The Canteen Resource Center is Open for business!!
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Tables of Contents
I. Ask The Experts
-Ask GummyIII and El Gran Salseron a question and they'll answer it. MoJo may from time to time answer questions, but she's in no way an expert.II. Cool Stuff
-Providing you cool and informative information that may or may not prove useful. If it doesn't prove useful, please FReepmail the Canteen CEO with any problems. His name is 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub. Thank you! III. Gummy's Informative Software Table
-GummyIII brings you really cool and interesting software programs that you'll want to browse. |
II. Ask The Experts
Providing answers to questions you've always wanted to know about. GummyIII's answers are in red while El Gran's answers are in blue. If you have any questions you'd like them to answer, please FReepmail MoJo2001 with any questions. Thank you!! |
| Question 1: What is a .png file and how do I view it? A .png file is a graphic file. You can view it the same way you view any image file (i.e. .jpg or .gif). These graphic files are viewable in any browser, plus any graphic editing software. (GummyIII's answer) -------------------------------- *.PNG = Portable Network Graphics. It is a file simlar to *.GIF and *.JPG graphics files. Most commercial graphics programs can open and even convert *.PNG to other types of graphics files like *.GIF and *.JPG. If you do not have and need a freeware graphics program that will let you view *.PNG files then please go to the following site. Scroll down to "FastStone Image Viewer." Ensure that this program is compatible with your Operating System. Click the "Download" button ensuring that you make a note of where you have saved the file. After it completely downloads, exit the internet, browse to the location where you saved the file and double-click it. That will start the install of the program. After the installation is complete you'll be able to open that program and view any *.PNG file as well as many other graphics files. "FastStone
Image Viewer" will also allow you to convert to other file formats such as *.GIF, *.JPG and *.BMP:
http://www.webattack.com/freeware/gmm/fwviewers.html |
| Question 2: I am looking to purchase an MP3 player. Do you have any advice on what to buy? The following link will give to you a wide variety and pricing of MP3 players. Dell products are usually good products although we have no personal knowledge of mp3 players.
http://www.nextag.com/serv/main/buyer/outpdir.jsp?search=portable+mp3+players&nxtg=21443d_63D938A
FFA63A8CB
-------------------------------- I'm impressed with the new iPod Nano because it works like an MP3 player, a pen drive, and a photo viewer, too (see http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/).
However, if all you need is to listen to music, don't need any of the bells and whistles, THe MuVo TXFM player is a cheap alternative. Be sure to look at the pros and cons of it, though.
(http://reviews.cnet.com/Creative_MuVo_TX_FM_256MB_White/4505-6490_7-30906242.html)
You can also compare others here:
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6450_7-6279241.html . For the money and
the versatility, my choice is the iPod Nano. ------------------------------------- MoJo's MP3 Advice If you're looking for an MP3 player that just plays music, then go with anything made from Creative . My family owns 6 MP3 players and we've seen a lot of players come and go through the market. We currently own an IPod Nano and it does rock. However, I am partial to my 80 GB Nomad Jukebox. It holds almost every song I want to listen to for a road trip. The only problem is the bulkiness of the Nomad Jukebox. The IPod is wonderful to have if you don't like carrying around bulky tech stuff. |
| Question 3: Will Windows Vista be similar to Windows XP or 2000? OMG...here goes:
From what I understand, there will be 7 editions of Vista (formerly called Longhorn). Soooooooo...it depends on what you use. 1)The Starter Edition will limit users to three concurrent applications, provide only basic TCP/IP networking, and won't be suitable for most games. 1) The Home Basic Edition is analagous to today's Windows XP Home. 3) Home Premium Edition is the Basic Edition with enhanced capabilities supporting HDTV, DVD authoring, and even DVD ripping. It's similar to XP pro but for non-business users. 4) Windows Vista Professional Edition is not the same
as XP Pro and is for businesses. It won't have the multi-media
capabilities Home Premium Edition has. Supposedly there will be a 5) Small Business Edition and an 6) Enterprise Edition. SBE will include a networked backup solution and EE will include Virtual PC integration and encryption. 7) Then there's the Ultimate Edition. According to Paul Thurrott (link:
Pre-PDC Exclusive: Windows Vista Product Editions Revealed):
Vista Ultimate promises to be the best OS ever offered for the personal PC and will be optimized for the individual. Vista Ultimate is a superset of both Vista Home Premium and Vista Pro; it includes all the features of both product versions and adds a Game Performance Tweaker with integrated gaming experiences, a Podcast-creation utility (which is under consideration and might be cut from the product), online club services (i.e., exclusive access to music, movies, services, and preferred customer care), and other offerings that are currently under consideration.
Microsoft is still investigating how to position its most impressive Windows release yet and might offer Ultimate Edition owners such services as extended A1 subscriptions, free music downloads, free movie downloads, Online Spotlight and entertainment software, preferred product support, and custom themes. Nothing like Vista Ultimate exists today. This version will be designed for high-end PC users and technology influencers, gamers, digital media enthusiasts, and students.
Confusing? Linux sounds better and better. -------------------------- Windows Vista will be similar to WindowsXP. The GUI, ( Graphic User Interface, ) won't change drastically.
It will still have the look and "feel" of Windows dating back to Windows95, Windows98, WindowsME, Windows2000 and WindowsXP. It will still have the "Task Bar," "Start" button and "Programs" menu. Windows Vista will allow viewing of file details with greater ease as well as incorporating the ability to view HDTV on your computer.
It will also allow for the provision to automatically connect to many other resources on the internet. For a good overview of Windows Vista please visit the following link:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/default.mspx |
Question 4: I need programs such as Excel and FrontPage, but I don’t want to pay Microsoft for them. Is there any
free programs out there that do the same thing? There are several which do much the same thing. I'm featuring some of these in today's software picks. (Isn't Gummy a sweetie?) -----------------------
OpenOffice is a multi-functional freeware Office Suite that contains word processing, spreadsheet, presentation manager, and drawing programs similar to Microsoft Office. It can be downloaded at the
following link:
http://www.openoffice.org/
There are many freeware HTML editors similar to Microsoft FrontPage. For advanced programs that are more similar to FrontPage please click on the following link:
http://www.webattack.com/freeware/webpublish/fweditors.html
For HTML editors that are not as advanced then please click on the following link:
http://www.webattack.com/freeware/webpublish/fwwysiwyg.html
For both the advanced and not so advanced HTML editors you'll have to read the program descriptions toselect the program that most suits your needs and abilities. Please note that you'll have to ensure that the particular program that you want is compatible with your Operating System, ( i.e. Windows95, Windows98,
WindowsME, Windows2000, WindowsXP. ) |
Question 5: If I want to create a back up of the important programs that I use, do I have to re-register everything if I’m forced to load it up again?
Oh...OH! Ok, perhaps we need to differentiate between an image of your HD and a backup. Most backup software requires that you do a base install of the OS, install the backup software and then restore from the backup on top of the base install you just did. To restore an image you would just boot from a floppy or CD containing the software and restore the image.
Technically you could probably do the same thing with the backup software, but it would be more work to get the software onto the bootable CD in a usable fashion and the file backup might not contain the boot sector information or the registry values to use the software. So yes, you'd have to re-register at least some of your software. There are several imaging software products, and I feature those in today's software picks.
If you don't want to re-register anything, then I suggest you look at imaging your HD. -------------------
The easy answer is, if you create a back-up of the "Microsoft Word" folder and all of its sub-folders, for example, and if that folder becomes corrupted then you can use the back-up that you have created to restore that folder and its sub-folders to its previous state. In that instance you won't have to re-register the product.
However, if you install "Microsoft Word" on one computer, back-up the "Microsoft Word" folder and all of its sub-folders then try to use that back-up to restore it on another computer that didn't already have the same version of "Microsoft Word" installed on it or if the "Windows Registry" becomes corrupted then that won't work. In addtion and again using "Microsoft Word" as the example, it also puts folders with files in them under the Windows folder so that a simple back-up of the "Microsoft Word" folder, in and of itself, may be an exercise in futility.
The program might start OK if it starts at all. However, an explanation of why it won't work follows:
On all Windows-based systems there are files that, en total, make up the "Windows Registry." Whenever an install of a program is done then the install program puts many entries into the "Windows Registry."
"Microsoft Word," mentioned above, puts many entries into the "Windows Registry."
If you try to "restore" "Microsoft Word" using a back-up on a computer that didn't already have "Microsoft Word" installed on it then the "Windows Registry" will not have these critical entries for "Microsoft Word" and the program simply will not work.
If the "Windows Registry" becomes corrupted then the recent versions of Windows have "System Restore" points by date and time.
In all other instances and if the Install CD for any program has to be used to re-install the product then it will have to be re-registered.
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| If you find yourself in need of quick information, don't forget to bookmark The Canteen Computer Resource Online. Thank you to El Gran Salseron for setting it up and GummyIII for adding a lot of useful information!! |
II. Cool Stuff Online
We all like cool stuff, right? If it's free and also useful, that makes it even better. So? Check out the links below.
Guess where you can find all of these links?
The Canteen Computer Resource Center Online
How cool is that? |
| 1. Last week we gave you FontLister. What if you want to have a lot of fonts so you can really effectively use FontLister? Here are a few places below that you can download F-R-E-E Fonts!
Remember, if it isn't free--it ain't for me! Hehe!
1001 Free Fonts Script Fonts Holiday Fonts Messy Fonts (MoJo loves these)2. Do you get bored easily with online games? Why not try Winners Free Casino. You can play casino games without spending any money (because MoJo's rule is that it must be free).
Winners Free Casino Welcome to Winners Free Casino where you can play your favorite casino games. No deposits necessary. Learn new games or sharpen your skills before your next trip to Vegas with no risk of losing cash. Each game offers instructions, rules, and the best tips to win. We offer over 80 casino games with instructions on how to play and tips on how to win in a land-based casino. Join the thousands of visitors who come to our site regularly to learn new games, benefit from tips and practice their favorite games without any risk of losing money. And all our casino games are offered to you in over 15 languages. You'll have access to all the most popular casino games, including; Poker, Roulette, Blackjack, Video Poker, Slots, Keno, Craps, or Baccarat. Version 2.0 has a better/secure email registration included.
We'll bring you more next week, but we thought we'd get you started with these. Thank you to El Gran Salseron and GummyIII for all their hardwork. And to the folks at snapfiles.com for providing such useful information! WooHoo!! |
Disclaimer:
Do you ever wonder why companies always put disclaimers at the bottom of their pages? And then they expect you to read the *fine print* as well? Well, this is done for a reason. It allows them to make up a bunch of unecessary rules and BS that no one will read nor thinks about reading. As a matter of fact, the disclaimers are really *Dating Ads* that those anonymous computer geeks put out to the general public. It's a way to get them a date via their disclaimers. It's risk free and also a sure way to ensure that their name will appear in the ad somewhere. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then you totally understand the ideas about disclaimers. They're useless for the most part. |
