Tips about "burning" CD's - DVD's

HOW DO I KNOW MY COMPUTER CAN BURN CD'S?
Fortunately, these days virtually all computers bought new include a drive that is able to both read and write (or burn) both CD and DVD media. If you’re not sure if your computer or laptop has a CD burner then there are two ways to check.

• Look thru your computer owner's guide to learn if you have a CD burner or not OR
• Go online to your computer manufacturer website - put in your model - and it will give you the specifics of whar is on your computer/laptop - or you can email them with the model # and serial #; they will e-mail you back an answer.

HOW DO I BURN FILES ON A CD?
Burning files on a CD is like saving files on a flash drive or portable hard drive. There are two ways to save files on a CD. Follow these steps:

• Highlight what it is you want to "burn/copy" onto the CD-DVD
• Once highlighted choose "copy" (anyone of 5 ways-from edit menu, icon, action key, CTRL+C, right click-choose copy)
• Put CD-R or CD-RW in your CD burner tray
• Go to the folder that has the file you want to save on the CD on it
• Right click - menu appears, choose drive your CD is on
• Now say Paste again one of he 5 ways
• You will have an extra step - whatever you have copied is being held in a temporar folder to be sure you have everything you want "burned/copied" onto the CD - once eveything is there and ready
• Now choose "Write these files to CD" - you can do it now or later - but you must choose this option

OR

If/when you are burning to a CD or DVD using a program such as Windows Media Player, Picasa, Movie Maker, Roxio or others, on the top menu bar it will have an action"BURN" choose thar option and it will walk you thru the steps noted above

You're done!!!!

TO MAKE SURE FILES ARE SAVED ON THE CD

• Go to the drive on My Computer that has your CD/DVD on it.
• Now double click on the drive with your CD and/or DVD in it - it will open and show you what is on the CD/DVD

CARING FOR YOUR CD’S & DVD'S..

Hope these tips will help you take great care of your CD's & DVD's..

· Handle only at the hub/outer edge. Don't touch the shiny surface with your fingers.

· Store in a protective case when not in use.

· Don't bend the disc when taking it out of the case

· Try not to scratch the disc when placing it in the case or in the player tray.

· Make certain the disc is properly seated in the player tray before you close it.

· Keep discs away from all heat and direct sunlight.

· DVD specs recommend discs be stored at a temps between 50 °-90 °F with less than 27 °F variation per hour, at relative humidity of 5 to 90 percent.

· Artificial light and indirect sunlight have no effect on replicated DVDs, BUT

· Magnetic fields don't effect DVDs, so they are ok on/near your speakers.

· Exposure to bright sunlight can affect recordable DVDs, specifically write-once DVDs (DVD-R and DVD+R) that use light-sensitive dyes.

Difference between CD vs DVD??

CD vs DVD is the amount of storage. Typically:

• A CD will hold about 700MB
• A DVD will hold 4.5GB (1000MB = 1GB)
• An HD-DVD will hold about 30GB
• A Blu-Ray Disc will store up to 50GB

R – means read only and indicates onetime permanent use

RW – means you can burn – erase and “rewrite” but don’t!!!

CD’s & DVD’s should be considered for one time use only – if you want to write & rewrite data use a flash drive/memory stick or portable hard drive

For music CD’s (or anything to archive) a CD-R is your best choice.

Bells on Christmas Day

When I considered what to write in our post on this special day, I wanted the post to be reminicscent of the holidays, but also wanted to be careful not to offend anyone.. So researched this favoite poem/song of mine, and learned how it had come to be written.. On behalf of our entire staff we want to wish you and yours our warmest wishes this holiday season...enjoy

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was filled with sorrow at the tragic death of his wife in a fire in 1861. The Civil War broke out the same year, and it seemed this was an additional punishment. Two years later, Longfellow was again saddened to learn that his own son had been seriously wounded in the Army of the Potomac. Sitting down to his desk, one Christmas Day, he heard the church bells ringing. It was in this setting that Longfellow wrote these lines:

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep.
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!
The wrong shall fail,
The right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men!"

Game Web Sites - All Free

With colder temps outside - many of us spend more time indoors - so if you enjoy playing games on your computer to pass away the time, check out these websites recommended by other fellow students..(not in any particular order)

www.bored.com - Bored.com is a great place to play Free Online Games. In addition to free games we also have fun and interesting websites that will cure your boredom

www.miniclip.com -MiniClip.com is the largest online games site where you can play a large range of free online games including sports games

www.shockwave.com - Shockwave.com is a very popular destination for free online games and lots of free downloadable ...

www.picartia.com - PicArtia helps you to create your photo mosaic online for free. It is popular for being fast, easy and free

www.chir.ag/stuff/sand/ - a falling sand game – just a website when you are looking to waste time..

www.freegamesonline.com - a popular site that offers action games, puzzles, mind games and much more

http://games.aarp.org - one of the most popular game websites among active adults - so enjoy

Why Software Updates are Important

It is very important to allow “updates” for your Windows Operating System, AntiVirus Software and other software and hardware being used on a regular basis.

Updates are needed to “fix” patch new security flaws and / or fix bugs, viruses etc. in your system. If you have a Windows computer connected to the Internet, you desperately need to keep your security as up to date as possible

For current updates to your Microsoft Operating System – check the following link which will look at your operating system to be sure you are current. If you are not, it will recommend (list) which updates you should download.

Note that many updates will require you to “reboot” (restart) your computer…and remember you can schedule these tasks using your System Maintenance Task Scheduler

Your Windows Operating System Updates can be downloaded from http://www.windowsupdate.com/ or by enabling Automatic Updates.

Windows Vista users can click the Start button, click All Programs, and then select Windows Update.

What's an MP3 vs iPod, iPod Shuffle etc.

It's obvious the holidays are fast approaching. I've received quite a few emails asking about iPods and MP3 Players so thought it was a topic to address immediately... I hope this helps explain the differences - and once again let your budget be your guide..

MP3 Player ~ Is a small electronic device that allows users to carry video, pictures or even thousands of songs in your pocket - can cost as little as $15 and supplied by numerous manufacturers

iPod ~ was introduced in 2001 by Apple was originally a simple pocket-sized device used to play music files butt continues to evolve and there are various types to meet various needs and budgets from $50 for the iPod Shuffle to $399 for the 64GB iPod Touch

iPod Shuffle ~ Apples least expensive and they claim worlds smallest music player. It comes in colors, it talks to your telling you the song title & artist and more Available in 2GB or 4GB ($55+)

iPod Nano ~ Apples Step-up from the iPod Shuffle, is a portable media player with a video camera and FM tuner Available in 8GB or 16GB ($150+)

iPod Classic ~ Apples top of the line iPod With 160GB of storage, iPod classic is the take-everything-everywhere iPod, with space for up to 40000 songs, 200 hours of video, or 25000 photos and 2.5 in viewing screen (about $250)

iPod Touch ~ Apples new touch screen model for music, watch movies, play games, and more in the palm of your hand. Available in 8GB, 32GB, and 64GB($199-399)

Santa Jigsaw Puzzle

Just a little someting to pass the time and when you finish putting the puzzle together, watch what happens.

Click below:

www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=ER13610552

this is from my favorite greeting card website:
http://www.jacquielawson.com/

Facebook-Privacy Settings

For those of you using facebook - be sure to make this change to your settings today to protect your privacy.. Are you aware that as of today – December 15, 2009 - Facebook will automatically index all your info on Google, which allows everyone to view it.

To change this option, go to:

• Settings -->
• Privacy Settings -->
• Search -->
• then UN-CLICK the box that says 'Allow indexing'

Be sure to Copy and paste onto your status for all your friends ASAP so that we all protect our privacy..

Defragging?? How and Why’s

Defragging (defragmentation) your computer will speed it up and improve the computers performance. What defragging does is it reorganizes and optimizes the way that all the data is stored on your computers hard disk.. For Windows Vista users, the operating system is configured by default to automatically initiate the defragmentation program once a week

How to Defrag a Computer
For those of you with Windows XP, here are the two ways you can “defrag” your computer..

Defrag #1
The most common way to defrag is to:

• Click on 'Start' at the bottom left of your computer screen
• Go to Programs, then go to 'Accessories', then choose 'System Tools' folder
• When you open this you will see 'Disk Defragmenter' on the list of programs in the 'System Tools' .
• You can select a specific drive, such as “C” for your hard drive –then click on “Analyze” and it will tell you if that drive needs to be defragged.. Click on “Defragment” and it will start – time can range from a few minutes to a few hours – let it work and it’s better not to be running other programs while it is doing this…so, it was…
  
  Start ~ Programs ~ Accessories ~ System Tools ~ Disk Defragmenter
  
  In this application windows, select a drive (for example C:\) and then click on 'Analyze' to find out whether that drive requires defragmentation or not. The graphical report that is displayed will give you an idea about the amount of existing fragmentation on that drive. Clicking on 'Defragment' will start the defragmentation process. This process can take a considerable amount of time (ranging from a few minutes to a couple of hours). For efficacy purposes, it is strongly recommended that you do not simultaneously execute any other applications or programs in the background, during the time that the drive is being defragmented.

Defrag #2
Another way I use quite often is much shorter…

• Click on Start, then click on Run.
• Type the words "cmd" and hit Enter. This opens a command prompt window.
• Now type the words 'defrag', followed by a space, and the name of the drive that you wish to defragment, followed by a colon. For example, if you want to defragment drive C:\, you will have to type defrag c: and hit Enter and it will automatically begin the defragmentation process

CHANGE YOUR DISPLAY SETTINGS

You can access your Display Settings by right-clicking anywhere on the Desktop and then choosing Properties (Windows Vista – choose Personalize) or you can change these settings by going to your control panel (on your start menu) and then going to Appearance – Themes and the Display icons.
When you access the Display Properties Dialog Box – there are five tab choices: Themes, Desktop, Screen Saver, Appearance and Settings.

Themes This allows you to choose a theme which will apply to all your Windows screen,the icons, sounds and colors – such as jungle, underwater & many more.

DesktopThis will allow you to choose different desktop background images, from samples which are inlcuded or you can use the BROWSE button to find a photo you have saved in you’re My Picture Folder… Remember – if you find a photo in an email or on the internet that you want for your background, when your cursor is on the image, right click on the image and choose Set as Desktop Background.

Screen SaverScreen Savers are the “motion” choices we use when our computer is idle – many different ones are built in, or you can use the photos in you’re my Picture Folder or when you are on vacation you can purchase “screen savers” to remind you of your trip… This is also where we can change our Power settings for the monitor, noting how long it should stay on when we leave our computer alone..

AppearanceThis choice allows us to change the style and colors and size of fonts for our Windows and buttons. Just click on the drop-down arrow buttons to choose different settings; the font size option is great if text is too small – just change it to large fonts or extra large fonts.. The advanced tab allows us to change size & colors for all our screen items including borders, icons and the menus.

SettingsThis choice allows us to change screen resolution and color quality – remember the resolution determines the number of pixels used to make up the display. The higher the setting, the more detailed your display and the higher resolution gives you a larger screen area to work with, but if you find text and icons are now too small you may need to increase font size and use larger icons to compensate.You can only go up to the highest resolution that your monitor can support. Experiment to find a resolution you are comfortable with – many opt for the highest setting.

When you set a high resolution, increasing the DPI (dots per inch) setting – it makes all screen items including text appear larger.

Happy Holidays - Websites to enjoy

With the holidays fast approaching we thought you might enjoy links to some of my favorite holiday websites - You can visit Santa at the North Pole, track him on his infamous flight on Christmas Eve, find a recipe that fits just right with your celebration, find the words to your favorite hymn or carol and much more...

So as the magic of the holidays begins and we continue to count our blessings and be thankful for all that we have - we hope that you will enjoy these website links - which are in alphabetical order - save them in your favorites for next year... Enjoy

www.allrecipes.com/recipes/holidays-and-events/christmas/main.aspx

www.allthingschristmas.com

www.christmas-carols.net

www.claus.com

www.holidays.kaboose.com/christmas/index.html

www.holidays.net/christmas

www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com

www.merry-christmas.com

www.noradsanta.org

www.northpole.com

www.northpole.org

www.oldjoeblack.0nyx.com/winter.htm

www.santaclaus.com

www.santaclaus.net

www.xmasfun.com

Using & Finding Correct Zip Codes

What do the 9 digits of the zip codes mean...

In 1963 Zip Codes were introduced in the U.S. to improve mail delivery. Initially the zip code consisted of 5 numbers:

• the first three identify the state and portion of the state
• the last two a specific post office or zone

In 1983 (yes almost 27 years ago), a nine-digit code was introduced adding a hyphen to the original 5 numbers and 4 more numbers, to further speed delivery with the more sophisticated sorting equipment. The new 4 numbers indicate:

• the first two added digits specify a particular "sector,"
• the last two an even smaller "segment" (e.g., one side of a city block, or a single floor or portion of a floor in a large building).

Using the proper 9 digits will speed your mail delivery. To find the correct zip code, go to the post office website usps.com or simply click in the link below and save it to your favorites…

www.zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp

Microsoft Help and How To

Not sure how to use your windows operating system to it’s full potential, how to do system maintenance & when, to better your computers performance, and other great tips, then take some time and visit Microsoft’s Help and How To for your specific Operating System – just click on the link for your operating system & begin learning…

Windows XP www.windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/help/windows-xp

Windows Vista www.windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/help

Windows 7 www.windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help

Using Keyboard Shortcuts ~ List 3 of 3

Keyboard shortcuts are the use of keys or a combination of keys, that then perform special functions. By pressing or holding certain keyboard buttons together you can open new windows, create shortcuts, and quickly copy and paste files and more. These 3 posts will provide you with some of the commonly used keyboard shortcuts..
• TAB - move forwards through control items or links in current window
• ENTER - click selected control item or link
• BACKSPACE - move up one folder level
• HOME - go to start of current line or web page
• END - go to end of current line or web page
• CTRL + END - go to end of current document
• PAGE UP - move up through current document or web page
• PAGE DOWN - move down through current document or web page
• PRINT SCREEN - take snapshot image of current screen (must then paste it into a word document or email to print it)
• ALT + PRINT SCREEN - take snapshot image of current screen (must then paste it into a word document or email to print it)
• F2 - rename selected item
• F5 - refresh current window or web page
• F6 - move through window panes
• F11 – Full Screen view

Using Keyboard Shortcuts ~ List 2 of 3

Keyboard shortcuts are the use of keys or a combination of keys, that then perform special functions. By pressing or holding certain keyboard buttons together you can open new windows, create shortcuts, and quickly copy and paste files and more. These 3 posts will provide you with some of the commonly used keyboard shortcuts..
• CTRL + ESC - open Start menu
• CTRL + C - Copy
• CTRL + X - Cut
• CTRL + V - Paste
• CTRL + A - Select All
• CTRL + Z – Undo last action
• CTRL + B - Bold highlighted text
• CTRL + U - Underline highlighted text
• CTRL + I - Italicise highlighted text
• CTRL + Plus key - increase browser text size
• CTRL + Minus key - decrease browser text size
• CTRL + ALT + DELETE - open Task Manager
• ALT + underlined letters in menus - open menu item
• ALT + ENTER - show Properties of selected object
• ALT + F4 - close current window or program
• ALT + TAB - switch between open windows or programs
• SHIFT + TAB - move backwards through control items or links

Using Keyboard Shortcuts ~ List 1 of 3

Keyboard shortcuts are the use of keys or a combination of keys, that then perform special functions. By pressing or holding certain keyboard buttons together you can open new windows, create shortcuts, and quickly copy and paste files and more. These 3 posts will provide you with some of the commonly used keyboard shortcuts..
• Windows key - access Start menu
• Windows key + Pause - open System Properties
• Windows key + D - minimize/restore windows
• Windows key + F - open Search window
• Windows key + F1 - open Help and Support Center
• Windows key + E - open Windows Explorer window
• Windows key + M - minimize all windows
• Windows key + TAB - move through open windows on Taskbar
• Windows key + SHIFT + M - restore all windows

What’s the difference between a QWERTY & DVORAK keyboard

It’s all a matter of personal choice

QWERTY keyboard (designed/patented in 1896 by typewriter inventor C.Sholes) is the most common keyboard used today for computers as well as cell phones & other handheld devices. The name QWERTY comes from the first 6 keys on the top left row of keys – On the first typewriters, keys were placed in alphabetical order, but that caused lots of jams on the moving parts of old typewriters; so Sholes rearranged the frequently used keys to spread them out and reduced jams significantly. This design and his patent became known as QWERTY and the US standard 101 keyboard still used today.

DVORAK keyboard became an alternative in 1982. It’s usually referred to as the Simplified Keyboard. Users say it’s easier to type letters because the right hand does more typing of common letters (and most people are right handed) so these keys are on the home row, the least common letters are on the harder to reach bottom row are done by the left hand. Downside: Dvorak keyboards are expensive, but computers today come with free Dvorak software installed and all you need to do is to switch in Control Panel to Dvorak keyboard if you want to try ti….

We know how to use the QWERTY keyboard so why switch - I wouldn't.. But thought is why should the next generation have to use obsolete typing methods because once up on a time there was a typewriter with moving arms in it?

The QWERTY keyboard layout (since 1873):


The Dvorak keyboard layout (since 1932).

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

On behalf of Bob Donovan, Jean McCarty, Jack Bowes and myself, we want to extend our best wishes to you and your families for a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday...

We all have so much to be thankful for, so count your blessings and enjoy your day..

Looking for some "trivia" to discuss during Thanksgiving dinner - here are a few interesting "Thanksgiving" websites....

www.wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm

www.thanksgivingnovember.com/thanksgiving-facts.html

www.brownielocks.com/thanksgivingtrivia.html

WHAT IS WI-FI??

WI-FI is a wireless network which uses radio waves, just like our cell phones, televisions and radios do. In fact, communication across a wireless network is a lot like two-way radio communication.

WI-FI networks can either be "OPEN OR UNSECURED", so that anyone can use them (most public libraries, book stores, BurgerKing, McDonalds and other such sites offer free services) OR "CLOSED OR SECURE", in which case a password is needed. An area blanketed in wireless access is often called a wireless hotspot. There are efforts underway to turn entire cities, such as San Francisco, Portland, and Philadelphia, into big wireless hotspots. Many of these plans will offer free, ad-supported service or ad-free service for a small fee. San Francisco recently chose Google to supply it with a wireless network...

To go wireless inside your home you need to have a high-speed connection, Cable or DSL, and of course as we said, you can use wireless internet access at various locations: McDonalds; Burger King; most public libraries throughout the US, most hotels, truck stops and almost all airports offer WiFi..

A Wi-Fi-FreeSpot is a location that offers Free Wi-Fi high speed wireless internet access to their customers and guests and/or the general public. For locations check out:

www.wififreespot.com

USING PUBLIC COMPUTERS - Traveling during the holidays?

You can check your email from any computer in the world, hotel, motel, cruise ship, highway stops, airports, Internet café, libraries, copy and/or coffee shops and of course at homes of friends or family.. But because you are not at home, be more careful when you use a computer that isn't yours, especially when you are typing or working with private information like credit cards, banking, medical and other sensitive information you may not want anyone else to see... A FEW SAFETY TIPS....

DON'T SAVE YOUR LOGIN INFORMATION - Always logout of Web sites by pressing logout on the site (Many programs-especially instant messenger programs and free email, such as hotmail, gmail & others include automatic login features that will save your username and password – so be sure not to check this off to have the computer remember your user name & password, so no one accidentally (or on purpose) logs in as you.

DON'T LEAVE THE COMPUTER UNATTENDED WITH SENSITIVE INFORMATION ON THE SCREEN - If you have to leave the public computer for any amount of time, logout of all programs and close all windows that may include sensitive information.

ERASE YOUR TRACKS - When you're done using a public computer you should delete all the temporary files and your Internet history: Here Is How To Delete Your Temporary Internet Files And Your History:
1. In Internet Explorer, go to Menu Bar, Left Click Tools for Menu List, Then Left Click Internet Options.
2. On the General tab, under Temporary Internet files Left click Delete Files and then click Delete Cookies.
3. Under History, left click Clear History.

WATCH FOR OVER-THE-SHOULDER SNOOPS-Because there's so much news about how hackers digitally sneak into our personal files, we sometimes forget about the old fashioned version of snooping. When you use a public computer, watch for anyone looking over your shoulder or watching as you enter sensitive passwords. If you really want to be safe, avoid typing your credit card numbers, bank account information, or any other financial or otherwise sensitive information into any public computer.

Enjoy your holidays and be safe...

What is software & what are the 4 types??

WHAT IS SOFTWARE? It is simply electronic instructions that tell your computer what to do - the 4 types are:

OPERATING SYSTEM: IS THE COMPUTER ENGINE and sets the rules on how computer hardware & application software work together - such as Windows 98, Windows XP, Windows Vista and as of Oct. 22, 2009 - the new Windows 7

APPLICATION SOFTWARE: helps you write letters, analyze number, draw pictures and even play games (Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Publisher, Power Point and games, such as Solitaire, FreeCell, Golf, Barney, Barbie, etc).

BROWSER SOFTWARE: allows you to “surf the web” - and the most popular are Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Netscape Navigator for PC's and Safari for Apple Macs..

DRIVERS: allow “installed” equipment to interface and work with your computer, such as your printer, camera, keyboard, mouse, portable hard drive, and flash drives

Thinking about buying a digital camera for yourself or someone else?

First, think about how will you use the camera.. Is it to take photos you can e-mail to friends and family, post on the Internet or maybe to replace a camera that uses “film”? and do you want a digital camera that is easy for anyone in the family to use and/or small enough to take anywhere?

Personally, I recommend setting a budget and sticking to it!! You can buy a good camera today for $75-$150. Try to buy the least expensive camera that suits your needs because this technology is changing much too rapidly to invest a lot of money, unless you are buying it for WORK...

For those of us over 40, there may be some basic things to look for...

• the larger the LED display panel in the back the better
• you may want to be sure it has a view finder (many don't) and those of us who are older are used to using one
• most digital cameras offer digital stabilization, but be sure it does - great feature
• at this point, it should have a minimum of 7 mega pixels (7MP or higher)
• zoom - the higher the better and I'm talking about OPTICAL zoom
(don't pay attention to the digital zoom, that's hype-and not relevant)...
• many of us who travel, want the flexibility of using standard batteries, such as AA, in a pinch
versus having to recharge built in or non-standard batteries if ours run low

So, figure out how much you want to spend before you reach the store and if you have plenty of time before you need to buy the camera, do some price comparisons – always ask if they are selling any discontinued models.. remember the technology is changing so rapidly that yesterdays newest” model is today “special”…

Ask about the extra features… such as in-camera red-eye removal, automatic exposure fix, optical or mechanical image stabilization, face detection, 720p HD movie capture

Good luck and happy shopping..

POWER POINT SLIDE SHOW TIPS

Many of us receive power point slide shows attached to our emails today.
If you don’t have full Power Point Application Software then you need Power Point Viewer to view these slide shows – a free software on most new computers. If your computer doesn’t have the Power Point Viewer, you can download it FREE from Microsoft – here is the link

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=048DC840-14E1-467D-8DCA-19D2A8FD7485&displaylang=en

Power Point Viewer allows you to view the slide show, save it for future viewings and to be able to email it to someone – but you can’t edit or modify the slide show in anyway or create your own.
If you want to create a Power Point Presentation or change power point presentations you've received and saved, then you must have Power Point Application Software (which quite often is part of the Office bundle)

What do the extensions mean when you receive a power point attachment or see them in a file (such as fantasticslide.show.ppt or fantaticslideshow.pps??)

• PPT is the default file extension for saving presentations in PowerPoint 2003 and earlier versions.
• PPTX is the default file extension for saving presentations in PowerPoint 2007 and later versions.
• PPS is the the show mode extension in PowerPoint 2003 and earlier -- these files run in "play-presentation" mode when double-clicked.
• PPSX does the same thing in PowerPoint 2007 and later -- it runs in "play-presentation" mode when double-clicked.

If friends, family or co-workers send you a Power Point Slide Show and you can't open it - look at the extension - if it reads .pptx or .ppsx at the end - they created it in Power Point 2007 - ask them to re-save it on their computer as a 97-2003 power point, so that older versions of the software can read it and resend it to you...

Remember all computers at Southern Artery classroom have a wonderful file on them (PP Slide Shows or PP Presentations) with many great power point slide shows - so open them up and watch them.. or you can add them to an email when you are in the classroom - when your email is open - send yourself an email and simply add the power point slide show you like as a file attachment...

NEW SERIES BEGINS THIS WEEK

Greetings everyone and we hope you are all ready to begin another new series this week..

Can you believe it's November 1st already?? We have some wonderful new things planned for you this series - we encourage you to practice either at home or in the computer labs when there are no classes... The more we practice - the easier this all becomes - and the better we get at what we're doing... And we encourage you to ask questions - it's how we all learn from each other...

Bob will be taking great care of you and I'll see you all for some classes in December... so in the meantime - enjoy YOUR class blog - let us know what else you'd like to see included in this blog and always feel free to share it with others...

Enjoy the great weather you are having and I'll see you all soon. Cherie H.

CLOCKS CHANGE - 2AM SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 1ST

Just a reminder that on Sunday morning, November 1st at 2am, Daylight Savings Time will end and we will revert back to Standard Time. Before you go to bed Saturday evening, set all clocks, watches and other time pieces BACK 1 HOUR. We will then move them ahead to begin Daylight Savings Time "1 hour" at 2am on the second Sunday in March, March 14th 2010.. Most computers and cable boxes will make this change automatically without our help..

Websites to find the "least expensive" services

As always if you have a favorite website - share it with us and tell us why...

Cell phone plans – http://www.rateplan.com/ or http://www.billshrink.com/

Car insurance – http://www.carinsurancerate.com/ or http://www.carinsurance.org/

Bank fees – www.mybanktracker-com/banks OR http://www.findabetterbank.com/

Airline tickets – http://www.skyscanner.net/ or http://www.efares.com/

Travelling by car – you might want to know where the speed traps are set up… this is for real.. go to http://www.speedtrap.org/

An all time favorite for just about everything we need.. http://www.allmyfaves.com/

EMAIL - REMINDERS & UPDATES

Emails are meant to be brief - Avoid long sentences.
Try to keep sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words. Email is meant to be a quick and is different than writing a letter. When email are too long, they don't get read. If you need to send a letter, compose that in Word and attach it, so that it can be printed off and read as such

Don't forward virus hoaxes or chain letters.
We all get them – warnings of an unstoppable virus; promises of great wealth or – you know the emails I’m referring to… Even if the contents are accurate, the original senders usually are not, so consider just putting it in the Recylce Bin. If you feel you must share it, please be sure to verify the contents before forwarding it to anyone by checking one of these website:

http://www.truthorfiction.com/

http://www.breakthechain.org/

http://www.snopes.com/

Remove all email addresses before you use Forward
When you forward an email, it will be copied and in your “compose or write” screen so that you can work with it – be sure that you always remove any and all other email addresses that might be showing in the message before you send it out to your list… \

Of course when you send an email to more than one address you always put the addresses in the BCC field right??…

HAVE A MSN/HOTMAIL/LIVE ACCOUNT?? Get all your e-mail in one place
You can now receive e-mail from other e-mail accounts right in to your Windows Live Hotmail inbox. Any service that's "POP-enabled" will work, including AOL, Gmail, and Yahoo! Mail (Plus).* Here's how to set it up. From your Hotmail inbox:
1. Click Add an e-mail account (it's on the left-hand side of the screen).
2. Type your other account's e-mail address and password, and click Next.
3. Select whether you want the messages to go to your inbox or separate folder, click Save.

Note: For this to work, make sure POP has been turned on in the e-mail service you're trying to bring into Hotmail (this could involve logging in to the service and changing your settings).

CAN YOU SEND CELL PHONE TEXT MESSAGE FROM YOUR COMPUTER?

Absolutely – many of us don’t have “text” ability on our cell phones or if we do, we don’t know how to text..

But you can send a text message to anyone who uses “texting” as long as you have their cell phone number. There are several websites – all are free – that offer us the ability to send family and friends text messages to their phones. Here is how they work...
You type in the persons cell phone number

• Now type in your email address
• Now type in your message (actually it is a tweet because it has a 140 character limit and counts down as you type so you know what you have left) or they have lots of “quick messages to choose from so you don’t have to type”
• You're done, so now click on the SEND button..

The message appears as a text on their cell phone and if and when they respond, their message will come back to your email account…

Again these services are free – like email it’s their advertising that allows them to stay free. Most of these services also offer you the ability to set-up a free account, which will then confidentially save the cell phone numbers you send to and save your email address so you don’t have to type them in every time - very much like your address book in email..
So give it a try and start texting/tweeting – it’s all free!!!

www.textem.net
www.txt2day.com
www.text4free.net
www.onlinetextmessage.com

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH

I just want to thank each and everyone of you for your generous loving thoughts and prayers for Bob's wife Jennifer, their 2 little boys Dylan & Justin and for me and my entire family these last few weeks since our son Bob's death Sept. 19th - you've touched our hearts and helped more than you'll ever know.

I know without a doubt that Bob is safe in God's arms and that God will give us all the strength to get thru this until we see him again...
God Bless you all and I will see you after the Thanksgiving holiday. Until then thank you and remember, although I'm in Arizona, I'm just an email away to answer any questions you may have...
Cherie Houston & family....

H1N1 Flu Symptoms & Precautions

H1N1/Swine flu symptoms are similar to those of other flu strains:
· Fever· Cough
· Sore throat
· Body aches
· Headache
· Chills
· Fatigue
· Diarrhea
· Vomiting

Swine flu symptoms develop three to five days after you're exposed to the virus and continue for about eight days, starting one day before you get sick and continuing until you've recovered

Prevention - These measures may help prevent flu:
· Stay home if you're sick.
· Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
· Avoid contact.
· Reduce exposure within your household.
· Clean “shared” items often – phones, keyboard, mouse, etc
· Clean and or/replace toothbrushes

We have placed "disinfectant wipes" in all classrooms for your use - one wipe can easily be used on several keyboards & mice...

Remember-if you are ill, please stay home - we can always bring you up to date on anything you missed....

For more "accurate" information - visit these websites to get the facts - not the hype!!!

www.cdc.gov

www.mayoclinic.com

Happy Labor Day Everyone

Hard to believe it’s Labor Day Weekend already… Enjoy it – the weather is going to be glorious…

Looking for an interesting website – we have something for everyone – enjoy puzzles, check out jigzone; great site to find just about anything is allmyfaves; want to watch what’s happening all over the world then check out camcentral; and for those wanting to relax and see some beautiful photos-check out calsgallery...

Hope you’ll enjoy these websites…. If you have a favorite website – share it with us so we can share it with everyone……

http://www.jigzone.com/

http://www.allmyfaves.com/

http://www.camcentral.com/

http://www.calsgallery.com/

Internet Updates

When you visit a website you enjoy, be sure to save it to your favorites, so you can access it again easily...
When the website is on the monitor:

• Go to the Menu bar, choose Favorites
• Top of the list that appears choose "add to favorites"
• Now "choose your folder"
• Now "be sure you are happy with the name" or type your own
• Now click ADD and it's added to your list

Next time you are on the Internet, go to Favorites - find your folder - and the website will be there without having to remember the web address...

Use the F5 function key to REFRESH any page on your monitor
Use the F11 function key to get a full screen (and eliminate all the toolbars) to get them back, just tap the F11 key again...

Help your PC Last Longer

In response to the question we are asked most often - how to speed up your computer and extend your computer life... these are our tips...

1.) Install spyware and antivirus programs and be sure to keep them updated
Whether you use Norton, McAfee or AVG they are only successful if and when you keep them updated. And be sure you also have a program to eliminate spyware, such as Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware or Microsoft’s Windows Defender that detect & remove spyware from your pc...

2.) Run diagnostics. Most PCs have maintenance tools built into your system and on a schedule. To find them in Windows PCs, go to Start, Accessories and you'll find them in “System Tools”. Its recommended that at least once a month (or better yet once a week) we should:

a. back up
b. run disk defrag, and
c. run the disk cleanup tool

If your diagnostics are scheduled to run during the night and your computer is off, the diagnostics cannot be done, so you must do it the next time you turn your computer on, when it will remind you....

3.) Increase RAM. The quickest way to increase the performance of our computers is to add more memory - RAM (Random-access memory). All of us should have at least 2GB or worse case at least 1GB. This is especially important for those of us running software made in the last year or two.. you can get 1 GB for less than $50; 2 GB for under $100 - a very worthwhile investment..

Our new Series is about to Begin, Week of August 17th

WOW - Can you believe that the summer is going by so quickly and Labor Day is just a few weeks away.... Good news is - computer classes will begin again a week from Monday on August 17th....

Just a reminder that we have Beginner Classes for anyone who is just starting out - talk to Denise and she will be happy to find you a date and time that's good for you or that person you know who wants to join us...

We are really excited about the upcoming series - as you've requested, we are going to focus entirely on mastering the Internet and helping everyone get comfortable with all this new "stuff" like using this wonderful BLOG...

When we begin the series, we are going to review many of the Internet Basics - including info about the new browsers; downloading & uploading; working online or offline and of course saving websites to your favorites... Then we are going to begin working with some of the Internets new features, including Blogging, Facebook, whys & hows of registering on line; photos on line - ordering prints, calendars & other gift ideas; using greeting card websites, such as Hallmark & Jacquie Lawson; shopping on line with major retailers & some of the auction sites, such as eBay, eBid & others - using Pay Pal, making travel arrangements and much more...

So no doubt it's going to be busy but we promise you it's going to be enjoyable.. there's always so much to learn.