COMPUTER TERMS

The information listed below is from various issues of  The Newbie Club INSIDER.
You can get your own copy when you become a Newbie Club Member at http://newbieclub.com    Membership is free!.
The Newbie Club INSIDER is a publication of The Newbie Club, which is owned by Roglan International Ltd.
(C) The Newbie Club(TM) All Rights Reserved

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"How To Save And Recover Resources - Part 1"
A silent crash and down it goes again. "Five times today, andright in the middle of some pretty important work, too. Why doesthis keep happening to me?" There's an answer. It's found in your
system resource meter. Learn how to keep track of your computer's resources.
* You may have 512 megabytes of RAM on your machine, and still have to reboot every so often. Windows runs low on resources, and shoot, there's just no way to stop this from happening. However,there is a way to minimize the problem, and see if any particularprogram is hogging resources or not letting them go when it's putaway.
* Use the Resource Meter to track system resources. Start this guy by going to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools,Resource Meter. Here's what the three percentages mean:
User: This is the percentage of system resources available in the User heap. A heap is simply a special memory area Windows uses to store info about menus, toolbars, and fonts.
GDI: This is the percentage of system resources available in the Graphical Device Interface heaps. These heaps hold the data forthings like fonts, pens, and brushes.
System: This is the lower value of the GDI and User values. So you can look at just the System part of the Resource Meter, anddon't have to pay too much attention to anything else. In
everyday use, System Resources are what you pay attention to anyway. Not the GDI or User resources.
* The resource meter runs in the system tray when activated (the area next to the Windows clock in the lower right hand corner ofyour screen). To turn it on, navigate to the Resource Meter
following this path: Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Resource Meter.
Green bars mean plenty of resources are available.
Yellow bars mean resources are down around 30 percent.
Red bars mean 15 percent or less available resources, and it's time to close some programs to free up some memory (resources).
If resources drop below 10 percent, and warning message is displayed. System lockups or even a crash can occur. This mayexplain why your system crashes without apparent reason.
How do you save resources? By not using them, of course. This isn't practical, however, so I'll show you how to maximize yoursby minimizing Windows' in Section 3 below ...
"How To Save And Recover Resources - Part 2"
Methods to save and recover resources:
* Shut down any applications you're not using
* Programs may use resources while you work. The longer a program is open, the more resources it may use. Exit and restart theapplication to end the unnecessary resource use.
* Open document windows use resources. Close any documents you aren't actively using. For example, Microsoft Word will allowmultiple documents to be open at the same time. Each open
document requires resources. You can close documents without shutting down Word itself.
* Toolbars and status bars require resources. Any graphical display item uses resources. Shut down any features you don'tuse.
* Some programs are super users of resources, hogging more than their fair share.
* If you let your resources get into the red zone, Windows will never really recover. Shutting down programs only regains apartial amount of resources--a lot like one step forward and two
steps backward. Reboot your computer to "clear its brain" and start fresh.
* Turn off the Active Desktop if it's on. It's a resource hog.
* Refrain from using wallpaper, animated cursors, or desktop themes.
* If you launch a program, then shut it down before it opens fully, you won't get back the resources that were allocated forthe launch you aborted. Always let a program open completelybefore shutting it down.
Remember that computers are made by people, and people aren't perfect. Windows, for all its flexibility, customizability, andnearly universal popularity, still has a long way to go before it
becomes the rock solid, problem free operating system the entire world wants to use. Well, that will never happen, but wouldn't we all be happy if it did?
Following some of these tips may mean you don't get to see pretty pictures and dancing icons. Well, if that's what you use yourcomputer for, then simply ignore this advice. Just monitor your
resources and reboot as needed.
*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 192 July 30, 2004
"About Recycle Bin"

Now here's a useful invention!
It's a trashcan for your data, and just like the real thing, you have to empty it. You can configure it to empty itself if youwant, but I never advise that.
Use the bin as a temporary storage area for files you aren't sure of. Anything you place in the bin will just sit there until youempty the bin. Should you decide you really do need a certainfile, you can restore the file by highlighting, right clickingand selecting Restore from the pop up menu.
I have 495 files occupying 40 megabytes of space in my Recycle Bin. This answers the question, "Can I store too many files inthe bin?" You can store as much as you'd like there, as long asyou don't exceed the percentage of storage that's set up. Thedefault is 10%. On a 10 gigabyte hard drive, I can store 100megabytes of data in the bin.
View the Recycle Bin properties to make changes to the percentage of storage space used for trash. Right click a blank area of thebin and select Properties. You'll see all the configurationvariables right there.
Restore files by right clicking them, and selecting Restore. They obviously have to be in the bin, or there's no need in restoring them. They are simply and effectively put back to their originalstate, and will be ready for use next time you need them.
You can drag and drop files into the bin. It doesn't have to be open first. Just drag an icon over the top of the Recycle Binicon, and release the mouse button. This would be a left drag, ofcourse. Try right dragging an icon over the bin. Release themouse button. See? You get a "Move Here" or "Cancel" option. Doas you'd like.
Whatever setting you have applied with regard to the bin's properties, it will be applicable if you're using WindowsExplorer to delete files, using the delete key, or dragging anddropping files onto the bin's icon.
If you have set up the bin's properties to delete files right away, then files will always be deleted immediately, no matterwhere you delete them from, or by what method you choose todelete them. If you've set the bin's properties to store files,then the same applies - no matter what, when you delete a file orfolder, it will be stored in the bin.
The bottom line: files obey the Recycle Bin settings and behave themselves.
Play with the bin settings on a rainy day when you've nothing better to do. Like so much else in your computer, you really canspend forever learning about its mysteries.
*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 156 October 18. 2003

"How to Remove Programs Safely"
How to properly remove programs from your computer:
Windows 98 has added a little program that helps you delete applications safely and CORRECTLY. Why correctly?
Because a lot of new software leaves entries in the Registry, and unless you uninstall your programs, the excess code gets left behind. Not so tidy. So when you want to uninstall an application, follow these steps:
1. Click Start.
2. Choose Settings then Control Panel.
3. In the Control Panel window, double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
4. Under "The following software can be automatically removed by Windows..." select the application you want to remove.
5. Click Add/Remove and follow the instructions to remove the application. It will show you dialog boxes to assist you in the process.
When you remove programs, you may be asked if you want to remove files called "DLLs". That's an acronym for Dynamic Linked Library file. These are shared by other programs. If you want to be real safe, just answer "No" to the question. Everything but the files in question will be removed. (Everything related to the program you're uninstalling, of course.)
This is all very geeky, really. But the time may come when you need to uninstall something. So use this. Don't just randomly delete the files that make up programs, or you'll be in REAL trouble.
*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 178 April 16, 2004

Resolution - Changing

No, I'm not talking about your New Year's Resolution. We all change that anyway don't we? Well, nearly always:-)
Do you see things on your computer screen as well as you'd like to? Are the images too big, or too little? You can adjust all of this very easily. Here's how.
Your computer has three popular screen sizes... measured in something called pixels. A pixel is a tiny dot that makes up the stuff you see. One dot. One pixel. (Pixel is short for picture element, and picture was shortened to pix.)
Top three popular screen resolutions:
#1. 640 x 480 pixels
#2. 800 x 600 pixels
#3. 1024 x 768 pixels
Now, if your monitor is displaying stuff at resolution #1, things will be quite large. You may want to change the settings to 800 x 600. Or, if your monitor is at 1024 x 768, you may want to decrease the setting if everything looks too small for you.
1. Right click a blank part of the desktop and select Properties from the context menu.
2. In the Display Properties box, click the Settings tab. You see the Screen area section? There's a slider bar with 'Less' on the left, and 'More' on the right. Under that, you'll see the number of pixels you are working with. Change the slider, click OK, and follow the instructions.
You should be shown a preview of what things will look like, and if you like it, accept the new setting. You may have to restart your computer for this to take affect.
The number of pixels you can view, and the color settings will be determined by the power of your video card. In the 'Colors' area, there are 16, 256, High Color (16 bit) and True Color (32 bit) listed. Depending on the power of your video card, you may not be able to use True Color.
The idea is to get comfortable, and make your computer as easy to use as possible. You shouldn't have to squint and strain our eyes to comfortably read your screen.
*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 85 July 9, 2002

"Have You Made The Correct Resolution?"
How many rows of buttons can you put on the taskbar? (the bar at the very bottom of your screen with all those buttons)
The answer depends on your screen resolution. If you're running your computer at 640 x 480 pixels, then you can have 9 rows. If you're at 1,280 x 1,024 then 20 rows will do it. Why anyone would desire such antics is beyond comprehension.
Don't panic
This would be a good time explain about Resolutions, and provide a few usability tips. Resolution is measured in pixels, across the screen and down the screen. So 640 x 480 means you could count 640 dots across, and 480 dots down.
Set the number of pixels your monitor displays in the Display Properties dialog box. Click ...
Start
Settings
Control Panel
Display
Settings
Then adjust Screen area in pixels, then click OK
If you don't like it just go back and reset it to your previous setting - so make a note of your present setting.
The resolution options will depend on the quality of your video
card. The more memory it comes with, combined with its overall abilities, the more colors you can view at a certain
resolution.
For example, you may be able to set your computer to display 64 million colors (not photographic quality, but close) and be able to run at 800 x 600 resolution. However, if you bump the resolution up a notch to 1,024 x 768, then the number of colors you can view may drop to 256 colors. It all depends on whether or not your video card has the muscle to do it..
*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 135 April 27. 2003



"Root Directory"

The root directory is the lowest point of your folderstructure. It's actually your C:/ drive, without any folders. It's known as the root, because if you liken the folder structure to a tree (called a folder tree or directory tree)then you'll kind of get the picture. The root is the baseof the rest of the tree. Except this tree hangs upsidedown, which is confusing.
*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 130 March 21, 2003
S
"Save to Disk - What's That?"

You're about to download a file from a web site, when you see a dialog box (window) appear with a couple of options:
1. Open from current location.
2. Save to disk.
What do you do? Open from current location, right? Sounds reasonable. The file is at its current location, so open it.
Not so fast!
If you want to download the file to your computer at home or work or wherever you are, then you'll want to use the option that's selected by default... the one that's checked off to begin with. "Save to disk".
Disk doesn't always mean "floppy disk". What it really means is that you will save the file to a disk. Most likely this will be, and should be, your hard drive. Otherwise known as your (C:) drive. Though it could be your (D:) drive, or any other letter drive as long as it's not your A:, B:, or the drive you associated with your CD player.
Nope. You can't download to a CD! But you can burn a CD. That is, copy programs and stuff onto a CD, which is called "burning" a CD.
So, next time you get ready to download, just leave the "Save to disk" option checked off. Technically, since the selector is a "radio button" it can't be checked. It is selected.
And why is it called a radio button? Because it's round, and it's kind of like those old radios that had the buttons you could punch in, only one at a time. These computer radio buttons can only be selected one at a time, which is different from a check box, which allows multiple simultaneous selections.

*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 85 July 9, 2002

"How To Make A Screen Capture"
Okay, you've seen screen captures. You know, those windows pictures we use so extensively in our Newbie Club Ebooks andWebsite tutorials.
How is this accomplished?
Ctrl + Print Screen is the key
This is where the Print Screen key on your keyboard comes in handy. It may be called PrntScn on your keyboard, or someother variant. But it's purpose is to make a copy of whatever is on your screen. It copies the info to the Windows clipboard. Then you can paste into another document that will accept it,such as Word, or a graphics program.
But what if you want to capture only the active window - the actual window that you may have just brought up on your screen?
That's when you use two keys together. The Alt and the Print Screen keys.
Hold down the Alt key. Press the Print Screen key. That's it! You've just made a copy of the active window, placing it onthe clipboard, ready to insert wherever you want to insert it.
I use a graphics program called Paint. It comes with your computer. You can try it now. It's really cool! Or you can usesome other graphics programs that are far more robust.
However, nothing too fancy is required to make these screen captures.
*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 170 February 15, 2004

"How To Change Your Screen Saver"
Are you getting a bit fed up watching that lonely goldfish swimming around aimlessly. Or are you bored to tears from watching little brightly colored froggy-woggies bouncing from one side to the other?
I'm talking about your screen saver of course - not the wonders of nature in your back yard:-)
Then change it. In fact why not change the colors of your windows, and other stuff you work with every time you use your computer?
Michael Angelo to the rescue ...
There is a long way, and a short way to do this, so naturally
I'll explain the short way...
RIGHT click on any area of your desktop - avoid the icons:-)
LEFT click on Properties.
Click on 'Screen Saver' tab.
Open 'Screen Saver' Drop down box
Choose the design you want.
Click OK.
Done.
Now you can watch big froggy-woggies eating lil' ol gold fish! While you're in there try changing your color schemes by clicking open the 'Appearance' tab. Mess around a bit and see the kinds of effects you can get.
There's more to life than those boring gray windows after all.
Pass the fish food please!

*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 181 May 15, 2004
" Searching on the Internet"

Sometimes trying to find information online can be an exercise in frustration...  Yep, that's how I feel sometimes too!  This week we're going to take a look at a couple of ways to search smarter and find what you're looking for.
The first method that we'll look at is going straight to where we want to go.  Did you know that Yahoo, Hotmail and Amazon, consistently rank in the top 10 searches on the Internet? These are actual words that people type into a search engine's search box.
If you go to most search engines and type those words in, you will indeed find the sites in question.  However, you'll also get a bunch of listings for other sites that either have something to do with those sites, are competitors of those sites or have references somewhere on their pages to those sites.
Tip #1: The quickest way to get to these and other well known sites is to simply type in the name, (Yahoo, Hotmail, BBC, MSN, Netscape...), into your browser's location or address bar.
OR, if you really want to make sure that you arrive to your destination, type in Hotmail.com, Yahoo.com, etc... (note: naturally this supposes that the domain in question is registered as a .COM).  In the case of UK domains you'll usually have to use the extension, ".co.uk"   e.g   BBC.CO.UK
A side note on this method of searching.  I just read an article that casts uncertainty about the future of this type of searching.  The company that provides this technology and sells the keywords that enable you to go directly to a particular site by typing in a word in your browser; may be shutting it's doors very soon.
Tip #2: Avoid using common words in your searches, especially the following:  "the",  "in",  ".com", "www", "http".  These words just won't help narrow down your search results. Likewise, searching for "Hawaii" will bring up all sorts of results.  Narrow it down to something like "Private Resorts Hawaii".  In this particular case I found that enclosing the phrase in quotation marks was a bad idea, as I didn't get any results at Yahoo!,  but I did get good search results by removing the quotation marks.
Tip #3: Be specific.  If you're looking for Woodworking Plans For Toys, then type that in to the search box.  Otherwise, just searching for Woodworking Plans, may not be enough. And the keyword, "Woodworking", will be even less helpful.
Tip #4: Try using quotation marks to help narrow your search to only webpages that contain the particular phrase you're looking for.  As I noted earlier though, sometimes that may be too specific and not return enough or any results at all.
Tip #5: Go Regional.  If it's Topographical Maps of Mexico that you're looking for, then specify Mexico in your search otherwise you'll be looking at the whole globe.  :o)
Tip #6: Get really regional.  Yahoo!, Altavista, Google, Netscape Search, MSN Search, and all of the other large guys aren't the only search engines and directories out on the web. Their sheer mass is also sometimes a hindrance.  That's why it's often a good idea to try out the smaller local and regional search engines.  The big guys often have regional databases too, but I find that a lot of them contain sites from countries other than the country that you're supposedly searching.  For instance, I'm finding all sorts of sites in Yahoo.ca that belong to companies in the USA.  Those sites should be in the main Yahoo! index instead.
Here's a starting point for all sorts of Regional Specific Search Engines and Directories: (This URL may wrap or break in your e-mail so just copy and paste it into your web browser's location bar):
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_
Wide_Web/Searching_the_Web/By_Country_and_Region/
Tip #7: Use the search engines advanced features.  Many search engines have features that you can use to really go to work on your searches.  Try these advanced search pages:
http://www.altavista.com/sites/search/webadv
http://www.google.ca/advanced_search
http://www.google.com/advanced_search
http://search.lycos.com/main/adv.asp
http://search.yahoo.com/search/options
Tip #8: Don't despair, you'll find what you're looking for eventually.  :o)  It may take a few searches before you find what you're looking for.  You may need to try a different query, you may need to try a different search engine; they don't all have the same sites and data, nor do they display the same data in the same way.  Just play around with your search queries, try a different engine, and you'll find what you're looking for.
*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 81 June 6, 2002

"Send A Web Page In Your E-mail"

Ever come across a Web page of info that someone needs? Some story, some detail of life, some slice of pie that tastes great--well, don't just savor it yourself, send it to your pals! Here's how.
Any page that loads in your browser can be sent right in your e-mail. (With the following caveat: this may not work for *all* e-mail clients.)
Ok, you're on a page. Go to the File menu, and click. Then select Send, and on the flyout menu, click 'Page by e-mail'. Your e-mail client should load. You type in the address of
the person you're sending to, and when they receive your e-mail, they have the info right there in front of them. You can even add a message to the page if you'd like.
Now, depending on how your recipient has his e-mail client set up, he may or may not see graphics. But the text should be there. That's the stuff that counts anyway. It's the words that impart the message.
So try it. Send a page to yourself to see how it works. Just load any page in your browser, then try sending it to yourself.  Keep it in a folder in your email client. Then, whenever you wish to visit a particular page, just bring it out of the folder, click on one of the buttons on your OWN home page and Voila!
(Again, this may not work for everyone.)
Alternatively, you can just send a link. Guess how. Just click on 'Link by email' instead!

*from  THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 83 June 20, 2002

Server

A server computer lives a life of servitude. It's sole purpose in life is to live as a waiter. It just sits there24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year after year doing nothing but giving information to the browsers who request it. A noble task, 'tis true. For without the server... we'd have no Internet, and no web pages to view.
*from the THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 73 July 9, 2002
 "

"Can You Remove A Shared File?"
When you remove programs from your computer, using the Add/Remove Programs system, should you answer "Yes" or "No" tothe question, "Do you want to remove a shared file?"
Hmmmm.
Shared files have the file extension ".DLL" on them. That means they're a Dynamic Linked Library file. All this means is the file in question can be used by different programs. A word processor and another program may share a DLL file. So removing that file may cause another program to malfunction.
You may have seen a message stating that a certain file cannot be found. That file is needed in order to open the program you're trying to use. Why is it missing? Could be that you removed it when you uninstalled another program.
The bottom line: If you aren't familiar with a filename, and you're asked if you want to delete it, don't. Just answer "NO" to the question. It won't do any harm if it's not actually needed. But watch out if it *is* needed - and you've removed it!
*From THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 130 March 21, 2003

"Shortcut"

A shortcut icon is not the actual program, but a representation of that program. It is a pointer to the program which you place in an easy-to-use place (your desktop, or main screen you look at). Right clicking a shortcut icon and choosing 'Properties' will show you the details about that icon.
*From THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 53 Nov 8, 2001
 Shortcut to the Desktop

 Here's how it's done in any version of Windows.
1. Right click a blank portion of the desktop and choose 'New' from the menu that appears. When the flyout menu appears, choose 'Shortcut' and click. The Create Shortcut dialog box appears.
2. Click the 'Browse' button on this dialog box. The 'Browse' dialog box appears. You can navigate to the folder that says 'Program Files' and double click to open it inside the 'Browse' window.
3. Once you've opened the Program Files folder, navigate to the folder that contains the program you want to create a new shortcut to. In other words, locate the target folder and double click. Inside, you'll find the actual icon for the program you're interested in. Click it once to highlight it, then click the 'Open' button. This won't open the program, but will place the entire path to that program, including the name of the program into the command line of the 'Create Shortcut' dialog box.
4. Click the 'Next' button. You'll now select a name for the shortcut. You can call it anything you want. Then click the 'Finish' button, and you'll see a new icon appear on your desktop that has the name you gave it. A little tiny curved arrow will appear on the icon, alerting you to the fact that this is a shortcut to the program. It's not the real file.
That's it. Create as many shortcuts as you need or want! 
*from the THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 71 March 29, 2002

"How To Find The Program Behind A Shortcut"

Some of us are just plain curious, and like to see how things work. We all feel more comfortable with our computers when we get a glimpse behind the curtain, as it were. Removing the mystery is
part of what this newsletter is all about. So this next tip will help you get just a tiny feel for things.
You know what a shortcut is, but can you find the program it's referring to? Maybe you downloaded Keyboard Magic!, First Website Builder, or some other ebook from The Newbie Club and aren't sure where the file is located, but you do see a shortcut. Okay, it's easy enough.
We'll use the right click method again. As you'll see, right clicking reveals a lot.
Right click any shortcut, and choose 'Properties' from the menu that appears.
In the 'Properties' dialog box, you'll see some interesting information.
The 'Target' gives you the path to the program. (Most programs end with the three letter file extension '.exe'.)
The 'Start in:' line shows you the path that leads to the file itself.
You can envision your computer as a giant forest full of rabbit trails. Along each trail is a rabbit hole. The rabbit hole is the program, and the trail is the path. The rabbit hole is also the 'Target'.
And now you know why Netscape Navigator's browser uses the words, "Save Target As..." when you right click a download link, or any link on a web page. 'Coz the lead programmer for the Netscape browser was raised by a family of rabbits. :-)
The 'Target' is always the file you want to use. And a file can be a program, a picture, a video, or a document.
*from the THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 197 September 5, 2004

"Shrinking Folder Icons"

By default, and by no fault of its own, Windows uses large icons to display the folders and files on your computer. These are large compared to the Detail view icons, and can may soon start running out of space.
To change your icon view, do the following:
In any window that displays icons, such as My Computer or Windows Explorer, you will see just under the Title Bar what is called the Menu Line. Stuff like File, Edit, View, Options, and Help. These are common Menu items.
Click on 'View'.
When it opens, you'll see listed among other items, Large Icons, Small Icons, List, and Details. Try clicking each one. See how the icons change size? I suggest you select the Details view if you want to see more info listed about each folder and file.
You will need to scroll up and down the list if you're looking at your root directory. Argh! What does "root directory" mean - or is this a gardening tutorial?
If you look only at your (C) drive, and don't open any folders, you are in the "root" directory. Or "root" folder. Just like a tree and its branches come from the root, your computer's files and folders all find their root in the (C) directory or folder. (Folder and Directory can be used to mean the same thing.)
So there you go. The whole point of these tutorials is to help you become more comfortable with your computer, and to understand it better.
*from the THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 98 October 11, 2002

"Forward Slash - Back Slash"
Ever wondered why the slash is forward (/) in a web page URL, and backward (\) on your computer? No? Okay.
All Internet resources use the forward slash to separate one resource from another. Page names are separate from domain names. The forward slash indicates a 'change in resource'. eg ... http://newbieclub.com/builder On your home computer, you'll see the slash is backward, or leaning to the left. "And never the two shall meet!"
You can try using a backslash in a Web page URL. But it won't work. You CAN use a backslash in your browser, like this:
C:\My Computer
So that, and you'll list all the stuff on your computer!
Right through your browser window. But you won't see stuff on
the Internet that way. Who cares? Someone. Somewhere.
*from the THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 138
May 23, 2003

" Sites - How To Find Out Who's Behind A Site"

You're surfing the web, and come across a web site that doesn't tell you much about *who* is really behind the workings. So who controls that site?
How do you know you can trust the information he or she is handing out to you? On every site I own - or create for a client - I *always* give my name and full contact details on
an easily found page.

It gives credibility to the information I offer, and it's the professional thing to do.
But some people are either *shy*, or just plain don't want you, to know who's behind it. In cases like this I'm always very wary.
But you *can* find out, and here's how.
All web sites have to be hosted somewhere. Some company or organization that provides a computer that's connected to the Internet all the time (known as a web server) provides
this hosting service.

They're called "web hosts".
The web site is found by domain name, such as newbieclub.com. Who registered the newbieclub.com domain name? Who is behind the site? Some person. Some individual is the "registrant" of the domain. Who is it? Or maybe I should ask "to whom" does this domain name belong?
Just visit http://www.onewhois.com and type the domain name of any site... and you'll have the answer to your question. Up comes a bunch of information about the site, and the
person who registered it!

If you're having problems with a site, you can try contacting the person who registered it. They may be able to help.
Example: Visit http://www.onewhois.com and type newbieclub.com and you'll find that Joe Robson registered the domain name. And you'll also see where I live, and what my
phone number is.

The WHOIS database is a repository of all the domains that are registered.
And now you know... so there you go!
*from the THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 94September 12, 2002

"About Slashes"
A. "Path" What's that?
The ankle bone connects to the shin bone. The shin bone connects to the knee bone. The knee bone connects to the... you know.
Well, a 'path' on your computer is a series of folders along the  way. The path you follow to get to a specific resource. Kind of like the various parts of your anatomy connecting to other various parts...
Okay, here's an example:
C:\My Documents\Recipes\cornbread.txt
'cornbread.txt' is the file name. It's found in the 'Recipes' folder, which is found in the 'My Documents' folder, which is found in the C: folder... which is your hard drive. So the 'path' to cornbread.txt goes through the C:\My Documents\Recipes forest.
Why does this matter?
It's just lingo. But without knowing the lingo, your trip through the Black Forest of computers will be filled with terror and frustration. Right? Of course. :-)
....While we're on the subject of slashes (aren't we?)
B. "Forward slash - back slash"
Ever wondered why the slash is forward (/) in a web page URL, and backward (\) on your computer? No? Okay.
All Internet resources use the forward slash to separate one resource from another. Page names are separate from domain names.
The forward slash indicates a 'change in resource'.
On your home computer, you'll see the slash is backward, or leaning to the left. "And never the two shall mingle!" You can try using a backslash in a Web page URL. But it won't work. You CAN use a backslash in your browser, like this:
C:\My Computer
Do that, and you'll list all the stuff on your computer! But you won't see stuff on the Internet that way. Who cares? Someone. Somewhere.
*from the THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 186 June 20, 2004

"Make Your Own Sound Files"

Does your system have a sound card and speakers? Did it come with a microphone? If yes, let's have some fun!
You can make your computer say anything when it starts up and shuts down, or when you click on some item... all you need to do is record your voice. First, let's do the recording, then we'll set up the sounds in the next tutorial.
I'm sticking with the recording stuff that comes with Windows. If you have some other sound recorder, you can use it.
1. Open the Sound Recorder. It's under Start, Programs, Accessories, Entertainment.
2. With your microphone hooked up, click the red round dot on the far right side. This is the record button.
3. Say a few words, then stop the recorder by clicking the square Stop button next to the Record button.
4. Save the file (click File, Save As, and give it a name.) Save it in your Documents folder, under My Recordings. If there's no folder named My Recordings, you can create the folder, or just save the file in My Documents for now.
You can record phrases, words, anything. Add music if you want. If you're into telephone answering machine messages, hook up your answering system to your computer. (Now that's a tricky one!)
Remember, a "document" is not just a word document. It can be a picture, a sound, a spreadsheet, whatever. In the purest terms, a document may be written words... but in computer parlance, it's more.
Note: The sound recorder has a 60 second limit. That's way more than you'll need for simple voice work. And by the way, 60 seconds of sound during my test took up 1.2 megabytes of disk space. You can record a LOT of sound and still have room to spare. So have fun with this! You can always delete the files later if you find you aren't using them.

*from the THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 110 January 4, 2003

"How to Install Your Own Sound Files"

In the previous tutorial, we used Sound Recorder to make our own sounds. Now what do we do with them? Lets attach them to events in the Sounds Properties window. Here's how...
1. Open the Sounds Properties dialog box. You'll find it as an icon in the Control Panel, named "Sounds".
2. Highlight the line item named "Close program" by clicking on it once. The "Name:" field comes alive. You can select from pre-existing sounds there, but we're going to browse for our new sound.
3. Click the 'Browse...' button, and navigate to your My Documents folder, and select your new sound. The speaker will appear in the Preview box if you had no sounds selected previously.
4. Preview the sound by clicking the right arrow button in the Preview area. Like what you hear? Okay!
5. Click the Apply button. Select another Event, attach a new sound, click Apply, until you've set up all the sounds you want.
6. Click the OK button to put the dialog box away.
The Details button will give you additional details on the sound file you select. In the Schemes field, you can choose from existing sound schemes, if they exist on your system.
Someone I know hears a 'Clear Off' sound when he closes down his computer each day. Funny guy!

*from the THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 110 January 4, 2003

"Spam: you don't have to eat it"

First of all, let's tackle spam. Have you ever eaten any? Did your parents ever put the meaty stuff on your plate contrary to your request?
That food wasn't asked for. So it was unsolicited. And that pretty much sums up electronic spam, also known as unsolicited e-mail. It's also known as UCE-- Unsolicited Commercial E-mail.
Whether you get real bent out of shape and go ballistic, or you just hit the delete key is up to you. We prefer the delete key ourselves. If it gets real bad, you can try enlisting the services of SpamCop.com or an organization like them.
*From THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 104 Nov 14, 2002

"Spammers"

People who send spam are called spammers. How do they get your e-mail address, anyway? Well, if you keep things to yourself, and don't post messages on newsgroups that include your email address, you're probably safe from spam.
Spammers also use robots to harvest email addresses from web sites. If you're a web designer or site owner, you can be sure the robots are out harvesting email as you read. It's an ongoing war. Can you stop incoming junk email? In a word, not really. Ok, make that two words. And another thing-- I wouldn't bother replying to those spam mails you get saying "to be removed from further mailing, just reply to this message." All that does is validate your email address so they can Spam again.
*From THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 104 Nov 14, 2002

"Sp*mming? Are You Spamming"

Are you unwittingly spreading spam? You know, the junk email that clogs your inbox. In the broadest definition, spam is any email received... that wasn't requested.
Could you be contributing to the spread of sp*m, and not know it?
You found a humorous or inspirational story. "Frank would like this," you say. "And so would all the other folks in my address book." So you load up a bunch of email addresses in the CC line of your email client, and hit the Send button.
Now you hear the banging on your front door. "Must be the sp*m cops," you mutter. Because there are plenty of them patrolling the Internet, looking for anyone they can accuse of a violation. And they might just practice Net Rage (I'll explain that in a minute).
OK, think about this.
If you use the CC (Courtesy Copy) line in your email client,
for addresses, *everybody* gets a copy...

But they also see *everyone else's* email address!
That's not a good thing for privacy. With no mention of the fact they didn't request this message from you... so technically, you just sp*mmed them. (Maybe they don't want the email. Technically, you're not sp*mming if you aren't sending offers for free cell phones or methods on making $5,000 in 30 days. Or less.
I get a bunch of forwarded email... and a bunch of "fr*e" email addresses thanks to folks who practice this form of "accidental sp*mming".
If you want to send email to more than one person, use the BCC field in your email - that's for a Blind Courtesy Copy. Type one person's address into the TO: field, and put the rest of the addresses, separated by commas, where they belong. In the BCC.
Just don't confuse that with the BBC, which is where I get my Television shows.
You've heard of road rage, right? There are actually crazy people on the Internet who practice Net Rage. They'll do anything possible to make life miserable for you. Email is a wonderful communication tool. But like constant chatter from small children, many just tune it out. And that's not communication.
I hope you find yourself following this simple rule:
"If someone doesn't request it, don't send it." That'll keep you out of any trouble...
*From THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 104 Nov 14, 2002

 "Splash Screen"

This is a term given any window that appears prior to the actual program you're waiting to use. For example, the Windows screen you see when turning on your computer that says "You
are not starting Windows..." (duh!) is a splash screen. It's splashed momentarily on your screen.
*FromTHE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 53 Nov 8, 2001

"Status Bar"
The Status Bar is at the very bottom of each window, and gives various bits of information.
*FromTHE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 108 December 20, 2002


"Storing Hardware"
Adding new hardware to your computer isn't as easy as adding a new software program, but here's some tips to consider.
First of all, know what's in your computer. That means, find out exactly what's hiding in there by opening the case, and checking it all out. Not very practical advice? OK, then dig around inside using software. The next bunch of tips tell you how.
To see what processor is installed and how much Random Access Memory (RAM) you've got, right click My Computer (on your Desktop) and select Properties (or use the Windows Logo key+Pause, or hold down the Alt key while double clicking.
To see what size your hard drive is, go for My Computer once again. Double click the My Computer icon to open, then right click the drive letter you're interested in (usually 'C') and click Properties.
To see what type of video card (also called a video display adapter, or graphics card) you have installed, right click the Desktop, and choose Properties from the context menu. When you see the Display Properties dialog box, choose the Settings tab. You'll see the brand and model of the monitor installed (or it may just list "Plug and Play Monitor") along with the video card that makes it work.
To see what kind of hardware is installed in your computer (that wasn't already covered above), open the Control Panel ( Start. Settings. Control Panel) and double click the System icon. Click the Device Manager tab for a complete list.
Click down the list of installed hardware. You can click the Properties button after highlighting a particular item, and you'll see more details on drivers, settings, and other info that may just bore you to tears.
Interesting stuff this. Just don't go messing around, ticking and unticking, unless you know exactly what you're doing:-)
*From THE NEWBIE CLUBINSIDER Issue 186 June 27, 2004
 "Understanding Storage Options"

Computers must store data somewhere. Where does your computer store its data?
The primary location is on the hard drive, or hard disk. It's the same thing--just different words are used to describe it.
Your hard drive is called 'hard' because it's not soft. Really. In the 'old days' of computing, we used 'floppy disks' to store data. They were soft and pliable, and got messed up all the time.
Hard disks came along and replaced the floppy disk.
How many different types of disks are there? I won't enumerate them all here, but will give you some basic principles that guide you.
1. If it's inside your computer, it's a hard disk. That is, if you cannot remove it except to open the computer case.
2. If you can remove the disk, it's called 'removable storage'. That is, items like 3.5 inch disks, Zip disks, etc.
A Zip disk is a popular brand of removable storage that comes in 100 megabyte, 250 megabyte and 750 megabyte flavors. It requires a special disk reader, too, which is readily available most any office store.
There's another storage device known as 'optical storage' or the CD. Who hasn't seen a CD? These are obviously removable, and the nicest thing about them is the amount of data they will hold. The common CD discs hold 700 megabytes of data, and you can create them yourself if you have a CD burner.
All computers come with a hard drive. Most come with a small slot for a 3.5 inch diskette. This slot is the "A drive" or "B drive".
Storage is different from memory. Remember, your hard or soft disks or drives store your stuff even when the computer is turned off. On the other hand, your computer's memory, or RAM, only holds data when the computer is turned on. As soon as you turn it off, all the data in RAM is lost.
There are external hard drives, too. These are special units that attach by a cable to your computer, and are great for laptop computers, or anyone who doesn't want to open their computer case and install an additional hard drive. (It's only easy if you've done it before!)
*From THE NEWBIE CLUB INSIDER  Issue 108 December 20, 2002
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