Welcome
to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, June 21, 2009
To
all the Dads, we wish you a very Happy Father’s Day!
The
editors of this newsletter will be taking vacation for the next two weeks. We wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July!
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Avoiding Spyware
Tips & Tricks: Twenty Five Most Important Rules of Email Etiquette: 24. Compress Files Before Sending Them
Special Feature: Printing This
Newsletter
This
Week's Topic: Save a Web Page
Question: Access a Wireless Network
Question: Installing a Printer without Disks
Websites
of Interest: History Of Father's
Day; Fatherville; Independence Day; Superminder; Fancast; FactBook; Healthy Homes; Fifteen Ways to Save Money
Online: 11. Check Out RetailMeNot
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Special Feature: Avoiding
Spyware
by Peter May of How Stuff Works
http://www.howstuffworks.com
When
it comes to spyware, the best defense is a great offense. Taking action to
avoid getting spyware on your computer in the first place helps prevent you
from becoming a victim. That is, of course, easier said
than done. However, there are a number of actions you should
take to guard against the spyware threat:
* Keep Windows up-to-date by
setting up automatic updates in the control panel. Microsoft issues critical
updates at least monthly. Many of those are designed
to eliminate or avoid specific spyware threats.
* Install an anti-virus
software package and keep it updated at all times. There are many of these
available, some of which are free. The most popular brands include Norton,
Microsoft Defender, McAfee, Spybot, Search &
Destroy, Pest Control and Grisoft. Your Internet
service provider may offer a utility or guide you to a recommended solution,
too.
* Don't download shareware
(or anything else for that matter) from unknown sources. Seek out reliable
providers of free utilities, such as download.com.
* When you do download
software, read the end user license agreement before committing to the
installation. When in doubt, do not install the software.
* Don't click on any pop-up
or advertisement for free anti-spyware software. These
are almost always fake, even if they carry the name
and logo of a well-known publisher. Ironically, this is a very popular method
used to distribute spyware and other malware. If you're
looking for anti-virus software, go directly to the company's Web site and be
sure you're where you think you are.
* Set your browser and
operating system security level to at least the medium setting (or higher) for
best results. You may see a few more warning messages, but it's
a small price to pay for security.
* Install a firewall and, if
you have a home network, use a separate router, rather than sharing the
Internet connection through one of your computers. This puts one more barrier
between you and the bad guys.
* Avoid questionable Web
sites. If you visit a site that seems strange, there's
a good chance you shouldn't be there.
* If a virus alert appears
on your screen as you visit a Web site, don't click on
it, even to close it. Instead, type control-alt-delete to launch the Task
Manager and use the "End Task" command to close the window. Next, use
your own anti-virus software to run a complete scan of the system.
* Never
open an e-mail attachment if you are uncertain of its source.
In
our next newsletter:
Spyware
Removal
Please
visit our newsletter archives for previous articles in this series.
How
to Avoid Spyware
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/053109.html
Malware
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/060709.html
The
Effects of Spyware
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/061409.html
**************************************************************
Tips & Tricks: Twenty Five Most
Important Rules of Email Etiquette:
24. Compress Files Before Sending Them
This
article is part of our ongoing series on Email Etiquette. With the help of Heinz Tschabitscher from about.com, we are taking an in depth
look at email etiquette. To read
previous editions of this series, please visit our newsletter archives:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/etiquette.html
The
rules of email etiquette are not rules as much as they are guidelines that help
avoid mistakes (like offending someone when you don't
mean to) and misunderstandings (like being offended when you're not meant to).
These
core rules of email etiquette help us communicate better via email.
Compress
Files Before Sending Them
Nobody
likes to wait for a long download, and often this costs
the recipient of large email attachments not only time but also money.
A
lot of the download time generated by attached files is unnecessary, however.
Many file formats are not very space-conscious. Especially documents created by
word processors like Microsoft Word are notorious for wasting hard disk space.
You
can prevent them from wasting network resources, however, by using a
compression program. Here are some
free ones:
7-Zip
http://www.7-zip.org/
bzip2
http://www.bzip.org/
Most
word processor documents can be compressed to 10% or
less of their original size.
To
read previous editions of this series, please visit our newsletter archives:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/etiquette.html
**************************************************************
Special Feature: Printing This
Newsletter
For
those of you who would like to print all or some of this newsletter, we have
set up a printer friendly page on our website. At this site, you will find only
the articles.
To
access this page, please visit our website:
http://computerkindergarten.com/
Click
This Week's Edition on the left side.
This will take you to the most recent edition of the newsletter.
On
the right, under Past Newsletters Click to view or print, click the edition you
would like to print.
At
the top of the page, click Click here to print this
page.
You
can then print the entire newsletter.
To do so, click File on the menu and then Print (if you do not see the
menu, press the Alt key on the keyboards).
To
print only part of the newsletter, highlight the part you want to print. Click File on the menu, then Print. In
the Page Range area, click Selection.
Click Print.
**************************************************************
Today's Topic: Save a Web
Page
Question: Can I save a webpage?
Answer:
Yes,
you can. You save a webpage when
you want to save the information that is on the page or would like to view the
contents when you are offline. Here
are the steps:
Click
File on the menu. If you do not see the menu, press the Alt key.
The
Save Webpage box appears, Internet Explorer enters the
Web page’s name in the File Name box.
Click
the Browse Folders button. Maneuver
to the folder where you would like to save the website.
Click
the Save button.
The
Web page is saved on your computer.
To
open the saved website, open the folder you save it in and then open the file. Internet Explorer will open and display
the contents of the site.
Note: When viewing a Web site that you have
saved on your computer, you can only view the site’s content. Hyperlinks
and other interactive features will not work unless you are online.
**************************************************************
Question: Access a Wireless
Network
I
frequently go to a coffee shop near my home and see many people using their
laptops? Someone told me that I could bring my new laptop and get online with
it, too. Could you tell me how?
Answer:
If
your laptop is equipped with a wireless network adaptor, you can get online
anywhere a networking signal is available.
Almost all laptops purchased within the last two or so years will have a
wireless network adaptor (unless you specifically asked to have that feature
removed).
To
get online:
Click
the Start orb (bottom left).
Click
Connect To.
The
Connect to a network window will open.
This will show a list of all the wireless networks within range. If there are no entries in the list,
click the Refresh button (up and down arrow to the top right of the list).
For
the entries on the list, you will see the network name and
whether it is an unsecured network or a security-enabled network. If it is security enabled, you will need
a password to access it. Someone
who works at the shop should be able to tell you the name of their
network. Public wireless networks
are usually unsecured, but if it is security enabled, they should be able to
provide you with the password.
Click
to select the network you want and then click the Connect button. If it is an unsecured network, a small
window will pop up with a message informing you of this. Click the Connect anyway button.
Another
window will open asking if you want to save the network. If you plan on
visiting this location again, click to allow it to save the network.
Open
your browser and you should see your usual home page.
Note: Since unsecured networks are just that
– unsecured, it is best to avoid sending any confidential information out
while you are online in a public place.
Leave your online banking and any credit/debit card purchases for home
when you are on your own network.
**************************************************************
Question: Installing a
Printer without Disks
I
am trying to install my old printer on my new computer. It asks for an installation disk which I do not have anymore. Is there anything I can do other than
buy a new printer?
Answer:
Yes,
there is. You can go to the printer
manufacturer’s website and download the drivers for your printer. Most printer manufacturers have the
software and drivers on their websites that are needed
to use their products.
Here
are links for the more popular printers:
Hewlett
Packard - www.hp.com
Brother
- www.brother-usa.com/
Lexmark
- www.lexmark.com
If
you do not see your printer listed, go to Google or your favorite search engine
and input the name of your printer.
Once
you are at the website, search for your printer’s drivers. For example, at the hp website, you will
click on Software and Driver Downloads.
You will then be prompted to input your version of Windows, the printer
type and model number. When the
download begins, be sure to note the folder that you are downloading the file into.
After
you have downloaded the software, begin the printer installation. When you are prompted
for the installation disk, browse to the folder when you downloaded the
software form the website.
Note: For older printers, some manufacturers
may not have software for Windows Vista.
**************************************************************
Websites of Interest:
History
Of Father's Day
http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/festivals/father/history.html
Fatherville
Here
is a website for fathers with a tremendous amount of resources that can make
parenting easier.
http://www.fatherville.com
Independence
Day
Please
visit our website for links to great websites featuring 4th
of July information, history, fun, games, clipart, recipes and much more.
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/indenpendence.html
Superminder
Easy to use reminder service. Add an event you
want to be reminded about and Superminder
will send you an email at that time.
Fancast
Watch
TV shows and movies online, free.
http://www.fancast.com/
FactBook
Find
interesting facts about countries around the world.
http://factbook.bodukai.com/
Healthy
Homes
from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, at this site, you can learn what you can do to help yourself and
your family to have better health at home
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyHomes/
Fifteen Ways to Save Money Online:
11. Check Out RetailMeNot
From
Wendy Boswell of about.com
No
matter what your financial situation may be, it is always a good idea to learn
new ways to save money. Find out how you can utilize the power of the Web to
save money, find good deals, and improve your financial status.
11.
Check Out RetailMeNot
Find
coupons for nearly every online retailer at RetailMeNot.
You can use these coupons to save some serious money on items you purchase on
the Web.
http://www.retailmenot.com/
Tip: Some websites may require you to
register to use their features.
When you register at websites, you may be signing up for spam (junk
mail) if the recipient sells email addresses to spammers. There is a way to avoid this and still
be able to take advantage of the great things that site has to offer. Read our article, Minimizing Spam
– Registering Online, at our newsletter archives, to learn how use
websites without getting junk mail.
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/111608.html
Next
Edition: Watch Free Movies Online
Please
visit our newsletter archives for previous articles in our Fifteen Ways to Save
Money Online series:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/savemoney.html