Newsletter
Volume V
Issue XII
General Meeting:
They say, “Better late than
never”, and I agree. That’s the theme for today. This will be a better
reminder that our January General Meeting will be four days from now, on January
the 7th, at 9:00am, in Farnsworth Hall.
The President’s Message:
I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
It certainly has been a busy 2008 in the computer club and we're really looking
forward to all the activities and classes in the New Year. You should be
receiving our calendar at any time and it is a full one this month. Please
note the newest class - Internet financing. Last year, Geoff Hebert
presented a class and I've heard it was the best class we've had in years.
We have Geoff scheduled for next week as well as 2 other dates at the present
time. We also have our beginning computer class, Vista programs, genealogy
labs and classes, Finance, Pat Davis's program and Q/A. Your dues are due
now and all of these programs are free of charge with your $15.00 per year.
If you aren't a member, we hope you will join us. Our general
meeting is on Wednesday, January 7 at 9:00 at Farnsworth Hall.
Jaime Link will be here representing Smart Computing. Many
of you have attended her past presentations and she is really great. Hope
to see you all at our classes and on Wednesday
Judy Gardner
Mr. Modem:
Ask
Mr. Modem! – December 2008
www.MrModem.com
Q. I upgraded to Internet Explorer 7, but now I can’t find the button I
used in IE 6 to get my email. Can you help?
A.
When you start Internet Explorer 7, the Mail toolbar button is absent by
default. Why Microsoft elected to configure it in this manner is anybody’s
guess, but it’s easy enough to add. On the right side of the IE7 menu bar,
click Tools > Toolbars and if Lock the Toolbars is checked, remove the check
mark.
If that window rudely closes on you, as it is inclined to do, click Tools >
Toolbars > Customize. Under Available Toolbar Buttons, click to select Read
Mail, press the Add -> button, then Close.
On the Menu bar, drag the vertical separator to the left so you can see all the
toolbar items. While still on the Menu bar, again at the far right, click Tools
> Toolbars and place a check mark beside Lock the Toolbars.
Q.
In a previous issue of your weekly newsletter—which I love, by the way—you
said that it’s okay to run two anti-spyware programs. Is it better to run two
anti-spyware programs or is one adequate? Keep up the good work.
A.
I only run one anti-spyware program, that being PC Tools’ Spyware Doctor
(http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor).
I haven't found it necessary to deploy two anti-spyware programs, but I also
make it a point to use programs that are less susceptible to spyware. For
example, I don't use Internet Explorer; I use Firefox (www.mozilla.com/firefox)
for my browser.
As long as you're using a mainstream anti-spyware program such as Spyware
Doctor, AdAware, Spybot (and there are many others), and you’re keeping it
updated, you should be fine.
On a related note, while it’s fine to have two anti-spyware programs, it is
never a good idea to install two anti-virus programs. Because embedded virus
code is used to identify viruses, two anti-virus programs may detect each other
and the result can be false negatives or false positives, thus negating the
effectiveness of both programs.
Because I’m so frequently asked what programs I use, I maintain a list of my
favorite programs at http://tinyurl.com/6m5v9,
which you are welcome to review at any time. I keep the list updated and include
a brief profile of each program, as well as a link to its site should you be
interested in obtaining additional information or downloading it.
Q.
This is probably the dumbest question you ever answered, but what does it mean
when an item is not configured? How do I configure something?
A. There
are never any dumb questions here in Mr. Modemvillle, so you’ve come to the
right place. To configure an item, within the context of computing, means to
customize, personalize, or get it ready for use. The specific definition depends
on the item being discussed.
For example, if you install an email program such as Eudora or Thunderbird, what
you download isn't automatically set up to work with your Internet Service
Provider (ISP). You have to go into the software's settings and enter
information such as your ISP’s mail server addresses, which will instruct the
program where to look for your email and how to retrieve it, plus your username
and password. Once the software is configured in that manner, you can then use
it to send and receive email.
Mr.
Modem’s DME (Don’t Miss ‘Em) Sites of the Month
100 Words
You Should Know
The editors of The American Heritage College Dictionary have compiled a list of
100 words every high school graduate should know. Yeah, right. Everything from
abjure to ziggurat are on the “must know” list.
http://tinyurl.com/f4z5
Internet
Archive
Best known as “The Way Back Machine,” this is an archive of Web sites that
dates back to 1996. It also serves as an enormous repository (85 billion pages,
give or take a few) for more than 175,000 books, 2900 recorded concerts, and
1100 full-length movies. The entire archive consists of more than 2PB (petabytes)
of data. (A petabyte equals one million gigabytes).
www.archive.org
World
Rulers
Pop quiz! Who is running
Okay, I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself: Who was King of Burundi
during the swinging ‘60s? That’s right, it was Mwambutsa Bangilicenge. Good
job! This site is a terrific online resource that lists the heads of state and
government, de facto leaders, presidents, and dictators of all the countries and
territories of the world, dating back to 1700.
http://rulers.org
Mr.
Modem’s weekly newsletter delivers helpful computer tips, great Web sites and
his personal answers to your questions! Subscribe using Promo Code 4022 and
receive TWO free months with your 12-month subscription (58 issues!) To view a
sample issue or subscribe, visit www.MrModem.com.
Replies:
Please
send your comments, suggestions, article contributions, and/or constructive
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