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SENIORNET COMPUTER LEARNING CENTER NEWS
Feb., 2001; Issue #14; 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

PAMPER YOUR EYESIGHT---With thousands more seniors joining the ranks of computer users, and many of them (Us!) spending increasing amounts of time in front of the bewitching cyberspace world shown on our computer monitors, a word of caution to ease possible eyestrain. This help comes from the Group Health Cooperative in its latest Senior Caucus brochure. The Group Health Resource Line has pamphlets on adjusting the computer screen, controlling brightness and glare, and finding a good sitting position. Call the GH Resource Line for your copies of "Taking Care of Computer Users," and "Computers and Your Eyes," at 206-326-2800, or 1-800-992-2279.

TIME FOR A SOCIAL BREAK---Our monthly reminder that the first Tuesday morning of the month marks our no-host social get-together, known as our Kaffee Klatch, at the tantalizing and delicious Crossroads Mall Food Circus from 11 a.m., until about 1 p.m. This translates into our monthly social is set for Tuesday, Feb. 6th. Exactly where at the Food Circus? For newcomers, and you are all welcome, just stroll along the tables in the eating area, and you'll usually find a few tables pulled together where there is an obviously lot of interesting conversation. Check it out, and join in. Nothing formal. No ties required.

FEB. 20th MEMBERSHIP MEETING---The February Membership meeting will beheld Tuesday, Feb. 20th, at 10:00 am in the Phantom Lake School Library (please note change in location). Bill Bumpus reports "John Jenkins (cable modem) and Clair Hugh (web based email) will give a short presentation on those subjects.  This will give the members who still use dial-up and traditional email a chance to see how email delivery systems are developing and speeding up."

RESIGNATION FOR HEALTH REASONS---It is with deep regret that Pres. Helen Hesketh announces that because of family health reasons, Public Relations Coordinator Bill Flick is stepping down. However, Bill plans to finish assisting in the classes he is committed to. And time permitting; he plans to continue to volunteer as a class assistant, and will also again help with the catalog mailing. Helen in announcing the resignation, said "Thanks to Bill Flick for all the time, ideas and effort he has put forth both in the classroom and in the administration side of SeniorNet. His work and dedication to SeniorNet is very much appreciated and he will be missed." She added, the Public Relations post is open, with volunteer inquiries invited.

THOSE FILE EXTENSIONS ARE LIKE TRAFFIC COPS---How often has it happened when trying to open a document, a pesky "Open With." dialogue box pops up. In effect, it is asking you to select a three-letter extension to properly open that file. Joe Pontecorvo has come up with the following helpful suggestions: The pop-up dialogue box, invites you to select the needed extension because the file is not associated with a program. As you know, the extensions are the three letters that follow the dot. One way to associate that type of file with a program is to select from the list of programs displayed in the pop-up box. Then check the box that states "always use this program to open these files". There are other ways to associate files that we will not cover here. Now comes the question as to what program to associate to the file. That depends on what type of file it is. This is determined by the 3-letter extension after the dot. "filename.txt" is a text file and would use notepad or wordpad or a similar program. "Picture.jpg" is a graphics file and would use Internet Explorer or one of the many graphics programs.  "Letter.doc" is a word file and would use Microsoft Word. How do you know what kind of file it is?  There are several web sites that will show the different file extensions and the type of file. Joe has listed a few of them:
http://www.wotsit.org/
http://extsearch.com/
http://whatis.techtarget.com/
http://www.computeruser.com/resources/dictionary/filetypes.html
http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/

IF YOU LIKE FREE INTERNET ACCESS---For those adventuresome souls who use free email services, such as Juno or Hotmail (as this writer does), and also  use free Internet Service providers (ISPs), such as NoCharge, NetZero etc (which this writer also does)., and don't mind too much the big ad banners or other restrictions, below are other free ISP services. Sadly, a growing number of these services, which depend on advertising, have gone or are going out of business. And, of course, you always use these at your own risks.
· 1st Free Internet Access - nationwide service provider.
· 3Web Network
· Address.com - offers free Internet access, email account, yellow and white pages, and URL forwarding.
· dotNow! - offers free dialup access, as well as email, web page, news,
and other resources.
· fanz.net - offers free Internet access and email.
· FreeLane - powered by excite.
· Juno@
· NetZero (4)
· OneRamp.com - includes customizable start-page, e-mail, and customer
support.
· StartFree.com - free Internet access provider.
· Tritium Network - provides Internet access in major markets across the
country.
· Winfire, Inc. - offers the FreeDSL Internet access service. Formerly
Broadband Digital Group.

CABLE VERSUS DSL - SETTLE THE ISSUE! ---Ed Botts, no, not a SeniorNetter, who runs a free email service dealing with computer news, tips etc., reports:  "Several magazines say that cable's Shared bandwidth (more subscribers in your neighborhood) means lower bandwidth. But the AT&T rep says that's flat out not true. Who's right?"http://forums.about.com/ab-windows/messages?msg=2478.1

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS---We frequently receive requests for a list of commonly used keyboard shortcuts (to replace mouse functions). Back by popular demand, here's a list to make computer use easier:
Shift-F10---------------Right-click selected item
Ctrl-Esc-----------------Display Start menu
Alt-[underlined letter]---Select menu command
Alt-Esc-----------------Switch to Taskbar's "next" open window
Alt-Tab-----------------Switch among open windows (hold Alt and continue to press Tab)
Alt-F4-------------------Close active window
Alt-Spacebar-N---------Minimize active window
Alt-Spacebar-X---------Maximize active window
Alt-Spacebar-R----------Restore close active window
Alt-Spacebar-C----------Close active window
Ctrl-F10------------------Switch focus to menu commands (in any Explorer window)
Ctrl-Tab------------------Rotate through dialog box tabs
Ctrl-Shift-Tab------------Rotate through dialog box tabs in reverse
Ctrl-Alt-Del--------------Display Close Program dialog   box.

NO, NOT ABOUT COMPUTERS, BUT---Members of our SeniorNet Computer Learning Center here represent a huge, rich collection of many skills, including research. One of them, Ray Hansen, a retired Army Colonel and West Pointer, put his skills to work when he and Mary got tired of paying $25a month for cell phone service which they only used for a rare emergency while driving. Which means, naturally, they rarely used it. The same as many of us who also carry phones for that specific purpose. So, as Ray notes, "Finding a better cell phone rate was a real chore. The big dealers claimed they didn't know any alternatives. But I finally found third party outfit that charges a basic rate of $7.25 per month, including tax. There are no free minutes, and they charge 50-cents per minute, which is peanuts when only used for flats and such. This' reseller' outfit is named Airtime Cellular and can be reached at-605-1234." Ray notes with the annual savings, "you can buy replacement computer every few years." There is a minimum phone usage fee, so read the agreement first.

NEW CLASSROOM PROJECTOR---will make subjects look much brighter. Our hard-working Ken Crandall, maintenance coordinator of our computers, has completed the project, with instructors being briefed on the new controls and some changes in operation of the new projector

A HUE FOR EVERY HUMOR---Did you know that blue is a calming color while red represents strong passion? Desktop Publishing Guide Jacky Howard Bear explains the subtle symbolism of different colors. http://desktoppub.about.com/library/weekly/aa103000a.htm?PM=n100110f

PUZZLED MEMBER'S MYSTERY QUESTION---Recently returned from a vacation, a Senior Netter faced strange happenings with her computer, and now Elle Rolfe asks for help: "Hi, This is a mystery to me, I ran it by a friend who is very computer proficient and she had no answer for me. I just returned from a two week vacation, turned on my computer and the Juno icon on my desk top showed my Juno password.  Normally under the icon, it just reads "JUNO". This time it was my password.  I have my program setup so that I have to type in my password each time I access.  I imported my Juno account to my daughter's computer in Colorado while on vacation. I right clicked and removed my password from the desktop, but I would like to know how such a thing could happen.  Do your experts have any ideas?" Elle Rolfe, elle.rolfe@juno.com

OUR GROWING READER LIST---We thank all those members of SeniorNet who have emailed in their names to be added to our free monthly Online Newsletter, with special thanks to the person who does the mail out via his computer, Immediate Past Pres. Clif Wuesthoff

REMINDER: AGAIN, 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 theta box, and click Send. Help spread the word.

NOTE:---We welcome your personal, and not so personal, news items, computer tips, computer experiences, computer mishaps, whatever. Please email brief news items to the editor at b26flyer2@juno.com, and include your own email address. Also, if your Newsletter arrives in difficult-to-read form, for whatever reason, please send a brief message to that effect to the editor, and list your browser, whether Microsoft Internet Browser, or Netscape. Oftentimes balky or overloaded phone lines can create problems. And include your own email, please. Our huge research staff is at the ready to help, if it can. .

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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; Volunteer Coordinator> Delores Davis;
Online Newsletter Editor> Phil Scheier;  Publicity>Jo Hugh;  Public Relations>Bill Flick
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