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SENIORNET COMPUTER LEARNING CENTER NEWS
Nov. 1, 2001; Vol. 2; Issue #11;
Mail Address:PMB 44, 12819 SE 38th St., Bellevue, WA 98006-1326
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
NEED YOUR IDEAS TO UPGRADE CURRICULUM: Our all-volunteer
SeniorNet Computer Learning Center of Puget Sound is working
constantly to upgrade our curriculum to meet the changing needs
of past, current and future students, and invites your
suggestions and comments. Pres. Helen Hesketh announces the
Curriculum Study is up and running with Harry Shedd as the
Coordinator, assisted by Marge Langley, Adella Granger and Hal
Mozer. They will be looking for input from present students,
students who have taken courses in the past and from our
membership. Committee member Marge is calling for volunteers,
current, past and future students, to sound off with curriculum
ideas in short interviews taking only a few minutes. Here is your
chance to come up with suggestions, ideas etc. on current and
future courses to match the fast-moving computer scene. Marge
invites you to contact her right now with an email message to: mhlang@juno.com
CHECKING OUT OTHER LEARNING CENTERS: In addition, the committee
will be studying our mission and bylaws as it applies to the
courses we are now teaching as well as proposed courses. Plus
they will be taking a look at what the national SeniorNet
organization is currently offering and what other learning
centers around the country are teaching. At the October
Membership meeting they brainstormed other possible courses that
could be offered. This list is posted in the classroom and you
could add your suggestions to it, or better yet, contact Marge
via email.
WHY YOUR EDITOR DOESN’T SPELL E-MAIL WITH THE DASH: Your
energy conscious Online Newsletter editor has been queried by
perfectionists demanding, yes, demanding, to know why he
doesn’t do like everyone else does, including Bill Gates and
spell e-mail, meaning electronic mail, with the dash between the
‘e’ and ‘mail.’ Instead of the short-cut
‘email.’ Like the horse and buggy, which many of us may
recall, when there is a new and faster way to handle a procedure,
get rid of the horse-and-buggy approach. This bold style must be
working since there are no horse and buggies seen around our area
recently. Plus, if you add up all the dashes you don’t have
to use, and all the key strokes you avoid, this represents a
massive saving in not only wear and tear on the keyboard, on our
worn finger muscles (for those who still have them), but also in
electrical power. And besides, it is faster—and allows us
more time to enjoy routine and challenging computer operation
problems, which pumps more blood to the head as part of our
needed mental agility exercises.
MARK DEC. 13th DATE FOR NEXT REGISTRATION: The always interesting
and challenging registration
For our effective hands-on computer courses starting shortly, is
scheduled for (Mark your calendar) Thursday, Dec. 13 from 10
am-12 noon, at the Factoria Mall. Same as the last such session.
However, for early arrivals, numbers will be given out starting
at 8:30 am. This gives the early birds to get their numbers, and
a chance to wander around the colorful mall, have breakfast, or a
cuppa cawfee before the actual registration start at 10 am.
Registration will take place in a slightly different site than in
the past. Coordinator Roger Dalton reports we will use the
Community Room next to PETCO, and opposite Red Robin, at the
north end of the mall. Registrar Louise Flora reports details on
courses, including several new courses, times etc., will be
mailed out later this month in a special printed catalogue edited
by Clair and Jo Hugh, Plus the course details will also be
included at that time on our website www.seniornetps.org, created
and operated by Jay Schlechter and Hal Mozer.
STILL SOME CLASS OPENINGS: Time is growing short for those still
interested in registering for late Fall2001 classes with openings
still available in Introduction to Windows, Windows Intermediate,
Greeting Cards-3, Database and America-On-Line. Call SeniorNet
Voice Mail at 206-232-5892 and leave a message.
USING KAFFEE KLATCH SOCIALS TO GET COMPUTER HELP: It’s that
time again for our monthly SeniorNet no-host, laid-back social
get togethers, better known as Kaffee Klatches, Tuesday, Nov.
6th, at the Crossroads Mall’s fabulous Food Circus in
Bellevue, at 156th Ave. NE, starting at 11 am. Yup, it is also
election day, but plenty of time to enjoy a cuppa cawfee
and….with fellow students, instructors and those interested
in computers. So come along and just pull up a table and get to
meet your colleagues, whether just starting to learn computers,
or whatever. And as demonstrated at last month’s informal
social, a large number of students were present, many of them
with computer questions. Veteran members always make it a point
to introduce themselves to obvious newcomers, and introduce them
to others. And when as happened with several who had some
computer questions, Art Conley, among others, made it a point to
introduce them-and their questions-to computer veterans who could
usually come up with the answers. Which is what our all-volunteer
SeniorNet is all about.
STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO JAZZ UP EMAIL MESSAGES: It used to be a
miracle enough to be able to send –and receive-email
messages to and from anyplace in the world. And all without
paying postage, and without the bother of looking for paper, a
pen, the address etc. This, plus the huge benefit of knowing the
email will reach the addressee not in days, but in minutes, or
less. But the more adventurous are now dressing up their messages
with photos, cartoons, art, —whatever, —to make sure
their messages really stood out. This writer after finishing his
weekly stint reading –and learning-with fourth-grade
students as part of our Granpals program, stopped by the adjacent
SeniorNet classroom on a recent Monday morning. There, Microsoft
Publishing instructor Clair Hugh, filling in for Instructor Clif
Wuesthoff who was away at the time, was demonstrating to his
enthralled students how to insert personal and other photos,
drawings etc., into the messages, with the type flowing around
the photo. This program is not to be confused with Microsoft Home
Publishing, a program directed to card making etc. Clair is an
assistant at the eight-week course, as are Donna Hocombe and
Shirley Foucht.
MEMBERS TOSS AROUND IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE: It was a busy “put
on your thinking cap” membership meeting Oct. 15th, with
Pres. Helen Hesketh leading the discussion. And there were lots
of suggestions, discussions for possible new courses (see earlier
story in this issue) to reflect the changing computer scene.
Plus, with SeniorNet moving right along with the Phantom Lake
Elementary School to the beautiful and larger school to replace
the current series of buildings on the same site, discussions
focused on a larger classroom and facilities in the new
structure. Our own Ken Crandall and John Wise at meetings will
present these ideas later with school officials as plans advance.
NOV. 20TH MEMBERSHIP MEETING FOR THE CURIOUS: A roundtable
discussion on digital cameras, plus talks on computer hardware
and software, will highlight the Tuesday, Nov. 20th Membership
Meeting at 10 am, in Portable 2, at the Phantom Lake Elementary
School. The discussions, to follow the business meeting, will be
led by Laura Wise on digital cameras. Ray French and Chuck
Goldstein will lead the other discussion on hardware and
software. A great opportunity to expand your knowledge, and have
your questions answered by our experts.
COMPUTER TIPS: A GREAT PEOPLE FINDER: Bob Rankin who provides the
free email service to subscribers of his Tourbus Program (Yes,
it’s about computers!), writes: “In the past few years,
Infospace has become my favorite people finder tool. In addition
to individual and business listings for the USA and other
countries, you can do reverse lookups on Phone Numbers, Street
Addresses, Email Addresses, and Area Code.” Check it out at www.infospace.com
http://www.infospace.com.
The Tourbus URL is: http://www.TOURBUS.com
TOURBUS LISTS ITEMS OF INTERESTS FOR SENIORS: Here's a site
maintained by a retired couple from Portland Oregon, with an
excellent annotated list of web links of special interest to
senior citizens. There's also an article titled "Too Old For
Computers?" which examines how much computer technology has
spread into the senior adult population. While it focuses on
Portland sites, there’s plenty of good general information.
http://web.pdx.edu/~psu01435/startup.html
CAUTION NOTE: While all computer-operating tips come from usually
reliable sources, readers are reminded they use them at their own
risk. AGAIN, IN CASE 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. We welcome your news items sent to the editor at b26flyer@home.com. If you wish to receive this newsletter monthly, send a
brief message with your full name and email address to the above
email address. And if you wish to unsubscribe, just send a
message to same email address.
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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;
Public Relations & Online Newsletter Editor> Phil Scheier;
Publicity>Jo Hugh
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