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Issue 5
----- The Newbie Club
INSIDER Issue 5 October 6, 2000
Copyright (C) 2000
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Written by Tom Glander, mailto:tg@newbieclub.com
======================================================
<< MENU >>
1. Tom's Thoughts
2. Jumping Out Windows
3. To Zip or Not to Zip
4. Smorgasbord Tips
5. Jammin' Joe's Jibe
6. Something About Mac Turns Me On
_______________________________________
1. Tom's Thoughts
_______________________________________
Hi {firstname}!
I didn't get serious about the computer robot until "late"
in life, well into my latter 20's. Now, compared with my
nephew who came into this world with one hand on a mouse,
and the other clutching a keyboard, I'm truly ancient!
All the same, it's never too late to start, right? So I'm
here trying to figure out how best to share what's in my
head... with you!
And make it easy to read.
So glance across this page, get up to speed with our
Geek-speak Busters by taking it slow. One day at a time
is best.
And soon enough, when you find funny words like
defrag, cluster and zip slipping out of your mouth, instead
of picking your jaw up off the table, you'll just think,
"I've been affected by Techie Tom after all, but in the
nicest Newbie-speak way."
Hoping your PC won't crash and your monitor doesn't burn,
I remain quite confident in technology.
Truly,
Tom
***************************************
Geek-speak Buster
Download: Process of transferring files from the Internet to your
PC
***************************************
~~~~~~~~~~
Read another rave review of Windows for Newbies, and how a
woman who has it all fell in love with her PC all over again.
Click--> http://newbieclub.com/cbreview/
~~~~~~~~~~
_______________________________________
2. Jumping Out Windows 'cause Your Didn't Back Up
_______________________________________
She wrote, "I wanted to jump out the third story window
after the crash. I lost everything--the book I'd been
working on for three months, all my recipes, photographs,
the works. And all because I was too lazy to back up my
computer."
Don't let it happen to you. Yea, sure. It won't happen
to me, so why bother writing about it?
In case you're not the foolhardy type who enjoys living
on the ragged edge, here's a couple of suggestions you
may want to seriously consider.
Back up your data!
Ok, one suggestion. But it's really important!
Now, don't go crazy and back up everything on your hard
drive. You only need to make copies of the stuff you don't
already have copies of--like the book you're working on,
your recipe list, photos taken with the digital camera,
that kind of stuff.
What are your options? There are two types of storage
devices: magnetic and optical. Both work well, and you
should use one of them. "Whoa there, please clarify!
OK, magnetic is anything that's not a Compact Disc.
You know, stuff like floppy disks, your hard drive,
Zip disks, etc. They're all afraid of magnets, and they're
not CDs.
Whether you decide to save your stuff on a Zip disk,
floppy disk, or CD, the most important thing is that you
actually DO IT. 'Cause when you PC dies and your stuff
goes with it, you'll be looking out the window, eyeing the
sidewalk below and wondering if it's really as far away as
it looks.
***************************************
Geek-speak Buster
Icon: A picture or symbol used
to identify a command or a file.
***************************************
_________________________________________________
3. To Zip or Not to Zip
_________________________________________________
Whether it be nobler in the mind to suffer the slings
and arrows of outrageous Techies, or..... to sleep,
perchance to dream. William Shakespeare wrote that while
waiting for a file to download.
Now then, back to reality.
If you download stuff, sooner or later you'll come
across something you have to unzip. So what do you do
with it then? Avert your gaze?
Nah, just use WinZip or some other unzipping gizmo that
takes a compressed ball of files and explodes it into
folders all over your hard drive. Organized neatly, of
course.
And unlike William, who never experienced the outrageous
fortune of a fast cable modem, you'll savor the sweet
reverie known to the wired generation.
If you don't get the whole unzipping biz, then tune in to
the video tutorials at The Newbie Club. Hey, they move!
Go now: http://newbieclub.com/tutorials/ and navigate to
the end of the page. That's where the gold is!
***************************************
Geek-speak Buster
Memory (RAM): Random Access Memory is a computer memory storage
area measured in megabytes (MB).
***************************************
_________________________________________________
4. Tutorial: Smorgasbord Style
_________________________________________________
You know the Windows clipboard you've never ever seen?
(Does it really exist?) It's just an address on one of
the RAM chips in your computer, of course.
A memory location.
All the same, you use it every time you cut or copy info
from one place and paste it to another.
Just remember the clipboard doesn't exist when you turn
off your computer. So be sure you paste whatever it is
you're pasting before shutting down, or you'll lose it!
###
Have you ever put anything on the Start Menu, or wondered
if you could rearrange what's already there? No problem.
Here's quick way to operate on this little fly-up gizmo.
1. Right click the Start button.
2. On the context menu that appears, click "Explore."
A window opens with two panes. On the left is the folder
"tree" view, and on the right is the individual file list
showing everything on your start menu.
Cool huh?
If you want to produce the same view for a folder, just right
click and do the "explore" thing on that. It's amazing.
Or hold down the shift key while double clicking a folder.
Shift. Click click. Wow! A whole new view of what's hiding
inside your PC.
***************************************
Geek-speak Buster
Portal: A website that focuses on a particular subject, and
acts as a gateway to the rest of the Internet.
***************************************
_______________________________________
5. A Word from Joe (What do you mean, who's Joe? Joe
Robson - Tom's technologically challenged partner,
that's who.)
_______________________________________
Hi {firstname}. How's things?
You know, when I was released into the big wide world,
without the comfort blanket of college teachers and parents,
I had two strong weapons in my arsenal of world conquering
business tools....
I was a good speller, and was very quick at mental
arithmetic (math). Hardly a devastating range of
credentials, but at least I never got short-changed in a
bar. And I absolutely wowed the chicks with my crossword
wizardry at the Saturday Night dance!
But some years later, some Techie invented a labor saving
device called a Calculator. And suddenly everyone else was
my equal. But a strange thing happened. I began using my
mental agility less and less, and eventually became
dependent on a tiny piece of silicon and plastic which
tucked neatly into my shirt pocket.
Now I have a panic attack every time I have to convert
40,000 US Dollars into British Pounds using gray matter
alone. Who says Internet marketing is easy!
Then the same thing happened to my crowd-mesmerizing power
to spell the most archaic word in the English language...
Yes I began using a Word Processor, complete with it's own
Spell checker, invented by some fluffy-chinned Techie who
probably couldn't even spell 'Spell checker'. The problem is
that technology tends to make us lazy, because we rely on it
so much. And my dwindling powers petered out completely
until I now rely entirely on a robot to correct my emails
and other scribblings.
Yet, despite having these robots at our disposal, I'm
amazed at the number of emails I receive containing glaring
spelling mistakes. It looks soooo unprofessional. And
totally unnecessary!
So here's how to ensure that all your emails go out without
spelling mistakes .
This works in Outlook Express. If you use another email
robot, I'm sure it offers the same facility. But don't write
and ask me - I'm a scribbler - not a Techie. Ask at the
Club Forum: http://www.newbieclub.com/forum/
Bring up Outlook Express and click on 'Tools' in the top
toolbar. ( NOT while you're reading this - it won't work.)
Then click on 'Options'.
Then click on the 'Spelling' tab.
You'll see a box with the command 'Always check spelling
before sending'.
Click in this box so that a 'tick' appears, then click 'OK'.
Now every time you click to send an email, it will not go
out until either the Robot checks your spelling first, or
you over-ride the arrogant so-and-so.
I HATE to say it, but technology is wonderful sometimes, and
I can guarantee that from now on your emails will be free
from spelling mistakes.
It werks evry singal tyme for me. So it shud werk for yoo.
See you next week {First name} and whatever happens ....
Keep smilin'.
Joe
PS. In case you accuse me of being a Techie in disguise by
working all this out by myself, I'll come clean. I've read
Tom's terrific picture-driven email Tutorials in his
'Windows For Newbies' ebook. For the first time ever, I
actually ENJOY learning about technology! Read the
tremendous Independent Reviews of this amazing Learning
Machine right here .. http://www.newbieclub.com/reviews
***************************************
Geek-speak Buster
Processor: The brain of the computer. The computer chip that that
does all
the number crunching that makes your
PC live.
***************************************
_______________________________________
6. Something About Mac Turns Me On
_______________________________________
Muchas Gracias for taking 10 seconds to share your brain
last time. I really appreciate the roses... they look good
on the monitor, and serve to liven it's dull putty color.
Thinking of a dull gray or putty colored 'puter, I have to
bless the creators of the iMac--those candy colored jewels
revered by Apple lovers and teenage girls everywhere.
They may not be the most popular, but the colors are cool,
and sure do brighten up a stroll down computer alley.
iMac.
The "i" must mean something, and the Mac is short for
Macintosh. The computer company with the coolest looking
equipment doesn't necessarily win the most market share,
but its sure won the design awards.
I don't recommend an iMac purchase. Why? 'Cause if the
monitor goes out, you can't replace it alone. Instead, due
to its all-in-one nature of construction, you have to
replace the entire computer.
Oh well. Mac is still gorgeous.
Wanna know why they call it "Windows" anyway? Check out
the volume at http://newbieclub.com/windows/ for free. Just like being
at the library!
*****************************
Geek-speak Buster
ISP-Internet Service Provider: A
company that provides Internet access.
*****************************
Now there's another issue. And of course I want you to
write back, 'cause I want to know what you think. You can
send a one liner if you like. But if the volume of mail
exceeds my soft drive capacity (the one between my ears)
a reply will surely be delayed. But will be delivered!
Keep on learning. It's the only way to live.
Warmly,
Tom
_______________________________________
Administration
_______________________________________
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you know. Don't spam anyone with it!
==========================================
The TNC INSIDER is a production of The Newbie Club(TM)
and is owned by Roglan International, whose partners are
Tom Glander and Joe Robson. The INSIDER is not to be
distributed in any way, shape or form without prior
authorization.
==========================================
(C) 2000 The Newbie Club
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