Computers For Real Folks

I am always doing that which I cannot do,
in order that I may learn how to do it.
~Pablo Picasso

I am a firm believer in learning something new. I have been dabbling with Blogger software for a while now and have decided to explore WordPress, another popular blogging site and also popular blogging software.

You see, there are two ways to use WordPress. The first is to begin a blog at WordPress.com, where you set up a blog there similar to here on Blogger. The second is to download the WordPress software from WordPress.org, and then install it on your own host.

I headed to my local library to check out books on WordPress. My favorite is Head First WordPress, by Jeff Siarto. I ended up purchasing my own copy at Barnes and Noble (my favorite online book supplier, since I acquired the Nook e-reader this past July).

After a bit of studying, I decided to take the plunge and opted to download and install the WordPress software on my own host here at http://www.karenzhoogland.org. So far, so good! I have successfully downloaded and installed the WordPress software on my host. This is my first post using the new program.

Over the next weeks, I will be testing the WordPress waters. Of course, I intend to swim and not sink. I am interested in learning the differences between WordPress and Blogger so that I may pass that on to my students.

What are you using for your blogs? What do you like? What do you hate? Do share!

~Karen

In my teaching adventures, I see that adult students have a different take from children on learning all things computer. For many of my adult students, they seem to feel very much how the woman looks in the photo to the left: pulling their hair out in frustration! Learning about computers really doesn’t require pulling your hair out. Really, it does not!

Think about how you learn other new ideas and tasks. Do you learn best by watching someone first? Are you more likely to pick up a new thing by reading a book? Perhaps you like the old tried-and-sometimes-true method of doing it until you get stumped. The first key to learning anything new is to understand your learning style.

For myself, I like to see how something is done. Then, I like to see it done a second time so I can jot down some notes. And while my twenty-something sons may giggle and snicker over the use of the Pen and Paper Version 1.0, for many people, the art of physically writing down step-by-step directions is what helps keep the instructions in mind.

After I have watched someone complete the task and taken notes. I like to try it on my own. This is the true test of just how well I have done with my note-taking. Many times, I find that I was not thorough enough with my notes. I find myself wondering what my cryptic messages really mean. This is where asking questions becomes most important. I try to remind myself that no question is ever silly. That’s right. Even if I have asked it a number of times, it is never a silly question if I struggle to find the answer.

Remember this on your journey to learn about computers – or any new topic. Figure out your learning style (it is often a combination of two or more). Seek out online tutorials – both video and textual. (Geekgirl’s Plain-English Computing is one of my favorites for online tutorials.)  Find local classes at libraries, community centers and colleges. And remember, no questions is ever too silly!

~Karen

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up the Nook 3G +Wi-Fi e-reader. This is available from Barnes and Noble stores, both online and in-store. Considering that I lug anywhere from two to ten books with me whenever I am tutoring students, investing in an e-reader seemed like a sensible solution to help save my shoulders from the weight of real books.

I will admit that when I first started researching e-readers I was not all that interested in giving up my real books. There has always been something rather special about cracking open a book…that new book smell, reading the inside of the jacket cover, the feel of the pages as you turn them, writing notes in the margins…wouldn’t I be missing all of that with an e-book? Another concern was the viewing screen. Did I really want to read my books on another screen when I spend about 80% of my work day in front of a computer monitor? Storage was another consideration in my choice of e-readers; I wanted the ability to download new items, as well as transfer e-books I already owned from my computer to the device. Finally, how, when and where I could download books – I wanted the ability to download items anywhere.

I am happy to write that most of the things I love about regular print books are also features of e-books on the Nook. The e-books on this reader still have “covers” and inside jacket cover material. The Nook allows me to “turn pages” by either clicking a button or lightly sweeping a finger across the touch screen portion of the device. I can bookmark pages, highlight text and also write notes on the device.

The Nook has two screens: the top portion is the reading screen, the bottom is a touch screen.

The top screen uses E-Ink technology and it does closely resemble the look of a regular printed page. I especially like that I can choose both font style and size while reading. These options are available on the touch screen menu, along with setting bookmarks, highlights, and notes.

The bottom screen is a full color touch screen; this is where you select the item you are reading, shop for new books, play games, adjust settings on the device, review items that were downloaded, and visit “The Daily.” (“The Daily” is the Nook’s connection to whatever is new with the Nook.)

The Nook comes with 2 gigabytes of storage space. This can hold over a thousand books. The Nook also has expandable storage. It has a MicroSD slot so you can add more storage to the device. I happened to have a 2 gig MicroSD card and popped that in to store more files. Connecting the Nook to my computer via the USB cable was a breeze; I was able to transfer over all of my e-books quickly.

The Nook does come in two different models. One is a Wi-Fi (selling for $149) and the other is 3G plus Wi-Fi (selling for $199). I opted to go with the Nook 3G + Wi-Fi; this model gives me the option to shop and download books wherever AT&T’s 3G service is available; the other model needs to access wireless internet in order to shop and download to the device.  I like being able to search for and download books and other e-reader products anywhere (I even used this during a recent power outage!).

All in all, I am very happy with the Nook 3G + Wi-Fi e-reader. I have already replaced many of my real books with electronic versions. Look for another post soon about where to find free and low cost e-books!

Do you have an opinion on the Nook? Do you have an e-reader that you like? Share!

~Karen

I truly enjoy teaching a variety of computer classes, both in group and private tutoring settings.

I recently had my youth students create their own Picasso-style images on the computer. As I was searching for some examples and inspiration, I found a snappy little website called Picasso Head (see www.picassohead.com). To the left is one of my “creations.”

The website uses Flash technology to allow the visitor to create her own Picasso style image using a few different tools. First, a head is chosen, and then the parts of the face.

Color may be applied to the various items in the drawing. The parts may also be scaled, rotated and mirrored.

The site even offers “abstracts” to add in to your image. Once the piece is finished, the artist can email the link to the artwork. A link is emailed; when clicked it takes the reader to the PicassoHead.com gallery to view the image.

The screen shot to the right gives an idea of the tools available on the site.

This website was a fun way to introduce the children to Picasso style artwork, while also giving them an opportunity to exercise their own creativity.

Picasso Head is the creation of RF Innovation Studios (http://www.rfistudios.com).

The following information was adapted from an article written by Jeff Hoogland on his blog, Thoughts on Technology. He has given permission for me to use his work here. (You may read the original article, Computer Applications Everyone Should Know About,  here:
http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2009/10/computer-applications-everyone-should.html)

Throughout my adult computer classes, I have discussed several options for different software applications which you may download and use free of charge. My son, Jeff gathered many of those resources in his article; I am sharing a couple of more that may be of interest to you and your family members.

There are many options for software for your computer. Rather than spending a lot of money for the highly advertised software products, consider open source software to get the job done. From web browsing to photo editing to word processing, the open source alternatives are just as robust as the “name brands” that we are so accustomed to hearing about and using. Jeff not only shared links to the particular products, he also wrote a good description of each product. Read on!

As Jeff stated in his article: “All of these are legitimate pieces of software that I have found often times work better than their commercial counter parts.”

Web Browsing 
Application: Mozilla Firefox
Homepage: http://getfirefox.com

Many of us have at least heard of this one. It is easily the most popular piece of open source software out there. It’s job is to replace Internet Explorer, if you are on Windows, or Safari, if you are on OSX (Apple). Firefox is a wonderful upgrade because in addition to running faster than most other browsers it is also the most secure. This means less viruses and Mal-ware for all you Windows users out there.

Office Suite 
Application: OpenOffice
Homepage: http://openoffice.org

To pick up the latest copy of Microsoft office odds are you are looking at spending a couple hundred dollars. OpenOffice is a full featured office suit, it contains a Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Presentation (PowerPoint), Drawing, and much more. It opens and saves files in all the standard .doc, .ppt, .xls, formats so it is full compatible with all MS office files.

Anti-virus
Application: Avast
Homepage: http://avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

Many of us are aware that the quickest way to a non-functioning Windows system is to catch a virus or two. Avast is one of the best anti-virus programs out there. It provides real time protection with minimal resource usage. It is free for home use so long as you are willing to register each year for a new key (which is a short and easy process).

Anti-Malware
Application: Spy Bot Search & Destroy
Homepage: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

The Windows system is riddled with holes and exploits just waiting to make your life in front of the computer that much harder. In addition to having an awesome name, Spy Bot S&D is the best program out there for hunting down malware that has found it’s way into your unsuspecting system. The only slight draw back to this one is that it is NOT real time protection, meaning you need to remember to run the update for it and scan your system each week.

Archiving
Application: 7zip
Homepage: http://7-zip.com

Compressing files is useful when you are trying to to send a large amount of files to someone or simply for storing files that are not often used. 7-zip contains a custom archiving format, .7z, that is much more efficient than the standard .zip. In addition to having this custom format it also can compress into the more universally standard .zip in a more timely manner than the built in Windows compression software or commercial software such as WinZip.

Instant Messaging 
Application: Pidgin
Homepage: http://www.pidgin.im/

Pidgin is a full featured instant messaging client similar to Trillian. It can connect to a wide range of networks, from AIM to Facebook, to Yahoo and MSN. It contains a logging feature that can be easily toggled on and off, along with a pile of other useful and fun plugins.

Photo Editing 
Application: Gimp
Homepage: http://gimp.org/

Gimp is a tool for manipulating images on the computer. In contains essentially all of the features the commercial soft Adobe Photoshop does. If you are already familiar with the Photoshop GUI there is also a plugin for Gimp called “Gimpshop” that makes Gimps GUI mirror that of Photoshop’s.Here is where Jeff’s listing of applications end. I have added a few of my favorites for you to explore, beginning with products offered by Google.

Photo Editing 
Application: Picasa
Homepage: http://picasa.google.com/

Picasa is one of my favorite applications. It can be used to view, edit and share your
photographs. You can also create online photo albums quite easily.

Blogging 
Application: Blogger
Homepage: https://www.blogger.com/start

Another popular offering from Google is Blogger. Anyone can easily set up and use a blog using this free online application. The only thing you need to get started is an email address. If you use Picasa, you can also upload your photos right from Picasa into your Blog. Jeff’s blog is powered by Blogger, as are the two that I own.

Drawing
Application: Tux Paint
Homepage: http://www.tuxpaint.org/

If you have children in your life who like to draw, or maybe the child in you would like to draw, check out Tux Paint. It is a very easy-to-use program that allows for creating images. I have found that kids young and old like playing with this program.

Drawing 
Application: MyPaint
Homepage: http://mypaint.intilinux.com/

MyPaint is a more robust drawing program. It is simple to install and use. It can make more detailed drawings than Tux Paint.

Vector Graphics
Application: InkScape
Homepage: http://www.inkscape.org/

InkScape is a vector based drawing program. It is comparable to Adobe’s Illustrator program.

Web Design 
Application: KompoZer
Homepage: http://kompozer.net/

KompoZer is a webdesign program that rivals Dreamweaver. This is WYSIWYG (what you see is
what you get) editor. If you can use a word processor (such as Word or OpenOffice Writer),
you can use KompoZer to create a website.

If you are interested in more open source programs, visit http://osalt.com. If you would like to read more articles from Jeff, visit his blog at http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/.

As you spend time online, you may also find that you have to spend time dreaming up passwords while creating accounts at various sites. I am always amazed by people who tell me that they use the exact same password for everything from their Facebook accounts to their bank accounts to their home wireless networks. I am further amazed when folks tell me they use such “tricky” passwords as their home address numbers, their last name or even “123456.”

Take a few moments to create a clever, easy to remember password, which is also somewhat secure. You should use a combination of letters and numerals in your password. Take a word that you easily remember and then switch things up a bit to make it a  real password.

For example, perhaps you want to use the name of your dog as a password, combined with his birthday. Take the dog’s name, Snoopy, and his birthday, February 14, 2002 and turn it into any number of passwords:

• Sn00pyFeb14 – replace the “o’s” with zero’s
• Snoopy2002 – Uppercase “S” and add on the year
• SnOoPyFeB14 – Alternate uppercase and lowercase letters

You get the idea – use a variety of uppercase and lowercase letters, combined with at least one number. You should also make your password at least 8 characters long; better yet, create one that is up to 14 characters.

If you are still stumped at creating a password, you might want to try some of the password generators that are out there, such as MakePassword (http://maord.com/) or Security Guide for Windows (http://www.pctools.com/guides/password/)

One of my computer students shared a humorous email with me the other day. It was a rewrite of the old Abbott and Costello “Who’s on First” skit. 

The author, Tom King, plays on words, such as windows, office, and word, which have come to take on new meaning as personal computers have gained popularity. I could truly relate to this piece and enjoyed it so much that I wrote to the author, Tom King, to request permission to share it here. If you choose to pass it on, please be sure to give Mr. King the appropriate credit.

If you have an amusing (or frustrating) computer story, please share it! 

Happy Computing!
~Karen

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper Computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks. I’m setting up an office in my den and I’m thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don’t own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don’t know. What will I see when I look in the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: What if I don’t like wallpaper?
ABBOTT: Just change it.
COSTELLO: Isn’t that expensive?
ABBOTT: No, it’s free with Windows.
COSTELLO: I have to buy the Windows to get the wallpaper.
ABBOTT: It’s free if you buy the computer.
COSTELLO: They give you windows for your office if you buy a computer.
ABBOTT: Certainly!
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What have you got?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, lets just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue “W”.
COSTELLO: I’m going to click your blue “w” if you don’t start with some straight answers. OK, forget that. Can I watch movies on the Internet?
ABBOTT: Yes, you want Real.
COSTELLO: Sure I may want to watch a real one, maybe a cartoon. What I watch is none of your business. Just tell me what I need!
ABBOTT: Real.
COSTELLO: Well, I don’t want a fake one!
ABBOTT: Of course.
COSTELLO: So what do I get?
ABBOTT: Real Player.
COSTELLO: Yes, I want a Real Player.
ABBOTT: And you’ll have one
COSTELLO: A Real Player?
ABBOTT: Certainly.
COSTELLO: OK, I’m at my computer and I want to watch a movie. What do I do?
ABBOTT: You click the blue “r”.
COSTELLO: I click the blue what?
ABBOTT: The blue “r”.
COSTELLO: The blue “r” what?
ABBOTT: Just the blue “r”
COSTELLO: The blue “r” what?
ABBOTT: The blue “r” nothing.
COSTELLO: If the blue “r” nothing, how do I watch the movie?
ABBOTT: You click the blue “r”
COSTELLO: Is that different from the blue w?
ABBOTT: The blue “r” is the Real Player and the blue “W” is Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: But there’s three words in “office for windows”!
ABBOTT: No, just one. But it’s the most popular Word in the world.
COSTELLO: What is?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: Word?
ABBOTT: Yes, but to be fair, there aren’t many other Words left. Word pretty much wiped out all the other Words out there.
COSTELLO: Word?
ABBOTT: Woooord, dude!
COSTELLO: I don’t know what you’re talking about! What about bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That’s right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer
COSTELLO: What’s bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

A FEW DAYS LATER . . .

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on “START”..
COSTELLO: Now don’t you start that again….
ABBOTT: But I thought you wanted to “STOP”
COSTELLO: That’s right. This thing has been on for 3 days and I can’t find the “STOP” button.
ABBOTT: Click on “START”
COSTELLO: I don’t wanna start!
ABBOTT: But you have to click on “START”.
COSTELLO: Why do I have to click on “START”?
ABBOTT: So you can stop…..
COSTELLO: So I have to click on “START” to “STOP”
ABBOTT: That’s so you can log off.
COSTELLO: I click “START” and then I log off.
ABBOTT: That’s right, you log off.
COSTELLO: I log off
ABBOTT: That’s right, now go ahead and log off.
COSTELLO; What if I don’t have a log. I DON’T EVEN HAVE A FIREPLACE!!!!!
ABBOTT: No, you don’t need a log. You just want to get out of Windows
COSTELLO: Which one?
ABBOTT: Which what?
COSTELLO: Which Window?
ABBOTT: The only Windows you’ve got.
COSTELLO: So it doesn’t matter which Windows?
ABBOTT: You just want to get out of Windows.

(sound of wood and metal scraping followed by breaking glass)

ABBOTT: Lou, what was that?
COSTELLO: Oh, I threw it out the front windows! You said it didn’t matter and the front windows were closer than the back ones….

Written by Tom King, (c) 2004, Flint, TX.
Shared with permission. Visit Tom’s blog, Just One Man’s Opinion, for more witty postings.

Just One Mans Opinion: COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

As a parent, I know well that I have taught and shared quite a bit of knowledge with my three sons. Those who know me well also know that my three sons have passed on their knowledge of all things geeky to me.

Last fall, my son, Jeff, wrote a thorough article on his blog, Thoughts on Technology, which outlined some of the most popular open source software available. He provides a quite succinct description of the various applications, from the previously mentioned OpenOffice Suite, to antivirus programs to graphics software that rivals the popular programs.

Read more about these software products, along with links to download them, here: http://jeffhoogland.blogspot.com/2009/10/computer-applications-everyone-should.html.

If you have comments or questions, please post them!

Happy computing!
~Karen

When I purchased my first computer, back in the last century, it came preinstalled with quite a lot of useful software applications. Of course, it had an operating system (or OS). That OS was Windows 95. Over the past 13 years, there have been many new versions of the Windows Operating System, with the most recent being Windows 7. (All new versions were supposed to have done away with all the “issues” of previous versions of the OS, but that is a topic for another article!)

That old Packard Bell computer, from 1997, came with two office suites (Microsoft Works and Corel), a money program, encyclopedia, graphics program and numerous games. In recent years, however, new computers come with the operating system and demo versions of the most used software applications. Traditionally, the demo versions of the applications are usable for a specified period of time, and often with limited functionality.

This is something to consider if you are in the market for a new desktop or laptop computer: your purchase will likely include a recent rendition of the Windows operating system, but it will be up to you to install (and purchase) software applications that will make your new hardware useful. An office suite, such as Microsoft Office, must be purchased by the end user (you!). Or, as an alternative, you can download the free, and just as powerful, OpenOffice software suite.

OpenOffice is a fully functional office suite which is available for all operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.). It is an open source software application and there is no charge to download or use the product, although donations are appreciated. You can read more about OpenOffice, and download it for your computer, here: http://www.openoffice.org.

After you install the program, head back to the OpenOffice site to explore the many tutorials, lessons and templates available for this program. Here is the page for the tutorials: http://www.tutorialsforopenoffice.org. I will write more about those in future posts.

Happy computing!
~Karen

I was working with my mom the other day, showing her how to use a computer for the first time. It made me recall how I learned to find my way around a computer when my husband and I bought our first system in 1997.

I took copious notes when others who knew more gave me tips. I collected many spiral notebooks full of information and then used them over and over again until a particular task became second nature.

How did you first find your way around a computer?

Happy computing!
~Karen