C C C C N E W S L E T T E R
CENTRAL COAST COMPUTER CLUB
Santa Maria, California
VOLUME XV: NUMBER 3 MARCH, 2000
NEXT MEETING: MAR. 21, '00 7:00PM KNOLLWOOD VILLAGE 4012 S. BRADLEY
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| CONTENTS |
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(1) Officers, Helplines, S.I.G.s
(2) President's Corner Charles Barney
(3) Editor's Comments Jerry Miller
(4) Review: Juno Web Dick Trissel
(5) February Internet S.I.G. Dick Trissel
(6) Web Wonders Mal Plambeck
(7) The Missing .DLL File Dick Trissel
(8) Local Computer Sevices Jerry Miller
(9) When Bad Things Happen Dick Trissel
(10) Using Your Calculator Candy Baker
(11) Tax Time Is Computer Time Kim Komando
(12) Printer Paper Alicia King Padgett
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Officers Helplines
President Juno
Charles Barney 937-1240 Gilbert Smith 925-3743
cbarney@lightspeed.net colgil1@juno.com
Vice President Windows 95
Frank Maciel 922-2318 Amy Malicki 925-5780
frm1@juno.com amymal@juno.com
Secretary Hardware & DOS
Barbara Godwin 934-9885 Ray Isenson 937-6938
yungbag@best1.net risenson@juno.com
Treasurer Voice control & Input/Output
Gerald Miller 934-1396 Amy Malicki 925-5780
gmiller33@excite.com amymal@juno.com
Librarian Desktop Publishing & scanners
Sharon Allen 928-2209 Don Harelson 934-3926
sallen4060@aol.com qef1@juno.com
Publicity Software User Identification
Bob Allington 937-9841 Fred Adams 934-1128
rwa@thegrid.net fred421@juno.com
Newsletter Editor Visual Basic
OPEN Gerald Miller
Gmiller33@excite.com
Program Chairman
Ray Isenson 937-6938
risenson@juno.com
Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
Windows 95/98 Specialties Internet
Amy Malicki Bob Allington Dick Trissel
amymal@juno.com rwa@thegrid.net rtrissel@slonet.org
CCCC Membership is $15 for twelve months. For this you receive:
Monthly newsletter
Access to the clubs software library
Disk of the month (usually for $1)
Helpline support
Monthly presentation
Valuable door prizes
Question and answer sessions
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CCCC Page 2 March 2000
President's Corner:
February's meeting of the 4Cs saw a good turnout with about 80 persons in
attendance. Thanks to all who came out! One of my goals for this year is
to get our monthly attendance up to at least 100. That way, we will have
potentially much more "clout" as a computer club in that vendors would
likely be more interested in demonstrating their products and providing
free materials to the club. We currently have 124 members whose dues are
paid to date. I know things come up and that everyone cannot always
attend, but please try and make it whenever you can. Also, don't forget
that you will receive a two-month extension of your membership for
sponsoring a new sign-up. So tell your friends about our club and
encourage them to come to a meeting and see what we are about.
For those of you who did not attend the February meeting, I announced that
our program chairman and long-time member Ray Isenson had undergone recent
surgery and was doing well at home. Despite his temporary absence from the
club house, Ray has continued to work behind the scenes and is still very
much a part of the club. I know that everyone joins me in wishing Ray a
speedy recovery.
Our own Sharon Allen treated us to one of the best presentations that we
have had. She did an excellent job of clearly demonstrating how to
install and use a number of "disk of the month" titles. First she
installed the file compression program WinZip on her laptop computer and
then used it to unarchive WebFerret, an internet search tool. After
stepping through the installation, Sharon then went online (via a long
phone cord to the club house kitchen) to demonstrate the real power of this
utility. Multiple search engine sites were queried by the program for
information on subjects as diverse as Kesshonds (a breed of dog) to
genealogy. It didn't take long before pertinent links filled the screen,
leading to specific sites for further inquiry. This is obviously a great
way to find information on the net! Finally, two games were demonstrated
(Elf Bowling and FrogPult ) - hilarious programs for those times when a
little relaxing diversion is just the thing. Thanks Sharon for the great
job!
One of the highlights of our meetings, and one that folks tend to stay
around for, is the door prize giveaway. Around the first of the year I had
noticed that the quality of the available prizes had declined drastically.
It was suggested at the January staff meeting of the 4Cs officers that our
equipment fund is in healthy shape and that door prizes could be purchased
out of that reserve. I took it upon myself to acquire 4 software titles
out of the fund for giveaway at the February meeting. Also a vote was
taken among the members in attendance to either approve or reject this
practice. The overwhelming majority were in favor, but a handful of those
opposed voiced some valid arguments against. It was brought up that this
money wasn't easy to come by and concerns were expressed about depleting
the fund. Someone suggested that a better monitor for the club computer was
sorely needed. A vote was then taken on whether or not to purchase a new
17" monitor for the club. The hands were virtually unanimous in favor.
The handsome new monitor has been acquired and will be in use at the March
meeting.
For now, the policy to obtain door prizes will be to first, seek them
through donation (by vendors or anyone else who has something of value to
spare), and secondly, supplement when needed with monies from the equipment
fund. It is my intention to maintain a minimum balance of $500 in this
reserve to be used for the original purpose of purchasing and maintaining
club equipment.
I would like to welcome new members Mary Larsen and Leonard and Mildred
Smith to our group. We hope that you find your experience with the club a
most rewarding one. Please take advantage of the benefits available to
you as members. Some of these include attending a special interest groups
(SIGs), guest presentations, club library of books and software, free
materials table, door prizes and 50-50 drawing, and the camaraderie of
folks just like yourselves who are joined to make computing a pleasant,
rather than daunting task. Also, if you have ideas for the club or have a
particular skill you would like to share, please let me or another officer
know.
Finally, do not let the ides of March idle you! Come out and attend the
next club meeting on the 21st. I'll see you all there. - Charles
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CCCC Page 3 March 2000
Editor's comments (not a plea for another editor):
You may have noted that my name appears in the help line column for Visual
Basic. What, you ask, is Visual Basic? Well, it is a programming language
that allows you to have your computer perform specific tasks at your
command. Almost any task that a computer can do is allowed. Most of the
early computers had some form of basic language either built in or as part
of the software package. As computers became more sophisticated the basic
programs were improved. The best of the classic basics was Quick Basic by
Microsoft. Many of us remember Qbasic as it came with DOS 5.0 and up.
Qbasic was a subset of Quick Basic. The game of Gorilla was written in
Quick Basic. I liked these languages and wrote programs for my own
entertainment. I wrote a random number selector for "lotto", a calculator
to handle large integer numbers (up to 250 digits), a pi generator and a
Bingo card number generator. I am embarrassed to tell you how many digits
I calculated pi to. Today's incarnation of basic is Visual Basic. I had to
have it. Visual Basic is not as easy to learn as the older versions but I
persevered and can now do simple programs in Visual Basic. Actually I have
copied most of my Quick Basic programs into Visual Basic with some success.
I know that we have members that would like to use Visual Basic. I am no
expert but I can get you started on the road to real proficiency. So, if
you have Visual Basic call me and together we can get you started. If you
don't have Visual Basic but are interested call me and I can show you some
of the things it can do.
Think about it. Jerry Miller
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CCCC Page 4 March 2000
Review: Juno Web
by Dick Trissel
Most everyone knows about the original Juno free e-mail. Recently, Juno
has added two more options--Juno Free Web with advertising, and Juno Web
without advertising for $9.95 per month with the first month's 150 hours
free. This review is my experience with the Juno Free Web access with
advertising, from here on just referred to as Juno.
The condition "with advertising" means there will a minimal amount of
advertising mixed in with your e-mail and Web accesses, but a continual
banner about 1 inch by 6 inches that can be placed anywhere on your
display.
Juno can be gotten for installation either by downloading the 5Mbytes
installation file, or by requesting a CD-ROM. I chose to download and then
zipped the file to five floppy disks for further reference, if needed (I
have more than one computer). The CD-ROM can be ordered by calling 1-800-
TRY-JUNO, or, if you have Web access, go to www.juno.com. If you already
have Juno e-mail, you can order an upgrade.
Juno's stated system requirements are: Windows95/98/NT4, 486 cpu or later,
8Mbytes of RAM, 25Mbytes of disk storage, and 9600bps or more modem. My
system was Windows98, Pentium100, 32Mbytes of RAM, and 56kV.90 modem, with
a final installation size around 15Mbytes.
The installation is time consuming with several modem connections to Juno's
"Central Computer". There are pages and pages of personal information
requested. You don't have to answer all of them--just enough for them to
identify you in their accounting. I chose to answer all of them.
One of the things I liked was that during the installation and during any
e-mail transactions the phone line is used only for data transfer. The
reading and writing is done locally off-line (I only have one phone line--
and one wife!). Here in Santa Maria there are three local phone numbers
for Juno--357-0184 (preferred), 925-6950 (no Web), and 930-0184 (Nipomo).
These are selectable at installation or later.
When Juno is run, a dialup window lets you select e-mail or Web and then
the ever present banner is displayed. The options on the banner are: e-
mail, shop, sports, news, money, weather, home, search, help and exit.
You'll find Juno to be much like an on-line service as far as the services
provided.
The Web choice invokes your browser of choice (I used Internet Explorer).
From there on you are on a PPP connection to the Internet. I was even able
to run WebFerret from my computer. You can go to e-mail from your Web
access, but your modem connection will be retained.
Choosing e-mail from your dialup window puts you in your local e-mail
window and here it gets a bit more complicated. From there you can Read,
Write, or Web.
The Read option goes to Juno, gets your messages from the Inbox, Sent
Items, Deleted Items, or custom folders. Of course, you can request any
new mail. You can choose to Reply, Forward, Delete, Print, Move to a
folder, Copy to a folder, or make a new folder.
The Write option (or Reply or Forward) is done off-line with access to your
Addressbook, Spell Checking, Clear, Send, Attach (a file from disk), and
Print. The spell checker even detects double word errors. The Addressbook
includes: New Name, New List, Edit, Delete, Find, Print, Help, Cancel, and
Ok. From the Help option System Monitor, you can view the transaction log
that is in Program Files\Juno\Bin\ in the file client.log. There are past
logs there along with an eventlog.log.
All of the e-mail folders exist on your disk in Program
Files\Juno\User0000\. The "Folders" are files named: folder0000.frm
(Inbox), folder0001.frm (Outbox), folder0002.frm (Deleted Items),
folder0003.frm (Sent Items), folder0004.frm (Draft), folder0005.frm
(Autosave), and so on if you've made any more folders. These folders can
be managed from the e-mail page with the options Export or Import.
Juno has another feature, but I haven't explorer it, and that's a 16Mbyte
individual Web page site using a facility called Homestead.
An independent rating of free Web sites has Juno as 58% excellent, 9%
good, 14% OK, 3% fair, and 16% poor.
OK, so why would anyone want Juno Free Web? Because it's free! I've
installed two other free ISP accounts, and if I had to choose, I'd pick
Juno, ads and all. After all, somebody's got to pay the bill. And I got
to where I just ignored the ads. Oh yeh, I went into my computer and
deleted all the ad files (several megabytes). It made my next access to
Juno slow while it downloaded a bunch of ads, but not as many as I had
originally.
I do have one complaint. When you exit Juno it makes a horrible exit
sound. I'm going to change the exit.wav file to something more pleasant.
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CCCC Page 5 March 2000
February Internet S.I.G.
by Dick Trissel
There were 24 attendees in the February CCCC Internet Special Interest
Group. Because of the uncertainty of the continuance of the club's
hardcopy newsletter, there was a brief discussion about the new section in
the club's Web site which will contain newsletters, starting with February.
A principal topic of discussion was the emergence of the many free Internet
Service Providers (ISPs). One of the club members has investigated nearly
a dozen that are available from Santa Maria phone lines. We hope he will
publish the results of this study.
Meanwhile, several of us have subscribed to FreeWorld by Excite
(www.freeworld.excite/freeworld), a 574Kb download. The site is supported
by advertising, but it is tolerable. There's e-mail, chat rooms, and, of
course, Internet access.
Another site that I've tried is WorldShare (worldshare.net), a 827Kb
download. There's no advertising, so the site is supported from monthly e-
mail survey responses by the members. Besides e-mail support, they provide
20Mb of Web space for your Web homepage. This I haven't tried, but it may
have value as a backup for the club.
A word of warning, however. These installations are pretty automatic, but
this may turn off you current service, especially online services like AOL
and Compuserve. Freeworld didn't impact my current standard ISP service,
but WorldShare modified my Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, and
sprayed files all over my computer.
Another subject of discussion was the problems with AOL and Compuserve
involving the decoding of graphic attachments in e-mail sent by non-
AOL/Compuserve senders. The solution seems to be for the AOL/Compuserve
members to download and install a decoding program (Winzip, Wincode,
Setupdx, etc.) that will decode *.mim (MIME) file attachments that are a
result of AOL/Compuserve not properly decoding them on arrival. At least,
that has been the solution for a couple of club members.
There is an entertaining article in the March 2000 Readers Digest
describing in both technical and non-technical terms what happens on the
Internet when you send or receive e-mail. If you don't subscribe to RD,
you can read it at the library.
The question was asked "What does POP3 mean in e-mail?" POP stands for
Post Office Protocol, the protocol used in mail servers to provide for
reading your e-mail. I don't know what the 3 means. The protocol for
sending e-mail through the mail server is SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol).
Monday, 13 February, I received an announcement that Qualcomm is now
offering three versions of the e-mail program Eudora. It's described as
"One Product with Three Operating Modes". Eudora 4.3 can operate in any of
three user-selectable modes: Sponsored mode-no charge, Paid mode-$49.95,
and Light mode-same as sponsored mode but has no advertising. There will
be a complete description in an upcoming newsletter.
There's a very clever program (neotrc121a.exe) available by download
(www.neoworx.com) that graphically and tabularly displays the route that
your Internet data takes. Those familiar with Traceroute and Ping will
recognize the operation. Hopefully, a review will be written up in a
future club newsletter.
The subject of "cache" came up, again. Not the processor internal,
external, disk, or printer cache, but the Web browser cache--the four cache
files in Netscape and the four Temporary Internet files in Internet
Explorer. The question was if they are allowed to become very large, will
this slow down the computer. We've talked about this before. It will not
affect the overall performance. The cache files will usually speed up Web
access, especially to repeated sites. But, if they get so large that it
slows down the search for past accesses, then yes it can slow down Web
access.
This leads to the question of how to manage the cache files. In both
Netscape and IE there are menu options to delete the content of the caches-
-all of it at once. Or, you can use Windows Explore and manually delete
selected files. Why not delete all of them? You may want to retain some
to playback offline.
This ability to playback was demonstrated thanks to Charles Saylor who
brought his laptop computer which contained IE and a lot of cache files.
It was done using the File menu option Open, browsing the Windows\Temporary
Internet Files and double clicking a selected file in the cache. It was
interesting that the Internet Options choice was in the Tools menu in IE5.
It is the View menu in IE4.
A rather obvious statement was made that if you use your computer to listen
to the radio, it ties up the phone line. A not obvious observation was
made that if you do a "free" credit check, watch out. It isn't exactly
free--read the whole screen.
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CCCC Page 6 March 2000
WEB WONDERS
by Mal Plambeck
(mal6@ix.netcom.com)
Plug-ins
Are you wondering what in the world is a plug-in? If you are wondering read
on, if not turn the page, however you just might miss out on some pretty
cool stuff. Plug-ins are little software programs that work in conjunction
with your web browser to enhance the capabilities of your browser. Some of
you may not have realized you have already been using three of the most
popular plug-ins: Shockwave, Quicktime and RealAudio.
I wrote about downloading and installing these in previous articles. If you
come across a web site that requires a plug-in in order to view it, there
is usually an icon you can click on to download it, but unfortunately some
plug-ins you have to get on your own. I put these web sites together for
you so it would be easier for you to find them. To find out what plug-ins
you already have on your computer, click on "help" in your browser then
choose "plug-ins" and it will list what you already have.
[http://home.netscape.com]
Scroll down the page to web tools then "click" on plug-ins.
[http://cws.internet.com]
Go to Browsers and Accessories and "click" on plug-ins.
[http://www.about.com]
Type plug-ins in the "find it now" box and "click" on go. You
will find more plug-ins than you'll know what to do with.
[http://www.plug-ins.com]
Click on "Browser" and up they will come.
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CCCC Page 7 March 2000
The Missing .DLL File
By Dick Trissel
One of the problems with "uninstalling" applications is that it is possible
to cripple other applications. This becomes evident when, after
uninstalling something, you run another program and it comes up with the
message that "*.dll Missing", or some such thing. This is because of files
called Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL) which have file type extensions of
.dll.
Of course, you can reinstall the ailing program, but that isn't always
possible or feasible. Another solution is to get a replacement .dll file
and copy it into the appropriate folder. Here's my experience (I've had to
do this a few times).
I use to periodically save all the .dll files in my system to floppies.
The problem is you have to do this every time you install another program.
I then tried going to the Microsoft Web site and searching for DLL files to
download. Ha! They have a lot of information about which DLL files are
used in which program, but I couldn't find a download source there.
Besides, other software than Microsoft use DLL files.
Web search to the rescue. A search on the Internet for a specific .dll
file I needed turned up a library of downloadable files of just about every
known DLL. Here's an abstract of the three sites found in the search
(using WebFerret). The three sites are actually three ways to get to the
same library:
http://www.hallers.com/dllarchive/ "The 1st comprehensive collection of
dynamic link libraries (*.dlls) on the 'Net. Come take a look if you have
difficulties running programs due to missing or defective *.dlls."
http://www.tlc.kherson.ua/~diablo/dllarhive/ (Same message as above)
http://solo.abac.com/dllarchive/ (Same message as above)
Of course, after you've downloaded the file, you have to put it someplace
in your system. The first place to try is in the same folder as the
application executable file (*.exe). Or, when you run the application and
get the error message, it will give you a clue as to which program requires
the DLL file. You may have to put the DLL file in the same folder as the
program needing it. If that doesn't work, try putting it in the Windows
folder with the other .dll files (either Windows or Windows\System).
All this requires that you be able to use Windows Explorer (or My Computer-
Explore), know how to use Find, and have access to the Web. That, and a
little intuition, and it's a snap [grin].
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CCCC Page 8 March 2000
Local Computer Services
By Jerry Miller
I want to highlight local computer operations where you can have a system
custom made for you and places where you can have you system repaired when
it performs badly.
Central City Computer Consulting
Ed Jones operates this business. Located in the Oak Knolls shopping center
1157-I E. Clark Ave. In the storefront called "The Frame Gallery". Ed is
my guru for PC problems. I think he knows everything about up-to-date PCs.
He provides hardware and software solutions for individuals and businesses.
Ed keeps up to date on the latest in hardware and provides cost effective
solutions to any computer problems.
Comstar Computers (under new management)
Kevin Walters is the new proprietor of this business. Located in the Food
for Less shopping center on south Broadway, Kevin is concentrating on
sales, service and networking. I visited Kevin and found him to be
knowledgeable and helpful. He has just recently taken over this business
and is anxious to help his clients.
I believe that these businesses provide a much-needed service to the
computer owners of Santa Maria. If you have a local or far-off computer
operation that you would like to share with the club, let me know and we
will write it up for the newsletter.
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CCCC Page 9 March 2000
When Bad Things Happen
by Dick Trissel
If you haven't had a problem with your Windows 98 computer, you haven't
been using it. Well, maybe a few of you haven't had any system problems.
But, most of you know that horrible feeling when the desktop suddenly looks
like the "desktop from hell"; or the whole thing goes catatonic.
Unless your hard disk has crashed, there is probably a good chance you can
get a nearly complete recovery of your system. Windows 98 has a much
better recovery capability than Windows 95 had (or any previous Windows
systems). It all hinges on the four critical files: the two registry files
(system.dat and user.dat), and the system.ini and win.ini files.
Everytime you start your computer in Windows 98, a copy of these four files
are saved in a single compressed (.cab) "cabinet" file. The default
setting is for the last five startups to be saved so you can recover them.
However, to use them for recovery from a bad situation, you've got to know
how.
First things first. Hopefully, the system will boot up, it's just messed
up. But, if it won't boot up, you need a "Startup Disk" to at least get to
the DOS prompt. This disk must be made now while your system is healthy--
don't wait.
To make the startup disk (sometimes referred to as an ESD--Emergency
Startup Disk), go to Start/Settings/Control Panel/Add-Remove
Programs/Startup Disk/Create. At this point you will probably be told to
put the Windows 98 CD in the drive. Then you will be told to put a disk in
the A: drive that will be overwritten. Charge on, and when it's done, OK
and close.
You will have a bootable disk with 24 files using about one megabyte. I
usually copy four more files to the ESD: chkdsk.exe, edit.com, sys.com and
xcopy.exe. These are DOS programs found in the C:\Windows\Command folder.
I then make a folder on the startup disk and put four more files in the
folder--autoexec.bat and config.sys from the C: drive; the mscdex.exe CD
driver from C:\Windows\Command; and the specific driver for my CD
(atapicd.sys for example). You probably won't need these, but if you have
to access the Windows 98 CD, the system may need these files. If for any
reason your system won't bootup, put the ESD in drive A: and try again.
You'll come up in DOS. You may have to issue the command a:\ sys.com c: to
rewrite the boot sector, but don't do this unless all else fails. That's
why I added the sys.com file to the ESD.
Now, before your system has a problem, make another disk. This time, using
Windows Explorer, go to C:\Windows\Sysbckup and find files that have the
names rb000.cab, rb001.cab, rb002.cab, rb003.cab, and rb004.cab (or maybe
rb005.cab). All the files might not be present, that's alright. Notice
the dates on the files (put Explorer in the View/Details mode). That's
when you booted up the last five times. Pick the one you would prefer to
recover to, and copy it to a floppy. It will be a compressed file and
shouldn't be to big for a 1.44Mbyte disk. You will probably not need this,
even if you have to do a recovery, but the cost is cheap.
While your there, right click on one of the files and choose View. You
will see the file content of the compressed (.cab) file (the four files
listed above). You can do this with any .cab file, even the ones on your
Windows 98 CD. If you right click on one of the listed files, an "Extract"
box will appear. This allows you to extract that file to a folder on your
disk. This has nothing to do with the subject at hand, I just thought it
interesting.
Finally, now to recover your registry so the system is back the way it was
when all worked well. Get to the DOS prompt--either with the ESD, or by
pressing CTRL during the boot process and selecting Command Prompt Only.
This will put you at the DOS prompt. At the DOS prompt type: scanreg
/restore (enter) (note the space before the slash. This runs the scanreg
program located in C:\Windows\Command. Select the rb00x.cab file you want
to recover, and do it. Close out Scanreg, take the floppy disk out of the
drive, and do a CTRL+ALT+DEL to reboot the system.
While you are at the DOS prompt, you might want to run scanreg /? to see
all the things you can do with the program. And, try just scanreg, but be
careful which options you choose.
One last thing--this recovery will not fix problems with applications or
data files. It is just to recover the system control files (registry,
system.ini, and win.ini). I've used this technique a few times with 100%
success. I hope you never need this information, but if you do, I hope it
works as well for you.
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CCCC Page 10 March 2000
USING YOUR CALCULATOR
8/1/99
Windows comes with a calculator that can do both regular and scientific
calculations. To bring up the calculator, click on Start, Programs,
Accessories and then Calculator. Click on View and select Scientific to
use the scientific calculator.
Right-click on any of the buttons and click on "What's This?" for an
explanation of what a particular button does and the key strokes you can
use instead of clicking on the button with your mouse.
When you have completed a calculation and want to use the result in another
calculation, store the results of the first calculation in memory by
clicking the MS (Memory Store) button. You'll see an M in the gray box
above all the "M" buttons when something is stored in memory. When you are
ready to insert the result of your last calculation into a new one, click
on the MR (Memory Retrieve) button. Clicking the M+ (Memory Plus) button
and then on the MR button will add the currently displayed value to the
value stored in memory. The MC (Memory Clear) button clears anything stored
in memory, and clicking on the MS button overwrites anything stored in
memory.
To create a Desktop shortcut to the calculator, right-click on the Desktop,
select New and click on Shortcut. In the "Command Line" box type "CALC.EXE"
(without the quotes) and click on Next. Type "Calc" (without the quotes)
and click on Finish. You can drag the Calc shortcut onto the Quick Launch
bar just to the right of the Start button.
When you have more than one icon displayed on the task bar, switching
between them is easy. Just press the Alt key, and while holding it down,
press the Esc key. Each time you press the Esc key, a different item will
appear highlighted on the task bar. When you let go of both keys, the task
bar item you highlighted appears. Pressing and holding the Alt key, and
then pressing the Tab key, will also let you rotate between open
applications. Releasing both buttons will open the application displayed
on the screen.
See, that wasn't so hard, now was it?
By Candy Baker 40710 Avenita Florita, Murrieta, CA. 92562
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CCCC Page 11 March 2000
Tax Time Means Computer Time
By Kim Komando
There's nothing new about using your computer to prepare your taxes. Or
maybe I should say, there's nothing new about the idea of using your
computer to prepare your taxes. The different ways in which you can do so
seem to change as often as the tax code.
For those of you hopelessly enamored to paper, tax preparation software can
still do what it's always done. Programs like Intuit's TurboTax, H&R
Block's Kiplinger TaxCut and even Microsoft's late entry, TaxSaver, can
generate all the paper you want.
No matter which of these programs you choose (or whether you choose another
program that doesn't carry such a "heavyweight" name), the concept is the
same. First, you arm yourself with your W2's, 1099's and other relevant tax
document. Then the software walks you through various questions about your
tax year. You use your tax documents to answer those questions.
The important thing to remember is that tax software can't read your mind.
This is a good example of GIGO--garbage in, garbage out. If you enter
information incorrectly, the software can only go so far in identifying
your mistake. For example, if you have a 1099 for some non-employment
income, you still need to know whether to enter it as miscellaneous income
or self-employment income.
Eventually, in the end, the tax software spits out on your computer printer
perfectly crisp, clear tax forms, ready for your signature. All you need to
do is sign them, attach the appropriate documents (plus a check, if you're
unlucky enough to owe the IRS), and drop the whole thing in the mail.
A few years ago, the IRS began accepting electronic filings--tax returns
submitted in digital format rather than on paper. The makers of tax
preparation software responded promptly by adding that feature to their
products. For an extra charge of $10-$15, the software could transmit your
tax data to the software manufacturer, who would then retransmit it to the
IRS.
The idea has caught on with consumers who are tired of battling all that
paper. This year, the IRS expects more than 33.6 million U.S. federal tax
returns to be filed electronically. That accounts for about one quarter of
all consumer tax returns. The IRS recently reported that by Jan. 17, over
700,000 returns had already been filed electronically. That's nearly a 30-
percent jump from the same period last year.
If you think electronic filing spares you from a lot of paperwork, think of
what it does for the IRS. Less paper means less cost and greater efficiency
at that end, too. In fact, it's been reported that President Clinton will
ask Congress this year to create a tax credit of up to $10 for electronic
filers.
Of course, tax preparation software isn't without its drawbacks. The
biggest problem is that because tax laws change every year, the software
changes every year too. You can't buy tax software this year and expect to
be able use it for next year's return. Year after year, the $20-$50 you
spend for a new software package every January, plus whatever else you're
spending for e-filing, can really add up.
On top of that, there's the hassle of having to install the new software,
figure out the new interface features, and so on. Wouldn't it be great if
you could use the same software to do your taxes year in and year out. Now
you can, and that software is your Web browser.
Yes, both Intuit's WebTurboTax (www.webturbotax.com) and H&R Block
(through an apparently unnamed service available at www.hrblock.com) allow
you to complete your tax return via a series of interactive Web forms. For
about $10 per return (federal or state) you can answer all the same
questions you'd answer with traditional tax software, except that you
answer them online. All of your data gets stored on a secure server, and
you can complete your return over several sessions. And once you're done,
of course, your return is filed electronically with the appropriate agency.
I should point out here that both of these companies have inked alliance
deals with other financial outfits. For example, you can access the Block
service through Microsoft's Money Central Web site. Likewise, Intuit is
working with numerous banks and credit unions to offer WebTurboTax through
those sites. Check your bank or credit union Web site to see if they offer
any special deal on the service.
There are many benefits to doing your taxes online. Among them: No Software
to Install. All you need is a Web browser to ensure that you're using the
latest tax software. Faster Refunds. The IRS handles electronically filed
returns more quickly, often issuing refunds in as little as two weeks Less
Chance of Loss or Mishandling. Believe it or not, the Postal Service really
does lose mail now and then. Plus, unless you have commercial-grade
security measures implemented on your home computer, your tax information
is actually safer on a server at Intuit or Block. The data goes right from
those servers to the IRS. Proof of Receipt. What do you think your friendly
IRS agent will say when you claim that you really did mail your return on
time? Each time a claim is filed electronically, however, the IRS issues an
electronic acknowledgement to the filer (Intuit or Block).
About the only ones losing out as the result of computers and the Internet
embracing the IRS are the pencil companies.
Copyright 2000, The Komando Corporation and Kim Komando Radio Show Website.
All rights reserved.
Visit Kim on the internet at www.komando.com. Listen to Kim on local radio
station KSMA AM 1240 every Saturday from 7-10 am.
Printed by permission
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CCCC Page 12 March 2000
Printer Paper - What's the Difference?
You've finally got a great color printer with 600 to 1200 dpi (Dots per
Inch) capability for text and graphics and you can't wait to start
printing. According to the manufacturer it should be able to print photo
quality graphics and crisp text files. However, when you actually print
something, it seems the print quality is no better than with your old
printer. Eventually, you look with envy at your friend's printouts and
sigh "Someday I'll be able to afford a high quality printer like theirs."
But wait, maybe the problem isn't the printer... perhaps it's the paper.
Let's take a look at the basics of different printers:
An impact printer uses a mechanical hammering device to produce each
character by forcing a metal or plastic form against an inked ribbon to
produce an image on paper. The characters may be on a moving bar, a
rapidly rotating chain, a rotatable ball, or even a spoked wheel. A dot
matrix printer uses a matrix of tiny pins that, when struck, impart a set
of dots to form a wide variety of characters. Graphics may be created by
using different dot combinations. Bubble-jet printers (or ink-jet
printers) squirt heated ink through a matrix of holes to form characters.
These small ink droplets are electrostatically sprayed from a nozzle onto
the paper. Laser printers form an image of the output on a selenium-coated
drum, using laser light according to data from the computer. The image is
then transferred to the output from the drum using photocopying techniques.
Thermal-wax-transfer printers and dye-sublimation printers use heat to
transfer color pigment from a ribbon to a special paper to produce
photographic-quality color images.
Inkjet (bubblejet) printers are very affordable for home use. In the store
the printouts may look incredible but when you get home, somehow the
printer just doesn't seem to have the same print quality. Most of the time
the problem is not the printer, it's the paper. Most people try out several
different kinds of photocopy, laser printer, or inexpensive inkjet papers.
When an inkjet printer sprays onto these papers, the ink is wicked by the
fibers causing an effect known as bleeding. Some inks spread to the sides
or the back of the paper making the image less sharp. When the ink bleeds,
it isn't all on top of the paper, some has soaked in. This is easy to check
by turning the sheet over. If the ink is starting to come through or the
front appears lighter, grayed-out, or feathered, as though you were
printing with diluted ink, you probably have the wrong paper.
To get good quality printouts with an inkjet printer you need to use coated
paper stock. A single coated paper is not enough, as it is formulated to
keep the ink from getting into the paper fiber but doesn't have the best
ink adhesion or reflectivity. Quality printouts need a second coating on
top of the ink barrier coating. The second coating optimizes viewing by
reflecting light back to set off the colors. The second coat also provides
a base to adhere the ink. To put it more simply you need a primer coat and
a finish coat to generate a quality printout.
Two options controlled by most inkjet printers are configuration for the
"Media Type" and "Print Quality". "Media Type" controls the amount of ink
set down on the media. It DOES NOT control or affect the resolution.
"Print Quality" controls the "Resolution" of the images printed.
Now you know what type of paper to use, lets see what some of the other
manufacturing terms mean!
Basis Weight - the weight of a ream of paper in the Basic Size for that
grade (e.g. 500 sheets of Sub. 20 Bond paper in its basic size, 17x22 in.,
would weigh 20 lb.)
Bond Paper - paper manufactured usually for stationery, letterheads or
forms. Distinguishable in the more popular grades by a watermark and
excellent writing surface.
Brightness- the measurement of a paper's light-reflective qualities that
affect contrast and halftone reproduction.
Coated Paper - paper with a coated surface that gives the paper a smooth
finish.
Finish - the special characteristics of a paper's surface, which differ
from grade to grade. High, low and textured finishes, for example, exhibit
varying degrees of smoothness, ink receptivity and printability.
Ink Holdout - the ability of the paper to keep ink on its surface rather
than absorb it into the sheet (e.g., paper with good ink holdout would
require less ink and exhibit less "feathering" than a highly absorbent
paper).
Ink Receptivity - the degree to which a paper resists or accepts ink
penetration based on variations in its size and coating.
Laser Papers - papers suited for optimum performance on heat fused, high-
resolution, laser printers used in desktop publishing. (Not recommended
for inkjets).
Ream - 500 sheets of paper, regardless of size.
What are some of the specialty papers available for inkjet printers?
HIGH RESOLUTION: Coated 24lb paper provides distinct crisp details and
colors for graphics, text and photographic images. This paper has a non-
resin coating and provides exceptional results at an economical cost.
ULTRA RESOLUTION: Coated 27lb paper provides a sturdier platform for
intense graphics and color applications which would saturate lighter
papers. It provides a thicker media while maintaining an economical cost.
PHOTO GLOSSY: Photographic coated paper provides a heavy surface for "true"
photo applications. Gives images a glossy photographic appearance. This
paper may also be obtained with an extra coating that bonds with the ink to
provide a waterproof image.
OPAQUE WHITE GLOSSY FILM: Synthetic film providing a durable media for
Photo applications. A thin polyester material provides stability for
hostile environments and also provides for exceptional color and detail.
CLEAR TRANSPARENCY FILM: A clear polyester base coated with a specifically
formulated quick dry emulsion for optimum performance. Produces bright
colorful overlays and presentation foils.
T-SHIRT TRANSFER: An iron on product that utilizes a "cool-release" process
to maximize image detail and color transfer. Look for an easy to use
product with easy peel backings and machine washability.
ULTRA-VIOLET T-SHIRT TRANSFER: This product provides a unique transfer. In
addition to color transfers, the Ultra-Violet transfer actually changes
color when exposed to sunlight! When sunlight is removed the image returns
to the natural state.
SILVER REFLECTIVE FILM: A polyester based silver film. The metalized film
is excellent for monochrome as well as color graphics.
CANVAS: An artist grade canvas that is pre-stretched and gives an elegant
look to portraits and artist renderings. Provides excellent color
reproduction.
POLY-SILK FABRIC, (ADHESIVE BACKED): A woven polyester base that looks,
feels and gives the appearance of real silk. An adhesive backing provides
for transfer to fabric or textiles.
WATERCOLOR PAPER: An artist grade paper that provides the feel and
appearance of watercolor texture. Provides excellent format for
reproduction of renderings and other artistic applications.
BACKLIT REVERSE PRINTING FILM: A UV resistant polyester film designed for
most light box applications. Produces bright vibrant colors with a superb
light diffusion quality. Reverse printing or viewing through the base
allows for single sided lamination.
WINDOW DECAL FILM: Polyester based transparent film with self-adhesive
backing to allow mounting directly to windows or other substrates.
Some of these specialty papers are difficult to locate and prices vary
considerably. For economy, print your images on inexpensive 20-24 LB paper
until you are satisfied with the composition, then switch to the more
expensive media. Try printing the same image on several types of media,
you'll be amazed at how different they look.
To acquire various types of specialty papers go to the web sites of paper
manufactures and distributors such as Hammermill, Mead, Hewlett-Packard, or
Kodak and request sample packets.
Most of all, have fun and experiment with different paper media, you'll be
amazed at what your inkjet printer can do for you!
...This Article is brought to you courtesy of the Association of Personal
Computer User Groups (APCUG)
By Alicia King Padgett . Alicia is a member of the Fresno PC Users Group
in California.
6751 N Blackstone Ave #108
Fresno, CA 93710-3500
akpadget@mediaone.net}
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