Computer User Group

Please note change in GJ Computer Users Group time

At last month’s meeting, I discussed Continue reading →

Computer User Group / Internet Tips — 7 Comments
7
Jul 09

The Castellini Approach to Internet Security

photo credit: The Joy Of The Mundane

This past week I saw way too many people who are not taking advantage of the free information we give out on the show and the web site. Their computers were suffocating from a preventable disease…viruses and spyware. Yes, preventable, almost 100%. And fighting the war on our home computer security front does not have to be costly or time consuming.

We talk about this subject quite a bit on the program and the web site because of its rapid growth worldwide. In today’s tip, I am providing you with links to information that we have on this site that have been up for months to years that contain the essential information about protecting your computer.

Continue reading →

Computer User Group / General Computer Tips — 6 Comments
10
Jun 09

Computer Boot Camp – June 2009

photo credit: heraldpost

The most common piece of feedback I receive about my monthly computer users group goes something like this; “I love coming to the meetings, but I don’t understand most of what you say.” Or, “Almost all of the information is over my head.”

I dedicate today’s meeting to all you folks who want to learn (and rightfully so) the bare bone basics about computers. This article will give you links to those basics that make computing a much easier endeavor.

And please don’t keep this valuable information to yourself, pass this article on to any and all of your computer buddies/family that could benefit from a little basic training about computers. Continue reading →

Computer User Group / General Computer Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 14 Comments
26
Apr 09

10 Skills EVERY computer user should have (or learn)

I originally posted this list in January 2007. However, through my keen observation skills, I discovered that all computer users have not yet read and digested this information. For this reason, I’m posting it again because I won’t stop working to educate computer users until every computer user knows these 10 skills.

Computers have become almost a main stream household appliance. Whether you have been using a computer for fifteen years or one, these skills should be second nature:

Cut, Copy, Paste
Print just what you want (word processing, email, web)
Backup your address book
Select (highlight) text or files
Properly uninstall unwanted programs
Burn a CD
Download files from the Internet
Use MSCONFIG ; Another MSCONFIG tip
Search the Internet
Attach Files to an email

If you already know how to do these skills, please pass this article along to someone who doesn’t…help me help other computer users.

Computer User Group / Email Tips / Internet Tips — 5 Comments
8
Apr 09

Gmail guide for beginners – 3 Videos – Video Tip

This week’s video tip is a HelpMeRick.com first…it involves 3 videos to cover the topic of Gmail. Directly above each video below, I give a short synopsis of the videos contents. The more I use it, the more impressed I am with Gmail. If you currently use Gmail, don’t be afraid to watch these videos as you might pick up a tip or two yourself.

Google offers a good Help section covering their email system, and you can find it by clicking here. My short video series here are meant to just get you started quickly and give you the highlights of this email system. Continue reading →

Computer User Group / Digital Photography — No Comments
10
Feb 09

Digital Photography Basics – February 2009

photo credit: Hamed Saber

Adam Cochran ran our Digital Photography Special Interest Group (DPSIG) for almost six years and all that great information he shared during that time is archived here at HelpMeRick.com. Make sure to use that information.

In today’s class we covered the basics about digital photography divided into three quick, hard hitting segments:

Using the camera
Transferring the images
Organizing and using the images (including printing and email).

Using the Camera

Unless you are an expert film camera user and know all about f-stops, depth of field, focusing, ISO, light metering, etc, stick with using the Auto or the presets on your camera. For the most part, you will be extremely pleased with the results from using the Auto function.
The best tip Adam ever taught me about the digital cameras is how to use the camera’s auto light metering. All cameras have this function and it involved the shutter button. Your shutter button has TWO positions. If you hold the shutter part of the way down, you will see (and sometimes hear) the shutter adjusting to the light it is receiving. Keep the shutter depressed partially for a split second to get the proper light reading, then push it the rest of the way to take your picture. I promise that mastering this tip alone will dramatically improve the quality of your pictures.
Learn to use your camera’s flash. Typically that involves toggling the lightning bolt icon on the camera to one of at least three settings: Automatic, forced, or off. For the most part, you want to use your flash only in the darkest conditions or to offset a subject that is standing in front of a bright light source. Otherwise, learning the second tip will help you avoid using the flash almost entirely.
Hold your camera steady and don’t immediately lower it to view the photo you just took. Give it a split second to finish taking the photo before moving it. Combine this tip with tip #2 and you will see photos that you didn’t think were possible.
Your camera memory can hold literally hundreds of photos, you really don’t need to delete the “bad” ones. Wait until you get to your computer, download them, then weed them out. Too many mistakes can be made using the clumsy controls on a camera and the small screen.
Don’t install the camera’s software…you don’t need it. The alternatives work much better and are easier to use.

Here are a few good articles covering this topic right here at HelpMeRick.com:

Transferring your images to the computer

The easiest way to transfer images from your camera is to use a card reader. Most new computer users come with them pre-installed, but you can purchase a USB version for less than $20. This method saves wear and tear on your camera and saves battery life.

I recommend using Google’s Picasa to download your images, but the next easiest way is to use Windows’ built-in photo transfer wizard.

The important part of transferring your images is to know where they end up. YOU have the power to control that. Most of the time, they will end up in your My Pictures folder (XP) or Pictures folder (Vista).

Organizing and using your pictures

Again, I believe the easiest and most straight forward method is to use Picasa. The built-in tools Windows provides for emailing are pretty good with some email services as well. Third party tools like Canon’s Zoom Browser, Kodak’s Photo Gallery and others seem too clunky to me compared to polished products like Picasa. Two other photo management programs that do a good job are Adobe’s Photoshop Elements Organizer and Creative Memories.

The important factor is that you pick ONE photo organizer, learn it, master it, and move forward with it.

Once you decide on a photo organizer, use its tools to add keywords, albums, and other organization methods so you don’t end up with a giant digital shoe box (a mess). All the photo organizer programs offer good to very good printing utilities, but I think you get the most bang for your buck by transferring your photos to a service for printing or copying them to a CD and taking them to a developer.

Here are some pertinent tips for organizing and using your pictures that we have shared over the years:

Computer User Group / General Computer Tips / Hardware Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — No Comments
10
Dec 08

Netbooks – What are they really designed to do and for whom?

Today, I demo’d the original EeePC from Asus and the new Dell Mini 9. These Netbooks and all the others on the market from nearly a dozen companies have the following characteristics in common:

9″ or less screen size (there are some 10″ screens, but I start to put those in the category of ultra portable notebooks instead of netbooks)
All cost less than $400 and some less than $300
Weigh less than 3.5 pounds (anything over that weight goes into that ultra-portable category). Many of the netbooks weigh closer to 2.5 pounds.
All have small keyboards – between 70 and 80% of normal size keys
All have wireless capability to connect to wi-fi hot spots
All have a minimum of 3 USB ports and 1 SD card slot

Depending on the netbook, you might find these differences:

Some are pre-installed with Windows XP
Some are pre-installed with a version of Linux customized for the small platform and screen
Most come with 4-20 GB flash memory for the hard drive, thus requiring less weight, power, and space.
Others come installed with an 80-160 GB hard drive.
Many of the netbooks, but not all, come with a decent webcam built into the lid.

What functions and uses are best performed on a netbook?

Traveling. There is no better current option for portable computing as a traveler than a netbook.
Email. Some people feel that smartphones like a Blackberry or iPhone are sufficient for traveling and they work quite well, but for responding to lots of email and comfortably composing and reading those email, a netbook makes a lot of sense.
Skype video phone calls. You can’t make video phone calls in a hotel, campground, or coffee shop with a smartphone.
Word Processing and spreadsheets. You won’t write a novel or build a complicated multi-sheet spreadsheet on a netbook, but you certainly can edit and view them on one.
Digital photography while traveling. Install Picasa on one of these little gems, and you can use it to download, view, and email your photos easily while traveling.
Maps. The screen is small, but much bigger than a cell phone and makes looking up destinations and info about them convenient.
Games. Sure, you can get your solitaire fix or play a number of online games on them.
Music. Using an Internet music site like Pandora.com works well on these devices…providing you have an Internet connection.

What is a netbook is NOT designed to do?

Replace a desktop computer. They are too small for long periods of use…your hands and eyes will cramp up before it does.
Replace a laptop for those who need to travel with full office capabilities and proprietary programs installed to perform work and travel with large amounts of data.

Who can make the best use of a netbook?

Because of their flexibility and portability, I think anyone with an interest of staying connected while traveling would be happy to have one of these netbooks.
Anyone who wants to stay connected but doesn’t want to carry 7-10 pounds of computer and has no need for that kind of expense, upkeep, and bulk associated with a laptop.
Someone who recognizes that these units do have small screens and keyboards and respects that trade off for its portability.
Children. Since netbooks are pretty durable (especially the Linux ones), inexpensive, and yet powerful, students who could use their own computer to compose short documents, learn to use email and the Internet, and play with their digital cameras make good candidates for a netbook.

Where can you get a netbook?

Any number of retailers now carry them or you can click on these netbooks listed here for the ones I recommend.

Acer Aspire One – $325

HP Mini Note- $299

Asus EeePC 900 – $320

Asus EeePC 1000HD – $360

Dell Inspiron Mini 9 – $375

Computer User Group / Internet Tips — No Comments
8
Oct 08

Participating and/or Moderating Email Discussion Groups

Last month, John, a GJ User Group regular, suggested I lead a discussion about email discussion groups, sometimes known as mailing lists. I thought it was such a good idea, that I made it this month’s User Group topic. Email discussion groups allow emailers with a particular passion for a hobby, political leaning, medical infliction, educational purpose or any other common thread to share ideas, debate, and dialogue via email. Many discussion groups have left email and exist entirely online as discussion forums which allow for even more instant feedback and easier ways to share links, photos, videos and more.

To find discussion groups you can join, try these four techniques:

The association or organization’s web site that heads up the cause, hobby, etc.
Search for your interest followed by email discussion group (ex: African violets in dry climates email discussion group)
Go to and search Yahoo! Groups
Go to and search Topica

Unfortunately, discussion groups can be a hunting ground for email spammers to gather up email addresses. I recommend using a different email address than your every day address for these groups. When you sign up, you will generally have the option of receiving updates every time someone writes to the group, a daily digest of all posts for the day or a weekly digest of all the new posts for that week. For busy discussions, the daily digest is best. If you are fanatical about your group, go for the immediate notifications. You also have the option of changing how you receive messages at any time.

If you want to create your own email discussion group or list, use either the Yahoo! Groups or Topica services. Yahoo and Topica have matured over the years and merged with other smaller services morphing into easy to manage, powerful systems.