Summer 2003, Volume 2

     If this is still a problem for you here is what you need to do.

     Go to my web site at www.thecomputerman.biz. Click on the link to "More Pages". Then click on the Newsletters Link. Click on the link to the newsletter you want to view and print. In the Internet Explorer menu at the top left of the page click on File. Click on Print Preview. If the page looks like it is all fitting on the page width then you can safely print it. If it is not fitting on the width of the page in the preview window....you need to adjust the page margins.

    To adjust the page margins, first Click on "Close" to exit the print preview screen. Once again click on File and then click on Page Setup. In the window that pops up, change the left and right margins each to "0" (zero) and the top and bottom margins to .25 each. Now go back and try the Print Preview and see if all the page is showing. If so, then it is safe to print.

     This tip is useful to try before printing any web page that won't print properly. By the way, this setting should remain like that when you return to Internet Explorer, so you should not have to re-set it again. Hope this helps.... 

Most of you have the Adobe Acrobat program on your computer. If you need it you can get the free program from this web location. Click on the link below.

Adobe Acrobat Reader Download or  (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

The solution in Internet Explorer is to first use your mouse to highlight the portion of the Web page that is of interest to you. Then click File, Print and select the option button marked "Selection." Finally, click the OK button and only the highlighted portion of the page will print!

Gotta go rodeo!

If you've been to a rodeo you know the excitement involved, even just sitting in the stands watching Cowboys and Cowgirls put on their best shows to pay the bills or to have some fun. If you've never been to a rodeo, this is a great website to learn about it and to hear the truths about the myths out there.

Rodeo Network has many interactive features as well as an extensive and ever growing database of rodeo events nationwide throughout the USA. So, Cowboy or Cowgirl, get up and get on over there!

http://www.rodeonetwork.com/

With many of you purchasing digital cameras these days the question arises, - How to share our photos with Family and Friends.
I have found that creating albums on the web (internet) is a great way to share these photos.

This web site is part of MSN (Microsoft network). You have to sign up to get a .NET Passport ID, but the service is free, and you have up to 30 Gigabites of storage space for your photos. If you prepare your photos properly for viewing on the internet befor uploading them to the albums that you create, that will hold a lot of photos!

Once your photos are online, personalize them with titles, descriptions, and custom background designs
Create a custom slide show with your photos by adding your own photo titles, descriptions, and background designs. Send friends and family an e-mail invitation to view your photos at MSN Photos.

In addition you can learn about high-resolution photos, and how to get high-resolution photos. Read tips on photography, and explore all the exciting things you can do with your photos on MSN Photos

There are many other similar web sites such as Ofoto and Snapfish, to name only a couple, that offer similar services.

Of course you could create your own web pages to put your prize photos on as well, but that takes some special skills and practice.

Check it out at  http://photos.msn.com/ 

The Free Site

Need a source of freebies? Well then this is definitely it. There are tons of freebies here and a little bit of something for everyone. 

Webmasters - you can find freebies to make your sites neater, cleaner and better. 

Music Listeners - you can find .wavs, midis, and mp3s.

And thats not all. Choose the freebie section of the site you wish to view and get links to more freebie sites. You can even sign up for their freebie newsletter and get freebies sent directly to your e-mail.  Enjoy this one. 

http://www.thefreesite.com/

What is Boycott Watch? Their FAQ answers this question efficiently, “Boycott Watch is a non-profit organization that looks at boycott calls, asks both sides their story and posts it at Boycott Watch so people can decide for themselves what the truth is.” If you have more questions about them and their goals check out their FAQ.

Get your information on boycotts you are watching as they are updated an new information as it comes to light, stay on top of new boycotts as they arise. Think of it like News for boycotts.

You've probably recieved email with lists of alleged French companies to boycott in reaction to the French position on Iraq. Well, here you'll find a CONFIRMED list of which companies really are French and which actually are not. Or read the REAL stats on where oil is imported from before you believe the internet rumors.

Head on over for the information, then decide for yourself.

http://www.boycottwatch.org/

And that’s not all, there are more galleries. My favorite was "The Gallery of Artistic Impossibilities", which explains the principles of artistic illusion.

Check this site out!

http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/museum/unwork.htm

Scroll down the page and there is a huge listing of locations, then choose a location, then it will give you the latitude a longitude of the location you chose and then click the button “Show Tides”. You then get a page with the most current tidal information for that location or you can type in your location and click show tides and see what it comes up with.

Very nifty little tool that you can use to see tidal information from around the globe.

http://www.tides.info/

If you want to get the most for your money and make sure that your money goes as far as it can and you are an avid reader you know that new books to keep your mind occupied can get pricey. Well now you can help both your wallet and your reading.

This site will allow you to look up a book title, and compare the prices for it all over the web and show you the lowest price first. It goes through both new and used versions of the book and where it is the cheapest. Just choose "compare prices" when your book title comes up.

For Example: Go to the site, and type in Cerulean Sins  and click search. (The search option works by author, title, keyword or ISBN.) It should give you several copies of the book, now click compare prices the site will then start searching and comparing bring you the lowest price first. The page will load giving you a list of places to buy the book and their prices, the cheapest is Buy.com for $12.39 with shipping.

If you didn't get that - click the link that says "enter shipping destination", choose United States (if that's where you live), and it should come up right peachy for you. Previous to entering the shipping destination the cheapest book was half.com that comes up at $12.40 now.

I think this tool is marvelous and a keeper.

http://www.fetchbook.info/

Join Jack Horkheimer in Star Gazer, a television program on PBS that last from 1 to 5 minutes. The show is about "Naked Eye" Astronomy, and tells you what Constellations you can see with your own eyes during the week ahead.

Not sure if you should check it out in your own home, you can see any of the episodes from 2002 on their site in streaming video. You can also check out the current episodes scripts and diagrams on the site.

With those clear summer nights, why don’t you try your hand at "Naked Eye Astronomy", I know I will.

http://www.jackstargazer.com/

Improving the Quality of Graphics using AOL

If you browse the web with AOL, you know that sometimes graphics just don't look so perty. Here is how to turn off the built in image compression.

AOL says this image compression helps images download faster. Haruumph! This may be, but a typical human can't see any significant difference in speed between having compression on vs off. In fact, the only thing this Image Compression seems to be good at is converting nice looking graphics and photos into something that appears to have gotten messed up in a Star Trek transporter.

Here is how to turn this off, the instructions are for AOL 7.0, butIf you use AOL 6 (or even 5), there shouldn't be any major differences in the way this works.

1) Log On to AOL.

2) Go to Keyword: Preferences

3) Under the Organization Menu, click the Internet Properties WWW link.

Your AOL Internet Properties Panel will pop up.

4) There are several tabs to choose from. Choose the Web Graphics Tab.

5) By default, Always Compress Graphics should be selected. If you enjoy crisp clear graphics, choose the Never Compress Graphics option.

6) Click "OK"

Your graphics should be looking good from now on.

NOTE: Another benefit of choosing "Never Compress Graphics" is that you can save images from web pages as JPEG files rather than compressed AOL images (.art files) that few graphic programs can support.

City Creator

Are you a fan of Sim city? Well if so here’s a site for you. City Creator allows you to build cities online. You have a choice between Blankton and Snoland. One is a regular city, the other is, you guessed it – full of snowy items.

Build great cities, or tiny communities, it’s your choice. I’ve spent hours here just building the roads and landscapes. Definitely worth a look, and a great place to spend time.

http://www.citycreator.com/

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is warning consumers about a new Internet scam involving Best Buy.  The electronics goods company is also investigating the scam.

The scam involves people receiving e-mails purporting to be from the fraud division of Best Buy telling them that someone may be trying to use their credit card numbers to purchase goods.  The email goes on to direct the consumer to a Fraud Department page on the company’s web site where they can confirm or decline the transaction by providing the correct information, including their credit card numbers.  However, the web site is fake and the scam artists are seeking to obtain credit card numbers for fraudulent purposes.

“These types of scams are becoming increasingly common,” Bronson said.  “It’s important that consumers be wary of any unsolicited e-mail or phone call that requests personal information, especially credit card numbers and Social Security numbers.”

Bronson urges consumers who are contacted and asked for personal information to contact the company or organization directly to find out if the request is legitimate.  Once con artists have obtained this personal information, it is easy for them to steal a victim’s identity, charge thousands of dollars under a victim’s name and ruin their credit.

The company is also monitoring the situation and taking steps to alert consumers of this fraudulent act.  Best Buy officials say to the best of their knowledge, no systems have been compromised, and its online business is secure. The company is alerting consumers to contact their banks or credit card companies immediately if they have replied to the fraudulent e-mail in any way.  If BestBuy.com customers want to check status of their online orders, they may contact Best Buy Customer Care at 1-888-BESTBUY.

The above items submitted for your consideration by:

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Software Programs, Finance and Stock tracking,
Digital photos and Cameras, Web Site Creation Assistance, Special Projects,
 Buying Assistance, System Setup and Installation
Software Installation, Troubleshooting Assistance, Internet Connection Installation

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 Call Jules Porchey "The Computer Man" at 927-1428