Thursday, March 31, 2005
You can change the order in which Windows XP documents print by changing their order in the print queue. To do this, open the Printers and Faxes folder, double-click the Printer icon to open the Print Queue window, and simply drag the documents into the order you want. You can do this only for documents that haven't started printing yet.
Windows doesn't let you move documents from one printer's queue to another. This is because the documents have already been translated into RAW format for that specific printer. Instead, you must remove the document from the old print queue and print it again to the other printer.
Windows doesn't let you move documents from one printer's queue to another. This is because the documents have already been translated into RAW format for that specific printer. Instead, you must remove the document from the old print queue and print it again to the other printer.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Following are the usual uses for the function keys in Windows. F1The F1 key opens a help window. If you are working in a program and want to see the Windows help window, instead of the program help, press the Windows key (the key with the Windows logo on the bottom row of keys) on the keyboard and press F1 at the same time.F2Select any folder or file name and press F2 in order to rename it. Type a new name for the file, then click outside the name box or press the enter key to make the name change.F3The F3 key opens the Find Files window.F4 Press the Alt key and the F4 key at the same time to close the Window that is currently active. If you press the F4 key when you are working in Internet Explorer, the Address bar is selected so you can type the address of a Web page. F5Press F5 to refresh the screen, for example, if you are viewing a directory of files and you delete or add files, press F5 to see any changes. Press F5 when viewing a Web page to see the most current version of that Web page.F6Press F6 to cycle among open windows to make each one active in turn. F6 often moves the mouse pointer around the structure of the program. F7The F7 key does not have any function in Windows. It is used for spell checking in many word processing and email programs.F8Press the F8 key during the computer's startup to start the operating system in Safe Mode.F9The F9 key does not have any function in Windows. It may be used in some individual programs.F10Press the Shift key while pressing F10 to open the shortcut menu. The F10 key ctivates the menu bar in many programs. Press F10 to highlight the first menu choice, then use the arrow keys to move around the menus.F11Press F11 when you are working in Internet Explorer to open the window to full and make all the toolbars disappear so you can see more information on the page. Press F11 again to toggle back to your normal page size.F12The F12 key does not have any function in Windows. It may be used in some programs.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Use the Rules Wizard to create complex rules that earmark messages with words in the message body or earmark messages sent to distribution lists. You can also create a rule to flag messages automatically or delete a conversation (the original message and all replies).
To run the Rules Wizard, click the Rules and Alerts button or choose Tools, Rules and Alerts. You see the Rules and Alerts dialog box. Click the New Rule button and keep clicking Next in the Rules Wizard dialog boxes as you complete the two steps to create a rule:
Choose the rule you want to create or how you want to be alerted in the New Item Alerts message box.
Click a hyperlink to open a dialog box and describe the rule.
For example, click the Specific Words link to open the Search Text dialog box and enter the words that earmark a message. Click the Specified link to open the Rules and Alerts dialog box and choose a folder to move the messages to. You must click each link in the Step 2 box to describe the rule.
To edit a rule, double-click it in the Rules and Alerts dialog box and complete Steps 1 and 2 all over again
To run the Rules Wizard, click the Rules and Alerts button or choose Tools, Rules and Alerts. You see the Rules and Alerts dialog box. Click the New Rule button and keep clicking Next in the Rules Wizard dialog boxes as you complete the two steps to create a rule:
Choose the rule you want to create or how you want to be alerted in the New Item Alerts message box.
Click a hyperlink to open a dialog box and describe the rule.
For example, click the Specific Words link to open the Search Text dialog box and enter the words that earmark a message. Click the Specified link to open the Rules and Alerts dialog box and choose a folder to move the messages to. You must click each link in the Step 2 box to describe the rule.
To edit a rule, double-click it in the Rules and Alerts dialog box and complete Steps 1 and 2 all over again
Saturday, March 26, 2005
No matter how you store personal information -- either online or on hard copy -- you need to be able to access the information easily. Here's a simple plan to help you ensure that you can access your information when you need it:
Make a list of all your credit account numbers, issuing company names, and contact information. Do the same thing for your bank accounts and investment accounts. Also keep a record of the current balances, your Social Security card, and your birth certificate. Keep copies of your tax returns, as well.
Put the hard copies of the list in a safe location -- a fireproof safe or a bank safety deposit box. If the information is on a CD, keep the CD in a safe location.
If you need the information, you now have it in one place -- no need to panic when you need it.
When you update the information, make sure that you destroy any hard copies before discarding them. You do not want this information to fall into the wrong hands.
Make a list of all your credit account numbers, issuing company names, and contact information. Do the same thing for your bank accounts and investment accounts. Also keep a record of the current balances, your Social Security card, and your birth certificate. Keep copies of your tax returns, as well.
Put the hard copies of the list in a safe location -- a fireproof safe or a bank safety deposit box. If the information is on a CD, keep the CD in a safe location.
If you need the information, you now have it in one place -- no need to panic when you need it.
When you update the information, make sure that you destroy any hard copies before discarding them. You do not want this information to fall into the wrong hands.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
The good people at Microsoft who created Internet Explorer did their best to anticipate which buttons you would use most, putting those buttons in plain view on the Standard Buttons toolbar. However, after stuffing the Standard Button toolbar to the gills with buttons, they had a few buttons left over that they didn't know what to do with. So the Microsoft folks decided to throw them into a Customize Toolbar dialog box, which you can use to add extra buttons to your Standard toolbar, if you want.
Table 1 lists the extra buttons you can add to the Standard Buttons toolbar. Note that the first three buttons — Map Drive, Disconnect, and Folders — are useful when you use Internet Explorer to browse folders on your hard drive or a network server.
Table 1: Extra Buttons You Can Add to the Standard Buttons Toolbar
Button Name
What It Does
Map Drive
Lets you assign a drive letter to a folder on a network file server
Disconnect
Disconnects a mapped network drive
Folders
Shows a treelike display of folders in the left portion of the Internet Explorer window
Full Screen
Switches to Full-Screen view
Size
Lets you select the size used to display text on Web pages
Cut
Cuts the selected portion of the Web page to the Clipboard
Copy
Copies the selected portion of the Web page to the Clipboard
Paste
Pastes the contents of the Clipboard at the current cursor position
Encoding
Lets you select a different language
Print Preview
Lets you preview how a page will appear when printed before sending it to the printer
Related
Automatically searches for Web pages on related topics
To add one or more of these buttons to your Standard Buttons toolbar, follow these steps:
1. Summon the View --> Toolbars --> Customize command.
The Customize Toolbar dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 1. The right side of this dialog box shows the buttons that are already on your Standard Buttons toolbar. The left side of the dialog box lists the extra buttons you can add.
Figure 1: The Customize Toolbar dialog box.
2. From the Available Toolbar Buttons list on the left side of the Customize Toolbar dialog box, click the button you want to add to the toolbar.
3. Click Add.
The button you selected in Step 2 is moved from the Available Toolbar Buttons list to Current Toolbar Buttons.
4. If you want, use the Move Up or Move Down buttons to change the new button's location on the toolbar.
Each time you click Move Up or Move Down, the button you added in Step 3 changes position. Keep clicking Move Up or Move Down until the button lands where you want it.
5. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 to add more buttons.
Add all the buttons, if you want.
6. After you finish, click Close.
The Customize Toolbar dialog box is dismissed.
Here are a few additional thoughts about the Customize Toolbar dialog box:
You can remove buttons from the Standard Buttons toolbar by selecting from the Current Toolbar Buttons list the button you want to remove and then clicking Remove. The button is removed from the Current Toolbar Buttons list and added to the Available Toolbar Buttons list.
If you get your toolbar all jumbled up, you can restore it to its original, pristine condition by clicking Reset.
You can use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to rearrange the order in which the toolbar buttons appear. Just select from the Current Toolbar Buttons list the button you want to move and then click Move Up or Move Down to change the button's position.
If you have lots of buttons on your toolbar, you can insert one or more separator lines to visually divide the buttons into groups. The separator is listed at the top of the Available Toolbar Buttons list. You can add it to the toolbar the same way you add a button.
You can use the Text Options and Icon Options controls to change the way the toolbar buttons appear. The Text Options control lets you select whether descriptive text appears below each button, to the right of just certain buttons, or not at all. And the Icon Options control lets you choose whether to display small or large buttons.
Table 1 lists the extra buttons you can add to the Standard Buttons toolbar. Note that the first three buttons — Map Drive, Disconnect, and Folders — are useful when you use Internet Explorer to browse folders on your hard drive or a network server.
Table 1: Extra Buttons You Can Add to the Standard Buttons Toolbar
Button Name
What It Does
Map Drive
Lets you assign a drive letter to a folder on a network file server
Disconnect
Disconnects a mapped network drive
Folders
Shows a treelike display of folders in the left portion of the Internet Explorer window
Full Screen
Switches to Full-Screen view
Size
Lets you select the size used to display text on Web pages
Cut
Cuts the selected portion of the Web page to the Clipboard
Copy
Copies the selected portion of the Web page to the Clipboard
Paste
Pastes the contents of the Clipboard at the current cursor position
Encoding
Lets you select a different language
Print Preview
Lets you preview how a page will appear when printed before sending it to the printer
Related
Automatically searches for Web pages on related topics
To add one or more of these buttons to your Standard Buttons toolbar, follow these steps:
1. Summon the View --> Toolbars --> Customize command.
The Customize Toolbar dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 1. The right side of this dialog box shows the buttons that are already on your Standard Buttons toolbar. The left side of the dialog box lists the extra buttons you can add.
Figure 1: The Customize Toolbar dialog box.
2. From the Available Toolbar Buttons list on the left side of the Customize Toolbar dialog box, click the button you want to add to the toolbar.
3. Click Add.
The button you selected in Step 2 is moved from the Available Toolbar Buttons list to Current Toolbar Buttons.
4. If you want, use the Move Up or Move Down buttons to change the new button's location on the toolbar.
Each time you click Move Up or Move Down, the button you added in Step 3 changes position. Keep clicking Move Up or Move Down until the button lands where you want it.
5. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 to add more buttons.
Add all the buttons, if you want.
6. After you finish, click Close.
The Customize Toolbar dialog box is dismissed.
Here are a few additional thoughts about the Customize Toolbar dialog box:
You can remove buttons from the Standard Buttons toolbar by selecting from the Current Toolbar Buttons list the button you want to remove and then clicking Remove. The button is removed from the Current Toolbar Buttons list and added to the Available Toolbar Buttons list.
If you get your toolbar all jumbled up, you can restore it to its original, pristine condition by clicking Reset.
You can use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to rearrange the order in which the toolbar buttons appear. Just select from the Current Toolbar Buttons list the button you want to move and then click Move Up or Move Down to change the button's position.
If you have lots of buttons on your toolbar, you can insert one or more separator lines to visually divide the buttons into groups. The separator is listed at the top of the Available Toolbar Buttons list. You can add it to the toolbar the same way you add a button.
You can use the Text Options and Icon Options controls to change the way the toolbar buttons appear. The Text Options control lets you select whether descriptive text appears below each button, to the right of just certain buttons, or not at all. And the Icon Options control lets you choose whether to display small or large buttons.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
What is Windows Firewall?
A firewall helps to keep your computer more secure. It restricts information that comes to your computer from other computers, giving you more control over the data on your computer and providing a line of defense against people or programs (including viruses and worms) that try to connect to your computer without invitation.
You can think of a firewall as a barrier that checks information (often called traffic) coming from the Internet or a network and then either turns it away or allows it to pass through to your computer, depending on your firewall settings. See the following illustration:
In Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows Firewall is turned on by default. (However, some computer manufacturers and network administrators might turn it off.) You do not have to use Windows Firewall—you can install and run any firewall that you choose. Evaluate the features of other firewalls and then decide which firewall best meets your needs. If you choose to install and run another firewall, turn off Windows Firewall.
How does it work?
When someone on the Internet or a network tries to connect to your computer, we call that attempt an "unsolicited request." When your computer gets an unsolicited request, Windows Firewall blocks the connection. If you run a program such as an instant messaging program or a multiplayer network game that needs to receive information from the Internet or a network, the firewall asks if you want to block or unblock (allow) the connection. If you choose to unblock the connection, Windows Firewall creates an exception so that the firewall won't bother you when that program needs to receive information in the future.
For example, if you are exchanging instant messages with someone who wants to send you a file (a photo, for example), Windows Firewall will ask you if you want to unblock the connection and allow the photo to reach your computer. Or, if you want to play a multiplayer network game with friends over the Internet, you can add the game as an exception so that the firewall will allow the game information to reach your computer.
Although you can turn off Windows Firewall for specific Internet and network connections, doing this increases the risk that the security of your computer might be compromised.
What Windows Firewall does and does not do
It does:
It does not:
Help block computer viruses and worms from reaching your computer.
Detect or disable computer viruses and worms if they are already on your computer. For that reason, you should also install antivirus software and keep it updated to help prevent viruses, worms, and other security threats from damaging your computer or using your computer to spread viruses to others.
Ask for your permission to block or unblock certain connection requests.
Stop you from opening e-mail with dangerous attachments. Don't open e-mail attachments from senders that you don't know. Even if you know and trust the source of the e-mail you should still be cautious. If someone you know sends you an e-mail attachment, look at the subject line carefully before opening it. If the subject line is gibberish or does not make any sense to you, check with the sender before opening it.
Create a record (a security log), if you want one, that records successful and unsuccessful attempts to connect to your computer. This can be useful as a troubleshooting tool. If you want Windows Firewall to create a security log, see Enable security logging options.
Block spam or unsolicited e-mail from appearing in your inbox. However, some e-mail programs can help you do this. Check the documentation for your e-mail program to learn more.
A firewall helps to keep your computer more secure. It restricts information that comes to your computer from other computers, giving you more control over the data on your computer and providing a line of defense against people or programs (including viruses and worms) that try to connect to your computer without invitation.
You can think of a firewall as a barrier that checks information (often called traffic) coming from the Internet or a network and then either turns it away or allows it to pass through to your computer, depending on your firewall settings. See the following illustration:
In Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows Firewall is turned on by default. (However, some computer manufacturers and network administrators might turn it off.) You do not have to use Windows Firewall—you can install and run any firewall that you choose. Evaluate the features of other firewalls and then decide which firewall best meets your needs. If you choose to install and run another firewall, turn off Windows Firewall.
How does it work?
When someone on the Internet or a network tries to connect to your computer, we call that attempt an "unsolicited request." When your computer gets an unsolicited request, Windows Firewall blocks the connection. If you run a program such as an instant messaging program or a multiplayer network game that needs to receive information from the Internet or a network, the firewall asks if you want to block or unblock (allow) the connection. If you choose to unblock the connection, Windows Firewall creates an exception so that the firewall won't bother you when that program needs to receive information in the future.
For example, if you are exchanging instant messages with someone who wants to send you a file (a photo, for example), Windows Firewall will ask you if you want to unblock the connection and allow the photo to reach your computer. Or, if you want to play a multiplayer network game with friends over the Internet, you can add the game as an exception so that the firewall will allow the game information to reach your computer.
Although you can turn off Windows Firewall for specific Internet and network connections, doing this increases the risk that the security of your computer might be compromised.
What Windows Firewall does and does not do
It does:
It does not:
Help block computer viruses and worms from reaching your computer.
Detect or disable computer viruses and worms if they are already on your computer. For that reason, you should also install antivirus software and keep it updated to help prevent viruses, worms, and other security threats from damaging your computer or using your computer to spread viruses to others.
Ask for your permission to block or unblock certain connection requests.
Stop you from opening e-mail with dangerous attachments. Don't open e-mail attachments from senders that you don't know. Even if you know and trust the source of the e-mail you should still be cautious. If someone you know sends you an e-mail attachment, look at the subject line carefully before opening it. If the subject line is gibberish or does not make any sense to you, check with the sender before opening it.
Create a record (a security log), if you want one, that records successful and unsuccessful attempts to connect to your computer. This can be useful as a troubleshooting tool. If you want Windows Firewall to create a security log, see Enable security logging options.
Block spam or unsolicited e-mail from appearing in your inbox. However, some e-mail programs can help you do this. Check the documentation for your e-mail program to learn more.
When you want to talk with distant friends, you usually call them on the phone and start speaking. A phone conversation is fast, reliable, and efficient. So why do so many people use Windows Messenger, a program that lets people type little messages back and forth to each other? Messenger fans cite several reasons:
It's free. Built in to Windows XP, Windows Messenger lets you communicate with other Windows Messengers users worldwide, with no long distance charges.
It's polite. As Windows Messenger sits in your taskbar, it lists your friends' names and whether they're currently available for conversations. That eliminates playing phone tag and keeps you from bothering people who are busy.
It's convenient. Speaking on the phone requires all your attention. Windows Messenger lets you keep working in the background, simultaneously holding multiple conversations while shuffling papers.
It's useful. In addition to exchanging text messages, users can send files and photos. Windows Messenger can take advantage of attached cameras and microphones to hold videoconferences with your friends.
Windows Messenger is far from problem-free, however. Its far-reaching features make it somewhat complicated to figure out for the first time. And although several companies (Yahoo! and AOL, for instance) offer instant messaging software, they're not always compatible: Windows Messenger can't send messages to AOL's Instant Messenger, for instance.
Also, because people can swap files as easily as banter, instant messaging software provides yet another roadway for traveling viruses. Many corporations ban them at work, fearing that employees are either revealing trade secrets or talking about last night's Sopranos episode. Finally, instant message conversations aren't as secure as e-mail.
Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger are two different programs that do pretty much the same thing. Both Messenger programs can talk to each other. However, it's best to install one or the other, but not both. Uninstall MSN Messenger before using Windows Messenger, for instance.
Microsoft constantly releases new versions of Windows Messenger. To find out which version you're using, choose About from the program's Help menu. Compare that version number with the latest one available from Microsoft by using Windows Update, and download the newer one if necessary.
Getting started with a .NET Passport
To start flinging messages to people around the world, sign up for what Microsoft dubs a .NET Passport. The easiest way is to sign up for a free Hotmail account. Fill out the short questionnaire, and Microsoft assigns you a Hotmail e-mail address. Log in to Windows Messenger using that address, and you're set.
It's completely ethical to lie when filling out Microsoft's .NET Passport questionnaire. Your personal information is none of Microsoft's business. Let Microsoft fill its databases from credit card companies, like everybody else does.
Signing on to Messenger and adding friends
After you have a Hotmail account, you're ready to log on. Windows Messenger almost always sits quietly in your taskbar, next to your clock. (It also tends to pop into action whenever you open Outlook Express.) Can't find it? Then click the Start button, choose All Programs, and click the Windows Messenger icon, shown in the margin, to bring it to life.
When you sign on for the first time, however, there's not much to do. Just as you need a friend's e-mail address in order to send that person an e-mail, you need a friend's Windows Messenger address before you can send him or her an instant message. Ask your friends for their Messenger addresses and then add them as contacts by following these steps:
1. Click Add a Contact from Windows Messenger.
Or you can choose Add a Contact from the Tools menu.
2. Choose to add the contact by e-mail address or sign-in name and then click Next.
Searching by a known e-mail address or sign-in name always works better than searching by name and geographic location. You can also search Microsoft's Web site for strangers to chat with.
3. Type your friend's e-mail address and click Next.
Make sure you're typing in your friend's Windows Messenger e-mail address, which is often different than his or her e-mail address.
If you entered the person's correct e-mail address, Microsoft locates your friend and adds his or her name to your Contact list so you can start sending that person messages.
4. Click Next to add more contacts or click Finish if you're through.
Windows Messenger updates itself to display your newly added contacts.
Don't want to be disturbed? Then tell Windows Messenger to display your status as unavailable by clicking your name and choosing any of the following options from the drop-down list: Online, Busy, Be Right Back, Away, On the Phone, Out to Lunch, or Appear Offline.
You can make Windows Messenger automatically list your status as Busy when you begin working. Choose Options from the Tools menu and click the Preferences tab. Then make sure a check mark appears in the Block Alerts and Set Status to "Busy" When Running Full-Screen Programs box.
Whenever one of your contacts signs in to Windows Messenger, a small window known as an alert appears in the bottom-right corner of your screen to let you know they've just fired up Windows Messenger.
Sending and receiving an instant message
If a friend's online, you can contact that person in a variety of ways. Right-click on any contact's name to see your options.
Choose Send an Instant Message, for instance, to make a window appear on your friend's screen and display your message. If your computer has a microphone and video camera, you can hold a voice or video conversation. Windows Messenger lets you swap files, too.
Sending instant messages is probably the most foolproof way to communicate, when you follow these steps:
1. Right-click on your friend's name in Windows Messenger and choose Send an Instant Message.
2. Type your message and click the Send button.
Your words instantly appear on your friend's Windows Messenger.
When your friend responds, those words appear in your Windows Messenger window.
To add little smiley faces and other symbols (known as emoticons), click the little smiley face. A menu drops down, listing all the available symbols. Click the one you want, and it appears in your message.
As Microsoft says, never give out your password or credit card number in an instant message conversation. Instant messages aren't nearly as secure as e-mail.
After you've started a conversation, it's easy to send or receive a file. Click Send a File or Photo and choose the file or photo from the window that appears. Your friend sees a message asking whether he or she wants the file. If your friend clicks Yes, the file wends its way to his or her computer. If your friend declines to download the file, Windows Messenger tells you that.
When somebody sends you a file or photo, you'll find it in the My Received Files folder inside your My Documents folder.
It's free. Built in to Windows XP, Windows Messenger lets you communicate with other Windows Messengers users worldwide, with no long distance charges.
It's polite. As Windows Messenger sits in your taskbar, it lists your friends' names and whether they're currently available for conversations. That eliminates playing phone tag and keeps you from bothering people who are busy.
It's convenient. Speaking on the phone requires all your attention. Windows Messenger lets you keep working in the background, simultaneously holding multiple conversations while shuffling papers.
It's useful. In addition to exchanging text messages, users can send files and photos. Windows Messenger can take advantage of attached cameras and microphones to hold videoconferences with your friends.
Windows Messenger is far from problem-free, however. Its far-reaching features make it somewhat complicated to figure out for the first time. And although several companies (Yahoo! and AOL, for instance) offer instant messaging software, they're not always compatible: Windows Messenger can't send messages to AOL's Instant Messenger, for instance.
Also, because people can swap files as easily as banter, instant messaging software provides yet another roadway for traveling viruses. Many corporations ban them at work, fearing that employees are either revealing trade secrets or talking about last night's Sopranos episode. Finally, instant message conversations aren't as secure as e-mail.
Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger are two different programs that do pretty much the same thing. Both Messenger programs can talk to each other. However, it's best to install one or the other, but not both. Uninstall MSN Messenger before using Windows Messenger, for instance.
Microsoft constantly releases new versions of Windows Messenger. To find out which version you're using, choose About from the program's Help menu. Compare that version number with the latest one available from Microsoft by using Windows Update, and download the newer one if necessary.
Getting started with a .NET Passport
To start flinging messages to people around the world, sign up for what Microsoft dubs a .NET Passport. The easiest way is to sign up for a free Hotmail account. Fill out the short questionnaire, and Microsoft assigns you a Hotmail e-mail address. Log in to Windows Messenger using that address, and you're set.
It's completely ethical to lie when filling out Microsoft's .NET Passport questionnaire. Your personal information is none of Microsoft's business. Let Microsoft fill its databases from credit card companies, like everybody else does.
Signing on to Messenger and adding friends
After you have a Hotmail account, you're ready to log on. Windows Messenger almost always sits quietly in your taskbar, next to your clock. (It also tends to pop into action whenever you open Outlook Express.) Can't find it? Then click the Start button, choose All Programs, and click the Windows Messenger icon, shown in the margin, to bring it to life.
When you sign on for the first time, however, there's not much to do. Just as you need a friend's e-mail address in order to send that person an e-mail, you need a friend's Windows Messenger address before you can send him or her an instant message. Ask your friends for their Messenger addresses and then add them as contacts by following these steps:
1. Click Add a Contact from Windows Messenger.
Or you can choose Add a Contact from the Tools menu.
2. Choose to add the contact by e-mail address or sign-in name and then click Next.
Searching by a known e-mail address or sign-in name always works better than searching by name and geographic location. You can also search Microsoft's Web site for strangers to chat with.
3. Type your friend's e-mail address and click Next.
Make sure you're typing in your friend's Windows Messenger e-mail address, which is often different than his or her e-mail address.
If you entered the person's correct e-mail address, Microsoft locates your friend and adds his or her name to your Contact list so you can start sending that person messages.
4. Click Next to add more contacts or click Finish if you're through.
Windows Messenger updates itself to display your newly added contacts.
Don't want to be disturbed? Then tell Windows Messenger to display your status as unavailable by clicking your name and choosing any of the following options from the drop-down list: Online, Busy, Be Right Back, Away, On the Phone, Out to Lunch, or Appear Offline.
You can make Windows Messenger automatically list your status as Busy when you begin working. Choose Options from the Tools menu and click the Preferences tab. Then make sure a check mark appears in the Block Alerts and Set Status to "Busy" When Running Full-Screen Programs box.
Whenever one of your contacts signs in to Windows Messenger, a small window known as an alert appears in the bottom-right corner of your screen to let you know they've just fired up Windows Messenger.
Sending and receiving an instant message
If a friend's online, you can contact that person in a variety of ways. Right-click on any contact's name to see your options.
Choose Send an Instant Message, for instance, to make a window appear on your friend's screen and display your message. If your computer has a microphone and video camera, you can hold a voice or video conversation. Windows Messenger lets you swap files, too.
Sending instant messages is probably the most foolproof way to communicate, when you follow these steps:
1. Right-click on your friend's name in Windows Messenger and choose Send an Instant Message.
2. Type your message and click the Send button.
Your words instantly appear on your friend's Windows Messenger.
When your friend responds, those words appear in your Windows Messenger window.
To add little smiley faces and other symbols (known as emoticons), click the little smiley face. A menu drops down, listing all the available symbols. Click the one you want, and it appears in your message.
As Microsoft says, never give out your password or credit card number in an instant message conversation. Instant messages aren't nearly as secure as e-mail.
After you've started a conversation, it's easy to send or receive a file. Click Send a File or Photo and choose the file or photo from the window that appears. Your friend sees a message asking whether he or she wants the file. If your friend clicks Yes, the file wends its way to his or her computer. If your friend declines to download the file, Windows Messenger tells you that.
When somebody sends you a file or photo, you'll find it in the My Received Files folder inside your My Documents folder.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Your desktop is a great place to park things for short periods of time, but a lousy place for organizing anything long-term. Start by cleaning up the mess that's there right now.
Right-click an empty location on the desktop and click Properties, Desktop.
Click Customize Desktop.
Click Clean Desktop Now.
Click Next. The Desktop Cleanup Wizard scans only for shortcuts. It doesn't even look at other kinds of files or folders (or zipped/compressed folders). Follow this procedure all the way to the end to move all your unused, or rarely used, desktop items. The Desktop Cleanup Wizard presents the results of its scan.
Review the shortcuts with check marks next to them, and feel free to check any shortcuts that you don't expect to use in the near future.
Click Next, and then click Finish. All the shortcuts you checked are shuffled to a folder on the desktop called Unused Desktop Shortcuts.
Click OK twice to clear out the dialog boxes.
Right-click an empty location on the desktop and click Properties, Desktop.
Click Customize Desktop.
Click Clean Desktop Now.
Click Next. The Desktop Cleanup Wizard scans only for shortcuts. It doesn't even look at other kinds of files or folders (or zipped/compressed folders). Follow this procedure all the way to the end to move all your unused, or rarely used, desktop items. The Desktop Cleanup Wizard presents the results of its scan.
Review the shortcuts with check marks next to them, and feel free to check any shortcuts that you don't expect to use in the near future.
Click Next, and then click Finish. All the shortcuts you checked are shuffled to a folder on the desktop called Unused Desktop Shortcuts.
Click OK twice to clear out the dialog boxes.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
After you figure out the mechanics of your camera — how to load the batteries, how to turn on the LCD, and so on — taking a picture is a simple process. Just aim the camera and press the shutter button. Taking a good picture, however, isn't so easy. Sure, you can record an okay image of your subject without much effort. But if you want a crisp, clear, dynamic image, you need to consider a few factors before you point and shoot.
Parallax
You compose your photo perfectly. The light is fine, the focus is fine, and all other photographic planets appear to be in alignment. But after you snap your picture and view the image on the camera monitor, you see something different from what you saw through the viewfinder. The framing of the image is off, as though your subject repositioned itself while you weren't looking. You're not the victim of some cruel digital hoax — just a photographic phenomenon known as a parallax error.
On most digital cameras, as on most point-and-shoot film cameras, the viewfinder looks out on the world through a separate window from the camera lens. Because the viewfinder is located an inch or so above or to the side of the lens, it sees your subject from a slightly different angle than the lens. But the image is captured from the point of view of the lens, not the viewfinder.
When you look through your viewfinder, you should see some little black lines near the corners of the frame. These lines indicate the boundaries of the "real" image — the edge of the frame as seen by the camera lens. If you don't pay attention to these framing cues as you shoot, you can wind up with subjects that appear to have been lopped off at the top.
The closer you are to your subject, the bigger the parallax problem becomes, whether you use a zoom lens or simply position the camera lens nearer to your subject. Some cameras provide a second set of framing marks in the viewfinder to indicate the framing boundaries that apply when you're shooting close-up shots.
If your camera has an LCD monitor, you have an additional aid for avoiding parallax problems. Because the monitor reflects the image as seen by the lens, you can simply use the monitor instead of the viewfinder to frame your image. On some cameras, the LCD monitor turns on automatically when you switch to macro mode for close-up shooting.
Light
Digital cameras are extremely demanding when it comes to light. A typical digital camera has a light sensitivity equivalent to that of ISO 100 film. As a result, image detail tends to get lost when objects are in the shadows. Too much light can also create problems. A ray of sunshine bouncing off a highly reflective surface can cause brown highlights— areas where all image detail is lost, resulting in a big white blob in your picture.
When you take digital pictures, capturing just the right amount of light involves not only deciding whether to use a flash or external photographic lights, but also figuring out the right exposure settings to choose.
Keep in mind that you can correct minor lighting and exposure problems in the image-editing stage. Generally speaking, making a too-dark image brighter is easier than correcting an overexposed (too bright) image. So if you can't seem to get the exposure just right, opt for a slightly underexposed image rather than an overexposed one.
Exposure
Exposure refers to the amount of light captured by the camera. Most consumer-level digital cameras feature autoexposure, sometimes known as programmed autoexposure, in which the camera reads the amount of light in the scene and then sets the exposure automatically for you. In order for your camera's autoexposure mechanism to work correctly, you need to take this three-step approach to shooting your pictures:
1. Frame your subject.
2. Press the shutter button halfway down and hold it there.
The camera analyzes the scene and sets the focus and exposure. After the camera makes its decisions, it signals you in some fashion — usually with a blinking light near the viewfinder or with a beeping noise.
If you don't want your subject to appear in the middle of the frame, you can recompose the image after locking in the exposure and focus. Just keep holding the shutter button halfway down as you reframe the image in your viewfinder. Don't move or reposition the subject before you shoot, or the exposure and focus may be out of whack.
3. Press the shutter button the rest of the way down to capture the image.
On lower-end cameras, you typically get a choice of two autoexposure settings — one appropriate for shooting in very bright light and another for average lighting. Many cameras display a warning light or refuse to capture the image if you've chosen an autoexposure setting that will result in a badly overexposed or underexposed picture. Higher-priced cameras give you more control over autoexposure.
Parallax
You compose your photo perfectly. The light is fine, the focus is fine, and all other photographic planets appear to be in alignment. But after you snap your picture and view the image on the camera monitor, you see something different from what you saw through the viewfinder. The framing of the image is off, as though your subject repositioned itself while you weren't looking. You're not the victim of some cruel digital hoax — just a photographic phenomenon known as a parallax error.
On most digital cameras, as on most point-and-shoot film cameras, the viewfinder looks out on the world through a separate window from the camera lens. Because the viewfinder is located an inch or so above or to the side of the lens, it sees your subject from a slightly different angle than the lens. But the image is captured from the point of view of the lens, not the viewfinder.
When you look through your viewfinder, you should see some little black lines near the corners of the frame. These lines indicate the boundaries of the "real" image — the edge of the frame as seen by the camera lens. If you don't pay attention to these framing cues as you shoot, you can wind up with subjects that appear to have been lopped off at the top.
The closer you are to your subject, the bigger the parallax problem becomes, whether you use a zoom lens or simply position the camera lens nearer to your subject. Some cameras provide a second set of framing marks in the viewfinder to indicate the framing boundaries that apply when you're shooting close-up shots.
If your camera has an LCD monitor, you have an additional aid for avoiding parallax problems. Because the monitor reflects the image as seen by the lens, you can simply use the monitor instead of the viewfinder to frame your image. On some cameras, the LCD monitor turns on automatically when you switch to macro mode for close-up shooting.
Light
Digital cameras are extremely demanding when it comes to light. A typical digital camera has a light sensitivity equivalent to that of ISO 100 film. As a result, image detail tends to get lost when objects are in the shadows. Too much light can also create problems. A ray of sunshine bouncing off a highly reflective surface can cause brown highlights— areas where all image detail is lost, resulting in a big white blob in your picture.
When you take digital pictures, capturing just the right amount of light involves not only deciding whether to use a flash or external photographic lights, but also figuring out the right exposure settings to choose.
Keep in mind that you can correct minor lighting and exposure problems in the image-editing stage. Generally speaking, making a too-dark image brighter is easier than correcting an overexposed (too bright) image. So if you can't seem to get the exposure just right, opt for a slightly underexposed image rather than an overexposed one.
Exposure
Exposure refers to the amount of light captured by the camera. Most consumer-level digital cameras feature autoexposure, sometimes known as programmed autoexposure, in which the camera reads the amount of light in the scene and then sets the exposure automatically for you. In order for your camera's autoexposure mechanism to work correctly, you need to take this three-step approach to shooting your pictures:
1. Frame your subject.
2. Press the shutter button halfway down and hold it there.
The camera analyzes the scene and sets the focus and exposure. After the camera makes its decisions, it signals you in some fashion — usually with a blinking light near the viewfinder or with a beeping noise.
If you don't want your subject to appear in the middle of the frame, you can recompose the image after locking in the exposure and focus. Just keep holding the shutter button halfway down as you reframe the image in your viewfinder. Don't move or reposition the subject before you shoot, or the exposure and focus may be out of whack.
3. Press the shutter button the rest of the way down to capture the image.
On lower-end cameras, you typically get a choice of two autoexposure settings — one appropriate for shooting in very bright light and another for average lighting. Many cameras display a warning light or refuse to capture the image if you've chosen an autoexposure setting that will result in a badly overexposed or underexposed picture. Higher-priced cameras give you more control over autoexposure.
You have a camera full of pictures. Now what? You transfer them to your computer, that's what. Some digital photography aficionados refer to the process of moving pictures from the camera to the computer as downloading, by the way.
Digital camera manufacturers have developed several ways for users to transfer pictures from the camera to the computer. You may or may not be able to use all these options, depending on your camera.
The following list outlines the various transfer methods, beginning with the fastest and easiest choice.
Memory card transfer: If your camera stores images on a floppy disk, just pop the disk out of your camera and insert it into your computer's floppy disk drive. Then copy the images to your hard drive as you do regular data files on a floppy disk.
If your camera uses CompactFlash, SmartMedia, or Memory Stick, or some other type of removable storage media, you can also enjoy the convenience of transferring images directly from that media, provided you have a matching card reader or adapter.
Cable transfer: If you don't have the luxury of using either of the preceding transfer options, you're stuck with the "old-fashioned" method, which is to connect your computer and camera using the cable that came in your camera box.
In some cases, the connection is via a serial cable, which transfers data at a speed roughly equivalent to a turtle pulling a 2-ton pickup. Okay, so maybe the speed isn't quite that slow — it just seems that way. Fortunately, most newer cameras connect to the computer via a USB port, which makes the transfer process faster.
The steps in the next section explain the transfer process, whether you use serial or USB cabling.
Infrared transfer: A few cameras have an IrDA port that enables you to transfer files via infrared light beams, similar to the way your TV remote control transfers your channel-surfing commands to your TV set. In order to use this feature, your computer must have an IrDA port.
In case you're curious, IrDA stands for Infrared Data Association, an organization of electronics manufacturers that sets technical standards for devices that use infrared transfer. These standards ensure that the IrDA port on one vendor's equipment can talk to the IrDA port on another vendor's equipment.
If you do manage to get your camera and computer to communicate via IrDA (this can be a challenge), you simply place your camera close to your computer and start the camera's transfer program. Your image-transfer speed depends on the capabilities of your computer's IrDA port.
Different IrDA devices work differently, so consult your camera and computer manuals to find out how to take advantage of this option.
Regardless of which transfer method you use, don't forget to install the image-transfer software that came with your camera. If you're using direct memory card-to-computer transfer and your camera saves images in a standard file format (such as TIFF or JPEG), you may not need the software; you can open your images directly from the card (or other removable media) in your photo-editing program. But some cameras store images in a proprietary format that can be read only by the camera's transfer software. Before you can open the pictures in a photo-editing program, you have to convert them to a standard format using the camera transfer software.
Cable transfer how-to's
Transferring images via a camera-to-computer connection works pretty much the same way from model to model. Because transfer software differs substantially from camera to camera, you need to check your camera's manual for that information. But in general, the process works as outlined in the following steps:
1. If you're connecting via serial cable, turn off your computer and camera.
This step is essential; most cameras don't support hot swapping — connecting while the devices are turned on. If you connect the camera to the computer while either machine is powered up, you risk damaging the camera.
2. If you're connecting via USB, check your camera manual.
You probably do not have to shut down your computer before hooking up the camera. But, please, check your camera and computer manuals to be certain. You may or may not need to turn the camera off.
3. Connect the camera to your computer.
Plug one end of the connection cable into your camera and the other into your computer. If you're going the serial-cable route and you use a Macintosh computer, you typically plug the camera cable into the printer or modem port. On a PC, the serial cable usually connects to a COM port (often used for connecting external modems to the computer).
The setup is the same for cameras that come with a USB cable. Plug one end of the cable into the camera and the other into your computer's USB port.
Note that if you use Windows 95, your computer may refuse to recognize the presence of the camera, even if you install the Windows 95 update that is supposed to enable USB.
4. Turn the computer and camera back on, if you turned them off before connecting.
5. Set the camera to the appropriate mode for image transfer.
On some cameras, you put the camera in playback mode; other cameras have a PC setting. Check your manual to find out the right setting for your model.
6. Start the image-transfer software.
7. Download away.
From here on out, the commands and steps needed to get those pictures from your camera onto your computer vary, depending on the camera and transfer software.
Take the bullet TWAIN
Chances are good that your camera comes with a CD that enables you to install something called a TWAIN driver on your computer. TWAIN is a special protocol (language) that enables your photo-editing or catalog program to communicate directly with a digital camera or scanner. Rumor has it that TWAIN stands for Technology Without An Interesting Name. Those wacky computer people!
After you install the TWAIN driver, you can access picture files that are still on the camera through your photo-editing or cataloging program. Of course, your camera still needs to be cabled to the computer. And your photo-editing or cataloging program must be TWAIN compliant, meaning that it understands the TWAIN language.
The command you use to open camera images varies from program to program. Typically, the command is found in the File menu and is named something like Acquire or Import.
Camera as hard drive
With some digital cameras, the manufacturer provides special software that, when installed on your computer, makes your computer think that the camera is just another hard drive. You can double-click a camera icon to display a list of files in the camera, just as you would to review files on your other drives. Then you can drag and drop files from the camera to a location on your hard drive, an option that's typically quicker than downloading the individual images through the camera's transfer software.
How this feature works — if at all — depends on what version of Windows or the Macintosh operating system you use as well as on your camera. Check you camera's manual for details.
Digital camera manufacturers have developed several ways for users to transfer pictures from the camera to the computer. You may or may not be able to use all these options, depending on your camera.
The following list outlines the various transfer methods, beginning with the fastest and easiest choice.
Memory card transfer: If your camera stores images on a floppy disk, just pop the disk out of your camera and insert it into your computer's floppy disk drive. Then copy the images to your hard drive as you do regular data files on a floppy disk.
If your camera uses CompactFlash, SmartMedia, or Memory Stick, or some other type of removable storage media, you can also enjoy the convenience of transferring images directly from that media, provided you have a matching card reader or adapter.
Cable transfer: If you don't have the luxury of using either of the preceding transfer options, you're stuck with the "old-fashioned" method, which is to connect your computer and camera using the cable that came in your camera box.
In some cases, the connection is via a serial cable, which transfers data at a speed roughly equivalent to a turtle pulling a 2-ton pickup. Okay, so maybe the speed isn't quite that slow — it just seems that way. Fortunately, most newer cameras connect to the computer via a USB port, which makes the transfer process faster.
The steps in the next section explain the transfer process, whether you use serial or USB cabling.
Infrared transfer: A few cameras have an IrDA port that enables you to transfer files via infrared light beams, similar to the way your TV remote control transfers your channel-surfing commands to your TV set. In order to use this feature, your computer must have an IrDA port.
In case you're curious, IrDA stands for Infrared Data Association, an organization of electronics manufacturers that sets technical standards for devices that use infrared transfer. These standards ensure that the IrDA port on one vendor's equipment can talk to the IrDA port on another vendor's equipment.
If you do manage to get your camera and computer to communicate via IrDA (this can be a challenge), you simply place your camera close to your computer and start the camera's transfer program. Your image-transfer speed depends on the capabilities of your computer's IrDA port.
Different IrDA devices work differently, so consult your camera and computer manuals to find out how to take advantage of this option.
Regardless of which transfer method you use, don't forget to install the image-transfer software that came with your camera. If you're using direct memory card-to-computer transfer and your camera saves images in a standard file format (such as TIFF or JPEG), you may not need the software; you can open your images directly from the card (or other removable media) in your photo-editing program. But some cameras store images in a proprietary format that can be read only by the camera's transfer software. Before you can open the pictures in a photo-editing program, you have to convert them to a standard format using the camera transfer software.
Cable transfer how-to's
Transferring images via a camera-to-computer connection works pretty much the same way from model to model. Because transfer software differs substantially from camera to camera, you need to check your camera's manual for that information. But in general, the process works as outlined in the following steps:
1. If you're connecting via serial cable, turn off your computer and camera.
This step is essential; most cameras don't support hot swapping — connecting while the devices are turned on. If you connect the camera to the computer while either machine is powered up, you risk damaging the camera.
2. If you're connecting via USB, check your camera manual.
You probably do not have to shut down your computer before hooking up the camera. But, please, check your camera and computer manuals to be certain. You may or may not need to turn the camera off.
3. Connect the camera to your computer.
Plug one end of the connection cable into your camera and the other into your computer. If you're going the serial-cable route and you use a Macintosh computer, you typically plug the camera cable into the printer or modem port. On a PC, the serial cable usually connects to a COM port (often used for connecting external modems to the computer).
The setup is the same for cameras that come with a USB cable. Plug one end of the cable into the camera and the other into your computer's USB port.
Note that if you use Windows 95, your computer may refuse to recognize the presence of the camera, even if you install the Windows 95 update that is supposed to enable USB.
4. Turn the computer and camera back on, if you turned them off before connecting.
5. Set the camera to the appropriate mode for image transfer.
On some cameras, you put the camera in playback mode; other cameras have a PC setting. Check your manual to find out the right setting for your model.
6. Start the image-transfer software.
7. Download away.
From here on out, the commands and steps needed to get those pictures from your camera onto your computer vary, depending on the camera and transfer software.
Take the bullet TWAIN
Chances are good that your camera comes with a CD that enables you to install something called a TWAIN driver on your computer. TWAIN is a special protocol (language) that enables your photo-editing or catalog program to communicate directly with a digital camera or scanner. Rumor has it that TWAIN stands for Technology Without An Interesting Name. Those wacky computer people!
After you install the TWAIN driver, you can access picture files that are still on the camera through your photo-editing or cataloging program. Of course, your camera still needs to be cabled to the computer. And your photo-editing or cataloging program must be TWAIN compliant, meaning that it understands the TWAIN language.
The command you use to open camera images varies from program to program. Typically, the command is found in the File menu and is named something like Acquire or Import.
Camera as hard drive
With some digital cameras, the manufacturer provides special software that, when installed on your computer, makes your computer think that the camera is just another hard drive. You can double-click a camera icon to display a list of files in the camera, just as you would to review files on your other drives. Then you can drag and drop files from the camera to a location on your hard drive, an option that's typically quicker than downloading the individual images through the camera's transfer software.
How this feature works — if at all — depends on what version of Windows or the Macintosh operating system you use as well as on your camera. Check you camera's manual for details.
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Fine wines and some actors get better with age. E-mail doesn't. Its primary purpose is immediacy. As your messages get older, they lose immediacy and their associated value. You may determine a cutoff point of 30, 60, or 90 days. When an e-mail reaches that age, just delete it. Or archive and then delete it.
The concept of archiving should be part of any e-mail organization campaign. Most e-mail is of no value after a short time. (Some e-mail is of no value before you even get it.) You may need to keep other e-mail, however, for historical purposes. Archiving comes in handy here.
Most e-mail clients include some facility for archiving your messages. Archiving capabilities are typically date based, which means you can automatically archive messages that are older than a particular date. For example, Outlook allows you to configure its AutoArchive capabilities in the following manner:
Choose Tools, Options.
On the Other tab, click the AutoArchive button.
Use the controls in the dialog box to specify how you want archiving performed by Outlook. If you get an average amount of e-mail, archiving every two weeks (the default) should be sufficient. You should make sure the other settings result in moving older items to the archive folders and deleting them from your regular inbox area.
Click OK twice to close all the dialog boxes.
Some online e-mail systems limit the amount of e-mail you can archive. If you try to surpass the storage limit, the system may either delete your oldest messages or start refusing to accept new e-mail. The upshot is to not allow your archive folder to become a catchall. Make sure you periodically clean it out.
The concept of archiving should be part of any e-mail organization campaign. Most e-mail is of no value after a short time. (Some e-mail is of no value before you even get it.) You may need to keep other e-mail, however, for historical purposes. Archiving comes in handy here.
Most e-mail clients include some facility for archiving your messages. Archiving capabilities are typically date based, which means you can automatically archive messages that are older than a particular date. For example, Outlook allows you to configure its AutoArchive capabilities in the following manner:
Choose Tools, Options.
On the Other tab, click the AutoArchive button.
Use the controls in the dialog box to specify how you want archiving performed by Outlook. If you get an average amount of e-mail, archiving every two weeks (the default) should be sufficient. You should make sure the other settings result in moving older items to the archive folders and deleting them from your regular inbox area.
Click OK twice to close all the dialog boxes.
Some online e-mail systems limit the amount of e-mail you can archive. If you try to surpass the storage limit, the system may either delete your oldest messages or start refusing to accept new e-mail. The upshot is to not allow your archive folder to become a catchall. Make sure you periodically clean it out.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
If you're wondering why you should make the leap from your old analog camcorder to a brand new digital camcorder, take a look at the advantages digital has over analog.
Digital camcorders are smaller and easier to use. Digital video (DV) camcorders are smaller because the size of the tape cartridge is smaller. Small size means more convenience, easier handling, and longer battery life (due to less equipment to power).
The quality is far better than ever before. Picture quality with video depends on the horizontal resolution, which is measured across the picture as if counting vertical lines. All video formats (except HDTV) have the same vertical resolution, or number of lines going down the picture. The horizontal resolution varies, however. VHS tape offers 240 lines; a live TV broadcast offers 300 lines; a digital satellite broadcast offers 400 lines. Digital video in the mini-DV cassette format offers 500 lines of horizontal resolution, resulting in a much sharper, clearer picture.
You can edit digital video with a personal computer, a hard drive, and editing software. Digital video is data, and like any other data can be manipulated with software on a computer. No more tapes to rewind or fast forward.
You can make copies of copies with no loss in quality. Digital video data last forever, even though the medium for storing it doesn't. Even if you make copies of copies of copies, the digital information will still be duplicated exactly each time. The quality of analog video deteriorates when you copy a tape.
Digital camcorders are smaller and easier to use. Digital video (DV) camcorders are smaller because the size of the tape cartridge is smaller. Small size means more convenience, easier handling, and longer battery life (due to less equipment to power).
The quality is far better than ever before. Picture quality with video depends on the horizontal resolution, which is measured across the picture as if counting vertical lines. All video formats (except HDTV) have the same vertical resolution, or number of lines going down the picture. The horizontal resolution varies, however. VHS tape offers 240 lines; a live TV broadcast offers 300 lines; a digital satellite broadcast offers 400 lines. Digital video in the mini-DV cassette format offers 500 lines of horizontal resolution, resulting in a much sharper, clearer picture.
You can edit digital video with a personal computer, a hard drive, and editing software. Digital video is data, and like any other data can be manipulated with software on a computer. No more tapes to rewind or fast forward.
You can make copies of copies with no loss in quality. Digital video data last forever, even though the medium for storing it doesn't. Even if you make copies of copies of copies, the digital information will still be duplicated exactly each time. The quality of analog video deteriorates when you copy a tape.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
A cache (pronounced the same as the word cash) is a storage area for computer files. Google maintains an enormous cache of Web pages. Don't confuse the cache with the index. (Actually, for practical purposes, whether you confuse them or not doesn't matter, but they are different.) The index is a database of Web-page content that's stripped of its formatting. The cache contains the pages themselves. By and large, clicking the Cached link that appears under each search result provides a quicker display of the target page because you're getting it from Google's computer instead of the Internet at large.
So why would you ever not use the Cached link instead of the main page title link? Well, the cached page is not necessarily up to the minute, especially with pages that change frequently. If you view the cached version of a page that you know is changed frequently and dated, such as the front page of a newspaper site, you can see that Google's cache is about three days behind. For users without high-speed Internet access, it's more convenient to pull from the cache when looking for a big page (about 50K or so) that doesn't change much
So why would you ever not use the Cached link instead of the main page title link? Well, the cached page is not necessarily up to the minute, especially with pages that change frequently. If you view the cached version of a page that you know is changed frequently and dated, such as the front page of a newspaper site, you can see that Google's cache is about three days behind. For users without high-speed Internet access, it's more convenient to pull from the cache when looking for a big page (about 50K or so) that doesn't change much
