Too many people start using a computer and don’t know how to customize its settings to best suit there needs. The mouse is one of the worst offenders…especially for low vision folks or computer users with other disabilities. This short video tutorial will help anyone get the mouse to work the best way possible for their own individual needs.
We have discussed this topic many times, but I continue to hear from people who forget this simple troubleshooting step. When a problem arises that seems insurmountable or you can't move your mouse or type on your keyboard, shut the computer off at the switch.
There are two ways to shut your computer off when a problem occurs…actually three ways.
Once you shut your computer off this way, let it sit in the off position for a few minutes before turning it on again. If you are using Windows 95/98/Me, don't worry if it barks at you a little for 'not properly shutting down'. With any computer, this isn't the preferred method of shutting off the computer, but in a pinch it usually gets you out of a jam.
Currently, iPhoto only lets you send photos via email from within iPhoto if you use the Apple Mail program. For web based email users like Gmail, HotMail or Yahoo email, follow the easy steps in this tip. Start a new email as normal in your Gmail, HotMail, Yahoo mail, etc. Complete the address, subject, and body of the message as… Read More »How to attach iPhoto images to Gmail & Yahoo Mail – Video Tip
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. Read More »Computer Boot Camp – June 2009
One consistent topic regular visitors to this web site have seen or heard on our show is the all important concept of backing up your data. Backup should be an essential part of every computer user’s routine.
Some programs make backing up easier than others. Take, for example, Microsoft Word. It can be extremely frustrating to have your computer crash or lock up when you are in the middle of a very important word processing document…and you haven’t been saving the file as you type.
In Word, click on Tools and then Options. Click on the Save tab and set Word to automatically save your documents every 5 minutes and create a backup copy. Doing this will save your bacon many times over.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the new Wolfram Alpha search engine and it was news fodder all over the web for nearly 2 weeks. This week, Microsoft’s new Bing search engine is getting a lot of press. At first glance, the Bing search engine looks clean and fresh. Searching is ultra-fast and easy to read. Like Google,… Read More »Bing Search Engine
Gmail remains at the very top of my list of best email services and email interfaces. Not only can you use an existing email address (in most cases), but you can get your email from any computer very quickly. One overlooked option in any email program is the search function. I see too many computer users scrolling through all their… Read More »Using the Search function in Gmail – Video Tip
Throughout my week, I need to remember to define the terms I’m using with regards to technology. Too often, a message or lesson can be lost because I assumed that the learner knew some terminology they didn’t Today, I want to define some basics for you. Learn them and share them with all your computer buddies:
Browser – I tell folks to imagine that a browser is like a television set. Any brand of television (Sony, Panasonic, Magnavox, etc) does the same thing…displays a television program. Like a television set, a browser (no matter the brand) does the same thing…displays web pages. The most common web browsers are Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Opera. They all do Read More »Basic Computer Terminology
Learn To Use the Taskbar Better
When Microsoft released Windows 95 more almost 15 years ago, one of the most talked about features was the taskbar. All these years later, many computer users still don’t know how to take advantage of the taskbar. Read on so that you can learn more about the how to fully utilize this feature of your computer.
First, remember that with any version of Windows you can run more than one program at a time. Yes, you can have your email going, an Internet browser window, word processor and even Free Cell all running simultaneously. The taskbar admirably keeps track of all these programs or ‘tasks’ for you.
The taskbar is the long grey (or blue or black) bar located next to your Start button. Each time you open a new program or window, a new button Read More »Learn To Use the Taskbar Better
Twitter news stories occur almost daily these days. Do you know what Twitter is? Do you use Twitter? Do you understand Twitter?
I didn’t…initially, but now I have grown to really enjoy and benefit from the service. I ran across this short video today from Common Craft which explains Twitter in an easy to understand format. Have a look at the video and thenRead More »Easy to understand explanation of Twitter