WSCC Latest News: February 2018

Sunday, February 25, 2018

CCN 860

CLUB CORROBOREE NET

Webpage: www.wscclub.net

At Wangi RSL

Editor: Annette Stuckey westlake@bigpond.net.au No. 860

25 February 2018

Hi Silver Surfers,

Thank you for all the well wishes I received after last Fridays Information Day. Sorry I could not be there but all going well I should be well and truly back on deck for the 9^th March

CLUB NEWS

Photography Interest Group

Our next meeting will be on Friday 2^nd March at 10.30 am. The subject for your photos is "Close-up/ Macro". I hope to get some large prints of macro subjects taken by an old friend to show you. The subject for April will be "Churches" {this would include any place of worship).

I have been thinking about the suggested Club Annual Photo Competition. The Morisset Show photography competition has five classes. If we do the same, you will have photos to enter into next year's Morisset Show. We will discuss it at Friday's meeting. Of course the club competition will be open to all financial members of WSCC.

Happy snapping, Alan Hadley

DO DROP IN DAY

(Wangi RSL)

RETURNING SOON

"One on One" 1 hour Session 1pm –2pm - 3pm

Help available with anything- Computer –Tablet – Phone

You can bring your own equipment if you wish

Internet available

Phone:4975 3360 : Email: westlake@bigpond.net.au

to make a booking

$5.00 per session

Keyboard Bumps

I would like you all to do something for me, look down at your keyboard and locate the letters of F and J. Do you notice anything a little different about those two keys? Well, depending on the colour of your keyboard, it may be a little hard to see, but those two letters happen to have a little "bump" on them. It's just a little line that goes across the key that sticks up a little like a bump.

The two bumps are there to help you position your hands on the keyboard in the correct places without having to look down. All you have to do is feel around for those two bumps and your right and left hands will be in the right spots. I'm sure you already know this, but the correct way is to place your left index finger on the F key and your right index finger on the J key. You then just line up the rest of your fingers on the other keys to begin typing.

So, the little bumps are there just to make sure your hands are in the correct position for the ultimate typing experience! And if you think about it, they can help you to start typing without looking down as well. Just feel around for the right spots and before you know it, you won't have to look at your keyboard at all when you type.

All it takes is a little practice and the bumps are there to help you right along. Try it out today!

For those who may have learnt Typing at school all those years ago:

Left hand asdf – right hand ;lkj Memories !!!!!!!!!

Check out the Numeric keyboard you will find that has a bump on the middle key "5" for the same reason

COMPUTER PARTS

CPU: The CPU is the computer's control centre. Think of it as the brain that does all the thinking (computation), thus it is called the Central Processing Unit. The actual CPU is about 1.5 inches square, yet it is the most critical part of the computer. Having a fast CPU (measured in Megahertz) greatly aids in the overall speed of your computer.

Hard Drive: The hard drive stores the entire computer's information and retains the information when the computer is turned off. A fast hard drive is needed to supply the CPU with data as fast as it needs it. Hard drive sizes are typically measured in Gigabytes. The larger the number, the more applications and games you can have installed. A hard drive can be IDE or SCSI. (And more recently SATA)

RAM (Memory): This is the component that holds recently accessed data for the CPU to have quick access to. It is much faster than reading from a hard drive, so having a lot of RAM makes it quick to retrieve recently accessed files, applications, and other data. All programs must be run through RAM before they can be used. RAM stands for Random Access Memory and is typically measured in megabytes.

In short:

To increase the capacity of your hard drive means you need to purchase a larger one.

To increase memory of your computer you will need to purchase additional sticks of compatible RAM.

Make Word's Page Setup Changes "Permanent"

Okay, so maybe permanent isn't the best word to describe this, but would you settle for a default setting?

Do you find you're constantly making changes to the Page Setup information in MS Word?

Are those changes the same each time?

Maybe you don't agree with the default margins or perhaps you're always making adjustments to the header/footer settings.

Whatever changes you frequently make, I bet you'd really like it if Word would just cooperate and keep those changes. I mean, wouldn't it be nice if you could cut out the repetitious work of making the same changes every time you start a new document?

Yes, I agree!

The key to making that wish come true has been right in front of you the whole time.

In Word 10 you can access the Page Setup dialogue window via the Page Layout ribbon. Click on the down arrow in the bottom right hand corner of the Page Setup section and you'll instantly be in familiar territory

Do you see it?

Yep, there it is. There's a Default button on the Page Setup dialogue window.

So, go ahead and make your changes, click on the Default button and voila! The changes will affect the active document and any new documents you create with the same template.

With this little trick, you can cross one more thing off your "to do" list when you begin working on a new document. Yes!

The following tips are from Cyn's Tech Tips and are used by permission

Windows 7: edit desktop photo slideshow

Using your own photos for a desktop slideshow is a great way to make your desktop unique and personal. Let's look at how to set up a slideshow and how to edit it.
First, right-click on a blank spot on the desktop and choose Personalize.

When the Personalization window opens, click Desktop background in the lower-left corner.

To use your own photos, click the drop-down arrow next to Picture location and choose Pictures library.

By default all of the pictures in your library will be selected. Note that the box next to each image is ticked.

If you want to use most of the images in your pictures library, you could scroll down and untick them one by one. Or, you can just click on Clear all at the right.

Then go through and tick the boxes next to the images you want to use. You might consider creating a folder just for the images you'd like to use for backgrounds. Just hover over the image to get the option to tick the box. Make sure to click Save changes.

The two questions you must ask when something stops working

I had a frustrating experience in troubleshooting yesterday that I thought I'd share with you. Tech expert, heal thyself. I was happily working away, writing an article about password retrieval when my mouse stopped working. It's wireless, so I thought that perhaps the batteries were the problem. Changed the batteries, but that didn't make a bit of difference.

Then I noticed the keyboard wasn't working either. But the computer wasn't frozen. Video was still playing on a website. So, it was time to duck under the desk. The receiver for the mouse and keyboard had slipped behind the desk. I put it back in place, but still no luck. Then it was back under the desk to trace the cord for the receiver. BINGO! When the receiver fell, it had slowly started to pull the cord out of the USB port in the back of the PC tower. Either my leg or one of the cats had given that final pull and taken it clean out of the plug. I plugged it back in. Still, no go. I did a hard reboot of the PC (Turned it off and on with the button instead of properly powering down). When it came back up, all was well.

That leads me to the two most important questions you can ask yourself when you troubleshoot anything:

Is it plugged in? Is It Turned On?

Many years ago, a wise engineer gave me the best tech-support advice I've ever received. He said that if something isn't working, always ask yourself two things: "Is it plugged in? Is it turned on?"

This sounds ridiculously simple, but in the course of a career spent surrounded by computers and other highly technical and infuriating equipment, I've found it to be the most useful piece of advice I've ever received.

First of all, is it plugged in? Check to make sure the plug is actually securely plugged into the wall or power strip. A few days ago I was staring at my electric kettle wondering why it refused to boil and realized that I had plugged in my coffee grinder instead. If you are plugged in, make sure the power strip or outlet is turned on. If it's turned on, double-check to make sure it is functioning.

Outlets break just like anything else. If your device uses batteries, make sure they are properly placed and working. Even if you've replaced them recently, try a fresh set and see if that makes a difference.

Power cords aren't the only things that come unplugged. If your device has cables of any kind, make sure everything is securely in place. Sometimes cables to a monitor, modem or headphones can work loose.

Is it turned on? Don't take this as an insult. I've seen an engineer with a master's degree struggling to figure out why something wouldn't work for half an hour before realizing he'd neglected to flip the on-switch for a server. On/off switches are not always clearly marked or conveniently placed and it can sometimes be difficult to tell if something is powered on or off.

Hopefully, these two simple questions can save you a lot of trouble when dealing with electronic devices.

(I would like a cent for every time this has happened to me. ~ Annette)

Well folks that's it for another week.

Until next time this is your Secretary signing off

Annette

Australian Seniors Computer Club Assoc :

http://www.ascca.org.au/

"ASCCA is the national peak body for seniors and technology".

In This Issue

· Club news

· Keyboard Bumps

· Computer parts

· Make Words page setup permanent

· W7 –Edit desk top photo slide show

· Two questions you must ask if something is not working.

DIGITAL

PHOTOGRAPHY

INTEREST GROUP

1st Friday

of the month

10.30 am-12.30 pm

Wangi R.S.L

For further information contact coordinator:

Alan Hadley

alanhadley@bigpond.com

Lake Macquarie Public Library

"What's on"

In your area.

Click link below:

LIBRARY

CLUB

BUDDIES

Wangi Wangi

Arcadia Vale

Annette Stuckey 4975 3360

Rathmines & Toronto

Eric Maronese 4975 1725

All other areas ring either buddy

Justice of Peace

Available to club members

WANGI WANGI

Annette Stuckey

4975 3360

CORRANBONG

George Drinkall

02 4977 2950

Most of the Justice of Peace are usually available on most Information Days.

USEFUL INTERNET SITES

Family History

http://library.lakemac.com.au/family-history

www.coraweb.com.au

www.ww2roll.gov.au

Australian Cemetery Index

http://austcemindex.com/

Lake Macquarie Family History Group

http://www.lmfhg.org.au/

Newcastle Family History Society

http://www.nfhs.org.au/

Wyong Family History Group Inc

http://www.wyongfamilyhistory.com.au/

Fun things

Jigsaws

http://www.jigzone.com

Sudoku

http://www.websudoku.com/

Seniors Site (Puzzles etc)

www.yourlifechoices.com.au

Hobbies

http://www.about.com/hobbies/

Photography Ideas

www.carlwarner.com

Lake Macquarie Council

http://www.lakemac.com.au/

Fight the Scammers

www.scamwatch.gov.au

The Streets of Sydney

www.walksydneystreets.net

Australian Public Toilets

www.toiletmap.gov.au

National Continence

www.bladderbowel.gov.au

Australian Weather

www.weather.com.au

Yellow pages.

www.yellowpages.com.au

White pages

www.whitepages.com.au

Get Directions

www.whereis.com

DISCLAIMER :The Corroboree Is Issued "As Is" Without Guarantee Of Any Kind. Any Use By The Reader Of The Tips, Suggestions, Or Advice Is At Your Own Risk.

If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please send a blank email with 'Unsubscribe' in the ' Subject' window to : Annette

Sunday, February 18, 2018

CCN 859

CLUB CORROBOREE NET

Webpage: www.wscclub.net

At Wangi RSL

Editor: Annette Stuckey westlake@bigpond.net.au No.859

18 February 2018

Hi Silver Surfers,

I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful phone calls, cards and emails I received following my recent little mishap.

From the bottom of my heart

CLUB NEWS

Information Day 23 rd Feb 2018 – 1-3 pm

Guest speaker: Vince Dale

Vince is going to give a talk on YouTube Tips and Tricks.

Photography Interest Group

Best wishes to Annette for a speedy recovery from her fall after the last information day.

Our next meeting will be on Friday 2^nd March at 10.30am. The subject for our photos will be "Close-up or Macro". Our best wishes for a quick recovery go to Ron and Ivan.

I have been advised that ASCCA will not run a photography competition this year, and it was suggested that the club runs its own competition. As soon as I have sorted something out, details will be included in Corroboree.

Good snapping,

~Alan Hadley

TURN FEATURES On (games) in WINDOWS 7

Open Control Panel in Classic Mode and click Programs

The following Window appears – click on Turn Features on or off

The following window appears. Be patient while the computer finds the features. Games are close to the top. Click on the plus sign to expand the view.

5. Put a tick in all the games or the ones you want.

Another window will appear and the computer will search for the games and their Feature will be on. It could take awhile.

You can then go to Start/Programs and find the Games folder and everything is there. (Mah-jong Titans is good)

In Windows 10 you need to go to the games app.!!!!!!!!!

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF POP, SMTP and IMAP

POP3 – Post Office Protocol 3. This kind of server stores your incoming messages on the server until you use an e-mail client like Windows Mail, Outlook or Thunderbird to download them to your computer. Generally those messages are then deleted from the server. You can then only access those message on the computer where you've downloaded them.

IMAP – Internet Message Access Protocol. This type of server lets you access your e-mail without downloading it to a computer. You can read, edit or delete the messages right on the server. The messages will remain on the server until you choose to delete them. You can access your e-mail from other computers or mobile devices. More and more people are moving to IMAP for the convenience of being able to access their e-mail at any time from any device.

STMP – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. This server is only for outgoing e-mail. You can use it with a POP3 or IMAP sever. So if you see an error referring to STMP – it's talking about outgoing e-mail.

The following tips are from Cyn's Tech Tips and are used by permission

Belarc Advisor

The free version of Belarc Advisor works on most current versions of Windows, but only the paid version works for Linux and Mac.

The program builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, network inventory, any missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status, security benchmarks, and displays the results in your Web browser. Your data is not uploaded to the cloud. As you can see from the screenshot below, the interface is very simple.

It doesn't offer any information that you couldn't get just by checking your system yourself, but it does present the information all together in one place. Now, if you are not a particularly tech-minded person who prefers to keep things really simple, you might find all of this information to be a little more than you care to absorb. But if you enjoy keeping track of the details or want to learn more about what all the details offered in this profile mean, you'll probably enjoy this service as much as James does. Thanks, James!

You can click here to get your free copy

Just click the Download button. I'm pleased to tell you this site is not littered with links you must avoid clicking on.

Choose to save the program and run later or run it now. You'll need to grant permission for it to install and follow the instructions of the installation wizard.

You'll need to grant permission for the program to check to see if security definitions are current. It takes a few minutes for the program to create a profile. The profile will then appear in a browser window. The first thing you'll notice at the top is the virus and security update section. I can click on the category for more detailed information about installed or missing updates.

Scroll down and you'll find incredibly detailed information about every aspect of your system. One that I found interesting was a listing of every USB storage device that's been used on my PC in the last 30 days. It's some pretty interesting information. Though you may have to do a bit of research to figure out what all of it means.

The surprising top operating system

Windows 10 has finally surpassed Windows 7 (but just barely) as the most popular operating system according to data from StatCounter. Windows 10 is found on around 43 percent of desktop and laptop computers while Windows 7 is the operating system on just shy of 42 percent.

With the end of security and bug support for Windows 7 only 2 years away, expect that Windows 7 share to keep dropping. Alarmingly, Windows XP still has an almost 4% share of the market, despite having no support since 2014.

Mac OS is found on just under 6% of laptops and desktops worldwide.

You'd think that since Windows is the operating system for more than 80% of computers, it's the most popular OS in the world. However, when you factor in mobile devices, Windows is no longer king of the hill. A full 40% of people accessing the Internet are using the Android operating system, while 37% are using Windows. This number demonstrates just how popular mobile devices have become. The operating system for iPhones and iPads, iOS is in third place, found on around 13% of devices accessing the Internet. Linux is found on just less than 1%.

The following tips is from Cloudeight Info and is used by permission

Windows 10 Start Menu – From A to Z

This tip works with Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703), Fall Creators Update (version 1709) and newer.

Open your start menu and you'll probably see your list of programs beginning with programs whose names start with the letter "A" (or a number). Let's say you want open Windows Accessories from your start menu. How are you going to get there? Are you going to scroll down to the W's? Nah… here's a quicker way:

Click the start button and open your start menu. Click the letter "A". Go ahead – click it.

You'll see an alphabetical menu appear. If you want to go directly to the W's on your start menu, click on W.

As soon as you click a letter, the start menu automatically advances to that section of the start menu. In this example, I wanted to go to Windows Accessories, so I clicked "W". And voila! There I am in the W section of my start menu. No scrolling… no kidding.

You can go from A to Z without scrolling through your start menu. Heck, you can even go from # to Z!