Computers, the Internet and various other topics . . . in Sun City West

Cox email settings

2010-12-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

Standard Email Client Settings

Use Standard Email Client Settings when setting up email clients like Outlook Express and Windows Live Mail.
Note: If you have different Cox.net email settings, refer to the tables below to update these settings.

Server Settings - West

Location	Email Server	Server Port Settings for Standard Authentication
Arizona California Nevada	POP Server: pop.west.cox.net SMTP Server: smtp.west.cox.net	Incoming POP Port: 110 Outgoing SMTP Port: 25

Secure Authentication Settings

Use Secure Authentication Settings when setting up email on devices like iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Smart Phones (i.e. Android, HTC).

Server Settings - West

Location	Email Server	Server Port Settings for Secure Authentication
Arizona California Nevada			POP Server: pop.west.cox.net SMTP Server: smtp.west.cox.net	Incoming POP Port: 995 Outgoing SMTP Port: 587 or 465

Above is copied from Cox Setting

Adding Picasa phtoos to Facebook

2009-07-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

Picasa uploader application for Facebook works very smoothly. The directions on how to use the uploader is on the same page. The process is really pretty simple, but there are a few steps. lf you have problems with the process, it is probably easier to just print the instructions and then check off each step until you are used to the procedures.

New printer cartridge problems

2009-07-02T09:51:00.003-07:00

Your printer works fine, except the print is fading and the cartridge has reached the point it needs replaced. Fine, you buy a new or refilled cartridge. You're ready to go.

You replace the cartridge and print. Except the print command suddenly doesn't work. And, so, of course, you don't print.

Check to make sure you have installed the correct printer cartridge - you almost certainly do, but check anyway.
Take the cartridge out. Make sure that the tape that protects the inkhead was actually removed. Re-install the cartridge.
Unplug the printer and plug it in again.
Turn it all the way off, turn it back on.
Unplug the USB cord on both the printer side and the computer side. Plug it back in.
Try to print again.
Exchange the cartridge - it is almost certainly a faulty cartridge.

Change font size in Internet Explorer, Firefox and other browsers

2009-04-13T10:28:00.001-07:00

The easiest way to change the size of fonts on a web page is to

Increase or Decrease your font size, hold down and type "+/=" or "-/_" to change the font size.
To go back to normal, hold down "0" to return to the default text size.

Do away with the Windows XP automatic login

2009-04-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

Do you use Windows XP and you're tired to having to login every time? There is a way around that. Be warned, though, that there are risks involved. One of the main problems is that if there is no login, anyone can look at all of the documents on your computer AND make changes. If you have any problem with other users looking at or using or . . ., do not make it easier for them.

There are two ways to do away with the necessity of signing in and Microsoft lists both. One is fairly involved and requires you to muck about with the computer registry. Do NOT do it that way - which, of course, is the way that Microsoft lists first. (Changing the registry should only be done by those who really know what they are doing and know what to do if they mess up and then have to fix the huge problems they caused - liike "bricking" their computer.) The easier solution is nearly at the very bottom of the page of the link below and involves entering "control userpasswords2" at the Run command.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315231

Powerpoint attachments in email

2009-04-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

You may occasionally get emails from people with attachments that end in .ppt - which indicates that it was created in Powerpoint. (Powerpoint is part of the Microsoft Office suite - often used in professional presentations - think of slides up on a screen.)

Many home users do not have Powerpoint at home because they don't own Microsoft Office - or don't have a version that includes Powerpoint. Microsoft does offer a free download that allows you to view Powerpoint attachments. You will not be able to edit, but if viewing is enough - and it probably is - download from the following link:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=048DC840-14E1-467D-8DCA-19D2A8FD7485&displaylang=en

Portable hard drive

2008-10-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

There is a review in the PC Magazine about a portable hard drive that I use. The price is right - I've gotten two at Costco - each under $100. They are easy to use. I've transferred a relatively large number of documents from one computer to another using it. I use one as a regular backup for my main computer. It works on both Apples and Windows machines.

It seems like every time I'm at Costco the amount of space on these little hard drives increases and the price remains more or less the same. I'm guessing in the next year it will be a terabyte - certainly more than I need at this point.

You want it where? Or you don't want it all.

2007-12-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

Cut and paste is usually thought of as child's play - specifically, a kindergartner, I think. The smell of Elmer's glue is in the air. I never went to kindergarten, but I do cut and paste. I cut and paste a lot. It comes in handy a lot of places - using Word, moving things around when filling out a form, etc., etc. One of the great things is that once you learn how to do it, it works pretty much the same in all programs.

Let's say I want to delete the line about Elme's glue. First I highlight the sentence. You can highlight a sentence by using the mouse or by using the keyboard. Either way, you need to start at the beginning - right before the word "The" or at the end - right after the "." If you are using the keyboard just hold down the shift key and use the arrow keys (right arrow key if you are moving toward the beginning of the sentence, left arrow key if you are moving the other way) until the entire sentence is highlighted. If you are using the mouse, start at the end or the beginning and and just hold it down as you highlight the entire sentence.

The smell of Elmer's glue is in the air.

Once you have highlighted what you want to copy or cut, you're ready to do it. You can go up to the toolbar, click on Edit and then click on Cut or Copy - depending on which you want to do. If you want to paste that same information somewhere, just go where you want to paste it, click on Edit and then click on Paste.

Learn to excel with Excel - or at least not pull out as much hair: The Excel Magician: 70+ Excel Tips and Shortcuts to help you make Excel Magic

2007-12-08T21:41:00.000-07:00

Excel is pretty easy to get up and running for extremely basic things, but then hints, tips and tutorials really help you get going. This is a great page for links for those who need Excel help - for both beginners and power users

Lost Passwords

2007-12-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

First of all, write down your passwords. Store them some place safe. At least think about giving a copy of them to someone you trust. If you tell someone a password for an account, assume they will look around that account. They may well not, but it is safer to assume they will. Do not give someone a password to an account if you do not trust them completely with any and all information attached to that account.

For instance, if you bank online and can do things like move money from account to account, have money sent to you, etc., do not give the password to someone you wouldn't trust to move money from account to account, have money sent to you (or themselves), etc. In other words, I don't recommend sharing your passwords with anyone. Do keep a copy of your passwords for yourself, and keep them in a safe place - preferably away from your computer.

Do not assume you will always remember your password - people forget. If you have a copy of them somewhere it will make your life easier.

If you've lost your password, try Password Sniffer - although I haven't gotten it to work.

If you have an ATT account, you can try the following:

1. Call 1-800-400-1447 and select prompt 1. If you are not calling from the phone number listed on your AT&T Worldnet account, you will be asked to enter your 10-digit home phone number listed on your account. (You can also speak to a Customer Care representative about your AT&T Worldnet Service bill, price plan, suspending your account, or for technical support. These representatives can only provide support for AT&T Worldnet Service. Contact information for other AT&T services is available here.)

2. From the Technical Support menu, choose prompt 1, then prompt 1 to hear your e-mail password.

3. Enter the last 8 digits of the account owner's credit card to authenticate your account. Your e-mail password will be read to you.

To get your computer to list your passwords try this: Gtopala.

When Your Printer Prints Garbage - one solution

2007-12-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

When you print from Notepad or Word or any other application that resides on your computer - not while surfing the Internet - it prints fine. When you go to print a web page, it prints garbage. You adjust this and that; and you still print a lot of garbage.

First of all, save the trees and don't print stuff that may be garbage, instead do Print Preview. There are two different ways to see Print Preview. Choose whichever way is easier for you.

One way is to right click on the document and choose print preview. What you see in Print Preview, that is what will print. Don't bother printing if it is garbage unless you just have an urge to print garbage.
The second way is to go to the menu toolbar - toward the top of your page. It starts with File on the far left, then Edit . . . and ends with Help. Click on File, then choose Print Preview. What you see in Print Preview, that is what will print. Don't bother printing if it is garbage unless you just have an urge to print garbage.

When you want to get out of Print Preview, just click the Close button on the top right.

The problem is not with your printer, the problem is with your browser. My suggestion, if you are using Internet Explorer browser - which is what most people use, go to Firefox and download it. You'll see an orange and blue icon (an orange fox encircling the world) on your desktop, click on that. That will open Firefox. Go to a web page, open print preview, check whether the preview shows the webpage or garbage. If it shows the webpage correctly, go ahead and print one page, just to be sure.

If printing works in Firefox, but not in Internet Explorer, the problem is a corrupted browser, not your printer.

Out, out damned printer (with apologies to Shakespeare)

2007-12-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

You have just installed a printer and you get a message about psprinter08.msi and you get the following message:

"The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable"

It doesn't matter what you do, you can't cancel and you can't okay your way out of the error messages. Yes, it is very annoying. Hewlett Packard has a great solution - which I'm pretty sure would work even if you are using a non-HP printer. The link for the solution is here.

What is on TV, not just for couch potatoes

2007-12-03T04:25:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of TV guide type sites on the web. Almost all of them require that you register and give personal information. Couchville is the only one that I know of that doesn't require registration.

Once you get it set up - it is very easy to use. You can tailor it to include whatever channels you want and exclude others. You can manipulate the page so that you can easily go forward in time - usually about 10 days. You can even go back in time, if, for instance, you want to check to see who was on a particular show that you saw in the last few days.

The link on the bottom, "Jump to Current Time" comes in handy to quickly jump to the present tv listings rather than fooling around with the arrows or using your mouse to get to what is on now.

Above is a screengrab of what my listings look like. You can tell that I was looking at the current time because of the red vertical line which reflects the time when I was using Couchville.

One of my favorite features is "Upcoming Airings" - it lets you know when that particular show, even that episode is going to air in the next 10 days or so. One of the confusing things is though, the "New" label applies to anything new within 7 days. If you watch some of the cable shows, you know that some episodes are repeated over and over again in the same week they are first aired so it can be a little hard to figure out if the "new" label is really true for you.

"More episode information" is handy if you want to read a short summary or who the guest star is in an episode you are watching. The information is brief, but can be useful. If you want more information about a particular episode or show, go to IMDB.

Cox television channels for Sun City West, numerical order

2007-12-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

Cox television channels for Sun City West

If you have Word software, I can send you an attachment that will make for a much better printout on all one page.

2	C-SPAN
3	KTVK - Independent
4	C-SPAN 2
5	CBS - KPHO
6	CW - KASW
7	Cox7
8	PBS - KAET
9	My Network KUTP
10	Fox - KSAZ
11	Government Access
12	NBC - KPNX
13	Independent - KAZTV
14	AZ News Channel
15	ABC - KNXV
16	TBS
17	KPPX - ion
18	WGN
19	Univision - KTVW
20	Telemundo - KTAZ
21	TBN - KPAZ
22	Leased Access
23	Discovery Channel
24	Lifetime
25	Spike TV
26	TNT
27	FX
28	USA
29	MTV
30	VH-1
31	MTV-2
32	ESPN2
33	ESPN
34	Fox Sports Net AZ
35	Disney
36	CNN
37	Nickelodeon
38	Headline News
39	ABC Family
40	A&E
41	HGTV
42	Turner Classic Movies
43	AMC
44	The Golf Channel
45	Court TV
46	Food Network
47	Fox News
48	Travel Channel
49	CMT
50	SciFi
51	Comedy Central
52	E! TV
53	Cartoon Network
55	Galavision
56	KPDF - Azteca
57	Animal Planet
58	TV Land
59	BET
60	Bravo
61	QVC
62	The History Channel
63	TLC - The Learning Channel
64	CNBC
65	MSNBC
66	Speed Channel
70	The Weather Channel
80*	PBS - Create
83*	NBC12 News Weather Plus
100*	Discovery Health
101*	Discovery Kids
102*	The Science Channel
103*	Discovery Home
105*	The Military Channel
106*	Noggin
107*	National Geographic
108*	Cox Real Estate
109*	Cox Real Estate 2
110*	Daystar
112*	INSP
113*	EWTN
114*	BYU-TV
115*	MCTV
116*	ASUtv
117*	ASUtv
119*	ShopNBC
123*	AZCapitolTV
190*	FLIX
191*	Sundance
192*	Encore
193*	Encore Action
194*	Encore Mystery
195*	Encore Love
196*	Encore Drama
197*	Encore Westerns
198*	Independent Film Channel

Basic TV channels

Children’s Channels

Entertainment Channels

Informational Channels

Movie Channels

Music Channels

News Channels

Shopping Channels

Spanish channels

* (asterisked) channels at Roberta’s house only

40	A&E
15	ABC - KNXV
39	ABC Family
43	AMC
57	Animal Planet
116*	ASUtv
117*	ASUtv
14	AZ News Channel
123*	AZCapitolTV
59	BET
60	Bravo
114*	BYU-TV
53	Cartoon Network
5	CBS - KPHO
49	CMT
64	CNBC
36	CNN
51	Comedy Central
45	Court TV
108*	Cox Real Estate
109*	Cox Real Estate 2
7	Cox7
2	C-SPAN
4	C-SPAN 2
6	CW - KASW
110*	Daystar
23	Discovery Channel
100*	Discovery Health
103*	Discovery Home
101*	Discovery Kids
35	Disney
52	E! TV
192*	Encore
193*	Encore Action
196*	Encore Drama
195*	Encore Love
194*	Encore Mystery
197*	Encore Westerns
33	ESPN
32	ESPN2
113*	EWTN
190*	FLIX
46	Food Network
10	Fox - KSAZ
47	Fox News
34	Fox Sports Net AZ
27	FX
55	Galavision
11	Government Access
38	Headline News
41	HGTV
13	Independent - KAZTV
198*	Independent Film Channel
112*	INSP
56	KPDF - Azteca
17	KPPX - ion
3	KTVK - Independent
22	Leased Access
24	Lifetime
115*	MCTV
65	MSNBC
29	MTV
31	MTV-2
9	My Network KUTP
107*	National Geographic
12	NBC - KPNX
83*	NBC12 News Weather Plus
37	Nickelodeon
106*	Noggin
80*	PBS - Create
8	PBS - KAET
61	QVC
50	SciFi
119*	ShopNBC
66	Speed Channel
25	Spike TV
191*	Sundance
21	TBN - KPAZ
16	TBS
20	Telemundo - KTAZ
44	The Golf Channel
62	The History Channel
105*	The Military Channel
102*	The Science Channel
70	The Weather Channel
63	TLC - The Learning Channel
26	TNT
48	Travel Channel
42	Turner Classic Movies
58	TV Land
19	Univision - KTVW
28	USA
30	VH-1
18	WGN

Basic TV channels

Children’s Channels

Entertainment Channels

Informational Channels

Movie Channels

Music Channels

News Channels

Shopping Channels

Spanish channels

* (asterisked) available only if you have premium channels

Cox television channels for Sun City West, alpahbetical order

2007-12-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

Cox television channels for Sun City West

If you have Word software, I can send you an attachment that will make for a much better printout on all one page.

40	A&E
15	ABC – KNXV
39	ABC Family
43	AMC
67	Animal Planet
14	AZ News Channel
59	BET
60	BRAVO
53	Cartoon Network
5	CBS – KPHO
49	CMT
64	CNBC
36	CNN
51	Comedy Central
45	Court TV
7	Cox
2	C-SPAN
4	C-SPAN 2
6	CW – KASW
23	Discovery Channel
70	Discovery Health
35	Disney
52	E! TV
99	Educational Access
33	ESPN
32	ESPN2
46	Food Network
10	FOX – KASZ
47	Fox News
34	Fox SportsNet AZ
27	FX
57	Galavision
11	Government Access
38	Headline News
41	HGTV
96	Home Shopping Network
13	KAZTV – Independent
54	KEPH Telefutura
21	KPAZ – TB
58	KPDF – Azteca
17	KPPX – Independent
20	KTAZ – Telemundo
3	KTVK – Independent
9	KUTP
19	KVW – Univision
22	Leased Access
24	Lifetime
55	Mas Notas
65	MSNBC
29	MTV
31	MTV2
12	NBC – KPNX
37	Nickelodeon
8	PBS – KAET
61	QVC
50	Sci Fi
66	Speed Channel
25	Spike TV
16	TBS
44	The Golf Channel
62	The History Channel
48	The Travel Channel
69	The Weather Channel
63	TLC – The Learning Channel
26	TNT
42	Turner Classic Movies
97	TV Guide Channel
68	TV Land
28	USA
30	VH-1
18	WGN – Chicago

Why you want a tiny little printer on your desktop

2007-11-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, it just looks like a tiny little printer - it is called an icon (an icon is an image that represents something - like an application) and it looks something like the image above. It is handy to have a printer icon on your desktop. On your desktop the icons represent shortcuts to applications, websites, documents, etc. If you need to cancel a print job it is easy to minimize the window you have open, click on the printer and cancel the print job.

To put the printer icon on your desktop create a shortcut for it using the following steps:

Click Start in the bottom right corner of your computer screen
Click on Control Panel
Double click on Printers and Faxes
Drag the icon for the printer you currently use to the desktop

This will copy the icon (leave a copy in the Printers and Faxes category) and put the shortcut for your printer on your desktop.

There is a long queue and it is all for my printer

2007-11-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

Double click on the printer icon on the desktop
Click on the word "Printer" in the drop-down menu
Click on "Cancel all documents"
Confirm that you really do want to cancel all documents in your printer queue - this doesn't affect the documents themselves, just deletes them from the printer queue.

Trouble hooking up to the Internet

2007-11-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Address for checking on modem

Cable Modem Troubleshooting Tips

Step-by-step tutorial (with images) on troubleshooting cable modem problems

When your desktop icons disappear

2007-11-21T06:59:00.000-07:00

1. Right-click your mouse on the desktop (where your icons normally appear).

2. Point to Arrange Icons By.

3. Click Show Desktop Icons.

Cox Cable and not connecting

2007-11-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

There are numerous issues that could keep you from connecting to the Internet.
If you lose connection to the Internet, start with the following steps:

1. Shut your computer down and leave it off.
2. Unplug your cable modem from the electricity for 30 seconds.
3. Plug the modem back in and wait for the light that says "Cable" to stay solid green.
4. If you have your computer hooked up to a router, reboot the router. (You can reboot the router by unplugging it from the electricity for a few seconds, then plugging it back in.)
5. Turn your computer back on.

Shortcuts

2007-10-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

KEY	FUNCTION
ALT + F4	Close a Window
Ctrl + c	Copy
Ctrl + Tab	Control Forward
ALT + Tab	Switches Windows
Ctrl + x	Cut (think of it as “x it out”)
Ctrl + v	Paste (think of it as “v for view”)
Ctrl + p	Print
Ctrl + Esc	Start Menu
Ctrl + z	Undo
Ctrl + a	Select All
Shift + F10	Display Shortcuts Options Menus
Tab	Tab Forward
Ctrl+ Tab	Tab Forward Options
Ctrl+ Tab	Tab Backward
Ctrl+ Shift+ Tab	Tab Backward thru Options
Left Arrow	Collapse Selection In Explorer
Right Arrow	Expand Selection In Explorer
Shift + Delete	Permanent Delete (Skips Recycle Bin)

Can't find a photo, document, or file on your computer

2007-10-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

Open the Windows Search window.

Hold down the WINDOWS key, press the letter . The search window will open and you can do whatever kind of search you wish.

Computer desks

2007-10-08T17:37:00.000-07:00

This is a laptop desk from Target - price is about $30. It takes about 20-30 minutes to put together. Also, could be used to put desktop keyboard on it. Do NOT put a desktop monitor on this type of table, nor a CPU. The table will break and probably so will the monitor or CPU.

If you get a more usual type of desk to put your laptop or desktop on, if you are going to use the computer very often be SURE to get one with a height that is comfortable for typing. An example from Ikea is below

The above has a keyboard pull-out drawer to put it on the right level - the photo is of an IKEA desk and runs about $80. It, also, can be put together easily in less than an hour.

This is not to say that you MUST have a desk designed specifically for a computer, but it probably is going to be a more comfortable, less tiring experience if that is what you have. I admit I generally use my laptop on my lap, but not everyone is happy with such a casual work "surface".

When you go shopping you might want to take your keyboard or laptop with you to check for comfort.

A more attractuve desk from WalMart is below.

These are some relatively low cost alternatives. You may want something of better quality, more storage, etc., etc. which is great. Before you go shopping, take measurements of both your computer - particularly the monitor and the space in which you want the desk to fit.

As far as a desk chair - as long as you're comfortable, it should work great.

Windows version

2007-10-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

Are you unsure exactly which Windows version you are using?

hold down WINDOWS and then press BREAK

it will show you exactly which version of Windows you are using.

Double-Click Trouble, Single-Click Trouble

2007-10-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

In Windows XP, if you have trouble double clicking or remembering to double-click when you open a document, you can change the double-click requirement to a single-click. Go to Start>Control Panel>Folder Options. Under the third option "Click items as follows," select "Single-click to open an item".

Warning: If you switch to single-click to open an item, simply pointing the cursor at an icon will select that item. This may well cause problems as items appear to take on a life of their own when the cursor points at them.

If other people use your computer, they may have trouble with the single click opening a file folder (programs opening after merely pointing at the icon) as that is not the usual Windows behavior.

Windows Task	Set for Single Click	Set for Double Click
Choose Item	Point to the item	Click the item
Open Item	Click the item	Double-click the item
Select items in range	Hold SHIFT & point to the first last items to select	Hold SHIFT & click each of the items

Cleaning the crap off your computer

2007-10-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

I really like this software - it works quickly and effectively. It will clean up all sorts of things - like empty your trash, delete temporary files, delete "orphan" files, etc. - it cleans up the crap that slows down your computer. It works rather like Microsoft's Disk Cleanup, except it works much, much faster and it does more. AND Ccleaner is free.

I do have a couple of caveats. I strongly suggest that you do not download the Yahoo/Ccleaner toolbar. I'm really against extra toolbars - they take up more space and rarely add much to your Internet experience. The Yahoo toolbar, in my experience, is particularly bad - it is bloatware (software that takes up a lot space) and I have seen extremely few people who use it at all.

The second caveat - you may or or may not want to pay attention to. Ccleaner will also clean up your tracks on the Internet so that nobody who uses your computer can tell where you have been. There are people who have good reason to want that - and that is fine, their prerogative.

The reason that cleaning up all your tracks of where you have been on the Internet is not so great, is it also prevents YOU from seeing where you've been. It will erase where you've been - so there's no automatic complete when typing in a web address. It will erase cookies, so if you like Amazon or other sites "remembering" you without signing in, that will be gone. It will erase passwords - and that may be the biggest problem. It MAY be a really big problem if you don't remember your passwords.

If you don't know what you're doing when you are installing Ccleaner, ask somebody who does know about such things to do it. It isn't all that difficult, but sometimes it is better to be safe than sorry. Once it is set up , it is really easy to run frequently.

Using the magnifier in Windows Vista

2007-10-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

To start the magnifier

Windows logo key and .

below is from Microsoft page, I'll have to try out on Vista, but don't think it sounds quite right . . . update later.

To hide the Magnifier settings window:

* Press TAB to move to the Hide button.
* Press ENTER.

When the Magnifier settings window is minimized to the taskbar, open it by pressing:

* The Windows logo key Windows logo key+T.
* Arrow keys to select Magnifier.
* SPACEBAR.

How to change automatic player for CD, DVD, etc. play

2007-10-03T10:35:00.001-07:00

To change the automatic player for your video or audio media, go to

Start> My Computer> right click on DVD (on my computer drive D). Right click on Properties. Click on Autoplay and change players to your choices. When you're done, click on OK.

If the autoplay tab is missing, then click Start> Run and type "services.msc". Scroll down to Shell Hardware Detection and make sure that Startup type is Automatic.

2007-07-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

borrowed directly from the excellent page How to Manage Profiles written by David Tenser

Create a new profile

In order to create a new profile, you use the Profile Manager. To start the Profile Manager in Windows, follow these steps:

Close Firefox completely (select File > Exit from the main menu of Firefox).
Select Start > Run... from the Windows Start menu (use the search box on Vista).
Enter firefox.exe -ProfileManager and press OK.

What is a blog?

2007-07-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia, a blog is a website where entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketchblog, videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), audio (podcasting) or sexual in nature (Adult blog), and are part of a wider network of social media.

AOL

2007-07-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

Help with AOL pop-ups

AOL Safety Center and Security Center

Need help using Picasa?

2007-07-06T06:59:00.000-07:00

Picasa help has VERY detailed questions and answering about using Picasa. For instance, there are some 44 questions and answers just about emailing photos.

There is also a Picasa glossary. I don't think it is particularly great, but it is somewhat helpful. A number of definitions are so short as to be virtually useless. Still worth a look if you have trouble with some of the language used in Picasa - although generally context works about as well.

Using Picasa

2007-07-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

PICASA/PHOTOS

Double click on PHOTOS in the upper left hand corner of the computer screen.

Use which is in the far upper right hand corner on the keyboard which is directly below to look at photos on the computer screen.

To select a photo, double click anywhere ON the photograph.

To EMAIL a photo, go to the lower center right of the Picasa page, you will see an image of a letter the word "EMAIL" right below it, click on that to get ready to email that image. Then click on the sign in button.

In the TO: box, put the person's email address, go to the bottom of the box and look for SEND, click on that button.

To go back to see all the photos, click on back to Library button.

Scanning

2007-02-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Scanning Basics 101 - All about digital images

Antvirus Software

2007-02-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

If you are on the Internet, you should be using an anti-virus software. There are numerous programs and they range in price from free to heart-stopping expensive.

The simplest anti-virus purchase/installation is to buy the longest license you can when you buy your computer. (That is probably typically 3-4 years.) Then you can basically not worry about it until your license expires.) This may well not be the cheapest way to go, but it is relatively inexpensive and it is unsurpassable in ease.

When that expires, the simplest thing to do is to renew the license when you get an offer from your computer seller. A number of other software pieces will almost certainly be offered with the anti-virus software. I'm not saying that the rest of the software doesn't have value, but . . . I would advise you to look closely to see if you really need or want the full suite. In MOST cases, the suite is a lot of money for software that takes up memory and is not really all that useful for most people. Perhaps the best comparison is to buying a set of pots and pans, if you cook a lot and make lots of different kinds of dishes, you may well want to buy the huge full set with 30 pieces. If the only cooking you do is frying eggs and boiling water for ramen, you're wasting a lot of money and space.

Check reviews, a good one is at PC World - Chart - Top Antivirus Software. They do review three free anti-virus packages - and they rank toward the bottom of the list. If you want to save some money, check the Sunday paper ads, websites for companies like Best Buy, Fry's and Staples. You CAN find good anti-virus software for around $10/year. For instance, at least currently you can get BitDefender from Fry's for a reasonable $40/2 years, or with rebates for nearly free. You'll pay sales tax (and s&h (around $7)if you have it mailed). PLUS to get both rebates you need to have an anti-virus competitor program already installed AND buy a tax preparation software package. The former is pretty easy/cheap, the latter . . . unless you're buying tax preparation software anyway, the rebate is not worth it.

You CAN buy software on eBay or through Froogle. In fact, I have done that, but you do need to be cautious. Only buy from vendors with a high rating - generally at least four stars. Check reviews of the vendor's track record. Don't buy from any vendor that says absolutely no refunds, no matter what. If the price sounds too good to be true, don't buy it. Don't buy from outside the US. Pay attention to how much shipping and handling is. Paying with a credit card is best, Paypal is an acceptable second best, although not quite as good.

Blogs that at least mention Sun City West

2007-02-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

East of Eden…

Computer doesn't turn on

2007-02-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

When your computer won't start, try these steps:

Try to start the computer again. Sometimes, you just don't hit the start button hard enough.
Check to see if the on or hard drive light is on.
Check to be sure that the monitor is, in fact, turned on.
Check the power connection on the back of the computer and make sure it's plugged into the computer securely. Then check that it's plugged into the surge protector/power strip securely.
Make sure that the surge protector/power strip is on and that it is plugged into the wall securely.
Check to see if other items plugged into the power strip/surge protector work. If in doubt, plug in a small electrical item (such as a lamp) to see if it works when plugged in to the power strip/surge protector in question. If nothing else works, the problem is probably in the surge protector/power strip. If everything else works, the problem is probably the computer.

Outlook Express

2007-02-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Many people do use Outlook Express. Admittedly, I don't use Outlook Express much myself. Although I have found it useful for several things - backup to my usual email interface, an easy off-line address book, etc.

Outlook Express Easy Tutorial and Lessons is a good, basic tutorial - the various pages have some good, basic instructions, but it doesn't go much into the more advanced instructions. (CAUTION: There are some ads for a dating service that feature some PG-rated "art", so if you're easily offended, this is probably not the best site).

Spellchecker

2007-02-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

If you have trouble with spelling - for whatever reason - there are several ways to get help. One is the Google Toolbar which is what I would recommend first. There are a number of useful features, although I think the spellchecker is, by far, the most useful. There are some limits to what the Google spellchecker will do - it only spellchecks forms, emails, etc. as you enter them on the Internet. You can't use it to check anything when you aren't online.

There is also a nifty little program called tinySpell 1.5 - a tiny spell checker for Windows which works very differently from the Google spellchecker. If you misspell a word in virtually any program, it will beep and its icon will turn from white to yellow. I have used this program and found a couple of problems - one is that if I misspell something in the middle of trying to get something written quickly, it is distracting to hear the beep. And, worse, you can't go back and have the spellchecker check on a whole document or section. Also, I often have the sound completely turned off on my computer and so I don't hear the beep at all and the color change is not obvious unless you keep your eye peeled for it.

Both tinySpell and the Google toolbar are free. There is a for-fee version of tinySpell which is probably worth it for the added features if you like tinySpell well enough. The fee is determined by the buyer, as long as it is at least $7.00.

Computer generated estimates of home values

2007-02-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Zillow - Your Edge in Real Estate

Real Estate.com - Get the Knowledge. Get the Edge

ABCs of Real Estate

Reply! - Values - Real Estate

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal (Hagerty, James R. "How Good Are Zillow's Estimates?" Wall Street Journal 14 February 2007, national edition: D1+.), they found that "Zillow came within 5% of the price in a third of the transactions studied by the Journal. It was more than 25% off target on 11% of them. In 34 of the 1,000 transactions, Zillow was off by more than 50%."

I've used Zillow a few times just for curiosity and compared the values to reality, and they were very close. However, I think that like any other information on the web, the information found on Zillow and other sites like it, needs to be taken with a grain (or more) of salt. The WSJ pointed out, as I would guess the sites themselves point out, some areas are more difficult than others - such as rural areas where there are fewer comparables (similar houses). The sites also don't know when a house has had a major change for the better or the worse - such as a major remodeling or a major fire.

Dial-up versus broadband

2007-02-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

Internet access - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - a general overview of how one can access the Internet.

Dial-up access - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - overview about dial-up access

Broadband Internet access - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - overview of broadband access

I fairly frequently get asked about which is better - dial-up or broadband (cable/DSL). Both have their advantages. Dial-up is MUCH slower, but it is cheaper to much cheaper, depending on your provider. If you want to watch videos, look at pages with a lot of graphics, play very complicated games, you really should get broadband to do any of those things. If you get very impatient with how slowly things "happen" (downloads, page loads, etc.) when you are using the Internet, you should get broadband.

If you are happy with dial-up, I'd say stick with it. Do I think dial-up is better? No, but if you are happy with the speed when you access the Internet, I'm not sure I see the advantage of switching to a more expensive service.

Links

2007-02-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Barbara Goss's Library a nice, small collection of links.

Outlook Express

2007-02-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

I don't use Outlook Express much, although I know a lot of people do. I have found it is very handy to use as an address book. You can add all kinds of contacts to the address book - as long as you have a name of some sort - it doesn't matter if you have an email address for the person or not.

A nice basic tutorial for Outlook Express is Outlook Express in the Classroom - it is rather cutesy, but still quite useful.

General computer help

2007-02-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

ABC's of Computing by Shoban Sen - nice site for those who need help with the early basics.

Barbara's basics for beginners

How To...A series of brief articles explaining simple computer tasks - a variety of tutorials from the very basic to the more advanced.

Email accounts

2007-02-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

I've used a lot of different email services. The primary ones I've used though are Hotmail and Gmail. I still have the Hotmail account which I've had for about 11 years, but I much prefer Gmail. The reasons I prefer Gmail over Hotmail are

Ease of use
Gmail does have ads, but they don't blink or flash or do anything else obnoxious
Size
I like/trust Google more than Microsoft.
Dependability

Make sure to keep track of your email password, especially if you don't have a second account to which your main email service can send your password if you lose it. It never hurts to have a backup of all your contacts, just in case your computer goes down, you can't get on the Internet, or . . . or . . . or. Better safe than sorry. The simplest way is to use Outlook Express as a backup, and download all your contacts on it. A second way is to print all your contacts once in a while - hard copy of all important files is always good. Then put it some place where you can find it.

Troubleshooting Internet Explorer crashes

2007-02-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

Troubleshooting Windows Explorer Errors

I have used Firefox - Rediscover the Web for several years. I won't say without problems, but I find it a much more enjoyable, easier experience than Internet Explorer.

Exactly what version of Windows are you using?

2007-02-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

If you want to check exactly what version of Windows you are using on your computer system, go to Start and then click on Control Panel and then System. On the general tab, the information on what exact version you are using will be there.

Computer Maintenance

2007-02-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

26 Tips to Keep Your Computer Up and Functioning

4 Ways to Speed Up Your Computer's Performance covers disk Space, disk cleanup, and disk errors.

Upgrade to Vista?

2007-02-02T23:19:00.000-07:00

First, get an idea of how much trouble and expense will be involved with upgrading to Vista on your computer. Microsoft has an upgrade advisor that you can download here.

Hands On: The Essential Vista Upgrade Guide

Upgrade to Vista?

Windows Vista - Reviews and Price Comparisons - from PC Magazine

My recommendation? Stick with what you've got and save the money you would spend on a Vista upgrade for a new computer. You'll save money, time and hassle.

Sun City West

2007-02-02T23:02:00.000-07:00

Sun City West, Arizona is the official Sun City West site.

AccuWeather.com - Sun City West, AZ - Weather Forecast - Local Weather Forecasts . . . it is not ALWAYS hot and sunny, but usually.

Sun City West, AZ - Google Maps - street map of Sun City West

Sun City West, AZ - Google Maps - hybrid map which is the satellite map and major street names overlaid

Sun City West, Arizona - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Recreation Centers of Sun City West

Troubleshooting Printers

2007-02-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

How to Troubleshoot Printer Problems is a handy guide for troubleshooting problems. A guide to Manufacturer Links is nice, although I find it easier to just type the complete name of the printer and the word troubleshoot (for example "Dell Photo 924 troubleshoot") in a Google search. The word "troubleshoot" weeds out sales and re-sale sites and most of the pages on which people are whining about a particular computer.

If you have major trouble loading a printer cartridge, check the owner's manual and website for directions. (I would say first of all, MAKE sure you note how it fits when you take out the old one, but nobody pays attention to advice like that until it is too late.) When you start to get frustrated, take a break. Put the cartridge in a little plastic zip bag and take a walk. THEN go back and try again, frustration (almost never leads to a good outcome).

Word and Templates

2007-02-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

A template is like a fill-in-the-blank form. If you have bought Word, there are a lot of templates that you can use for all sorts of things - resumes, calendars, business cards, stationery, etc. Some have very simple graphics, some have some relatively complex graphics; a lot are aimed at business, but many are for personal use. Most are pretty easy to customize to whatever you want, others are a little trickier. It is easiest if you look through all the ones in a given area and then pick the one that needs the LEAST customization. There are templates all over the web - some for free, some for sale. There are a lot of templates on the Microsoft template pages. If you don't own Word . . . your choices will be a lot slimmer, but part of what you are paying for with Word is the availability of templates.

Tutorials for Windows XP

2007-02-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP is a tutorial is for those who aren't quite sure even how to form the questions to ask about Windows XP.

Tutorials for Excel

2007-02-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Excel Tutorial is written for computer novices, but also could be used by those having basic problems with Excel.

Tutorials on Using Word

2007-02-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

Shauna Kelly has a nice tutorial for using Microsoft Word - for both the complete novice and those who have been using it for a while.

Microsoft Word XP Tutorial
2003/2002 is a very basic tutorial for Word for "the computer beginner".

Not surprisingly, Microsoft has a tutorial for how to use Word. I was amazed that it is free. It starts out very basic, but one can learn some of the finer points, too. Personally, I find the audio version annoying, but I can see where it might work for some people.

A step by step tutorial for Word is available at Word 2003 in Pictures.

Cats, cats, cats

2007-02-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

Stuff on My Cat - usually funny, sometimes more just odd, but photos of . . . well, stuff on cats.

Cat Diary if your cat could write, hold on to a thought and could be bothered . . . she might write something like this.

Cat Stuff.

Games

2007-02-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

I don't play games online very often, they can get very addictive. There are all kinds of games available - I only use those that I don't have to download anything to play, I don't have to register to use and have a relatively short learning curve. The short learning curve because I don't like the idea of investing TOO much time learning a game (and I'm impatient). Registration and downloading because of spam, viruses, memory (computer) and they frankly aren't of THAT much value to me. Your mileage may vary.

When you compare your high scores to a site's top scores (all-time or daily or hourly or whatever), keep in mind that most games have "addicts" that spent a lot of time learning/perfecting the play of the game. If you want do play that well, you, too, would need to devote a LOT of time to get anywhere near that high a score.

Here are a few sites you might want to take a look at:

Abslutist

PopCap

Purpose Games - educational games

Braingle - brain teasers

Cognitive Labs - fairly educational games

Game House

Game Rival

Travel

2007-02-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a travel bargain, check out Priceline. They have deals for cruises, air travel, car rentals, travel packages and hotel rooms (and some other travel related items).

There are several BIG travel sites. One is Travelocity. Another is Orbitz.

You can get a great deal . . . or you may end up with a nightmare. When you compare prices, make very sure you are comparing things that are alike - taxes, fees, etc. can add a lot. Be sure that you qualify for the fare in which you are interested. Double and triple check the details BEFORE you commit - you'll save a lot of hassle, and probably money. Buyer beware.

National and Local Weather Forecast

2007-02-02T17:54:00.000-07:00

Nice site to check out weather, short-term or long-term. Particularly useful for travel, you can even plug in itinerary and check out weather predictions for your route. Site is rather picky about how information is entered, but this site is really quite comprehensive about MANY aspects of weather.

Park Search by L.L. Bean

2007-02-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

Nice way to search for a park by destination and activities - emphasis is on US and outdoor sports.

Maps

2007-02-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

Mapquest is highly customizable. You can have multiple destinations within an itinerary, fastest route or shortest distance, avoid freeways, etc. Once you go into multiple destinations you can also choose to avoid any given street/road/"maneuver". An easy way to save addresses is to email the route to yourself, and you can include names, phone numbers, dates and other information so that everything is together in one email.

Google Maps I don't find quite as easy to manipulate to fit my own needs - it just is not as customizable, but still it is very useful. Again, easy to email the route to yourself and or others to better keep track of directions.

If you are looking at the satellite or aerial view (more like a photograph) than the street view (which looks more like the traditional maps) and there are too many clouds, check out other map sites. If it was a cloudy day when a particular photo was taken . . . the aerial view will, obviously, reflect that.

Toll-free Numbers

2007-02-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

Toll Free Numbers for Airlines

Contacting the White House

2007-02-02T15:29:00.000-07:00

Have a complaint, comment or compliment for the White House? You can find the snail mail address, email address, telephone number, TTY number onthis page.

If you want to invite the president, vice-president or their spouses to an event, the page for contact information can be found here.

If you would like a greeting to be sent for a wedding anniversary, birthday, or birth the contact information and guidelines, the link can be found here.

Software - what is it worth?

2007-02-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

You can literally spend more money on software than on the hardware (the computer itself).

Check out free products FIRST - a good site that recommends some for pay and some for free software is Mr. Modem's Recommended Products

Windows passwords

2007-02-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

Pestered by Windows Password Prompts?

Picasa

2006-09-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

Find and enjoy the pictures on your computer in seconds.

A free software download from Google.

"Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Every time you open Picasa, it automatically locates all your pictures (even ones you forgot you had) and sorts them into visual albums organized by date with folder names you will recognize. Picasa also makes advanced editing simple by putting one-click fixes and powerful effects at your fingertips."

"Picasa also makes it a snap to share your pictures – you can email, print photos at home, and make gift CDs. And with the new Web Albums feature, you can upload your photos to the web with just one click. You can even download your friends’ photos directly back to Picasa on your own computer. It's never been so easy to share photos online."

Very easy to use. Can be used to "fix" photographs, email them, organize them and save them on the web. I do have some problems with some of the features - like folders and albums which I think are way too complicated.

Firefox - Rediscover the Web

2006-09-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

"The award-winning, free Web browser is better than ever. Browse the Web with confidence - Firefox protects you from viruses, spyware and pop-ups. Enjoy improvements to performance, ease of use and privacy. It's easy to import your favorites and settings and get started. Download Firefox now and get the most out of the Web."

My favorite browser - highly customizable.

Definitions of Computer and Internet Terms

2006-08-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

Need the definition
of a computer or Internet related
word, phrase or abbreviation?

Try Webopedia. It is free, easy to use and understand and it works well. The terms range from the very basic (like computer and Internet) to much more complex terms. The definitions are very good - often including definitions, illustrations, examples, and perhaps most helpful of all, links to other sites.

There are a few problems - the pages are overly-busy with ads and too much stuff - but there is a lot of information and the site is free. My other objection is somewhat more serious - sources. According to the About Us page: "The sources used are often listed in the links section below the definition if the sources can provide more information than was
included in the definition. Every definition is verified among multiple sources; definitions are never based on just one source." I want to know sources ALWAYS, even if the source is John Doe, Stanford University or whatever credentials and John Doe is dead. I'm not saying that I question any information or source - I just want to know where information comes from before I see it as authoritative.

There are several features (all are available through the Menu on the left side of each page) that I found particularly interesting: New Links, Quick Reference, Did You Know? and Categories - all are good places to check out to learn something new.