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Welcome to today's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, October 6, 2002
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Quick Tips: Internet Explorer Address Bar; Hanging Hourglass; Desktop Link to Website; Enlarge the Taskbar
Featured Computer Term: Load
This Week's Topic: Prevent Pop-Up Browser Windows
Question: Cleaning your Computer
Featured Website: Fire Prevention Week; Adopt a Shelter Dog; Our Solar System: Interactive Star Chart; NASA Photos of the World; Space Station Location, Space Station Sightings; Space.com; Your Weight on the Other Planets
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Using Links
A Link is a reference to a website. In this newsletter you will see links to many worthwhile, informative and fun websites. Here are the instructions on how to use links:
A link will be used one of two ways, depending on your email program.
If you see the link in blue, underlined text, all you have to do is click on it and a window with the Website in it will automatically appear on your screen.
If you see the link in plain text, you can copy and paste it into the address bar on your browser. Highlight the link with your mouse, click Edit up on the menu bar, and then click Copy from the menu that you just opened up. Open your browser (click the Start Button, point to Programs, click on Internet Explorer); click on the address bar. Click Edit up on the menu bar, and then click Paste from the menu that you just opened up. Press the Enter key on the keyboard and this will take you to the Website.
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Special Feature: Quick Tips
Internet Explorer Address Bar
In Internet Explorer, use Alt + D (hold down the Alt key, press and release the d, release the Alt key) to highlight the address bar (the area on top of the window where you type in the website address). This allows you to enter an address without having to take the time to reach for the mouse and click on the bar.
Hanging Hourglass
In America Online, sometimes when you click on a button or a hyperlink, you may find that instead of a new screen popping up, you just sit there staring at an hourglass. No matter what you do, you just have to wait for AOL to respond.
Here’s a solution: Move your mouse pointer to the menu bar at the top of your screen. Click on Help three times, very quickly, then scroll down and select About America Online. You should now be able to resume using AOL.
Desktop Link to Website
For a website that you continually return to, you can create an icon on the desktop that will open Internet Explorer, and go directly to the website when you double click on it.
To create a web page URL shortcut, right-click on a blank spot on your desktop and choose New and then Shortcut. When the Create Shortcut wizard opens, type in the URL in the form
http://www.whatever.com
and click Next. Type in a name for your new shortcut and click Finish.
You can now double-click your new shortcut to open IE and your website.
Enlarge the Taskbar
While you're working in Windows, opening one program after another, you may find that the buttons on the taskbar become too small to recognize what they are. Rather than closing down some applications, place your mouse on the very top of the taskbar until it becomes a double arrow. Now drag it up until you have enough space to display two rows of buttons. When you want to go back to a smaller taskbar, just drag it back down to one row.
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Today's Computer Term: Load
To copy a program from a storage device into memory. Every program must be loaded into memory before it can be executed. Usually the loading process is performed invisibly by a part of the operating system called the loader. You simply enter or click on the name of the program you want to run, and the operating system loads it and executes it for you. Also known as open, as in open a program.
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Today's Topic: Prevent Pop-Up Browser Windows
Some creators of websites use programming to open extra browser windows on your screen automatically. Most of these windows are selling things that you don’t want to buy or pointing you to websites that, more than likely, you don’ t want to visit.
Visit a few websites that do this and the windows start to accumulate on your screen. Many times you can’t ignore these pop-ups -they get in the way of what you’re trying to read or look at. To get back to your original window, you have to switch away from or close the additional windows. And with so many new windows open, sometimes it's easy to close the wrong one and then you have to find again what you were looking at.
The quick solution is to press Ctrl-W to close the browser window (which you will have to do for each open window) and avoid visiting that site again. But many useful sites are loaded with pop-ups. The pop up windows may open when you enter the site, shortly thereafter, or as you leave the site. In any case, it's aggravating.
To stop these pop up windows once and for all, here’s what you can do:
Since most pop-ups are created in JavaScript, you can prevent the popping by turning off your browser's JavaScript support.
In Netscape Navigator, choose Edit, Preferences, select Advanced in the Category tree, remove the check mark from Enable JavaScript in the displayed options, and click OK.
In Internet Explorer, choose Tools, Internet Options, click the Security tab, select the Internet zone, and click the Custom Level button. Scroll through the Settings window until you reach Active Scripting; set the option to Disable or Prompt, and click OK.
If you use America Online’s browser, choose Settings, Preferences, (Internet Properties) WWW, click the Security tab, select the Internet zone, and follow the same steps described for Internet Explorer above.
Seems like this is the perfect answer, but, unfortunately, once you disable JavaScript, Web sites that use it for navigation controls or personalization won't display or function as intended. If you’re unable to use a website, reenable JavaScript just for that website and then, when you’re done, follow the steps above once again.
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Question: Cleaning your Computer
Question: I have a couple of cans of compressed air to clean out my computer. I’m not sure if I should do this, as in the past I used a vacuum on it and really messed things up. Can you tell me what is the best way to clean out the dust and how often should I be doing it?
Answer:
It is a good idea to clean out the inside of your computer every six months or so. Open the computer case, and use short bursts of air to blow out the dust. Make sure you hold the can upright, and only use short bursts of air.
A vacuum cleaner can generate static electricity and can cause damage to your computer. That’s probably what caused your problems last time.
Before you open your computer, make sure you touch something metal. That will release any static electricity you have on your hands.
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Today's Featured Websites:
Fire Prevention Week
October 6 starts Fire Prevention Week. At the National Fire Protection Association’s website, you can learn about Installing and testing smoke alarms, practicing home escape plans and hunting for home hazards.
http://www.nfpa.org/Education/fpwhome/fpwhome.asp
Adopt a Shelter Dog
October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Take a look at the ASPCA website for information on adopting dogs, how to make your home dog-friendly, and much more.
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=dogmonth
Our Planet and Solar System
Interactive Star Chart
The Interactive Star Chart at MyStarsLive.com is a great resource for amateur astronomers and stargazers. All you have to do is choose your location, time, and view, and MyStarsLive will give you a map of the skies above your home, identifying stars, planets, constellations, and galaxies and will also tell you about upcoming events like eclipses, asteroids, and meteor showers.
http://www.mystarslive.com
NASA Photos of the World
Take a look at the NASA website for an awesome picture of the world taken from the Space Station on a perfect night.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0011/earthlights_dmsp_big.jpg
Space Station Location
At this site you can locate the space station, Mir, Hubble, or many other bits and pieces of space technology. Three-dimensional images help you track these objects as they orbit Earth.
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/temp/StationLoc.html
Space Station Sightings
If you’d like to know when the Space Station will pass over your house, visit this site:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/index.html
Space.com
This site Space.com keeps you informed of our continuing explorations in space. You’ll see mission and launch information, and amazing photos and videos.
http://www.space.com
Your Weight on the Other Planets
Have you ever wondered how much you would weight if you were on Mars or the Moon or any of the other planets? Now you can find out!
http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/weight/
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