ISAC Computer Support Group

November 13, 2007

  Computer Support Subjects

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142 - Printing Instructions

  Topics Covered

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89 Outlook Express/Web Mail - Email Tips for Security
90 Outlook Express - Extract Graphics etc. from a Fancy Email
92 Outlook Express - Finding and Downloading Self Installing Stationery
93/94 Outlook Express - Helpful Hints/Tips

95 Outlook Express - If Attachment Will Not Open or Save

96 Outlook Express - Insert Animated Name/Picture
97 Outlook Express - Insert Items Into Email
98 Outlook Express - Install a Newsgroup
99 Outlook Express - Keyboard Shortcuts
205 Task Bar Change Font
206 Desktop - Change Your Theme

   Tips of the Month
Open Questions & Answers

89 Outlook Express/Web Mail - Email Tips for Security
1. Activate & Configure Antispam Features. The sample shown is for Rogers|Yahoo web mail and should be very similar to other ISP's. You must know your email address and password to access your web mail. 

 

  

 

2. Check Spam Blocking Options - Spam is identified by words or phrases in a subject line and body text. Keywords and phrases can be used to stop spam. Enter new keywords or phrases and use Message Rules, Mail... to set the rules of handling incoming mail.

3. Use Message Rules, Blocked Senders List... to recognize and delete mail from Senders you do not want to associate with

4. Setup your Outlook Express as per these instructions located "here."

5. Use Common Sense - Always look at the subject lines and senders before opening an email. If you don’t recognize the sender or the subject doesn’t make sense, just delete it. 

6. If you do open an email and it turns out to be useless, never answer an unsolicited email or allow a return receipt to be sent; if you do, it verifies your email address to the spammer. 

7. Never click attachments or hyperlinks in the unwanted email. Attachments can contain viruses or spyware, and hyperlinks can take you to objectionable or malicious Web sites they will try to attack your system

 

90 Outlook Express - Extract Graphics etc. from a Fancy Email

Right click on the graphic you wish to use 

Select Copy if you wish to Paste the graphic immediately into another document

Select Save Picture As... when you wish to keep and use the graphic at some later time to Paste into a document.

 

92 Outlook Express - Finding and Downloading Self Installing Stationery
You need to use a good Search Engine. Google being very good, but was not able to find what I was looking for. 

I used "Vivisimo" and had several hits (14) using this type in -  "self installing stationery" 

Of the ones I tested, Vista Downloadz met my expectations and I hope yours too.

Choose a theme and proceed with the download and follow the instruction windows as they appear.

Open Outlook Express

Left click on Create Mail and select Select Stationery...

Select one of the files and left click on OK.

Type in your message and complete it as you would with any Email

 

93/94 Outlook Express - Helpful Hints/Tips

Start here and setup your Outlook Express the way it should be

For more detailed information, this web site is helpful but, its settings must not override the settings from the above web site

How To Corner

 

95 Outlook Express - If Attachment Will Not Open or Save

Open the email you wish to work with.

Left click on File and select Save As...  

Save your email - ***.eml - in My Documents. This is done to prevent the loss of the original message. 

CAUTION - To even begin to open the attachment, verify its existence as being legitimate and virus free

Is this file extension one you have never worked with before?

This example ***.pdf, (very common with email attachments) requires a reader. 

Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.1.1 is presently over 22 MB to download and will take up in the excess of 175 MB on your HDD

CAD-KAS PDF Reader 2.4 is about 2 MB to download and takes approximately 12 MB on your HDD. 

Both of these readers are FREE

Another common email attachment has a (PowerPoint Show) pps file extension. 

Visit M$ and download PowerPoint Viewer 2007 (25.8 MB) or PowerPoint Viewer 2003 (1.9 MB). You can not edit with either of these applications.

OR

You can also download OO.o (118 MB, it's big but comes with 6 very good applications including a viewer and editor for pps type files AND you can create pdf type files)

For other file extensions your OS applications can not handle, Webopedia, Techadvice.com, Filext , or File Extensions Dictionary from McGill University Libraries can be used to get you on track. 

Follow up using a Search Engine to download an application (preferably free) to handle the file extension your having a problem with.

Note: - OpenOffice.org can handle close to 100 different types of file extensions. It could save you a lot of time from searching for an application to open a new type of file.

 

96 Outlook Express - Insert Animated Name/Picture
P.S. - Animated Names are animated Pictures

Whatever it is you wish to insert, know the name and location of the file(s) you wish to use. 

Note : Animated names/pictures will have a gif type file extension.

Open Outlook Express

Left click on Create...

Left click anywhere within the message area of the New Message window

Left click on Insert and select Picture...

When the Picture window opens, left click on Browse... (A Picture Source: type in would be something like c:\documents and settings\user\my documents\my pictures\animated pictures\***.gif and this opens up a chance for typing errors. Unless you have a memory of a 6 year old, don't even try it)

Left click on your chosen picture

Left click on Open 

The Picture window will reappear showing you the Picture Source:

You have an option to enter Alternate Text: and it will appear when a mouse pointer is placed on the picture (See 71)

Left click on OK

Your New Message window will now display your animated picture. 

 

97 Outlook Express - Insert Items Into Email
See 96

 

98 Outlook Express - Install a Newsgroup
I have had no experience with Newsgroups so with a simple Google search, I came up with this M$ web site. It appears to be well documented and has lots of pictures to guide you through the process 


Click on Icon

M$ Newsgroups can be found here

For other Newsgroups, use your search engines and be specific with your topic, include the word newsgroup in your search and use quotation marks to be more specific with your search (250,000 hits vs. 181 with this example)

 

99 Outlook Express - Keyboard Shortcuts
Numero Uno place to look is right here at (Steven Chalmers). Other M$ application keyboard shortcuts can also be found at this same web site.

 

205 Task Bar - Change Font
Minimize all open windows (Win Key +D)

Right click on Desktop and select Properties

When the Display Properties window appears, select the Appearance tab.

In the Windows and buttons: field, select Windows Classic style.

Left click on the Advanced button 

When the Advanced Appearance window opens, in the Item: field, select Active Title Bar.

Choose your Font:, Size: etc 

Left click on Ok

When the Display Properties window re-opens, left click on Apply

You will be asked to wait as changes are initiated.

Left click on OK to close the Display Properties window.

 

 

206 Desktop - Change Your Theme 
Close or minimize all open applications

Right click on the Desktop and select Properties

When the Display Properties window opens, select the Themes tab

Use the following to limit the number of hits and to prevent the possibility of downloading an application with advertising popups and spyware

Under Theme: select More themes online... NOTE - you must be online to go any further

You may receive the following message indicating the link is missing.

In the Search Microsoft.com for: field, type desktop theme

Left click on the Go button

Of the 26,900 hits, I chose the following

To perform the download, you may be asked to 

Left click on Continue

When you get this message, you have passed the Validation test

   

Note the file size and estimated times for the download

Left click on Download if you wish to continue

Follow the instructions as they are sent to you from M$

When the Display Properties window opens, left click on Apply and OK

Close all open applications and enjoy your new Desktop

P.S It will look better if you hide the Desktop Icons (use the Desktop Toolbar on the Task Bar) and hide the Task Bar too.

 

Tips of the Month

An email was presented to the group indicating a serious virus was at large and was being circulated. The virus was apparently being spread through a PowerPoint attachment called "Life is Beautiful". A check with Symantec and Snopes proved it to be a hoax. 

Please alert the person who sends these hoaxes to use these websites to verify the authenticity of the suspicious email before forwarding them on to every one in their address book. 

M$ PowerToys for Windows XP has a Clear Type Tuner for LCD's - might give you a bit of sharper text on your monitor. Only takes a couple of minutes to set up. While your at it, check out the other PowerToys, there might be something of interest to you.

Designed to a T  has lots of clipart for dressing up your emails. 

The Hiking Web Site for how tos, and gear info 

Open Questions & Answers

NEXT MEETING - TUESDAY, November 27, 2007 @ 13:00 P.M. 

* Town of Ingersoll * United Way of Oxford *
* Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care *
* Cami * Oxford County Library * COOL
*

Ingersoll Senior Citizens
Revised: January 26, 2008 .