Computer Info – January 8, 2003

 

This Week’s Meeting

               Our daughter, June, from Delaware will be helping with the program this week.  She is going to demonstrate Roller Coaster Tycoon
–        a coloring book on CD that she made for her nieces and nephews – a Powerpoint presentation that she made quickly from some of the photos
–        that she took during a visit to the Brevard Zoo – and a few tricks in Picture-It Publishing.
              

Echolink

               Echolink is a program that can be downloaded from    http://www.echolink.org   by a licensed amateur radio operator.  It allows you to communicate with other hams via

                                              Internet to internet

                                              Internet to radio

                                              Radio to internet

                                              Radio to radio with the help of the internet

So, if you are an amateur radio operator, give this mode of communications a try.  It is becoming very popular.

Roller Coaster Tycoon

               With this program, you test your expertise to manage a theme park of roller coasters.  You must design and construct the roller coasters, and Merry-Go-Rounds and other small rides to your park, determine where the park entrance and exit will be built, put in footpaths, queuing lines (where the people wait to get on the rides).  You must staff the park, hire mechanics and other employees.  Then you must remember that visitors to the park will want food and drink and that produces TRASH.  So now you must decide how to take care of that.  Now the guests with want souvenirs and maps.  Bathrooms will be needed.  How about security?  You have to keep the guests happy otherwise they will leave and not return again. 

               Landscape your park – hire entertainers – purchase land – balance your finances.  It’s all a part of this program.

 

CD Coloring Book

               June created a CD coloring book for the kids.  She scanned many, many, many coloring book pages and downloaded coloring book pictures from the internet.  The pictures were all scanned as black and white documents (no grayscale or color).  She then made folders so that she could categorize the pictures.  Doing it this way, you can print out a picture for the kids to color – and still have the picture left to print and color again another day.

 

PowerPoint Presentation

               Make a slideshow of your pictures and some text to describe the activity – this is another way to show off your pictures.

 

Volume Control on the Taskbar – Windows XP

               If you wish to add the Volume Control icon to your Windows Taskbar for quick and easy access --- click START, CONTROL PANEL, and SOUND AND AUDIO DEVICES.  Double-click the SOUNDS AND AUDIO DEVICES to open it.  On the VOLUME tab, select the PLACE VOLUME ICON IN THE TASKBAR by placing a checkmark in the checkbox and clicking OK.

 

Support for Windows 98

               Have you noticed that Microsoft is going to stop supporting Windows 98 on June 30, 2003.  This includes the Second Edition version also.  They have too many versions on the market to continue to support the older ones.

               They will support Windows ME (Millennium Edition) until December 31, 2004.

 

 

Block Sender List – on 695online.com

               If 695online.com is your internet provider, take a look at your settings for blocking messages that are sent to you.  These settings can be found by going to the 695online home page (  http://www.695online.com  ) and clicking on the button at the top that says    EMAIL    -- now you will have to logon – and then click on   BLOCK SENDER  -- which opens up all the possible settings for filtering your email before it comes to you.  To disable the BLOCK SENDER filtering system, again click on the BLOCK SENDER on the left and choose to deactivate it.

              

Outlook Express Tool Bar

               If you want to customize your toolbar in Outlook Express – or you find that you are missing an icon that you are sure was there before --- then this is how you customize it.

               Right click on the toolbar and choose CUSTOMIZE.  This will allow you to add an icon to the toolbar – or remove an icon from the toolbar.