vista, you should not need to do this.

If you haven't ordered your copy of The Simple Basics and Beyond, click here to do so. It's receiving rave reviews from computer users of all skill levels. This book isn't for "dummies," it's for mere mortals who want to learn more about their computer. Is that you?

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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Have you missed any of the Tips?

2007-02-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

Have you missed any of the Tips?

See them all -- in "living color"

I've been sending the Free Computer Tip of the Week since August of 2005 (who knew I was that wordy?) and just realized that some of you haven't been signed up that long. Would you like to see the previous tips? Clic k here to go to a special page called a Blog where you can find them all. The most recent tips will be listed first, followed by previous months. Just click on a tip or on a month, scroll down and you will be able to read and print that tip. Rereading some of them might jog your memory that you always intended to try that tip. Don't wait -- try it now!

Do you have your copy of my new book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond? It's getting rave reviews from computer users of all skill levels -- especially novices. Click here to check it out on my website.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

Click here to forward email to a friend!
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Vista -- Should I make the leap?

2007-02-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

Vista -- Should I make the leap?

My two cents worth

I'm sure by now you've heard about Microsoft's new version of Windows called Windows Vista. It's been years in the making and was just "officially" released last week. They are even running commercials for it at movie theaters -- you know -- that half hour of commercials they force you to watch before they even run the previews.

Microsoft wants you to think that Vista is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Well, maybe it is, but all my guru friends have always warned me about being one of the first to jump on any new computer software bandwagon. No matter how long they've been testing this program, it's going to have bugs. Bugs can drive you batty! One computer sales guy told me the other day he would wait a year before installing Vista on his computer.

Besides potential software problems, there are a couple of other reasons to wait.

Your computer may not have enough RAM to run Vista and your other programs too.

Your existing software may not run under Vista.

One of my friends received an e-mail from the company that makes Quicken (Intuit) telling her that her new version of Quicken 2006 will not run under Vista -- she would need to buy Quicken 2007 to be compatible. I'm sure this is the case with many other programs.

I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting that you do not upgrade to Vista if your current computer is more than a year old. Wait until you're ready to replace your current computer and then think about Vista. Give Microsoft time to work out the bugs.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

Click here to forward email to a friend!
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What is High Speed -- Really?

2007-01-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

What is High Speed -- Really?

My computer's no faster -- even with High Speed

One question I'm asked more often than any other is, "Why doesn't my computer run any faster? I have High Speed. It's no faster than before I got High Speed."

There's a big misconception about High Speed. Many people think that having High Speed (cable or DSL) will make their computer and all of their programs run faster. Ain't NEVER gonna' happen! High Speed only affects the speed of your Internet connection for browsing the Web and sending and receiving e-mail.

Let me give you an example. Last week I was working with a new client and we had installed a new version of Norton Antivirus on her computer. When the installation was done we had to download the updates to complete the process. She has a dial-up telephone connection for Internet access and e-mail. Once the download started, it showed us the progress. It was going verrrrrry slowly and the estimated time to complete the process was 8 HOURS! This meant that her phone would be busy for 8 hours while the download finished.

Since she had a laptop, I offered to take it to my house where I have a High Speed (DSL) Internet connection. I connected her laptop to my High Speed and the download was done in less than TEN MINUTES! If you do not send and receive photos in e-mails or surf the Web for an hour or more, I wouldn't recommend that you get High Speed. It will probably cost between $25-50/month and that can put a big dent in your budget. If you do spend a lot of time on the Internet, however, it will greatly speed up the loading of graphics (pictures, etc.) on the websites you are viewing. For that, it might be worth the expense. Only you can decide.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

Click here to forward email to a friend!
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The Ups and Downs of Web pages

2007-01-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

The Ups and Downs of Web pages

...stop scrolling and start jumping

Do you spend lots of time scrolling up and down on Web pages? You can move quickly from top to bottom with these two shortcuts:

If you are at the bottom of the page and want to jump quickly to the top, hold down the CTRL key (bottom row of keys on your keyboard) and press the Home key (on the group of keys to the right of your main keyboard).

If you are at the top of the page and want to move quickly to the bottom, you start the same, but the shortcut is to hold down the CTRL key and press End (also in that group of keys on the right side of your keyboard).

If you use a laptop/notebook computer, the Home and End keys may be in a different location. Just look around your keyboard and try them out. This shortcut also works in most programs, such as Microsoft Word. Someday, when you decide to write your life story and it's 500 pages long, (just joking) you'll be grateful for those shortcuts.

On a creative note, take the time to write your personal history, sharing all the big and little events that made you who you are. Your family members probably don't know all the things you have done in your life and it's a great way to enhance your relationship. Start writing!

Do you have your copy of Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond? They're make great Valentines gifts. Click here to order.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

Forward email to a friend!
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Printing your own photos

2007-01-15T00:06:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Printing your own photos

...maybe I'll have to eat my words!

You've heard me say in the past that I don't recommend printing your digital photos at home. Photo printing at Wal-Mart or Walgreens is usually around 29 cents apiece. Well, Denver's Channel 9 News this evening reported on a study by Consumer Reports that I found interesting.

Consumer Reports tested 7 photo printers and gave them all high marks. Keep in mind, these are "snapshot" printers (4x6 or 5x7); they don't print 8x10 photos. You would need to do those on your standard ink jet printer. Their report gave the highest marks to two Epson printers costing from $130-180 They quoted the average cost of printing photos at about 25 cents apiece. They are also supposed to be resistant to ink running if the photo gets wet.

Another nice feature of these printers is the ease of connecting them to your camera with a cable or a mounting connection on the printer. You do not even need to use your computer to do it. Click here if you would like to read the report.

Do you have your copy of Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond? They're going fast. Click here to order.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

Forward email to a friend!
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Move through forms faster

2007-01-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Move through forms faster

...without using your mouse

Do you frequently have to fill in forms online, for example if you're ordering something from a website or registering software? You can move through the form faster by using your TAB key instead of your mouse. Whenever you need to move to the next field in the form simply TAB. If you "overshoot" and move too far, hold down the SHIFT key and press TAB again. It will move to the previous location in the form. Isn't that simple?

Do you have your copy of Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics and Beyond? They're going fast. Click here to order.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

Forward email to a friend!
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Managing your Recycle Bin

2006-10-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Managing Your Recycle Bin

Making more room on your hard drive

When's the last time you emptied your Recycle Bin? When you delete a document it goes into your Recycle Bin so you can get it back if you need it. Most of the documents you delete are those you no longer need, so it's a good idea to empty the Recycle Bin occasionally. When you delete documents you assume it's making room on your hard drive, but when they go to the Recycle Bin they're still taking up space.

Look at your Desktop, the opening screen when you turn on your computer. Find the Recycle Bin and double click it. You will see all the items you've deleted. If you don't want any of them, LEFT click Empty the Recycle Bin on the left side of your screen. If there's one you want to keep, LEFT click it, and then LEFT click Restore This Item on the left. When you Restore an item it goes back to the place on your hard drive where it had been previously.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

Forward email to a friend!
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Printing Photos

2006-10-23T10:12:00.000-06:00

Greetings!

Printing Photos

Getting better results

As a rule, I don't recommend printing your own photos. The paper and ink are expensive and Walgreens and Wal-Mart will print them for 19-29 cents each. Lots less frustration and brain damage! How many times do you ruin one or more photos before you get a "keeper?"

HOWEVER, if you really want to print your own, be aware of one important factor: the paper you are printing on. Ink jet printers spray the ink onto the paper to create your picture. Unless you tell the printer what kind of paper you are printing on (typing paper, photo paper, transparencies, etc.) it assumes that you are using plain ole typing paper. The printer tends to spray a great deal of ink on the paper because typing paper is absorbent and needs enough ink to display the colors correctly.

BUT, photo paper is not as absorbent, and if your printer uses the same amount of ink, the ink will run and will take a ver-r-r-r-r-y long time to dry. When you give a print command, a dialog box will open. Look for a button that says Printing Preferences. When you click this button another dialog box will open. You will see a box that says Paper Type. Click the dropdown arrow beside it and click Photo Paper and then the type of photo paper you are using: matte, glossy. Click OK several times and you will be ready to print photos with the best finish possible. Try it!

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

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More keyboard shortcuts

2006-10-16T01:17:00.000-06:00

Greetings!

More keyboard shortcuts

Here's a few you'll like

Here are a few more keyboard shortcuts for Windows XP. They may not work in programs such as e-mail, but should do fine in Word, Works, etc. Give them a try and see what happens!

CTRL key + Backspace key -- Deletes the entire word to the left

CTRL key + Delete key -- Deletes the entire word to the right

CTRL key + Right arrow -- Moves cursor to beginning of next word

CTRL key + Left arrow -- Moves cursor to beginning of previous word

CTRL key + Down arrow -- Moves cursor to beginning of next paragraph

CTRL key + Up arrow -- Moves cursor to beginning of previous paragraph

Now those are some shortcuts your kids and grandkids may not even know. Share them and they'll think you're a genius!

Watch your e-mail in the next day or so for a special announcement on SALE prices on my current books. Just in time for the holidays.

Barb Walker

Taming Your Computer Inc.

email: mycomputerlady@aol.com

phone: 303 752-2152

web: http://www.TamingYourComputer.com

Forward email to a friend!
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