You know, your computer has a bunch of icons scattered hither and yon that make life easier for you. You look at them every day, clicking them to start this or that program. Do you ever get tired of looking at the same icons? Every want to change them? Want to try your hand at something just a touch more creative, letting the artistic side of your brain express itself?
No problem. You can create new icons! You can create new desktop wallpaper. You can customize your computer any way you want - and with the graphics tool that comes with Windows. It's called 'Paint'. So here's the way to go if you have some spare time and want to develop your Techie side just a wee bit more.
We'll use Paint for our icon redecorating project. You'll find it under the Accessories menu (Start, Programs, Accessories). Once it's open, you'll need to set the size to 32 by 32 pixels. That's the size of icons you find on your desktop.
To set the size, click 'Image' on the menu line, and select 'Attributes'. Set the width and the height to 32, and click the 'pixels' radio button. Click OK, and you've now got a little 32 by 32 pixel square to work with. Too little? Just click View, Zoom, Large Size, or press the Ctrl and Page Down keys together. (Ctrl+Page Down) The space increases enough to work in. Now grab a tool and start drawing!
Once you're satisfied with your drawing, save it. Put it in a . Or on a Zip disk. Or wherever the heck it is you save your stuff. One tricky thing to observe...
When you go to save your file, give it the .ico file extension. You won't see that option listed in the file types drop down box, but no problem. Just give it the .ico extension and click Save .
*From THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER Issue 80, May 30, 2002

"Injury Prevention"

Last week I had a replacement monitor delivered under warranty. It's a big brute and comes with a fancy swivel 'n tilt stand which I've used for the past 10 months. But this time
around I couldn't figure out how to clip the stand into place, so I just plonked the monitor onto my desk 'temporarily'.
After 3 days in its 'temporary' position I realized that my neck and shoulders no longer needed periodic stretching to relieve stiffness - especially at the end of the day. Then I realized that my fancy monitor stand actually positioned the screen so that I had to tilt my head slightly upward - causing aching joints. And I had been doing that 12-14 hours a day for nearly a year! I also realized that once in position, I had never needed to reposition it, so the super-duper star-trek stand was merely an ornament.
So I've included a few tips this week by Tom Glander, on how to avoid injuries when using your computer.
What about injuries? Can you be injured using your computer, or is this just a joke passed from one person to another? Well, you might be amazed to know that doctors report an increase in the number of injuries associated with computer use.
Strains, muscle pain, chronic headache, or repetitive strain injuries may occur. Here's some tips to make life in front of the monitor more rewarding.
Adjust your chair. When you slouch forward, problems occur with your back, neck, shoulders, and legs. Make sure you have enough padding not only for comfort, but for support. If you move a lot, get a chair that swivels. Padded armrests will help if you do a lot of typing.
Adjust the height of your chair so your feet rest flat on the floor and your thighs have enough room under the desk or table. You don't want to hunch forward, lifting your shoulders. You may want to get a footrest as well. Just lifting your feet a bit can make work more pleasant.
If your keyboard is too high, you lift your shoulders in a constant shrug during the day. This causes muscle aches in you neck and shoulders. If you drop your wrists in an attempt
to rest your arms and shoulders, you can stretch tendons and ligaments, and press on nerves in the hands. Position your keyboard directly in front of you, and as close as possible. The most natural and comfortable position is right on your lap.This may not be practical, however, but getting it right down low really helps.
Your mother told you stand up straight, and now I'm telling you to sit up straight. Like a lazy dog who leans over on one haunch, you may tend to slouch. (No, I'm not saying you're a lazy dog!) Keep your elbows near your body and your forearms parallel with the floor. Your muscles will thank you by not complaining.
Use a light touch on your keyboard. No need to bang away at the keys and scare the mouse. Stay relaxed throughout your entire upper body. And hold your mouse like you would a baby kitten. Stay loose. And stay in shape.
Your monitor should be a comfortable height. You'll find that a poorly positioned monitor causes more fatigue than anything. Ever go home after a day at work thinking, "What did I do to make me so tired?" Invest in ergonomically designed furniture. You'll thank yourself.
Glare off your monitor's screen can be reduced by angling it 90 degrees to the source of light, or getting an anti glare filter. These filters make viewing a lot easier if stray photons are the problem.
What's the ideal height for your monitor? The top edge should be at eye level when you sit up straight, so your eyes have to look just a little bit downward when viewing the middle of the screen.
You should be able to see the screen without tilting your head or using your back muscles. Additionally, make sure the monitor is about an arm's length from your eyes. You may
want to change the brightness or contrast of your screen if you have problems seeing it. Or check with your optometrist and have your vision analyzed. You may find some lightweight reading glasses are just the ticket.
So what if you type a lot of stuff from printed notes? Try to keep the material as close to the monitor as possible. There are nifty devices made to hang your notes to the left or right, so you can focus easily without cranking your head constantly.
Don't forget to move your body every 20 to 30 minutes. Stretching exercises and frequent short breaks as opposed to long, infrequent breaks. I don't know your exact situation, but if you spend much time working with a computer, you'll appreciate "doing it right."
*From THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER Issue 96, September 27, 2002

"Image File"

An image file is just another type of file found on your computer's hard drive. Image files will have a three letter "file extension" that tells your operating system (Windows)
what program to use to open that file. The most common image files have either a ".jpg" or ".gif" file extension. Files with ".jpg" extensions are usually photographs, but not always.
Files with ".gif" extensions are usually graphics with fewer colors. Photographs taken with a digital camera are almost always in .jpg format. They have millions of colors. A typical file name could be: mounteverest.jpg
Image files are different from text, sound, or video files. Whether you call them "pictures", "graphics", "photos" or "art", they're an image file.
*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 94 September 12, 2002