Illawarra Computer Enthusiasts Newsletter

Information, Computer Literacy, Education.

Affiliated with the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association (ASCCA)

April 2008

Illawarra PC Users Group

$2.00

MEETINGS
FRIDAY, 11 APRIL, 7:30 PM
See page 13

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Organising Files by Duncan Charig

BLOGGING FOR BEGINNERS

CREATING E-MAIL FOLDERS IN YAHOO!

AND GMAIL
CUTE PARTITION MANAGER

GERMS

11

LETTERS

10

LONDON TIMES OBITUARY OF THE LATE

MR. COMMON SENSE
NEW LEGISLATION M5 & M7
RE SPEEDING FINES

12

ONLINE OPPORTUNITIES EXPAND AS MOUSE

DOES THE TALKING
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

11
3, 8

SET A LANGUAGE TO A STYLE IN WORD

5
12

REGULAR FEATURES
ELWYNS VIEW
CARTOON
HINTS & TIPS
QUOTABLE QUOTES
ONE LINERS
M2008
E IF ...
STOP
APRIL

SATURDAY, 26 APRIL, 1:00 PM

Take the Teacher Home by Bill McCully.

10

FILE ASSOCIATIONS

THE RIGHT SIZE

File Formats by Bodo Schwarz

2
11
4, 5, 10, 13, 14
9
5, 6, 8, 11, 13
6 PAGE 1

Bill is main force behind the production of

the Take the Teacher Home learning
series. The Beginners Computer Course
and the Internet & E-mail Computer
Course CD sets will be available for
members to purchase.

ROUND AND ABOUT ICE

WELCOME It gives us great pleasure to welcome
John Churchill, Gordon Coulter, Marian Jordan,
Judith Poulton, Patrician Simpson, Norman and
Lesley Trethewey, Stanley Walker and Thompson
Wynn as members of the Illawarra Computer
Enthusiasts and we hope that their association
with ICE will be a long and happy one.
SICK LIST Peter Bannister, Alan Slater and Moya
Visman had to undergo surgical procedures.
Alan Bern was seen sporting an arm in
plaster at the last meeting.
We wish you all a speedy and full recovery.
SPONSORS We would like to express our
gratitude to Wollongong Office & Drawing
Equipment, who has agreed to sponsor ICE for
another year.
PAGE SPONSORS Norm Gadsby and George
Hood have agreed to continue with their page
sponsorship. Many thanks to George and Norm.

SUNDAY LUNCHEON A Luncheon is planned for

Sunday, 29 June, at German Club, Northcliffe Drive
(next to Prime TV).
Time: 12:30 for 1:00 pm
RSVP: Friday, 13 June
Costs: $5:00 (members & partners) payable by
Saturday, 28 June
Menu items: Members and their guest may select
pork/chicken Schnitzel, cured pork loin
(Continued on page 9)

Vol. 26, No. 3, April 2008

Official Journal of
The Illawarra PC User Group Inc.
ABN: 81 127 508 207

4284 8754 - icepcug@gmail.com - www.illawarrapcug.org.au

Correspondence to: Illawarra Computer Enthusiasts, 9 Ursula Road, Bulli, NSW 2516
EDITORIAL TEAM AND CONTRIBUTORS

PATRONS

Editor, Production, Advertising: Bodo Schwarz

bodo@tadaust.org.au
Assistant Editor, Research: Robert Castles
robert.castles@gmail.com
Distribution: Robert Parsons
rparsons@exemail.com.au
Contributors: Robert Davidson, Elwyn Jordan,
Bruce Massey, Michael McKeen, Heather
McKern, Peggy Stransky.

Sharon Bird MP, Member for Cunningham

Noreen Hay MP, Member for Wollongong

This page is sponsored by Sid & Jan Wilkinson

MAY NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTION

DEADLINE 15 APRIL 2008.

ELWYNS VIEW
GREY-POWER AND COMPUTERS
By Elwyn Jordan, ICE

he was in her early 30s. She was

obviously just about to give me a web-site
address, but hesitated, and asked, Do you
have access to the Internet? I could see the
thought-process; something along the lines of,
I wonder if this poor old bloke knows anything
about computers or the Internet? I told her I
did. I thought of explaining how I bought my
first computer over 20 years ago, and for
around 10 years ran a part-time business
selling and repairing computers, but kept my
answer to a simple, Yes. But it was the sort of
attitude that used to prevail, and was the
subject of many jokes, that to use a computer
(or to program a VCR etc), you had to get a 10
-year-old kid. Old people and technology just
didnt mix!
Now, I dont think that was ever really true! I
suppose it is true that when it comes to
absorbing knowledge, kids do have a spongelike mind they soak it up quickly. That is if
they bother to try. Sometimes the sponge
seems like its encased in liquid-proof plastic!
But the point I want to make is that, far from
shunning computer technology, older people
have been eager to take it up.
Of course when the personal computer
was first invented, back about 30 years ago, it
wasnt the elderly who rushed out and bought
them. It was mostly the young nerdy types.
People who looked a bit like a cross between

Harry Potter and Ugly Betty. Actually, and Im

digressing here, but have you noticed they are
somewhat alike? Give Harry Potter the same
hair-do and some braces and see? I reckon
if you went back into Bettys family history
youd find one of her ancestors went to Hogs
Breath University (or whatever its called
yeah I know Hogs Breath is a restaurant). Its
like Kevin Rudd and that character in South
Park. Id never really thought of the similarities
until it was pointed out in a newspaper article I
read. Now when I see Kevin Rudd being
interviewed on TV I half expect to see one of
his offsiders come rushing up saying, Theyve
killed Kenny! Theyve killed Kenny! But back
to what I was saying. Yes, nerdy people buying
computers in the early days. They and rich
people; because those first computers cost as
much as a small car and had the processing
power of a pocket-calculator.
But it changed, of course. Computers got
much better, and they got much cheaper. And
older people got interested in computers too.
Because there were then so many things you
could do with them. And the advent of the
Internet enhanced this even more. Now, apart
from all the other great things you could do
with them, the computer became a great way
of keeping in touch with family. Older people
typically have family who live in other parts of
(Continued on page 3)

PAGE 2

APRIL 2008

ELWYNS VIEW
(Continued from page 2)

the country, or even overseas. Now, with email

and other forms of on-line communication, they
found a great way to keep in touch. And as a
grandparent myself, I can certainly identify with
the desire to keep in touch with the growing
families of our off-spring (although mine
actually live relatively close-by).
Also, its often in retirement when people
take up a hobby or interest; and the Internet is
a great way of enhancing the experience of
any hobby. Whatever it is youre into, theres
lots of information on the Internet to keep you
interested and help you learn! And it can help
in very practical ways too.

So, older folk are avid computer users. And

avid Internet users; In fact, according to a
survey conducted in Britain recently, older
people use the Internet more than younger
people! They found that the average pensioner
spends 42 hours a week on-line, compared with
38 hours on-line for 18 to 24 year-olds. And
locally, Telstra has reported that 60% of
Australian seniors who own computers regularly
use the Internet. I suppose the 18 to 24 yearolds are too busy playing games on their
Playstation, or using their mobile-phones to play
music and SMS everyone they know etc.
And what do they use the Internet for? Well,
as Ive already mentioned, its a great way of
staying in touch with family, and pursuing an
APRIL 2008

Actually I was talking to a health professional

recently. She was a woman in her early 30s.
She was about to give me an Internet address,
but hesitated and . Yes, the woman I
mentioned at the beginning of this. I should have
quoted her the statistics and told her that us
oldies use the Internet more the young uns do!

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

THE DREADED RED X
Q: All I can ever see is that little red X. It's in
my e-mail, in my Web browser, it's
everywhere. Why can't I see any pictures?
Please help me!
A: Several people have problems with the
dreaded "red X," so you are definitely not alone
when you ask this question. All of us here in the
office get multiple e-mails about this subject
every day, so even though we've run a tip on this
before, here's a little more explanation that will
hopefully help you determine the exact cause of
your red X problem!
One of the main areas where people see the
red X is in their e-mail. If you use Outlook
Express and are having trouble seeing pictures
in your e-mail, open it up and go to Tools,
Options and choose the Security tab. Make
sure the "Block images and other external
content in HTML e-mail" box is unchecked.
Now, if you are sending an e-mail and people
have been complaining to you about the pictures
not showing up, try this: open up OE and go to
Tools, Options, Send tab. Under the Mail
Sending Format section, make sure HTML is
selected and then click on the HTML Settings
button. From there, make sure the "Send
pictures with messages" box is checked. That

PAGE 3

(Continued on page 4)

This page is sponsored by Penny Ferguson

A friend of mine, who is retired, is a member

of the Ulysses Motorcycle group. (Thats a
group for older riders). In his part of the country
(he lives in Newcastle), the local group go for a
weekly ride. Now, when you ride a motorbike,
weather is a big concern. Riding in the rain isnt
much fun. My mate has long taken the
approach that if it isnt raining at home then
hell go. But that doesnt mean it wont rain half
an hour later, of course. And often it would. But
he was finding that on days when rain would
come, there was a certain group of riders who
wouldnt show up for the start. Somehow they
knew the rain was coming! It took a while but
finally he figured out what they were doing. He
explains, These techno-savvy wooses are
looking up the radar on the Internet and seeing
if rain is coming. If theres rain about they stay
home! And stay dry! I do the same thing
myself! Weather forecasts on the radio are one
thing, but looking at a radar image of what is
actually happening at the time is a much more
accurate way of determining whether you
should venture outdoors or not.

interest or hobby. It can also be used for

information on health-related matters which
probably affect us older folk more than those
healthy young uns. Have you ever looked up
health information on the net? I know I have.
To quote statistics again, I read where 73% of
women and 55% of men will have used the
Internet to access information on health issues.
And youd have to assume that a good
percentage of those would be older people.
The result of this, by the way, is that 40% of
doctors say they lose the equivalent of one day
a week trying to talk people out of incorrect self
-diagnosis theyve got from checking out
problems on-line! Although many doctors are
also recommending the Internet to their
patients for more information.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

CLEAR THE MRU LIST Set the

number of entries to zero in the
Tools > Options > General tab and
the list will be removed.

(Continued from page 3)

should solve all of your e-mail issues.

If you're having trouble seeing images in
Internet Explorer, go to Tools, Internet
Options and click on the Advanced tab. Look
for the Multimedia section and make sure the
box that says "Show Pictures" is checked. For
Firefox, go to Tools, Options and click on the
Web Features icon. Make sure the "Load
Images" box is checked as well.

This page is sponsored by Computer Fairs Australia

Another cause may be that your browser

security settings are set too high, which
prevents you from accessing the Web site that
handles the images. In IE, go to Tools,
Internet Options, Security tab and click on
the Default Level button. Make sure your
settings are set somewhere around the
medium level.
Another cause could be your antivirus or
firewall settings. Look for a setting that says
"Disable Web Bugs" and make sure it is
turned off. That should allow all the images to
pass through so that you can see them.
There are also a couple other simple
reasons why your images may be blocked.
One is that you're looking at a Web site that is
busy, temporarily shut down or offline. A Web
host could also be working on certain things on
the site, causing the images to be down. If
everything else we've discussed above is set
correctly and you're still not seeing the images,
this might be your problem. All you can really
do is just try the site again later. Also, when
you're trying to view images on a Web site or in
your e-mail, make sure you are actually
connected to the Internet, because they will not
show up if you're not online.
If you've been having trouble with the red X,
hopefully one of these solutions will help you in
fixing this awful predicament!
Source: Computer tips, WorldStart, 10 March 2008

Message format
Microsoft Outlook can read e-mail in
a range of different formats including
pictures, stationery and other objects.
E-mails which use stationery are formatted
as HTML, that is, special encoded text which
is most commonly used on the Internet to
create web pages. Be aware, however, that
not all people have an e-mail program which
can read HTML e-mails. Plain text e-mail, on
the other hand, can be read by all
e-mail programs.

BLOGGING FOR BEGINNERS

he word 'blog' is derived from the two

words, 'web' and 'log'. In fact, by writing a
blog as you travel, you're really mirroring the
logs kept, for example, by sea captains over
the centuries, but swapping quill and
parchment for the convenience of modern
communications technology. Receipt of your
words/log is also instantaneous family and
friends at home or around the globe can see
you swimming in the waterhole within minutes
of the image being taken.
You begin by setting up your own page on
the Internet, which you can then use in many
different ways to discuss books or political
issues, for example, with anyone who reads
your blog free to make their own contribution.
Blogging is particularly popular among
travellers. It frees you of the thought, "I can't
wait to tell the family about this when I get
back". By e-mailing photos or creating word
pictures on your blog, you can send news of
your adventures as you're having them
besides ensuring you won't forget the details
that made your experience unique, because
they are all archived in your blog.
An easy way to get started is to visit
Telstra's BigBlog at www.bigblog.com.au. If
you're already a BigPond Member, you can
then create your blog with the click of your
mouse and start loading up your words and
images which those at home (or wherever they
may be) can receive within minutes. And if
you're not near a computer, you can e-mail
photos straight from your mobile phone to
your blog.
If you're planning to be on the move for an
extended period, Telstra's Next G TM network
for both your mobile phone and BigPond
Wireless Broadband reaches most of the
Australian population and delivers Australia's
greatest mobile Internet experience. And it's
handy for much more than blogging you can
also log on to manage your banking, pay bills
and book accommodation on the Internet at
any time, from anywhere. The net is also a
fantastic way to find out more about the people
and places you plan to encounter on your
journey and to report on your blog.
Source: YOUR LIFE, Summer 2007/08

PAGE 4

APRIL 2008

SET A LANGUAGE TO A STYLE

IN WORD

A single coffee tree produces only about half a

kilogram of coffee beans per year.

NEW LEGISLATION M5 & M7

RE SPEEDING FINES

When you enter non-English text into your

Word document, chances are Word will not
recognise it and interpret it as misspelled.
Mary Ann Richardson brings a certain je
ne sais quoi to the issue.

5 and the M7 are now equipped with

Point to Point Speed Devices. On
entering the M7 the Etag beeps and a camera
takes a photo of your car recording the exact
time. On exiting the Etag system beeps again
another camera at that point takes a photo of
the car and the time. Then the computer
calculates the time it has taken you to travel
between the two points and calculates your
speed. If you completed the clocked journey
too fast you are issued with a speeding ticket.

f your work requires typing blocks of nonEnglish text within your English-language
Word documents, then you know how
annoying it can be when Word continues to
proofread the non-English text using its
English dictionary.

The Pacific Highway has a set and these

are recognised by large steel frames over the
lanes with a speed camera and some distance
up the road is another large metal frame with a
speed camera.
These new point to point systems are
being put onto any expressway and highway
where vehicles are not able to exit between
those points.
NOTE: School zone cameras are not speed
tolerant. Anything over, even 41, is a fine.
Tammy Umasaran
Corporate & Admin Support
Ministry of Transport
Phone: 02 9891 8941
Fax: 02 9891 8999
Submitted by Robert Davidson, ICE

CHARTS
CAREFUL SELECTION If
you need to create a chart but
do not want to use all the data in your
worksheet, you can select non
contiguous ranges by holding down Ctrl
as you select the appropriate data
before creating your chart as usual.
APRIL 2008

To let Word know which dictionary to use to

proof the text, you should mark it for proofing in
its own language by assigning a language
style. Follow these steps:
1. Type the foreign language text.
2. Select the text.
3. Go to Tools, Language, Set Language.
4. Scroll to and select the language from the
Mark Selected Text As list.
5. Click OK.
6. Go to View, Task Pane.
7. Click the Getting Started arrow and select
Styles And Formatting from the list.
8. With the text still selected, click New Style.
9. Enter a name for the style (such as French)
in the Name box.
10. Click OK.
Now when you want Word to proof your text in
French, highlight the text and select French
from the drop-down Style box in the Formatting
toolbar. This new style will be available to the
current document only. If you want it to be
available to the template the document is
based on, click the Add To Template check
box in the New Style dialogue box after step 9
and before clicking OK.
Source: TechRepublic, 6 February 2008

PAGE 5

This page is sponsored by Robert Parsons

At the present the speed limit is 100K.P.H.

with a tolerance of 102 maximum. Over that
and you are issued with a fine automatically.
What a shock some drivers are going to have
when they use this roadway for a week and get
a weeks tickets BOTH WAYS. Of course your
license will also be recalled for 3 months. Now
with the new legislation, fighting a Speed
Camera fine is almost impossible. You must
prove the device is faulty and if you are not a
technician working on them, you have no
chance of beating the fine.

Word automatically proofreads your document

for the language version installed on your
system. So, if you purchased your copy of
Word in the United States, it will mark all the
text as English (U.S.) and will proof the nonEnglish text against the English (U.S.)
dictionary. When you add a block of foreign
phrases, Word's spelling and grammar checker
will flag them as incorrect rather than proof
them against the appropriate foreign language
dictionary. You could set up Automatic
Language Detection; however, this method is
not foolproof for smaller blocks of text.

CREATING E-MAIL FOLDERS IN YAHOO! AND GMAIL

By Tweety Dimes

This page is sponsored by Gladys Pickering

o you receive countless e-mails on a daily basis? Are some of those e-mails interesting,
important or just something you would like to come back to later? If so, wouldn't you like to
categorise them, without having to mark them as Old, Keep As New, Unmark, Unread, etc.? Or, what
if you accidentally deleted some of them? Or, even worse, lose them. I mean, who has time to deal
with all of that?!
Well, now you can make new folders to manage and organise all of your e-mails. That way, you
wont have to flood your Inbox and all your other folders with uncategorised e-mail. Cool, huh?!
For instance, I made a folder called "WorldStart" for all of their articles and updates. I put all of the
articles and newsletters I receive from WorldStart in that folder. That way, I dont have to go searching
for them in all of my other e-mail folders. I can go right to that folder and find everything I need. Its all
in one place! So, if that sounds like something you'd like to do as well, keep reading. Below you will
find instructions on how to do that in Yahoo! and Gmail. Okay, let's get started!
Yahoo!
Log in to your Yahoo! e-mail account and click on the Mail tab.
Next (Fig. 1), in your Inbox,
Fig. 1
click the Move tab and a list
will appear for you. From
there, go to the New Folder
option and click on it.
Fig. 2

A new box (Fig. 2) will

come up where you can
enter in a name for the
new folder you're creating.
Click the OK button when
you're done.
The new folder (Fig. 3) will
show up on the left hand
side in the Mail Inbox
window, under My Folders.

Fig. 3

Gmail (Fig. 4)
Now, before we move on, I want to make it clear that Gmail doesnt use folders. Instead, they use
what are called labels.
First, log in to your Gmail
e-mail account and click on
Labels. Next, select the
New Label option under
the Apply Label: Title
section. You can then type
in the name you would like
to use for your new label.
Fig. 4
Then click OK.
Thats it! Now, you can
use your new folders
and/or labels for all of
your e-mails. It's a much
faster and much easier way to keep your e-mails organised and in place. Give it a try today!
Source: WorldStart Computer Tip, 24 January 2008

STOP ME IF ...

Where do footballers dance?

At a football

My weight is perfect for my heights, which varies

depending on what shoes I wear!
PAGE 6

APRIL 2008

Robert Castles

Special Event Videos

4267 3232 0409 902 838

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636A Northcliffe Drive
KEMBLA GRANGE, NSW 2506
4271 5011
4271 5884
germanclub@netspace.net.au
www.germanclub.net.au

424 Princes Highway, Corrimal, NSW 2518

Just South Of The Police Station
1300 139 419 or 4284 0022

YOU WILL FIND THE

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newtek@newtek.com.au

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Resellers For:
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101 Kenny Street
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4226 4255
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info@unitech.com.au
www.unitech.com.au
APRIL 2008

370-372 Princes Highway,

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4285 6248

4285 6251

www.mcdonalds.com.au
PAGE 7

This page is sponsored by George Hood

345 KEIRA STREET, WOLLONGONG

NSW 2500

FILE ASSOCIATIONS

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Quick Launch Bar

file association is an association between a

file and a program. Let's look at an example.

Let's say you have some Word documents

floating around your hard drive. Now let's say
you double-click one. Since it's associated with
MS Word, Word automatically runs and opens
the Word Document you just doubled clicked.
This applies to just about every type of file
out there, not just Word documents.

Q Would you be able to tell me how to

remove items from the Quick launch bar?
A To remove an icon from the Quick launch
bar, you
1. Right-click the icon you wish to remove.
2. Click on Properties in the resulting
drop down menu.
3. Click on Delete.

Also, you may find you need to set up an

association from time to time. If you've ever
clicked a file and got a screen asking you
what program to open it with, you've run into
this problem.

This page is sponsored by George Hood

Now, you may actually have a program on

your hard drive that can open the file (notepad
is good for system files), but chances are that
in order to open the file in question, you'll need
new software of some sort.
WOLLONGONG DRAWING
& OFFICE EQUIPMENT
Incorporating
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Sales - Rental - Service

If you want to completely remove the Quick

launch bar
1. Right-click an empty area on the
taskbar and click Properties.
2. On the Taskbar tab, under Taskbar
appearance, un-check the Show Quick
Launch check box .
3. Click OK.
Save your money for a rainy day or a new computer!

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Call Goran or Adrian on
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itsa

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4283 3323
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4226 4285
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www.itsa.asn.au
PAGE 8

APRIL 2008

ROUND AND ABOUT ICE

QUOTABLE QUOTE

(Continued from page 1)

"Ask her to wait a moment - I am almost

done." Carl Friedrich Gauss, when
informed that his wife is dying

(Kasseler), beef rolls (Rouladen)

or vegetarian.
Exceptions: This does not include desserts and
beverages from the kitchen or bar.

Submitted by Lynnette Armour, ICE

EDUACTION

of your time.

COMPUTER FAIRS Bodo Schwarz has

tendered his conditional resignation, meaning
that two names of helpers must be available
one week before a nominated fair (with the
exception of the regulars), as the Marketing Co
-ordinator due to the lack of support at the
Computer Fairs in Unanderra by the
membership. If the required names are not
forthcoming, the stall at the respective
computer fair will not be manned.
What brought this about is that Jan and Sid
Wilkinson werent able to help at the last
Unanderra fair and despite asking for help,
nobody volunteered to assist. If it hadnt been for
Fred James, who offered to stay for the duration,
the stall would not have been manned.
In the almost 10 years (August) Bodo
Schwarz acted as the Marketing Co-ordinator
he missed one fairs. All you, the members, are
asked to contribute occasionally 1 or 2 hours
APRIL 2008

Until about 2 years ago 80% of members

made the first contact with ICE at the computer
fairs and it will hurt the club in the long run with
the lack of this public exposure.
On a personal note, helpers, wearing their
name badge, dont have to pay the entry fee.
This will change of course if the ICE stall is left
unmanned. Also we are likely to loose the club
sponsorship and page sponsorship in ICICLES
by Computer Fairs Australia. So how about it?
To quote an old clich: Its not what your
club can do for you, its what you can do for
your club.

SENIORS WEEK As you will see on the ad

appearing on page 13, we are planning a
Seniors Week activity on Wednesday, 9 April,
in the large hall of the Unanderra Community
Centre. In order to make this a success we
need the following things to happen:
1. Please print 20 flyers that will be e-mailed to
you in due course and carry out a letter box
drop in your neighbourhood and ask local
businesses to display a flyer in their shops.
2. We need helpers to set up the large hall
for the event and to assist during the
activity. The set up commences at 12
noon and the hall will be open to the
public from 2 to 4:30 pm.
3. The specific jobs that need to done
during the activity are:
Catering
Reception
Selling raffle ticket
Assist at the sales and education tables.
Help visitors when using the computers.

QUICKIE RAFFLE The results of the

raffles were:
February Day meeting
Gerald Dowd Internet keyboard donated
by George Hood
Gladys Pickering SiPix printer by
Cablelink
Richard Burnett 1 GB Flash Drive
Noel Manuel Copy paper

PAGE 9

(Continued on page 10)

This page is sponsored by Norm Gadsby

1. Enrolments
On enrolment all payments and
documentations must be completed.
Due to the long lead up time for some
courses a waiting list can be created for
Expressions of Interest to be recorded.
These Expressions of Interest must be
confirmed or withdrawn by the nominated
enrolment deadline.
2. New Courses All fees quoted in clued a
manual unless otherwise specified.
An Introduction to Mail Merge of
1 hours duration is offered for $9.50
Create Individual Envelopes and Labels
of 2 hours duration with a cost of $11.00
3. Photoshop Elements The committee is
contemplation of purchasing Photoshop
Elements for the computers in the computer
lab, provided that theres sufficient
expressions of interest of members willing
to do the course.
4. Office 2007 In the near future Office 2007
will be installed on the Vista partition of the
computer lab computers and Philby Mk 3.
Once installed, trainers can practice on the
lab computers on Mondays, Wednesdays
and/or Saturdays if the lab isnt used for
classes. Contact the secretary for bookings.

LETTERS

CUTE PARTITION MANAGER

Subject: ICE TRIVIA

I was listening to the last bit of the ABC Friday
night program re computers (10.30pm-11pm)
and they usually have someone there
discussing the latest and taking calls - I think
he was some sort of 'trouble-shooter'. He
commented that a lot of the problems
encountered were THE PEBCAK FACTOR when he was asked what this was (as it didn't
sound very nice) he said: "Problem
Encountered Between Chair and Keyboard!"
Cheers
Peggy

Current version is: 0.9.8 (Freeware)

Partition Manager is an advanced hard disk
partition management utility. Using Partition
Manager, you can easily add, edit, delete and
manage the partitions in your computer. Most
of the hard disks have plenty of space and can
store plenty of data and easily accommodate
more than one operating system. In order to
efficiently store large amount of data or install
multiple operating systems, you need to
partition your hard disk with a partition
management utility like Partition Manager.

ROUND AND ABOUT ICE

This page is sponsored by M & P Haane

(Continued from page 9)

March Night meeting

Wolfgang Kolodzey Personal Organiser
donated by Michael Hickman
Robert Parsons 1 GB Flash Drive
June McEwan Copy paper

LUCKY DOOR DRAW

February Day meeting
Noel Manuel, June McEwan & Don Rose
McAfee VirusScan Plus
March Night meeting
Eugene Keenan McAfee VirusScan Plus

BADGE DRAW
February Day meeting
Gordon Coulter, Gerald Dowd & Don Rose
Integard family online protection program
March Night meeting
Arline Kime Integard family online
protection program

File Name: cpm.exe, File Size: 226KB

(approx), File Type: Self-Extracting Installer.

e still have two vacancies, either as a

committee member or volunteer:

Website: http://www.cutepm.com/

Marketing Officer, who is able to promote

products to members and the general public
that ICE may have to sell from time to time, eg.
ICE CD, ICICLE Yearbook, Take the Teacher
Home, etc.
Berkeley Markets Co-ordinator, who is able
to co-ordinate the clubs activities and arrange
for the assistance of members at the markets.

CTRL + Z
Need to undo a wrongly typed keystroke?
Drag-and-Dropped a program to the wrong
place? In most programs, Control + Z is the
Undo command.

Partition Manager is very easy to use. It lets

you preview the changes before you save
them. It lets you edit the boot flag, partition
type and other advanced parameters. It gives
you total control of your system during the
partition process. For example, it lets you edit
all existing partitions. It even lets you install all
the operating systems from scratch. It supports
all versions of Windows (9x, ME, NT, 2K, XP,
Vista), DOS, Linux, etc.

Passwords
When using your computer, the
Internet or installing software, you
may need to remember many different
passwords. Its important to not only keep
track of all passwords and PIN's, but keep
them secure. The best way to do this is to
use a mixture of words and numbers you will
remember, such as your phone number and
street name, but no-one else is able to work
out. If this doesnt work, write down the
passwords but remember to keep them
separate from the computer and ensure they
are not identified with your PC.

PAGE 10

APRIL 2008

ONLINE OPPORTUNITIES EXPAND AS MOUSE DOES THE TALKING

By Anthony Keane

welve years ago I signed up some

newfangled invention that they, said was
going to change the world. Twelve weeks ago I
used that invention - the Internet - to get great
deals for a family holiday in Tasmania, and
organised the entire trip online. I didnt have to
speak to one airline, travel agent, car hire firm
or hotel. It was my computer's mouse that did
the talking.
It's amazing to think that in 1986 most major
Australian companies were yet to have a
presence on the Internet. Today anyone with
half a business is online, and some are making
big money. Many customers are saving big
money, at the expense of technophobes.

As Microsoft founder Bill Gates once

famously said: "If General Motors had kept up
with technology like the computer industry has,
we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1000
miles per gallon".
Someone, claiming to be from General
Motors, issued an entertaining reply that said if
GM had developed technology like Microsoft,

FOR no reason whatsoever, your car would

crash twice a day.
EVERY time they repainted the lines on the
road, you would have to buy a new car.
THE airbag system would say "Are you
sure?" before going off.
OCCASIONALLY for no reason whatsoever,
your car would lock you out and refuse to let
you in until you simultaneously lifted the door
handle, turned the key and grabbed the
radio antenna.
YOU would press the "start', button to shut
off the engine.
Yes, computers can be a pain. Yes, the
Internet can be confusing. But it can also open
up a whole new world of benefits - and savings
- that are available to everyone.
Short history of the Worldwide Web
The Internet's origins were in the military
and science fields in the 1960s, when U.S.
boffins built a tool to allow computers to talk
to each other over phone lines.
The ARPANET was born to share data
between "nodes". In 1971 there were only
four nodes.
As it grew, computer geeks and scientists
started sharing mail, news and gossip.
Leading to the Internet we now know.
In the 1990s businesses began moving
online in a big way. Today more than 1.1
billion people regularly use the Internet.
Source: The South Australian Advertiser, February 2008
Submitted by Michael McKeen, ICE, South Australia

GERMS
"A microbiologist at the University of Arizona
counted bacteria on workplace surfaces for a
study sponsored by The Clorox Co., makers
of Clorox bleach. Office toilet seats had 49
germs per square inch, he found. But
desktops had almost 21,000 germs per
square inch. Desks, phones, computer
keyboards and mice are key germ transfer
points because people touch them so
often..." CNN.com
All power corrupts, but we need the electricity.
APRIL 2008

PAGE 11

This page is sponsored by Fred and Lorna James

Younger Australians have embraced the

Internet. Older Australians seem to be split into
two camps. There are the grey nomads with
their wireless laptops sending Images of their
exploits to jealous family and friends back
home. Then there are those who liken the
complexity of a home computer to the
propulsion system of a space shuttle. It's never
too late for this second group to become
computer literate. The Internet can be easily
accessed at public libraries, there are
countless of books on the subject, and
affordable courses at adult education providers
such as WEA. Computers seem to be getting
cheaper, faster and smarter by the minute.

cars would have the following characteristics:

THE RIGHT SIZE

hat's the right size for a picture, you

ask? Well, that depends on the photo;
most monitors display pictures at 72 dpi
(dots per inch). So, if you want the picture to
be five inches, 127 millimetres in metric
speak, wide (that's probably about the
biggest you would want for an e-mail
message), the picture would be 360 pixels
wide (5 inches x 72 dpi = 360 pixels).

(that ensures that when you change the height

or width, the picture remains proportional).

Pixel is short for "picture element" and it is

the smallest unit of visual information used to
build an image. If you have ever zoomed in on
an image, pixels are those little squares you
may see; the more pixels in an image, the
better the resolution.

This page is sponsored by Elwyn Jordan

So, how do you get your pictures to be the

right size? Well, you use your imaging
software, of course! Most scanners and digital
cameras come with some sort of imaging
software that will allow you to resize an image.
To do so, open the picture in your imaging
software and resize the image to your desired
resolution. You can usually do this via an Image
or Edit menu. Your menu style and commands
may vary depending on your software.
Usually, you'll get a screen that allows you
to input the image size in pixels. If there's a
checkbox that allows you to constrain
proportions, make sure that is checked as well

That should do it! Since you've changed the

picture size, you may want to save it under a
different name. Use the Save As command
under the File menu of your imaging software
to do that.
This little tip comes in handy when you want
to place a picture on your desktop or if you
send it by e-mail. Now your friends won't have
to wait forever to download a 10 MB picture file
that is way too big when it could have been
10K and just the right size.
Source: WorldStart Computer Tips, 22 January 2008

LONDON TIMES OBITUARY OF THE LATE MR. COMMON SENSE

oday we mourn the passing of a beloved

old friend, Common Sense, who has been
with us for many years. No one knows for sure
how old he was, since his birth records were
long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will
be remembered as having cultivated such
valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in
out of the rain; why the early bird gets the
worm; Life isnt always fair; and maybe it was
my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound
financial policies (don't spend more than you
can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not
children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when
well-intentioned but overbearing regulations
were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy
charged with sexual harassment for kissing a
classmate; teens suspended from school for
using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher
fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only

worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents
attacked teachers for doing the job that they
themselves had failed to do in disciplining their
unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were
required to get parental consent to administer
sun lotion or an Elastoplast to a student; but
could not inform parents when a student became
pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the
Ten Commandments became contraband;
churches became businesses; and criminals
received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you
couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your
own home and the burglar could sue you for
assault.

PAGE 12

Common Sense finally gave up the will to

(Continued on page 13)
APRIL 2008

The Illawarra Computer Enthusiasts

present

OPENING THE WORLD TO SENIORS THROUGH COMPUTERS

Whats it about?

n interactive one-off session giving seniors the opportunity to explore the world of
computing, in order to both stimulate their imaginations and increase their
knowledge of the subject and demystify computers is offered as part of the 2008 NSW
Seniors Week program.
Seniors can familiarise themselves with computers with hands-on sessions and
demonstrations by fellows seniors.
Afternoon tea will be available.
Wednesday, 9 April 2008

Time:

1:00 - 4:00 pm

Venue:

Unanderra Community Centre (Small Hall),

cnr Princes Highway & Factory Road

Enquiries: 4284 8754

LONDON TIMES OBITUARY

(Continued from page 12)

live, after a woman failed to realise that a

steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a
little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a
huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his
parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion;
along with his daughter and son, Responsibility
and Reason. He is survived by his 4
stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now,
Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so
few realised he was gone. If you still remember
him, pass this on.
Submitted by Heather McKern
Every hour the body replaces one billion cells.

Changing features
Outlook automatically customises
menus and toolbars for you based
on how often you use the commands. When
you first start Outlook, only the most basic
commands appear. Then, as you work,
Outlook adjusts the menus and toolbars so
that only the commands and toolbar buttons
you use most often appear on your screen.
Accessing The New
Hardware Wizard
You can view which device drivers are
currently installed with the Device Manager
and using the 'Scan for hardware changes'
option under the Action menu to start the
Hardware Update Wizard.

Disclaimer: The Illawarra PC Users Group Inc. disclaim all responsibility for any losses or damage which may be
attributed to the use or misuse of any material published in this Newsletter.
The ILLAWARRA COMPUTER ENTHUSIASTS NEWSLETTER ICICLES is published by the Illawarra PC Users Group Inc.,
9 Ursula Road, Bulli, NSW 2516
APRIL 2008

PAGE 13

This page is sponsored by Lorraine and Lynnette

Date:

This page is sponsored by Bodo Schwarz

Sunday, 6 April 2008

Sunday, 20 April 2008
BERKELEY SPORTS STADIUM
Kanahooka Road, Berkeley
enquiries@computermarkets.com

Press down on the mouse wheel (if

you have one) and move the mouse
up or down to scroll through a web
page. It's an easy little trick that won't wear
out the wheel or your finger!

thirroul
Licence No. 2TA4622. A Travelworld Franchise
Office owned and operated by Keith and
Ann-Maree Scott.

See Ann-Maree and Keith

for all your travel arrangements
Shop 9B
Thirroul Plaza
Thirroul, NSW 2515
4267 4011
4267 4125
thirroul@travelworld.com.au

If undeliverable return to:

Illawarra Computer Enthusiasts
9 Ursula Road, Bulli, NSW 2516

Meetings are held every second Friday, 7:30 pm, and

fourth Saturday, 1:00 pm (February to November), of the
month at the Unanderra Community Hall (Rear Hall),
corner of Factory Road & Princes Highway, Unanderra.

Your key to the Internet

1300 HOTKEY (1300 468 539) for both
Accounts and Technical Help
ask@service.hotkey.net.au

Sunday, 13 April 2008

ILLAWARRA CREDIT UNION HOCKEY STADIUM
Waples Road, Unanderra
Sunday, 27 April 2008
WOLLONGONG UNIVERSITY HALL
Northfield Avenue, Keiraville
www.computerfairs.com.au

Box 350, Petrie Qld 4502 (Accounts)

www.hotkey.net.au/

We thank

A Printer Cartridge Recycling Station is

now located in the foyer of the small hall of
the Unanderra Community Centre for
your convenience with the compliments of
for their support PAGE 14South Coast Ink & Toner Supplies.
APRIL 2008