Word | Castellini on Computers - Computer help for beginners

Posts Tagged: Word

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 5 Comments
25
Apr 09

2 laptop suggestions for college students

photo credit: jarnott

Millions of high schoolers will be graduating soon and will be leaving for their respective campuses (campii?) at the end of the summer. These students will more than likely go to college with a computer…probably a laptop. I would like to suggest two possible laptops ideas for these students.

Both of my ideas involve good systems that will allow college kids to word process, chat, email, listen to music, watch DVD’s, browse the web wirelessly(for school research of course), create presentations, spreadsheets, download and edit photos and much more. Neither involve Windows and thus don’t require a degree in computer security and maintenance. One of the computers costs between $1200-1800 and the other costs less than $700.

My recommendations stem from first hand accounts from parents whose college kids call home frequently with tales of woe about a slow, non-functioning new computer. Students need to have their computers operational, and running around to the campus IT people or dropping the computer at a fix-it shop for expensive repairs. These two recommendations will keep calls home for repair money, tales of woe, and computer down time to a bare minimum. Continue reading →

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 14 Comments
7
Mar 09

Welcome to the new HelpMeRick.com!

I need to clean up a few rough edges over the next few days, but the site is far enough along that I moved over to it today. I redesigned the site for a few reasons:

Make it easier to navigate (cleaner),
Make it easier for you to interact with the site via comments, RSS and search.
Make it easier for me to post even more content
Make it easier to add new features to the site without cluttering up the navigation.

I believe that I’ve met all these goals with the new design and engine (WordPress). All the content from the old site is here, but if you encounter any problems or dead ends, please alert them to me by leaving a comment or contacting me via the new “ask a question” link at the top of all pages.

The new newsletter deliver system will be online by tomorrow as well.

Thanks for all your support. Enjoy, learn and explore the new site and always remember to spread the word about HelpMeRick.com!

Riding Shotgun with Rick — No Comments
29
Dec 08

Don’t buy a new computer yet

2009 is upon us and computer prices are incredibly low, but if you can wait a year to buy a new computer, I would highly recommend it. Why? Microsoft plans on releasing the next version of Windows either late in 2009 or early in 2010. All indications point to the earlier release since Microsoft is anxious to bury Vista.

Last week, Microsoft extended the life of Windows XP for a fifth time! This indicates the continued reluctance (especially in the business world) to adopt Windows Vista. Currently, you can get XP installed on a new computer only through Dell’s business web site and through some independent builders. Buying a copy of Windows XP from limited vendors doesn’t help much either since so many of the new computers out there today don’t ship with or have Windows XP drivers available for video, audio, Ethernet and other hardware components.

I still firmly believe that if you don’t use any Windows specialty software and tend to use your computer only for email, Internet, digital photography, word processing, and games, you should seriously think about an Apple computer or installing Linux/Ubuntu on a new or existing computer an bypass Windows altogether. If you don’t want to follow that advice or need specialty Windows software, stay with what you have for another year until Windows 7 is released.

The beta (test) versions of Windows 7 are being released now, and I plan to install and keep up with them in the next couple of months. Keep your eye on the site for more information on Windows 7 as I learn more.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 5 Comments
18
Dec 08

Thwarted by online poker

Today marked my second Linux/Ubuntu casualty in almost 2 dozen attempts. As I’ve learned more about Ubuntu the past couple of years, I carefully selected clients who would have little problems dealing with a non-Microsoft operating system.

You may have read my take on Ubuntu usage for the average computer user before, but here it is again to setup the rest of the story: I believe that any computer users who uses only email, word processing, Internet, digital photography, and maybe a solitaire or mahjong like game can function perfectly and happily in Ubuntu. Those who need proprietary Windows programs or like to buy and try out different types of software will not do well with Ubuntu.

OK, that being said, I consulted on the purchase of an Acer mini-desktop about 2 weeks ago from a local big box. It had a fast AMD processor, 4 GB of RAM, and a 320 GB hard drive and of course pre-loaded with Vista. I took the system home and booted into Windows to create the restore DVD set just in case. To fully boot into Vista took approximately 3:30. At initial boot, it took the computer nearly 19 minutes to finish whatever a Vista computer has to finish when you first take it out of the box.

After completing the DVD recovery set, I inserted my Ubuntu 8.10 CD and restarted the system. Literally 15 minutes later I was browsing the web in Ubuntu after the install CD wiped the hard drive, installed itself, shut down and rebooted. Later I timed the Ubuntu startup time: 49 seconds.

Anyway, the folks who I setup this computer for could not play online poker with Ubuntu. After some quick research, the service they use (I forgot which one), is the ONLY online poker service that needs a Windows download. I could have installed and configured the poker service to work under Wine in Ubuntu, bud didn’t. After hearing that “everything is different”, and they wanted to install Windows based software that was never mentioned before today, I inserted the first Vista recovery CD and showed them how to finish it up. They brought the computer back to the big box for a refund and ordered a Dell with XP and probably spent twice as much as the Acer.

My first Ubuntu failure was a couple of years ago and ended because the woman missed her AOL software and didn’t like using AOL web mail in Firefox. Being approximated 21 for 23 on my Ubuntu converts isn’t bad, and is actually kind of humorous that the two defeats were at the hands of AOL and online poker.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 17 Comments
8
Dec 08

What do you really do with your computer?

In my travels, it seems that most home computer users primarily use email. I would love to see 100-200 comments attached to this short article so you can tell me what you use your computer for from day-to-day. You don’t have to be statistically accurate or detailed, I’m just curious and this topic is too broad and detailed for a poll.

Here’s how I use my main computer:

Internet (web browsing, pay bills, web site maintenance, etc) – 60%
Email – 15%
Instructional videos – 10%
Word Processing – 8%
Desktop publishing (creating newsletters, flyers, calendars, etc) – 2%
Skype video calls – 1%
Digital Photography (including ordering, editing, and downloading photos) – 1%
Games – .33%
Other – 2.67%

YOUR TURN! Leave a comment and share what you use your primary computer for on average. Thanks!

Application Tips — No Comments
2
Dec 08

Microsoft Word’s AutoComplete and AutoCorrect Functions – Video Tip

If you use Microsoft Word, you may notice that at the end of a letter, if you start typing ‘Sin’, a little yellow box flashes up with ‘Sincerely’ in it. Likewise, if you start a letter with ‘To whom’, the box flashes at you with ‘To whom it may concern’.

These little yellow boxes are part of Word’s Auto-Complete and Auto Format functions. Microsoft Word tries to guess what you are going to type next and flashes suggestions to you. If the suggestion is correct and you press Enter on your keyboard, Word quickly enters the word or phrase in your document.You also notice it when you mistype the as hte and Word corrects it for you.

1. You can add to the library of Auto-Complete phrases by following these steps in Word 2003 and all prior versions:

2. Click Tools from the Word menus

3. Click Auto Correct

4. Click the Auto Complete tab (Auto Text in Word XP)

5. Type as many entries as you would like and press Enter on your keyboard after each one (your name, company, church name, etc)

Auto-Correct takes the automation a step further. Use it to replace an abbreviation or a few characters into an entire phrase or sentence or paragraph if you like. For example, if I type ‘rc’ in Word, as soon as I push the space bar, Word inserts ‘Rick Castellini, MCP’. Here’s how to use it:

1. Follow Steps 1-3 above

2. Type a short phrase or abbreviation in the “Replace” box

3. Type what you want Word to insert in place of that phrase in the “With” box

4. Press enter on your keyboard

Word 2007 users can find the AutoCorrect by:

1. Click the Office Orb in the upper left hand corner

2. Click Word Options

3. Click Proofing

4. Click the AutoCorrect options button and follow the steps as above.

Try these simple, but highly effective techniques and you will find yourself starting to save some time when word processing. I have put together a short video demonstration for you to see this tip in action below.

Internet Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 7 Comments
1
Dec 08

5 Reasons why YOU should be moving to the cloud

Over the past two or there years, I have written many articles about Web 2.0 or cloud computing. Cloud computing means that you work with programs and/or data that are not installed or saved on your computer. Instead, the programs and/or data live on an Internet connected computer (server) somewhere else in the world. These computers provide security via the password and user name that you choose. Five reason come immediately to mind on why you should start moving your data and computing power to the cloud.

1. Although more powerful than ever before, computers have become more unreliable than ever.

In particular, Windows computers require more expertise to keep them safe, updated, and problem free than at any time in the short history of home computers. Macintosh and Linux operating systems certainly require less technical expertise from the security standpoint, but still rely on desktop applications to create, save and edit data. Web based (cloud) applications provide plenty of power and flexibility for the vast majority of computer users while also presenting a simpler interface.

2. You already spend 90% of your time in the cloud already.

Non-business computer users spend the majority of their computer time emailing, surfing and researching the web and playing online games. Transitioning to web based mail and web based word processing, spreadsheets and more is easy and free with products like Zoho Office, Google Docs and ThinkFree.

3. Digital photography is easier in the cloud…and cheaper.

Too many computer users do not know how to properly resize and attach photos to email or gauge how many photos to attach to email. You spend way too much money and time on ink cartridges and paper trying to print good quality pictures. All these problems are solved in the cloud by helping you organize your photos better, share them easier, and print them in higher quality in more formats professionally. Flickr, Picasa Albums, and albums and services from Shutterfly, Snapfish, Winkflash, and others help you do all these things much easier than any desktop application. For those who like to edit their photos, these services offer some limited editing, but Pixlr, Picnik, Fotoflexer, Snipshot, Photoshop Online, and many others provide more than enough power for almost any digital photographer.

4. You either don’t know how or are too lazy to backup your important data.

I admit that I’m putting a lot of faith in Web 2.0 companies, but I know they will do a better and more regular job of backing up your data than you currently do. These companies have their reputations and big bank rolls on the line to take backing up your data lightly. If your data is truly important to you, learn to back it up. In the interim, your data will be much safer online than it is right now on your unprotected computer with no backup plan at all. If I’ve stirred you a little to think about backing up your current data, read my tips about online backup services that truly do make backing up your data easier and safer than learning to burn DVD’s, setup and configure backup programs and then maintain them.

5. Using cloud computing strategies sets you free from any computer.

Since your data and applications live on the web and are accessed through a web browser, you no longer are tied to any one computer or operating system. As long as you have an Internet connection (high speed only) and a browser, you can work and play from any computer!

I keep urging you to learn about and use these services because they are coming down the pike and becoming more mainstream every day. Microsoft, Apple, Adobe and other stalwarts of the desktop continue to make their own plans to finally come on board and offer more and more cloud computing options.

What do you think? Leave me a comment below to tell me about your cloud computing experiences and questions.

Photo by ewen and donabel

Riding Shotgun with Rick / Videocasts — 6 Comments
30
Nov 08

Rick’s Answers his email Videocast – 022

Questions about converting to Firefox, malfunctioning keyboards, Wordpress consulting, Norton 360 problems, video editing, the Magic Jack phone, and more are brought to you by Dixie, Kitty, Jill, Anne, Diane, Elaine, Amber, Norma, Rich and Mike! Have a look!!

Hardware Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 18 Comments
14
Nov 08

Netbooks are NOT made for Windows XP or Vista

EeePC One year ago, ASUS started a fire storm of new computers that now go by the name of netbooks with the release of their EeePC. I wrote about this subject just a few months ago, but with the holidays approaching and netbooks are high on gift giver’s radar screens so I want to explore netbooks a little more in depth.

Netbooks make attractive gift giving ideas for a few reasons:

They are inexpensive; usually cost less than $400.
They are extremely portable (2-3 pounds).
They are cute.

Here are some facts you need to know about netbooks:

Netbooks run on an Intel Atom processor that has roughly half the power of a typical laptop Intel or AMD processor.
Netbooks utilize a very basic graphics system.
Maximum RAM is 1 GB (very few exceptions)
Hard drives are usually solid state flash memory ranging from 4-16GB. More expensive models have small hard drives with up 160 GB of space)
Screens are no larger than 10″
Keyboards are 80-90% of a typical laptop keyboard.
They do not have CD or DVD ROMs.
Prices range from $300-700
Most have built-in web cams
All have wi-fi capability and Ethernet as well
Some models run a Linux operating system, some Windows XP, and a few attempt to run Vista.

Netbooks are in no way meant to replace a desktop computer or even a laptop. Instead, netbooks are designed to be used as a second or third computer for traveling, Internet or email access in another room of your home, light word processing or document creating/editing, making Internet phone and video calls, instant messaging, and even listening to music.

Because netbooks run on tiny batteries and less powerful processors, trying to run a large operating system like Windows XP and especially Vista is completely impractical. Windows XP with all its updates and service packs and security software requires a strong processor and a minimum of 512mb of RAM or 1 GB of RAM on a slightly older processor. Also, Windows XP, and especially Vista) require above average graphics processing to function with any oomph. Vista barely crawls on dual core processor with 1 GB of RAM and is completely useless on a netbook.

Linux, on the other hand, can be completely customized for a less powerful computer like a netbook and doesn’t need to be burdened by excessive updates and security software. This makes Linux a perfect fit for the netbook Plus, Linux laptops come pre-installed with complete office compatibility, games, multimedia software and more…all things you need to spend extra for with a Windows install plus you need to have an external CDROM to install all of these things on a netbook since it has no CDROM.

If you are in the market for a netbook for yourself or to give as gift this Christmas, by all means go for it. I love my little Asus EeePC and think they make the best travel companions and work great for getting a small amount of work or email done while watching TV or sitting outside. But know up front their purpose and don’t expect more from them. Here are my recommendations when shopping for a netbook:

Do NOT spend more than $400.
Get one with a Linux operating system, NOT WINDOWS.
Make sure it has a built-in web cam. You will like having the ability to make video calls while on the road.
Purchase a 4-16GB extra SD Card for storage, but realize that it isn’t meant to be storage machine.

If all this still makes your head swim a little, here are my top 5 netbook suggestions (in no particular order):

Again, keep in mind that netbooks are not meant to be a replacement for a desktop or a full-time laptop, but an adjunct to them for traveling and quick access to a computer. If you already own a netbook, leave a comment below sharing how you use yours and what your experience has been with it.