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SENIORNET COMPUTER LEARNING CENTER NEWS
Aug. 1, 2000; Issue #8; Mail Address:PMB 309 4038 Factoria Blvd. SE, Bellevue, WA 98006-5236

Voice Mail: 206-232-5892; Classroom: Phantom Lake Elementary School, Bellevue

For Detailed Information, Class Schedules: www.seniornetps.org

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By Phil Scheier

NEW AND RETURNING computer students for the Fall classes by the all-volunteer SeniorNet Computer Learning Center in Bellevue will be taught hands-on computing skills with 13 sparkling new high-speed state-of-the-art PC computers at the Phantom Lake Elementary School classroom.

Thanks to a grant by the Seattle Foundation achieved by a small committee headed by Treasurer Bob Swenson, and the shopping skills of Ken Crandall, in charge of computer maintenance, and his committee, the specially designed IBM-compatible computers arrived at the classroom in July.

Each computer operates at a screamer speed of 666 Mhz., has a 10 Gig hard drive, 64 Megs of memory, plus a 17-inch monitor, the usual drives, keyboard and mouse, and will provide excellent hands-on training for students, according to Pres. Helen Hesketh.

At press time, discussions were underway by the board on procedures in selling off the old computers. Each of the computers will be sold in full operating condition, which includes the basic DOS 6.2, and Windows 3.1. Because of Microsoft license restrictions, the Windows 95-98 operating systems were removed and replaced with the old, basic Win 3.1. This will allow purchasers of the old computers to buy their own Windows upgrade, as required under the license agreement.

In late July, Crandall began the tedious job of preparing the old computers for disposal by formatting the hard drives and removing the Windows 95-98, aided by a crew consisting of Joe Pontecorvo, who formerly was in charge of computer maintenance; Registrar Louise Flora; Ervin Vernon and Phil Scheier. A few days later Crandell and volunteers began unpacking the new computers and monitors and loading them up with Windows and other program software for the Fall classes.

SENIORNET'S ANNUAL SUMMER SOCIAL, aka Annual Brown Bag Luncheon will be held Thursday, Aug. 24, from 11 a.m., to 3:30 p.m., at the covered Outdoor Area of the Phantom Lake Elementary school for just about everyone interested in computers. Delores Davis who heads the committee, has invited all former and incoming students and their guests, plus all former and present leadership persons and guests along with SeniorNet volunteers. But please bring your own brown bag lunch, and a non-refrigerated dessert to share. Refreshments will be provided. There will be door prizes including free software, CDs and a grand prize of a free class of your choice. And another highlight will be computer demonstrations at the adjacent classroom with our new computers. Those attending this laid-back social event will meet the other students, teachers and volunteers, and learn about our programs and classes.

BIG FALL CLASS REGISTRATION- Registrar Flora hailed the results of the July 13 registration held at the Crossroads Mall, Bellevue, and praised the volunteers for one of the smoothest such sessions in years. She said roughly 73 per cent of the available class spaces were filled in the one-day session. There were 415 available spaces in all classes, with 302 students signed on. There are also 10 students on various waiting lists for specific classes, and SeniorNet signed up 45 new members. These numbers traditionally increase as continuing registrations take place via the SeniorNet phone and web site, listed in the masthead, above.

MILITARY HISTORY BUFFS, and you know who you are, particularly veterans, can often find the history of their particular unit, or general military history by using the Internet with its vast wealth of information. For example, if you're a veteran, you can get information on your military unit by logging on to: http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/unithistories.html. To access the U.S. Army Center of Military History, log on to: http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/. To access the National Personnel Records Center, log on to: http://www.nara.gov/regional/mpr.html.

OUR TRAVELING SENIORNETTERS- Seniornet Treasurer Swenson and wife Betsy recently returned from visiting their daughter and son-in-law, the latter with the U.S. Air Force in Molesworth, United Kingdom, which included a reunion at the base of WW11 veterans of the 303rd Bomb Group. Bob was particularly impressed with the massive air show of Allied modern era planes with lots of formation flying by hot pilots from several European countries. Bob commented: "Except for the auditory overload, it was a mightily powerful display of the cutting edge of air power.".Registrar Flora who just completed the highly successful July 13 Registration for students in the upcoming Fall classes, had just returned with husband Chuck from an unusual vacation in Germany with one of the highlights trying to work the computer in an Internet Café with its German keys. She wrote, via the Internet, they were enjoying their experience of staying in one place and traveling out by train daily from their apartment to a different location. Louise was enthusiastic about the travel firm which handled the plans, Untours, and urges those interested to visit the website at: www.untours.com...

ALSO Ray and Mary Hansen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with the family gathering in France also for a vacation. The couple married the day Ray graduated West Point. Ray also graduated MIT in civil engineering. In France they also enjoyed a lengthy barge trip along the French waterways. The retired colonel, long active with SeniorNet in many top positions, was project manager some 30 or so years ago on the memorable Niagara Falls project . Ray was in charge of diverting the fast-moving water course away from the American side when there were concerns the lip and under rock of the falls might be in danger of collapsing, caused by deterioration and wear on the underlying rock. Then he and his team had to check the rock foundation. Satisfied, the steep rock walls were safe for the foreseeable future, the water was diverted back to the American side of the falls, where it tumbles to this day..Gerry Morrow and wife Helen who in past years have sailed aboard a small Russian ship to Antarctica, have also recently returned from another unusual trip, this time to Spain, where the rain usually stays in the plains.. Also a family reunion. And in their fashion, they rented a Spanish Palace with lots of rooms, for a gala family gathering, for everyone. This included a good deal of travels from their Riviera area site to other parts of the country. But for Gerry, no bullfighting.

MORE WINDOWS OPERATING TIPS by Hansen: Do you ever find yourself squinting to read the icons on your Windows Desktop? Well, it's easy to enlarge those icons and their labels for easier reading: --Right-click on an open area of Desktop, choose Properties, and click the Appearance tab.

Open the "Item" box, choose Icon, and then increase the size from the

default (32) to something larger, such as 40. Press Enter or click OK.

If the labels became too big, here's a fix for that: Highlight that icon,

press F2, type a shorter name, then click the desktop to retain the smaller size..

WHY BUSY BRAINS KEEP YOU YOUNGER- A reminder in case you missed the interesting of a study which claims seniors who use their brains on a regular basis, instead of just sitting back in that ole' rockin' chair and dozing off, coupled with some exercise, are more likely to delay the onslaught of advanced age problems, including Alzheimer's. We at SeniorNet thoroughly understand the benefits-and satisfaction-of taking on the challenge of mastering computers, of learning new programs. And even, when fully qualified, perhaps even teaching. And learning how to operate computers, tackling new problems, yeah, even some aggravation, keeps those brains busy. You'll find the most interesting group of very active seniors any day at SeniorNet. This is a fact confirmed by a WW11 buddy of this writer's, who joined a Chicago area SeniorNet group after learning of our type of operation. Today, he is an instructor, fully involved, with that group also getting new computers.and loves it.

IN CASE you are receiving more than one copy of our Online Newsletter on your computer, please notify the editor at b26flyer2@juno.com and he will (try) to handle it. And also, if you have friends who are online, and may be interested in taking more classes to expand their skills, you can forward this newsletter to them by clicking Forward when this message is displayed. Then enter their address in the To box, and click Send. Help spread the word.

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Pres.> Helen Hesketh; Past Pres.> Clif Wuesthoff; Vice Pres.>Bill Bumpas; Secy>Dave Lewis; Treas.>Bob Swenson; Registrar<Louise Flora; Curriculum. Coordinator> John Wise; Facilities Coordinator> Ken Crandall;

Member-at-Large>Delores Davis; Volunteers Coordinator> Delores Davis;

Online News Editor> Phil Scheier; Publicity>Jo Hugh; Public Relations>Bill Flick

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