Computer
Info –
No Meeting This Week
Special Notice
Are
you getting tired of reading this message about the library replacing the
carpeting – well, guess what – here’s another message. The library has canceled the use of the
auditorium until June 12th.
Scanners
Scanner resolution is usually
represented as two figures – such as 600 x 1200 dpi or 1200 x 2400 dpi. The lower of the two figures represents the
scanner’s optical resolution and the higher number simply refers to the
distance (or steps) the scanner’s carriage takes between the rows of dots being measured.
When
comparing scanner specs, don’t confuse optical resolution with “interpolated”
or “enhanced” resolution, which is a computerized technique. Always look for optical resolution.
Color
depth (bit depth) refers to a scanner’s ability to make subtle distinctions
between color and tone. This
specification is measured by how many bits of data a scanner uses to describe
each pixel in a scanned image, with common values ranging from 24 to 48
bits. The higher a scanner’s
color depth, the greater its accuracy in making distinctions between two subtly
different colors. 24 would represent 8
bits per each channel (red, green, blue) while 48 would represent 16 bits per
each channel.
Easy Cd Creator 5 Platinum
This
program has a new interface which makes it easier to access and use its
options. From the Project Selector
window, you choose a specific project. Music CD – Data CD – photo and video CD – CD Copier.
Under
Music CD – choose SoundStream
(which captures and edits audio from an analog source such as a cassette tape)
– or Audio CDs --
or MP3 CD.
Under
Data CD – choose DirectCD
to format a disc so you can record files by dragging and dropping them to your
CD-RW drive – or Data files to a CD-R – or Take-Two to back up
your hard drive.
Under
Photo and Video CD – choose Photo Album where
you organize your pictures into a slide show on your CD – or Video Postcard
where you save video clips onto a self running CD – or Video Impression
where you can edit your video and then save to a CD – or Video CD where
you put your video clips onto a CD or DVD to be run on a DVD player.
USB 2.0
USB
has become the handiest development in PC peripherals since
point-and-click. Installing a USB
peripheral is as easy as plugging it into an available USB port and you can hot swap (unplug and plug-in without rebooting) devices at will.
Now
comes USB 2.0.
It’s finally here and it is getting vendor support by the armload. They call it Hi-Speed USB.
With a USB 2.0 port and a USB 2.0 devices – you can burn a CD six times faster and
scan photos three times faster than you could using USB 1.0.
Windows XP (Update and Backup)
Among
Windows XP’s friendliest feature is the Windows Update. Click START – ALL PROGRAMS – WINDOWS UPDATE
to check for the latest device drivers for your components. If Microsoft doesn’t have the necessary
drivers, it usually provides a Web page with the most promising links.
Install the Backup Utility
A
standard Windows XP installation doesn’t automatically include the backup
utility AND you can not install it from the ADD WINDOWS COMPONENTS.
To
install it, insert the Windows XP installation disk. When the WELCOME TO MICROSOFT XP screen
appears, click EXIT. Open Windows
Explorer and double-click the CD-ROM drive (usually it is D drive). Click to open the Valueadd folder, the Msft folder, and the Ntbackup folder. Two files
will appear on the right: Ntbackup.msi and Readme.txt.
Ntbackup.msi is the backup utility
file. Double-click it and a progress
bar appears until the utility is installed.
When the Windows Backup Utility Installation dialog box appears, click
Finish.
To
find the newly installed utility, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, and
System Tools; the System Tools menu should now include Backup. You can now select Backup whenever you want
to back up or restore your computer’s settings and files.
Map and Driving Directions
Have
you tried this web site for getting a map or getting detailed driving
directions from one place to another?
It’s called go2.
Click on the tab for MAPS AND DIRECTIONS. The driving directions give you a large map
with your entire route highlighted in green along with a small detailed map of
your starting point and a small detailed map of your ending point and a step by
step list of all of the turns. You can
then ask for Turn by Turn information and you will receive a small map plus
directions for each segment of the trip.