Mousin' Around

Computer tips and tricks for beginning and intermediate computer users -- especially senior citizens! Learn new things that you can teach your kids and grandkids -- they really don't know it all!

Monday, February 27, 2006

What is a firewall?

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Greetings!
What is a firewall?
How safe is your computer?

Have you ever wondered what the computer term "firewall" means? I went to Google for a definition I could understand:
"A firewall is an extra layer of security built into computers which restricts access from the outside world. Firewalls protect against hackers and malicious intruders."

Windows XP comes with a firewall as do many anti- virus programs. To see if your firewall in Windows XP is turned on follow these steps:

  1. LEFT click the Start button in the lower left corner of your screen.
  2. LEFT click Control Panel.
  3. DOUBLE LEFT click Windows Firewall. (LEFT click Security Center if you don't see Windows Firewall on your screen. Then LEFT click Windows Firewall.)
  4. If the button beside "ON" is not checked, LEFT click the button to turn it on.
  5. LEFT click OK.
  6. Close control panel.

If your virus protection program also provides a Windows firewall you may get a message telling you that you don't need both and recommending that you turn off the Windows Firewall. Just follow the steps above to do so.

Do you have friends or family who would find this tip helpful? Please click on the link below, Forward email to a friend!, and send it to them. They're also welcome to sign up for my monthly newsletter as well as the Tip of the Week. Thanks for sharing.

Barb Walker
Taming Your Computer Inc.

phone: 303 752-2152

Forward email to a friend!

This email was sent to mycomputerlady.tips@blogger.com, by mycomputerlady@aol.com
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Taming Your Computer Inc. | 12768 E. Harvard Circle | Aurora | CO | 80014

Monday, February 20, 2006

Place an Icon on your Desktop

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Greetings!
Place an icon on your desktop
Save time starting programs

Would you like a quick and easy way to start the programs on your computer? You can do that by placing icons on your desktop (screen) for programs you use most often. It may sound intimidating, but it's really very easy. The instructions (complete with diagrams) are on page 16 of my book, Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics. (Click here to order.)

Let's get started. First, LEFT click the Start button in the bottom left corner of your screen. LEFT click All Programs. LEFT click the program you want to add to your desktop. Sometimes when you click the name of a program another menu will open. That menu may have the name of the program you want to start. When you reach the last menu, RIGHT click the program you want an icon for. Another menu will appear. LEFT click Send To. One more menu will appear. LEFT click Desktop (create shortcut). Close all open menus by pressing the ESC key in the top left corner of your keyboard. Take a look at your desktop. You should see a new icon. Congratulations! Enjoy using this new shortcut.

If you belong to a book club or know someone who teaches computer classes, quantity discounts are available on the order form on my website. Click here to go to the form.

Do you have friends or family who would find this tip helpful? Please click on the link below, Forward email to a friend!, and send it to them. They're also welcome to sign up for my monthly newsletter as well as the Tip of the Week. Thanks for sharing.

Barb Walker
Taming Your Computer Inc.

phone: 303 752-2152

Forward email to a friend!

This email was sent to mycomputerlady.tips@blogger.com, by mycomputerlady@aol.com
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Taming Your Computer Inc. | 12768 E. Harvard Circle | Aurora | CO | 80014

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Turn off telemarketers

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Turn off telemarketers
Hang up on those time-wasters!

Greetings!

Happy Valentines Day! I hope your Someone Special is close enough to help you celebrate.

If you are still receiving unwanted calls from telemarketers, I would guess that you have not signed up for the National Do Not Call list. You can register all of your phone numbers, including your cell phone. Don't wait another minute. Do it now! Click here to go to the National Do Not Call Registry. LEFT click the Register Now button. You may enter up to three phone numbers. You are also asked to enter your e-mail address and then enter it a second time to confirm it. After you submit the request you will receive an e- mail from the registry asking you to confirm your request by e-mail. When you have entered this information, LEFT click Submit. A new window will open showing the phone numbers and e- mail address you have entered. If you need to correct anything, LEFT click Change. If all of the information is correct, LEFT click Register. The last window will open telling you that you will receive an e-mail with a link you must click to complete the registration process. You must reply to this e-mail within 72 hours or the registration will not be successful.

Barb photo

 
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Sincerely,

Barb Walker
Taming Your Computer Inc.

voice: 303 752-2152
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Forward email to a friend!

This email was sent to mycomputerlady.tips@blogger.com, by mycomputerlady@aol.com
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Taming Your Computer Inc. | 12768 E. Harvard Circle | Aurora | CO | 80014

Monday, February 06, 2006

Changing Text Color

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Greetings!
Changing Text Color
Make it colorful!

If you use Microsoft Word or Works, you can change the color of the text in your document. Just promise me one thing: You won't make your document look like a rainbow! Sometimes when novice computer users learn to change the text color, they feel compelled to use different colors throughout their document. It's confusing for the reader and a waste of your color printer cartridge. Use color to emphasize important parts of your document only.

For those of you who aren't sure what a font is, the font in the paragraph above is called Verdana. The font in this paragraph is called Times New Roman. It's simply the appearance of the type in your document.

To change the color of your text (font), first highlight the text you want to change. To highlight the text, LEFT click at the beginning of the text, hold down the left mouse button and drag across all the text you want to change. When all the text is highlighted, release the left mouse button. Now LEFT click Format on the Menu Bar at the top of your screen. LEFT click Font. The Font dialog box will open. Look for a box labeled Font color about halfway down this dialog box. LEFT click the dropdown arrow beside this box and you will see a selection of colors. LEFT click the color you'd like to use. LEFT click OK. You've done it!

Do you have friends or family who would find this tip helpful? Please click on the link below, Forward email to a friend!, and send it to them. They're also welcome to sign up for my monthly newsletter as well as the Tip of the Week. Thanks for sharing.

Barb Walker
Taming Your Computer Inc.

phone: 303 752-2152

Forward email to a friend!

This email was sent to mycomputerlady.tips@blogger.com, by mycomputerlady@aol.com
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Taming Your Computer Inc. | 12768 E. Harvard Circle | Aurora | CO | 80014

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Mouse Bytes from Barb Walker

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Mouse Bytes
Computer Tips to save you time!

Greetings!

Happy Valentines! I LOVE my readers and enjoy hearing from you. Some of you have sent me wonderful ideas and suggestions for articles in this newsletter. Let me know what you'd like me to write about. It's always a learning experience for me - - I learn as much as you do!

My Christmas gift to you was free shipping on all book orders. I've decided to offer free shipping again in February for all combination orders of both books. Click here to go to the website to order online (and save an extra $2) or print a mailable order form to send with your check or money order. Or, a third alternative, call me at 303 752-2152 to order on the phone with your credit card. Remember - - both of these books will soon be going out of print and will be replaced by a single book. If you have one but not the other, order now before they're gone!

Here's a recent testimonial about my books: I just want to tell you that my husband and I have really loved having your manuals. For example, your instructions for defragging and your tip about using quotation marks when searching on Google. The keyboard was a mystery to me and it may take me a while to learn all the shortcuts that are there. Thanks. JR

What does that term mean?

What is a megahertz, a gigabyte, a kilobyte? Do you often hear computer terms you can't define and would like to understand? Try www.webopedia.com. It's an online dictionary and search engine for computer and Internet technology definitions. Simply type in the term you want defined and click Go. Of course, you can find many of these terms defined in the glossary in both of my books. Check it out!


Turn off those credit card offers!

Is your mailbox jammed every week with credit card offers? I no longer receive that junk mail because I learned how to turn it off. You can call 1-888- 567-8688 and reach all three major consumer reporting companies. You speak to a recording (what else is new) and give your name, address, and Social Security number. Don't worry, it's safe. It takes about 30-90 days for the request to take effect, but your mail delivery person will thank you.

I also conquered most of the other junk mail that used to fill my mailbox. I wrote to:
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512

and asked to be removed from all direct mail lists. This will also take a couple of months to take effect, but you will eventually be "liberated" from all that waste.


Emergency Preparedness List

With all the disasters in the recent year, I sometimes find myself asking, "If I had to leave home in a hurry, what should I take with me?" My son and daughter- in-law live in the mountains in Evergreen, Colorado, and they were faced with this situation a couple of years ago when a forest fire was approaching. They hadn't waited until the last moment, however. They had planned for this event well in advance and had accumulated all their important papers, family photos and other valuables in storage containers under the basement stairs. They could literally grab-and-go.

Several months ago the AARP Bulletin had an article about such situations. They included a list of items that should be safety stored for emergencies. They broke the list into 3 categories: Grab-and-Go Case (what you keep at home in a safe place), Safe Deposit Box, and Friend, Relative or Adviser. You can see and print the list by clicking here.


Upcoming Internet Genealogy Search Class

For those of you in the Denver area, I will be teaching "Finding Granny on the Web" through Colorado Free University on Saturday, March 18 from 1-4 p.m. This will be a demonstration of several genealogy websites (free and subscription) and how to use them to find your ancestors.

Look for the new CFU catalog to be on the racks around town in early February. The cost of the class is $49 with an $8 materials fee. The materials will consist of forms and information that you will find helpful in your ancestor hunt. Hope you'll join me. Contact CFU to register.


 
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Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Sincerely,

Barb Walker
Taming Your Computer Inc.

voice: 303 752-2152
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This email was sent to mycomputerlady.tips@blogger.com, by mycomputerlady@aol.com
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Taming Your Computer Inc. | 12768 E. Harvard Circle | Aurora | CO | 80014

About Me

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I love teaching senior citizens to use computers. I'm a senior myself, so I'm working with my peers. When I work with you in your home on your computer, I don't sit in front of your computer and TELL you want to do. You sit in front of your computer while I TEACH you what to do. I also write step-by-step instructions for you to follow when I'm not there.