Computer Info – September 26, 2001

This Week’s Meeting

        Take a look at creating a web page on Tripod.Com and using an FTP transfer program. We will start the program with our normal question and answer session.

Netscape 6.1

        At last week’s meeting, we looked at many of the features of Netscape 6.1 – so I thought I would list a few of them here.
PREFERENCES
        Preferences is still under EDIT. Here you can make changes to the way that Netscape looks and control how it handles various tasks – like setting your HOME page, to quote or not quote wen replying to a message, etc.
        One of the new settings (or preferences) under the MAIL AND NEWSGROUPS sections is called MAIL START PAGE. It says "When mail launches, show the START PAGE in the message area" I can’t think of any reason that we would want to be viewing a web page when we enter the mail program – so UNCHECK this feature.
PRINT PREVIEW
        There is no PRINT PREVIEW. I don’t understand WHY they removed it from this version, because it was one of the features that we really used a lot in the previous versions.
        Instead they added PRINT PLUS which connects you to a web site for ordering Printer Supplies and getting a Print Service.
TRANSLATE
        They have added TRANSLATE to the menus. This will translate a web page for you using the following languages ENGLISH – FRENCH – GERMAN – RUSSIAN – JAPANESE – ITALIAN – SPANISH – PORTUGUESE – CHINESE.
FORM MANAGER
        This feature can automatically fill in a form on the internet for you so that you do not have to type in the same information over and over. This would be for people who do a lot of shopping online – or signing up for various newsletters, etc.
COOKIE MANAGER
        Here you can view all of your current cookies and delete any you do not wish to keep.
PASSWORD MANAGER
        This lets Netscape remember and automatically fill in your username and password for specific web sites. You can set a master password so that other users of your computer cannot access your saved passwords or use them to access your personal information on a web site.
AOL
        If you are an AOL user, you can access your AOL email accounts from within Netscape Mail. Just type your AOL Screen Name into the Netscape mail account setup wizard and Netscape mail is automatically set up for you to send and receive email from your AOL account.
MISCELLANEOUS
        The logo that comes up when you open Netscape says Netscape 6 – so how do you know if you are running verison 6 or 6.1 Look under HELP – ABOUT. This will tell you the version – this works in almost every program you have.
        To make changes to your BOOKMARKS – you now click on MANAGE BOOKMARKS instead of EDIT BOOKMARKS.
UNINSTALLING AND RETURNING TO A PREVIOUS VERSION OF NETSCAPE
        This is not a easy thing to do – uninstalling Netscape 6.1 is still the same as uninstalling Netscape 4.72. Your data (meaning your bookmarks – address book – email folders – preferences are still left on your computer – BUT it is the installing of Netscape 6.1 that changing your existing information into a new format and location. Remember what we have mentioned before – new versions of programs are usually compatible and can read data from older versions; but older versions cannot read data from newer versions. So the first thing you should do before installing Netscape 6.1 is to backup your information.
        In version 4.72, your information is stored in a folder under PROGRAM FILES – NETSCAPE – USERS. In version 6.1, your information is stored in a folder under WINDOWS – APPLICATION DATA – MOZILLA – PROFILES.

Templates in Outlook Express

        Templates in Outlook Express. I found where they are. First, a review of what templates are for in your email program. When you create a new message – and you wish to send this message out more than once – or you haven’t finished it and you want to save what you have already written – then you save it as a TEMPLATE.
        To do this – first start your new message in the usual manner. It is probably best to not address it at this time. Type the subject line and the message. Then from the FILE menu, choose COPY TO FOLDER. Click on the TEMPLATES folder. Now close the message that you had started.
        To use the TEMPLATE, change to the TEMPLATES folder – double click on the template that you wish to use. This will open up the message and allow you to address it.

WTC Virus

        This is a new virus which disguises itself as a compassionate response to the Trade Center attacks. It carries a message of peace between Muslims and Americans and is quickly waging war on PCs.
        First detected Monday morning, the new virus, dubbed TROJ_VOTE.A (or W32.Vote.A@mm), comes hidden in an email attachment called WTC.exe -- a name that refers to the September 11 terror attacks that brought down the World Trade Center in New York City.
        With a subject line that reads, "FW: Peace between America and Islam," the virus comes disguised as a chain email, which have become popular among Americans still reeling from the attacks. The body of the virus reads: "Hi Is it a war against America or Islam. Lets Vote to live in peace." Because it will send itself to everyone in a victim's Microsoft Outlook address book, the virus is likely to look like a harmless message forwarded by a friend, according to security experts at Trend Micro. "The timely social engineering of this virus leads us to believe that it has a high likelihood of spreading," Trend Micro spokeswoman Eliza Hamlet said. Once the WTC.exe file is launched, the virus will attempt to completely reformat a victim's hard drive, delete antivirus protection software, modify the user's Internet Explorer start page, or reformat the PC's Windows directory, Trend Micro said.