GREATER BOSTON SENIOR COMPUTER GROUP NEWSLETTER
Issue No.60, January 12, 2004
CHAIRPERSON:: Arline Ekman, AVE@alumni.unh.edu
EDITOR: Harriet Mandell, harrietd@rcn.com
WEB PAGE: Garry Ziffer, http://users.rcn.com/gbscg
LIAISON: Eve Welts, ewelts@rcn.com
************************************************************
DATABASES OF RECYCLER’S RESOURCE GUIDES … Thanks to Chan Touart : xhantou@juno.com who has alerted us to the following websites National Recycling Coalition (NRC), through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. EPA provides a list of reuse organizations, and municipal programs that accept old electronic equipment. http://www.nrc-recycle.org/resources/electronics. Also find nonprofit and school-based recyclers ideal for donating working equipment less than five years old, and commercial recyclers, that are more appropriate for older or non-working equipment http://www.techsoup.org/resources/index.cfm?action=resource.view_summary&resourcelist_id=144&style=recycle&set=products Also check out http://ebay.com/rethink FYI
****************************************************
GREETING CARD SITE FOR ALL REASONS … http://www.owlgreetings.ca This service is free and has no advertising banners displayed with your card.
************************************************
NOVEMBER MEETING SPEAKER’S handout can be found here on the web site. Speaker, Paul Lewis, is for hire. http://www.computerhomehelp.com
************************************************
VIRUS INSIDE A DOWNLOADED COMPRESSED FILE may be a problem that many anti-virus programs will not detect until you open the file. Garry Ziffer… garry@jps.net comments as follows: “By then it may be too late.This has bothered me for some time until I found a solution on a New Zealand web site. I've described the problem and one solution in some detail on the bulletin board. If you do any downloading, take a look! Feedback on your experience would be appreciated.”
*************************************************
FREE VIRUS PROTECTOR called AVG used successfully by several members can be found and downloaded from http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php /doc/2/ . A reminder to those already using this program… you need to upgrade to Version 7.
****************************************************
MIGRATING TO MOZILLA FIREFOX… the Pros, Cons & Installation will explain the reasons many members are using FireFox as a browser, but using Internet Explorer when necessary. Garry Ziffer has suggested reading this article on the following web page: http://www.techsupportalert.com/firefox.htm also subscribe to a newsletter.
*****************************************************
New Winter-Spring 2005 Southern Discoveries ELDERHOSTEL Catalog Now Online… http://www.elderhostel.org/programs/southern_discoveries.asp
Enjoy learning and adventure in warm, sunny climates this winter in programs from coast to coast including the Southeast, Southwest, California and Hawaii.
*****************************************************
TRAVELING OVERSEAS … http://www.voltagevalet.com is a site that was created to give the traveler easy access to important answers to questions such as :What is foreign electricity? How can I use my North American 120 volt appliances, and what do I need for my laptop computer and modem? What are dual voltage appliances?
************************************************
MORE SECURITY TIPS… prevent your credit card number from displaying automatically when filling out Web forms. For that, turn off AutoComplete in your browser by doing the following: In Windows XP, Click Start:Control Panel (in Windows 98 and ME, click Start:Settings:Control Panel). Double-click Internet Options. On the Content tab, click AutoComplete. Uncheck the Forms box. Click Clear Forms:OK.
……….Before entering credit card information on a Web site, be sure it is encrypted with Secure Sockets Layer. This connection displays as an “https” in the page address. Otherwise, look for a yellow padlock near the input box.
……... Although your bank requires a user name and password to sign in, it will not solicit this from you by e-mail. Should you get such a request, you can assume it is an attempt to steal your money. Delete it. If you need to e-mail your bank, do so from its Web site, and not from a link in spam. You could be the victim of a “phishing” scam.
***********************************************
RECENT HOAX…..via e-mail warned cell phone owners that telemarketers would have the right to call cell phone numbers unless people listed with the Federal do-not-call site by December 15, 2004. Not so!!! There is no deadline FCC rules bar them from calling cell phone which have been registered Landline phones and cell phones are protected by signing up on the FTC site. https://www.donotcall.gov/register/REg.aspx or by calling 888-382-1222 from your cell phone.
****************************************************
WITH FONTLIST, you can create a HTML file that will show all the fonts installed on your computer. With your browser, you can pick the right font in no time. Using FontList, you can change the predefined sample text, exclude seldom used fonts from the list and change the path for the HTML file. In your browser, you can change the style of a font and zoom in on a font. You can also view the character map of a font. And, for some, maybe the most important feature, you can create a print out of all your fonts. http://www.bitstorm.org/fontlist
*****************************************************
ALL IN THE FAMILY…Windows XP allows people to work on the same computer by giving each user a separate account to make it appear like every person in the house has his or her own computer to set up the way he or she likes it.To get started go to Control Panel and select User accounts where by following the directions the accounts can be set-up. Once the accounts are set-up Windows XP shows you your desktop with your own icons and whatever you store on your desktop. Customize the way everything on the screen looks when you are using the computer, without affecting how it looks to others. See your own lists of Web Favorites and recently visited sites. Protect your important computer settings. Use a password to keep your files private. Log on faster. Quickly switch between users, without having to close your programs.
************************************************************
WANTED: URL's of web sites; Helpful hints for Mac users, Win 95/98/ME/XP. Software reviews, desired topics for future meetings. Send these items via email to the editor. Please sign your email with your name. We will publish your email address, but not your name, phone number or address without your permission