Computer Tips for Lakewoodites

Mark Crnolatas · Post by **Mark Crnolatas** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 7:48 am

Since I read somewhere recently, that approximately 1 out of 3 people in our city uses a computer, I thought I'd mention some "inside" tips.

1) For browsing the 'net, if your not using Firefox, and you are still using Internet Explorer, it's time to get with it. For email, use a web- based email, as mentioned below. http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ to download Firefox.

It's more secure, and has many features that are easy to use, and will make your web surfing easier, to say the least.

2) WinXP, Win98 - For quick notes that you don't mind someone else seeing, left click on your desktop, choose "New", then Rich Text Document. You can type notes for yourself, quick and easy. I have many, one for phone numbers, one for reminders, and put them all in a folder made the same way. Make the folder, using the above technique, then just drag your document into the folder to keep your desktop clean. Rename the folder anything you want.

3) Use web email. Yahoo allows you a lot of freedom, it's free, versatile, and it's at mail.yahoo.com. You can store a lot of things online, that way, opening multiple accounts, besides using an account for email.

4) For WinXP users, Skype is a free PC to PC "phone". http://www.skype.com/ . With a set of inexpensive headphones and mic from Radio Shack or anywhere, you can talk over your PC to any PC in the world for free. The quality is great.

5) Instant Messengers are not for kids only. A good idea for any group of people is to all use the same one. Some are more or less secure than others. I like icq at www.icq.com, and MSN at http://messenger.msn.com/Xp/Default.aspx

6) While Google is the greatest search engine in my opinion, there is a technique to using it. I'll talk more on it in another time. A teaser: Using Google and some "specialized search engines", almost all knowledge has or is becoming available on the Internet.

I've been on the 'net since it first was born. It was DOS only, before websites existed , and it was shortly after it was known as Arpanet, for the Department of Defense and Universities only, to share knowledge, and preserve government communications, much as the U.S. highway system in the U.S was created by the D.O.D to move troops etc "in case". The internet is based on sending bits of information all over to culminate at one spot.
A good description is at http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa091598.htm

Obviously our little one is sleeping more, and so am I, so I'll be posting all over the place again. ; )
I can go on for eons, on tips, but it's time to make some breakfast.

Mark Allan (Crnolatas)
_______________________
"A society or group of people exist soley in it's ability to maintain an atmosphere of peace and civility. It's failure is directly relative to the degree of the lack of these conditions".

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:05 am

Mark

A couple questions.

Wasn't it Unix based at first not DOS based? Then it finally grew to where it now with when Apple invented Hyper Text Marked Language now known as html?

But good suggestions.

I know Don Farris has a bunch of hot tips maybe he could jump in as well.

Bryan Schwegler · Post by **Bryan Schwegler** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 10:39 am

Mark Crnolatas wrote:Since I read somewhere recently, that approximately 1 out of 3 people in our city uses a computer, I thought I'd mention some "inside" tips.

Thanks for all the tips. Maybe I'll have to add some in for the Mac users out there!

Mark Crnolatas · Post by **Mark Crnolatas** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 12:18 pm

Yes it was. I may have been thinking of the single floppy IBM I had, that was DOS based (if you could make a batch file you were cool) Another site that gives a history, including the first and only ISP, Delphi, (btw, I still have my Delphi floppy disc AND a hand built computer by Gordon Finley, who had a hand in the entire process) , is at http://www.walthowe.com/navnet/history.html

Mark
_______________________
"A society or group of people exist soley in it's ability to maintain an atmosphere of peace and civility. It's failure is directly relative to the degree of the lack of these conditions".

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 2:25 pm

Bryan Schwegler wrote:
Mark Crnolatas wrote:Since I read somewhere recently, that approximately 1 out of 3 people in our city uses a computer, I thought I'd mention some "inside" tips.

Thanks for all the tips. Maybe I'll have to add some in for the Mac users out there!

Bryan

The website both front and back designed and built on Mac Platforms. Also the entire paper layout process is done on Macs in InDesign.

I might have started on a Tandy running DOS, but I live and work on a MAC.

Bryan Schwegler · Post by **Bryan Schwegler** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 11:42 am

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Bryan

The website both front and back designed and built on Mac Platforms. Also the entire paper layout process is done on Macs in InDesign.

I might have started on a Tandy running DOS, but I live and work on a MAC.

Great to hear. InDesign is an outstanding program!

Bryan Schwegler · Post by **Bryan Schwegler** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 2:21 pm

Mark Crnolatas wrote:Yes it was. I may have been thinking of the single floppy IBM I had, that was DOS based (if you could make a batch file you were cool) Another site that gives a history, including the first and only ISP, Delphi, (btw, I still have my Delphi floppy disc AND a hand built computer by Gordon Finley, who had a hand in the entire process) , is at http://www.walthowe.com/navnet/history.html

How many here remember being on the Cleveland FreeNet?

Tim Liston · Post by **Tim Liston** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 2:04 pm

Some additional computer tips.

I use Mozilla and would never go back to Internet Explorer. But I happen to think Microsoft is an immoral company. They donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t innovate - they stifle. Microsoft is still an adjudicated monopolist but only got a slap on the wrist here in the United States. In Europe and elsewhere they are being much more aggressively sanctioned for their business practices.

For the same reason I am moving to OpenOffice, and my software company will be moving there soon as well. It offers the same tools as MS Office (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.) but is Ã¢â‚¬Å“open sourceÃ¢â‚¬Â (like the Lakewood Observer!), which means it receives development support from a variety of sources, and itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s free. Check it out at http://www.openoffice.org. And check out this very recent article about one state that is starting to eschew MS and other proprietary software and data formats -- http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,122685,00.asp. This is slowly becoming a trend, but like I said much more prevalent in Europe.

Jim, you mentioned in another thread about LO Ã¢â‚¬Å“reportersÃ¢â‚¬Â collaborating on stories. I have not tried this software, but check it out. It allows several individuals to collaborate simultaneously on written documents, online. Might be a useful tool, itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s at http://www.writely.com. Just ran into it about a week ago.

Another open source tool I am starting to learn is Nvu. ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s used for web site authoring. Man there is a steep learning curve on this one. Thanks to cascading style sheets I will probably never get there. Not enough time in my day. But it makes the basics pretty easy (and free). ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s at http://www.nvu.com.

Yes by all means use an online e-mail service. I use the one offered by godaddy.com (my domain registrar) and I am very happy with it. No more e-mail client (Outlook Express) to support. If you also purchase a hosting service from godaddy ($9.95 a month), they will throw in an online calendar and 2Gb of storage. The calendar helps keep our busy family on track and on time, and any family member can access it and change it from any computer anywhere. My kids check the evening schedule before they leave school. And the extra storage is really handy for temporarily backing up important documents. The FTP client software I use to upload stuff to godaddy comes from FTP Explorer, itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s $35 total for as many PCs as are in my house (seven I think). ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s at http://www.ftpx.com.

Finally (for now) and obviously, if you are not on broadband, what are you waiting for? My DSL works great. Couple that with a wireless network and that explains the proliferation of computers in the Liston house.

Mark Schroeder · Post by **Mark Schroeder** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:06 pm

Tim, Jim, & Mark--

Thanks for the tips. One of these days I'm going to bite the bullet & switch to MAC like I shoulda done 10 years ago.

BUT--Thanks Tim for pointing out all the awesome development in the Open Source world.

MSoft you goin' down!

Steve Leach · Post by **Steve Leach** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 2:45 am

I think the most important tip got left out which applies to all versions of Windows: switch! :-) Linux, Mac OS X, take your pick, just get Windows off your hard drive fast!

John Guscott · Post by **John Guscott** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 5:43 pm

Steve Leach wrote:I think the most important tip got left out which applies to all versions of Windows: switch! Linux, Mac OS X, take your pick, just get Windows off your hard drive fast!

FYI... On Monday October 17, 2005 at Lakewood Public Library Mat Kovach from the Northern Ohio Open Source Society will make a presentation re open source. Register by calling (216) 226-8275, ext. 127.