The first event you are probably pretty familiar with - remember your aching bulging belly after last year’s meal as you either (a) slouched in front of the TV watching the football game or, perhaps, (b) cleaned up that kitchen. Try to exercise more rest raint at the table this year; most people don’t use a large serving platter as a plate.
The second major event is Fall COMDEX, on November 17-21. Held in Las Vegas, Nevada each fall, it is the world’s largest computer show, with over 2,100 exhibitors. It consumes the entire city. Every hotel, exhibition, meeting, reception and hospitality r oom (and restaurant) is full to the brim. The crowds run over each other trying to see, hear, and touch the latest advances in computing technology.
Many hardware and software product rollouts and announcements are timed for this meeting. It is a true major showcase to merit such attention. Bill Gates will be giving a keynote address. You know it’s a biggie if he leaves his newly occupied, but yet un finished, home in Seattle.
A number of HAL-PC members attend each year and you will undoubtedly hear of their discoveries there in upcoming issues of this magazine. It is also where the contacts are made that lead to most of our outstanding monthly HAL-PC Show presenters. If you e ver have a chance to attend - GO! Check it out on the web at http://www.comdex.com.
Maybe we will hear even more of the secrets to be revealed in Windows 98 when it is released next year. In the meantime let’s pursue the tips and tricks yet untouched in Windows 95.
A Humorous (?) Definition of Win95 (Author unknown)
Windows 95: n. Computing software with a graphical shell and 32 bit extensions for a 16 bit patch to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4 bit microprocessor, written by a 2 bit company, that can’t stand 1 bit of competition.
Screen Resolutions - Large or Small?
Win95 opens with a default screen resolution of 640x480 (640 pixels wide by 480 pixels high). Increasing that resolution size will increase the amount of information your screen will display at a time without scrolling. This is all regardless of whether you have a 14” or a 17” monitor.
Let’s compare the effect of different resolutions on the display of an Excel spreadsheet at default row and column sizes. At 640x480 the screen will accommodate 144 cells onscreen. At a resolution of 800x600 that increases to 276 cells onscreen; and at 1 024x768 it jumps to 495 cells onscreen. Quite a difference!
This makes it possible to work in multiple windows very easily while having a generous amount of data to work on.
At the higher resolutions the type appears smaller but Win95 is ready to correct this problem. RIGHT-CLICK on the Desktop, CLICK on PROPERTIES then the SETTINGS tab. At the right end of the FONT SIZE box, use the down list arrow to pop up the menu and CL ICK on LARGE FONTS. CLICK on APPLY, then OK, and close back out of the windows.
Now you are ready to get off the porch and run with the BIG dawgs.
Cheat for FreeCell Game
Just about all PC games have a “cheat” available. If you want to win at all costs in FreeCell then hold down the CONTROL and SHIFT keys while pressing F10. At the message “ Choose Abort to win, Retry to Lose, or Ignore to Cancel” CLICK ABORT and then move a card to the top. You WIN! It works even before your first card has been played, or at any point thereafter. How easy is this game after all?
Create a Scrolling Marquee Screensaver
Scroll your own message across the screen on your screensaver. After all, it IS your PC. RIGHT-CLICK on the desktop, CLICK PROPERTIES then on the SCREENSAVER tab. CLICK the Screensaver box down list arrow and CLICK on SCROLLING MARQUEE. CLICK on the SETT INGS button, type your desired text and complete other settings there. CLICK APPLY, OK and close back out.
Box Those Files to Select
To draw a selection box around a group of folders or files in a My Computer or Windows Explorer window, you can click in the empty area at a corner of the group, and then drag your mouse diagonally to form the box. Now they are highlighted and ready to act upon.
Grabbing Web Images and Wallpaper
You are browsing the web and see an image you would like to have as wallpaper on your desktop. Simply RIGHT-CLICK on the image and CLICK on SET AS WALLPAPER. It’s there. You can capture images to your hard drive for many uses by selecting SAVE IMAGE from the same menu. This works in both Internet Explorer and Netscape.
Typo in July Easter Egg Tip
The July column contained the five steps to find the Windows 95 “Easter Egg”. A gremlin got into the article somehow and added an ellipsis (_) at the end of Step 1. The correct text to be typed in Step 1 is: and now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for (and there are no periods at the end of it.) So dig out your July Magazine and do it the right way. Thanks to those who called and wrote on this problem. Apologies to all who were inconvenienced.
Get your computing Christmas wish list together and I’ll see you next month.
Tom Lassiter, a HAL-PC member, is on the Board of Directors where he serves as Membership Secretary and Chairs the Membership and Volunteer Committees. He Chairs the Steering Committee of the Build or Buy a PC SIG and emcees that weekly SIG meeting.
E-mail me at webmaster@hal-pc.org with any comments you have and tell me what you want to see here.