Thursday, May 05, 2005
Saving Graphics
As you're browsing Web pages with Internet Explorer, you may come upon some sites that offer graphic images for downloading. You can save Web graphics on your computer hard drive in one of the following three ways:
As a graphic file for viewing and printing in the My Pictures folder. To do this, right-click the graphic and then click Save Picture As on the image shortcut menu.
As the wallpaper for your desktop. To do this, right-click the graphic and then click Set as Background on the image shortcut menu.
As a Desktop item that appears on your computer desktop. To do this, right-click the graphic and then choose Set as Desktop Item on the image shortcut menu.
Note that if you save a Web graphic as the wallpaper for your desktop, you have a choice between tiling the image (that is, duplicating it across the entire desktop), centering it in the middle of the desktop, or stretching it so that it fills the entire desktop (which most often results in a severely distorted image). Also note that some Web graphics (photographs and works of original art, usually) are copyrighted, and Web designers do have a way to disable your right click function while you're surfing their Web sites.
As a graphic file for viewing and printing in the My Pictures folder. To do this, right-click the graphic and then click Save Picture As on the image shortcut menu.
As the wallpaper for your desktop. To do this, right-click the graphic and then click Set as Background on the image shortcut menu.
As a Desktop item that appears on your computer desktop. To do this, right-click the graphic and then choose Set as Desktop Item on the image shortcut menu.
Note that if you save a Web graphic as the wallpaper for your desktop, you have a choice between tiling the image (that is, duplicating it across the entire desktop), centering it in the middle of the desktop, or stretching it so that it fills the entire desktop (which most often results in a severely distorted image). Also note that some Web graphics (photographs and works of original art, usually) are copyrighted, and Web designers do have a way to disable your right click function while you're surfing their Web sites.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
For Windows XP
In some cases, when you start Outlook Express 6, it automatically kicks in MSN or Windows Messenger (assuming Messenger wasn't running already). Outlook Express does that so it can show you the status of your Messenger contacts. Icons next to your Messenger contacts indicate whether they're online or not.
If Outlook Express starts Messenger automatically, as soon as Messenger kicks in, everybody who has you on his or her Messenger Contacts list sees that you've signed in. Many people feel that's an intrusive, time-sapping side effect of starting Outlook Express. It's also an incredibly stupid security exposure, hanging a "kick me" sign on your computer for no good reason at all. If you agree, it's easy to turn off:
Choose Tools-->Options-->General.
Outlook Express shows you the Options dialog box.
Uncheck the Automatically Log On to Windows Messenger box.
Messenger calls it sign in, not log on, but what's a foolish inconsistency among friends?
Click OK.
The next time you start Outlook Express, it doesn't attempt to start Windows Messenger
If Outlook Express starts Messenger automatically, as soon as Messenger kicks in, everybody who has you on his or her Messenger Contacts list sees that you've signed in. Many people feel that's an intrusive, time-sapping side effect of starting Outlook Express. It's also an incredibly stupid security exposure, hanging a "kick me" sign on your computer for no good reason at all. If you agree, it's easy to turn off:
Choose Tools-->Options-->General.
Outlook Express shows you the Options dialog box.
Uncheck the Automatically Log On to Windows Messenger box.
Messenger calls it sign in, not log on, but what's a foolish inconsistency among friends?
Click OK.
The next time you start Outlook Express, it doesn't attempt to start Windows Messenger
You may want to update your iPod automatically, but only with selected songs -- especially if your iTunes library is larger than the capacity of your iPod. To use this method, you must first select the songs you want to transfer to the iPod in the iTunes library and then deselect the songs you don't want to transfer.
You can quickly select or unselect an entire album by selecting an album in Browse view and holding down the Command key.
After selecting the songs to transfer, follow these steps:
Connect the iPod to your Mac through the Mac's FireWire connection.
Select the iPod name in the iTunes Source pane.
Click the iPod options button.
The iPod Preferences dialog box appears.
Select the Automatically Update All Songs and Playlists option and click OK for the "Are you sure you want to enable automatic updating?" message that appears.
Select the Only Update checked Songs check box and click OK.
iTunes automatically updates the iPod by erasing its contents and copying only the songs in the iTunes library that you selected.
Click the iPod eject button, which appears in the row of buttons in the bottom-right corner of the iTunes window (only while the iPod is connected).
You can quickly select or unselect an entire album by selecting an album in Browse view and holding down the Command key.
After selecting the songs to transfer, follow these steps:
Connect the iPod to your Mac through the Mac's FireWire connection.
Select the iPod name in the iTunes Source pane.
Click the iPod options button.
The iPod Preferences dialog box appears.
Select the Automatically Update All Songs and Playlists option and click OK for the "Are you sure you want to enable automatic updating?" message that appears.
Select the Only Update checked Songs check box and click OK.
iTunes automatically updates the iPod by erasing its contents and copying only the songs in the iTunes library that you selected.
Click the iPod eject button, which appears in the row of buttons in the bottom-right corner of the iTunes window (only while the iPod is connected).
Monday, May 02, 2005
For certain kinds of images, you can use a scanner as a camera -- a very flexible and very high-resolution camera -- by just putting a plastic wrap over the scanning surface, and then putting the stuff you want to photograph right on it. A cereal box, a pile of marbles, all sorts of things can be scanned right into your computer.
Lighting is excellent -- each part of the subject is brightly and directly lit as the image is captured -- and resolution is just about whatever you want it to be. (Of course, your image is going to end up being displayed at 96 dpi, so don't waste hours scanning piles of sugar at 300 dpi.)
You don't need to do this every day, but it's a great way to get unexpected images onto your computer quickly and easily.
Lighting is excellent -- each part of the subject is brightly and directly lit as the image is captured -- and resolution is just about whatever you want it to be. (Of course, your image is going to end up being displayed at 96 dpi, so don't waste hours scanning piles of sugar at 300 dpi.)
You don't need to do this every day, but it's a great way to get unexpected images onto your computer quickly and easily.
