Dreamland Computer Club

Newsletter

November 2007

           Volume IV                                        Issue VIII                                                               

General Meeting:

 Our General Meeting will be held in Farnsworth Hall next Wednesday, December 5th. We’ll start at 9:00 A.M. with a short business meeting followed by our speaker. Refer to “President’s Message” for further details.

President’s Message:

 It doesn't seem possible Christmas is so near. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We're all looking forward to the holidays.  Pat & Claudette from Serving on Line Seniors will be hosting our Q/A on both December 1 and December 8 and we're really looking forward to it.  They will answer any and all questions regarding both Vista and XP.   

Our general meeting on Dec. 5 should be of great interest to everyone as we are presenting H&R Bloc info on Tax Cuts and something everyone can use.  Please check your calendar for classes for the month.

Judy Gardner

   Mr. Modem:

Ask Mr. Modem! – November 2007     
www.MrModem.com   


HEADLINE:   Easy on the Eyes:  Large-Print Printing


Q.  I received a CD from a friend who told me that it has some .JPG photos on it.  When I insert the CD into my CD-ROM drive, nothing happens. How can I see the pictures on the CD?

A.  Most CDs, when inserted into a CD-ROM drive, will start or open automatically, but if yours is just sitting there like a passive, plastic pancake, double-click your My Computer Desktop icon.  If you’re using Windows XP and you don’t have My Computer on your Desktop, click Start > My Computer.

In the My Computer window, you’ll need to identify your CD-ROM drive.  Usually it’s the D, E, or F drive, represented by an icon that looks like a round CD on top of a hard drive. Double-click that icon to display the contents of the CD, then double-click any .JPG image file to display a photo.


Q.  I’m using the Firefox browser, thanks to your recommendation, and I really like it.  Can you tell me how I can print Web pages in a larger font?

A. The process of large-print printing is virtually identical for Firefox, Internet Explorer and Netscape. Click File > Print Preview, then in the Scale field at the top of the screen, adjust the percentage accordingly. Try 125 percent for starters. The larger the font, the more skewed the printed page may appear, but try a few different percentage increases and see what best suits your peepers.


Q.  I frequently have to type the same phrases and the same paragraphs at work, plus my employer’s name, which is long and difficult to type. Can you recommend a program that will automate that for me?  Your newsletter tips and advice have really helped me, Mr. M. Keep them coming!

A.  The best program I’ve found for entering frequently used words, phrases, paragraphs or even documents is TypeItIn (www.wavget.com/typeitin.html). It enables you to designate buttons that will enter any information into any program or Web site. You can create groups of buttons for work, home, or specific topics. With TypeItIn, you can also automatically type in the time, date, month, or day of the week. The program acts as a macro aggregator in that each button is really a macro that will “play back” whatever text is “recorded.” Type your text in once to create a button, give the button a name, then click it whenever you need to enter that text again. You can try TypeItIn for 60 days and purchase it for $19.95. I wouldn’t be without it. 


Mr. Modem’s DME (Don’t Miss ‘Em) Sites of the Month

Daily Kitten
Macho, testosterone-fueled guys like me, when we're not busy brawling in barrooms, participating in tractor-pulls or eating steel, hang out at rough-and-tumble sites like the Daily Kitten. What better way to start a day full of mayhem and chaos than with the picture of a little kitty. (Puppy lovers, don’t get your kibbles in an uproar: Check out www.dailypuppy.com)
www.dailykitten.com 

The Mom Song
Sung by Anita Renfroe to the tune of the “William Tell Overture,” this is a YouTube must-see. Click the “more” link to the right of the video to read the lyrics. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
http://tinyurl.com/2wfat9

The Perfect Holiday Gift for PC Users
With the holiday season rapidly approaching, what better gift for the computer users in your life (or treat yourself!) than an autographed copy of my world-famous, critically acclaimed, Pulitzer-lacking, “Mr. Modem's Web” CD-ROM? This CD features more than 1400 of the greatest Web site profiles of all time, segregated into 19 categories, all fully searchable and each site just a mouse-click away. The CD retails for $19.95, but as a loyal reader—you are a loyal reader, aren’t you?—your price is only $12.95, with free shipping and handling. Visit http://tinyurl.com/hvnsn to view an excerpt. Use Promotional Code 6457 when ordering online to receive this special pricing.
www.MrModem.com

Gobble Gobble! In honor of the upcoming Triptophan-laden holiday, here are a few Turkey Day Web sites:

Butterball Holiday Guide (www.butterball.com/en/index.jsp)

Traditions and History (http://wilstar.com/holidays/thanksgv.htm)

Thanksgiving on the Net (www.holidays.net/thanksgiving/)

Thanksgiving Recipes, Master Index (http://tinyurl.com/3as8b2)

Mr. Modem’s weekly newsletter delivers easy computer tips, great Web sites and personal answers to your questions! Trial offer: Subscribe online using Promo Code 1146 and receive a free month with your 6-month subscription (28 issues!) To view a sample issue or subscribe, visit www.MrModem.com

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Please send your comments, suggestions, article contributions, and/or constructive criticism to your reporter at j0hnahrens27@cox.net.