Dreamland Computer Club
Newsletter
January 2008
Volume V
Issue
I
General
Meeting:
As
usual, our general meeting will be held next Wednesday, February the 6th at 9:00
A.M. in Farnsworth Hall. Our speaker will be Kathy Jacobs Microsoft MVP. Kathy
has been with us in the past and we know her as an enthusiastic presenter who
knows her stuff. She is a Microsoft consultant, trainer, and writer of Microsoft
programs Power Point and OneNote. Her presentation will be on OneNote. She
practically guarantees you will fall in love with OneNote as much as she is.
President’s
Message:
It’s
the end of January and things are really happening at the computer club.
Our classes are full and we're adding new ones all the time. Please take
note that the beginner’s class has moved to Tuesday afternoon at 1:00 and John
Shideler is going to host a beginner’s computer open lab on Thursday
afternoons. Any beginner is welcome to attend for one-on-one answers or to
practice their class work on the computers with help from John.
We're
also looking forward to the potluck on the 20th to be held at Farnsworth Hall
and chaired by Catherine Anderson. More news will be forthcoming on this
event. With your help, we can continue to offer more classes and other
programs for the coming months.
Judy
Mr.
Modem:
Ask Mr. Modem! – January 2008
www.MrModem.com
Is Skipping OK, okay?
Q. When I change settings, at the bottom of the screen it has the OK and
APPLY buttons. I always click APPLY, then OK, but when I skip APPLY and just
click OK, it seems to do exactly the same thing. Can I save a step and just
click OK without clicking APPLY?
A. Depending what you're doing, there may be a valid reason to use APPLY versus
OK, or both in concert, so let’s take a look at what each button does: APPLY
saves any changes you make without closing the dialog box or window. So
you would click APPLY and not click OK if you make changes and need to make
additional changes on the same screen. Clicking OK saves any changes and closes
the dialog box, so you would click OK if you're making one change and then want
to exit.
Most people click APPLY > OK out of habit, as a two-step operation to save
and exit, but technically, it's not always necessary -- again, depending what
you're doing at the time.
Q. I’ve been to the AVG Web site, but I can’t find the free version
you’re always talking about. They must have it pretty well hidden.
Can you point me to it, Mr. M?
A. The free version of AVG AntiVvirus continues to be my favorite
anti-virus program. It automatically updates daily, has a scheduler so you can
run full system scans in the middle of then night, and you can’t beat the
price. Most vendors do tend to hide their freebies, and the good folks at AVG
are no exception, but you’ll find the free version located at http://tinyurl.com/yo9npk.
A paid version is also available, and you’ll find a features comparison of the
free versus paid versions on the site, as well.
Q. Can you explain the difference between “Read Only,” “Hidden,”
and “Archive” options for files?
A. When you right-click a file and select Properties, near the bottom of
the Properties dialog box you’ll see the Attributes section. The items you
refer to are three check-box flags or what are called file attributes that
describe various characteristics of a file. Technically, it’s a bit more
complicated than that, but for our purposes, and so my head doesn’t explode,
I'm going to keep this as simple as possible.
The Read-Only attribute, as its name implies, causes a file to be
"read-only," meaning that you can view it, but you cannot edit or
delete it.
The Hidden attribute causes a file to be invisible under certain circumstances,
such as when lists of files are displayed or when there’s a full moon.
For example, there are certain files within Windows that most of us have no
business using, so those are typically hidden. No good can come from most
of us tinkering with hidden files, so to protect us from ourselves, Microsoft
designates certain files as “hidden.” System files are generally hidden
files, as are files that are critical to the performance and operation of
Windows.
The Archive attribute was created by Microsoft to allow developers to quickly
determine whether a file requires a backup (archive) copy. The Archive
attribute is established whenever an existing file is either overwritten or
modified. The idea, in general, is to signal a backup program that a certain
file needs to be backed up. A backup program may not know to save a new or
modified file without the addition of the Archive attribute.
Mr. Modem’s DME (Don’t Miss ‘Em) Sites of the Month
APA Help Center
At varying times, many people experience some form of depression, anxiety, or
other psychological challenge(s). The American Psychological Association's Web
site provides useful links to help us learn about dealing with anxiety and
stress, practice techniques for healing our bodies with our minds, and when
additional assistance is warranted, locate a therapist.
http://tinyurl.com/3yljbu
Worst Jobs in History
The Web site behind the
http://tinyurl.com/2tmf5c
Virtual Vaudeville
Take an entertaining trip back to the 19th Century, where the past meets the
future thanks to the convergence of nostalgia and technology. There are many fun
features on the site, the highlight of which is the Virtual Vaudeville Live
Performance Simulation System. Sounds like a party to me! Learn all about the
development and production of this concept, which preserves online live theater
for future generations to experience and enjoy.
www.virtualvaudeville.com
Start the year off right by treating yourself to a subscription to Mr.
Modem’s award-winning, weekly computer-help newsletter! Helpful PC tips, great
Web sites and personal, plain-English answers to your questions by email! To
view a sample issue or subscribe, visit www.MrModem.com.
Replies:
Please
send you comments, suggestions, article contributions, and/or constructive
criticism to your reporter at j0hnahrens27@cox.net.