Author Archive

Hi there, , glad you made it here.

This is the page where you will find the various documents we have for you in our Introducing the Internet Series.

Below you will see the different Parts for you to look at.

When you double-click on any of the PDF icons below, the document will open up in a new window on your computer.

You may choose to save the document to your computer for future reference, or simply come back to this page whenever you’re ready.

I hope you enjoy the series – and if you could possible take a minute to leave a comment, I would be just delighted.

This is a private area of our website, so it’s only our members who will see the comments – and I moderate the comments before they’re published. so if you want to ask me a question, or make a comment, please, please go down to the bottom of the page, where you see ‘Leave a reply’ and type in whatever you’d like. If you’re happy to share the comments, then I’m sure other members will love to join in the conversation too.

So please look below for the particular part of the Series you’d like, double-click the icon and you’ll have it!

Cheers

Viv

Please double-click on PDF icon below, to open up the document.

INTRODUCING THE INTERNET

Part One

What is the Internet?

What is the Internet?

Part Two

Browsers and Searching the World Wide Web

_

Part Three

Email

Email

• SPAM in disguise
• Mike to the Rescue
• Stay in touch - stay alive!
• Articles List
• Getting to Know My Computer - Part Three: What's Under the Bonnet
• Getting To Know My Computer - Part Two
• Getting To Know My Computer - Part One
• Getting To Know My Computer Series
• Getting To Know My Computer
• Newsletter Sept 25 Melb Show Dust Storm
• MS (Microsoft) Fix it For Me
• How to speed up your computer - Disk Cleanup
• How to Sign up for Health and Fitness Giveaway Event

• The easy way to translate
• Video List
• Inside My Computer
• How to send electronic Christmas cards
• Let's go shopping - online
• Phishing emails - point to link
• Newsletter Sept 25 Melb Show Dust Storm
• MS (Microsoft) Fix it For Me
• Move the pesky window
• How to speed up your computer - Disk Cleanup
• How to Sign up for Health and Fitness Giveaway Event
• How to insert dummy text in MS Word 2003
• How to - Use Favourites in Internet Explorer
• How to - Sort Outlook Messages
• How to - Fill out an Online Survey

>

• Q and A November 2010
• Audios List

Gee, for the first time, I have gone over my broadband limit.

As you probably know, you have an Internet Service Provider – an ISP – that gives you access to the Internet.

And generally they only give you a monthly allowance. This allowance is a total of all the emails you send and receive and all the websites you look at, and maybe send information to. Every time you look at a website, or view a video it cuts into your allowance.

When I first started on the internet, I had a HUGE allowance – 200MB. people thought I was mad to get that much.

Now that would only cover a few days emails.

My plan is now 12 GB – that’s 12 gigabtyes. It’s huge, and I thought I’d never use that. Although as our website gets busier and busier I will be using more of my allowance.

BUT … I have two young sons. And they like to visit cartoon shows websites, and look at funny videos, and make Pokemon cards and learn magic tricks. And they must have been very busy this month, because a couple of days before the end of the billing month, I got a message to say that I had just gone over the limit, and my speed would be reduced. That just means that rather than charging me for the amount I am over the limit, they make the speed of getting things from the internet slow …. reeeeaallly slow.

So now I’ll have to decide whether to ration the boys time on the computer – which they are already in a way. I set the timer to an hour, then they have to get off, but I suspect they might sneak a few extra minutes here and there. Or whether I go on to a bigger plan.

That is one of the nice things about the plans. You start at the lowest level you think you’ll use, then as time goes on, if you are going over the limit often, it’s time to move up to the next level. But don’t pay for a big plan if you’re not using it. Keep your money to yourself, and only hand it over to the big guys when the time comes.

So, now I’m back on full speed and can get back to sending the videos and other megabyte hungry treats.

Cheers

Viv

We now have Part Four available for everyone.

In this chapter we look at the various ways we can use a computer. Well, I’m speaking about we ordinary people.

Here’s the article for you to read:   Getting To Know My Computer – Part Four_Things-I-Can-Do-with-My-Computer

Enjoy!

Viv

Continuing on our learning journey of getting to know our computer, we have a video which shows us what’s inside.
The video is about 8 minutes long. Click on the Play button when you’re ready.

Oh, if you find the video starts, then stops, please click on the pause button, and wait for a minute till it’s  loaded itself, then you can press the play button, and it should play properly.

till our next lesson,
all the best
Viv

Here is a great new speed reduction device!
Please click on the link a bit further down, that says: Funnies – Road Safety holes.

The video is only about one minute long.
Press the play button in the middle of the screen to start.

Funnies – Road Safety holes

Good morning (or afternoon/evening, depending on when you’re reading this, now that I’ve finally managed to sort this out for the non-members.
Well, we’ve had some truly amazing weather in Victoria this week.

And yet again, after long years of drought, poor old Queensland had record rainfall, floods and all sorts of wet problems.

And here in Victoria – particularly Melbourne last Saturday, we had a ‘once-in-a-hundred-year-storm’.

In parts of Victoria we had a whole month’s average rainfall in 20 minutes!

Here on the Peninsula we were lucky and fared a bit better, just getting the edges of the storm. Nevertheless we were battered by high winds, thunder and lightning.

In fact the lightning must have taken out a piece of equipment, because we were without power for over 6 hours.

Only two of our family computers were online at the time. One of them was connected to a UPS,
but the other one was not. And I was nervous when the power came back on, hoping that everything was still okay.  (thankfully it was).

Unfortunately, sometimes what happens with power fluctuations and power surges, they can damage electronic equipment. And computers don’t fare well at all.

So I’m going to buy another UPS from Mike for the one computer that doesn’t have one.

That got me thinking about the whole UPS thing.

Do you have a UPS?
Do you know what a UPS is?

So, that is our topic for this week’s newsletter – UPSs.

And still on the subject of weather.

I think a remarkable use of technology is to have a look at radar images on your computer.

I’ll use the example of our Bureau of Meteorology in Australia.

www.bom.gov.au

When you get to the website, there are quite a few options for you.

Under the map of Australia, there are three options – Radar, Satellite and Charts.

When you click on Radar, the next page brings up the Weather Watch Radar map.

On the map, click on the area you’d like to focus on – and you will see radar images of that area.

It’s really handy if you’re heading off somewhere and want to see if there’s rain headed your way.

You can see if it’s passed you by, or if there’s a big rain band an hour away.

And if you are interested to see more about the recent hailstorm in Victoria, the same website has details as this month’s feature.
When you click on the link below you will go to a page that has a write up of the event, then some amazing radar images.

http://www.bom.gov.au/inside/services_policy/public/sevwx/vic/20100603_thunder.shtml

And in typical Melbourne fashion, on Monday it was a lovely day – just in time for our Moomba festival and the traditional Street Parade!

Photo from The Age

Yep, amazing!

MEMBER’S PROGRAMS

Series One – Getting To Know My Computer

I was really excited to send out Part Two this week.

This series is designed to just give some basic knowledge and to familiarise you with your computer.

I hope you’ve managed to find the time to read it. If you have -that’s just wonderful, and I really hope you enjoy it, and it helps clear up some mysteries. And if you haven’ yet read either of them, well you have the documents attached to your email, so you can open them any time you’re ready.

And look out in your Inbox this week for Part Three. In this part we’ll take a look ‘under the bonnet’. We’ll explain about things like that whirring noise you sometimes hear, and we’ll show you pictures to go with the names of parts of your computer.

We don’t have a personal interest topic this week, but we’ve got a couple of jokes, sent to me by Anne (thanks hon).

And please remember, that all members are very welcome to send in jokes or stories, or anything you’d like to share with our other members. I’ll email to our Members on your behalf.

Enjoy your week!

No matter how much the boss likes you, if you work in a bank, you can’t
take home the samples. Eddie Cantor

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Problems and solutions

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UPS

UPS stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply.   It’s just that, there’s no interruption to the power supply.

As mentioned earlier, I believe a UPS is essential for anyone who wants to protect their computer.
Indeed other electronic equipment as well.

And for just such an instance as we had last weekend, you just never know when your power is going to suddenly fail. If you have a laptop, you probably have a battery installed, and that might prevent disaster. But then if there’s a power spike, you’ll strike problems too.

In essence a UPS is a battery that takes over the power supply to your computer if the power fails, or becomes unstable.

Here is a link to an article by Choice magazine, which explains it.

http://www.choice.com.au/Reviews-and-Tests/Technology/Computers-and-accessories/Security/Uninterruptible-power-supplies-review.aspx

It’s a really interesting article and does a great job of explaining what a UPS does.

Next week I’ll be ordering my new UPS from Mike from MJR Instruments. He’s our technical guy, and he sells and installs UPSs.

Mike has very kindly offered our members a special price if you decide to protect your computer and invest in a UPS for peace of mind. He is able to supply and install a UPS for you if you live on or near the Peninsula.

But for everyone, we’ll have a video available to show you just how a UPS works. Then you’ll see it in action and have a better idea if you think it’s a good idea to have one or not.  I’ll send you a message when the video is ready.

For anyone who is interested, please either call me on 9787 7500 or Mike on 9775 3456.

Or just click on reply and I’ll give your details to Mike and he can give you a call to work out what’s just right for you.

Don’t forget if you call Mike – let him know you’re part of our community and he’ll certainly look after you.

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HUMOUR ME   

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The Outhouse     

Once there was a little boy who lived in the country.  The family had to use an outhouse, and the little boy hated it because it was so hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter and stank all the time.

The outhouse was sitting on the bank of a creek and the boy was determined that one day he would push that old outhouse straight into the creek.

One day after a spring rain, the creek was swollen so the little boy decided today was the day to push the outhouse into the creek.

He found a large stick and started pushing.  Finally, the outhouse toppled into the creek and floated away.

That night his dad told him they were going to the woodshed after supper.  Knowing that meant a spanking, the little boy asked why.

The dad replied, “Someone pushed the outhouse into the creek today. It was you, wasn’t it son?”

The boy answered yes.

Then he thought a moment and said, “Dad, I read in school today that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree and didn’t get into trouble because he told the truth.”

The dad replied, “Well, son, George Washington’s father wasn’t in the cherry tree.”

And here’s the second one joke – which I love!

What’s in a Name?

A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables when a voice in the dark said:  ’Jesus knows you’re here.’

He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze.

When he heard nothing more, after a bit, he shook his head and continued.

Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard:  ’Jesus is watching you.’

Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice.

Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot.

‘Did you say that?’ he hissed at the parrot.

‘Yep’, the parrot confessed, then squawked, ‘I’m just trying to warn you that he is watching you.’

The burglar relaxed. ‘Warn me, huh? Who in the world are you?’

‘Moses’, replied the bird.

‘Moses?’ the burglar laughed. ‘What kind of people would name a bird Moses?’

‘The kind of people that would name a Rottweiler Jesus.’

Till next time, have a wonderful week.
Smiles and best wishes

Viv