Important Tips - Windows 98 (III)

Important Tips

Magnifire

Using Magnifier

The Magnifier component that comes with Windows 98 can make the computer screen easier to read for people who have low vision, or for whenever magnifying screen elements would be helpful. The Magnifier works by displaying an enlarged section of your screen in a narrow window along the top of your screen.

The Magnifier allows you to:

• Magnify an area of the screen up to nine times the standard display size.
• Follow the mouse cursor, the keyboard focus, the text editing focus, or any combination of these three.
• Invert colors for contrast.

• Toggle high contrast display for the entire screen.
• Resize and relocate the display area.

When the Magnifier is on, the magnified area is merely a display and not itself an active area. The active focus for cursor, keyboard, and other input devices is always in the unmagnified area.

To Start using the magnifier follow these steps :

• On the Start menu:
• Select Programs.
• Select Accessories.
• Select Accessibility.
• Select Magnifier.

• Select or clear the check boxes for options that best suits your needs.

Font & Character Map

What is a Font?

Historically, fonts came in specific sizes determining the size of characters, and in quantities of sorts or number of each letter provided. The design of characters in a font took into account all these factors

Font Size

Fonts are measured in points. There are 72 points to an inch. The number of points assigned to a font is based on the distance from the top to the bottom of its longest character.

Installing a new Font

To install a new font:

1. Click on the Start button.

2. Highlight Settings.

3. Click on Control Panel.

4. Click on Fonts. The Fonts window opens.

5. Click on File, which is located on the menu bar.

6. Click on Install New Font.

7. Specify the drive and folder where the font you want to install is currently located.

8. Select the font you want to install from the fonts listed in the List of Fonts box.

9. Select Copy Fonts to Fonts Folder (this will put a copy of the font you are installing in the Fonts folder).

10. Click on OK.

Character Map

The Character Map displays the characters available in a selected font. It can be used to inspect the characters in any installed font, to check what keyboard input is used to select those characters, and to copy characters to the clipboard in lieu of typing them in.

To view the Character Map dialog box, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Start button.
2. Click on Programs.
3. Click on Accessories.
4. Click on System Tools.
5. Click on Character Map.

Select a font from the Font field drop-down menu. The characters of the font are in boxes in the center of the window. Click on a character box to display an enlarged version of the character. The keystroke necessary to produce the character displays in the lower left corner of the screen. Double-click on a character or select the character; then click on the Select button to send the character to the Characters to Copy field. You can send multiple characters to the Characters to Copy field. Click on the Copy button to move the Characters to Copy field contents to the Clipboard.

Multimedia

Multimedia features

Windows 98 expands the multimedia capabilities of your computer, making it easier than ever to take advantage of exciting new educational software, use new hardware like scanners and digital cameras with your computer, and incorporate a wider range of audio and video files into your lessons and presentations.

Windows 98 supports the following multimedia features to help you create a dynamic, interactive learning environment:

DVD Player

Digital Video Disc puts an entire video onto one compact disc with higher quality and durability than traditional VHS tape. The DVD player also plays conventional CD-ROMs.

MMX

Today’s best educational software takes advantage of the latest in multimedia technology like Intel’s Pentium Multimedia Extensions (MMX) for faster audio and video. Windows 98 supports MMX technology.

ActiveMovie

Delivers high-quality video playback of many types of files including MPEG audio, WAV audio, MPEG video, AVI video, and Apple QuickTime video.

Media Player

In some cases ActiveMovie and CD Player fail to play certain files. Just use Media Player. Another program to listen to music and watch movies is the Media Player. This program combines many features and can play a large number of audio and video files.

To start media player follow these steps :

1. Click on Start button.

2. Go to Programs

3. Click on Accessories-->Entertainment-->Media Player

Plug and Play(PnP)

Plug and Play technology makes it easy to share computer equipment between computers. A technology called Universal Serial Bus (USB), allows you to easily use additional hardware with your computer, and share it with others. Just plug it in and your computer does all the work of configuring it for use with the computer.

Plug-and-Play, or PnP, is a specification built into newer systems so that you can install devices built for it with minimal hassle. All of the settings, like IRQ's and drivers, are taken care of so that, theoretically, you can have your new hardware working for you in a couple minutes.

In an ideal world, when you plug in a PnP device, Windows 95 will detect the new hardware, adjust the settings, and install the drivers. Many call it "Plug and Pray", though, because it is rather moody, but the technology has improved greatly, and most installations are hassle free.

What you need for PnP?

Not all systems can handle PnP. You must have a PnP operating system, such as Windows 95/98. Previous versions of Windows can't do it. Your hardware must be rated for PnP. This means that the system bus must be capable of PnP. The PCI bus was designed with this in mind, and most boards have the ISA slots PnP capable as well by linking them to the same circuitry. You need 32-bit drivers for the device...not to worry though...they come with it. Your peripherals must be PnP compliments, meaning they must be able to accept the settings given to it by the OS as well as have the ability to identify itself to the OS when asked. And lastly, your BIOS must be compliant with PnP.

All of these are easy to get, except BIOS. If your system does not already have PnP BIOS, you will need to replace your BIOS, or just upgrade to a new motherboard. All newer computers, say 1995 or later, have PnP BIOS in there already.

Maintenance

Maintenance Wizard

Most people don't think much about their hard drives unless the computer crashes or another problem occurs. But you shouldn't worry about keeping your computer running smoothly only when something goes wrong. Regular maintenance can prevent trouble before it starts. Here are some hints for maintaining your system in top form.

Scheduling maintenance in Windows 98

To schedule a maintenance in Windows 98 follow these steps :

1. Click the Start button to display the Start menu.

2. Point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Maintenance Wizard. The Maintenance Wizard dialog box appears.

3. Click Express and then click Next. You are asked to pick a maintenance schedule.

4. Select the schedule you want. Select the time when you want windows to perform maintenance.

5. Click Finish. Or, if you would like to perform maintenance immediately, select the When I Click Finish Perform Each Scheduled Task For the First Time checkbox, and then click Finish.

After you have scheduled maintenance, you can view the schedule by double-clicking on the Task Scheduler icon on the taskbar. You can also reschedule a maintenance task.

System tune-up tools

Features like System File Checker and Disk Defragmenter might not sound all that exciting, but what they can do for your system is. Windows 98 comes with a host of features that make your computer system work faster and more reliably. These features perform behind the scenes tasks like keeping track of files and repairing damaged files.

In the past, you probably relied on a technology coordinator or system administrator to help you with your computer system, and this person’s time was most likely in high demand. With Windows 98, you can use the following maintenance tools to “tune-up” your system.

• Disk Cleanup

Removes temporary files to free space on your hard disk

• Disk Defragmenter

Rearranges files on your hard disk so that programs run faster

• ScanDisk

Finds and repairs problems with the hard disk

Using Maintenance Wizard, you can easily have your computer schedule and perform these tasks on a regular basis.

Run Check Disk or Scandisk

Click on Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools and then Scandisk.

Choose the drive you want to check. Click on "Standard" and be sure the box is checked for automatic fix. Then click the Start button.

It will take several minutes to complete the process. This should fix a number of things which can go wrong on your hard drive. No need to run the thorough check unless you are having problems. (The thorough mode checks the physical hard drive.) Depending on the size of the drive, the thorough check can take more than half an hour.

It is most important to run this utility after the computer has shut down improperly (if the computer was abruptly shut down by a power outage, for example).

Disk Cleanup in Windows

1. Go to Start Menu > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > DiskCleanup.

2. Select the drive(s) to cleanup. Click OK to all.

Disk Cleanup in Windows 98 is identical except that the Scheduled Tasks folder is under My Computer and not under Control Panel.

Disk Defragmenter in Windows 98

The purpose for running defrag is to put your files into contiguous form. When a file is created, it looks for open locations on the hard drives and puts a piece of the file here and another piece there -- they become fragmented. As files become more and more fragmented, it takes longer to load and save them. Defrag puts them back together, which improves system performance. This may take 20 minutes or longer depending on how badly the drive is fragmented. On Windows 98 and ME, you should not do any other work while defrag is running. But, on Windows NT/2000/XP it is possible to keep working while the defragmentation is taking place, but the system may respond sluggishly. If you work with large files such as audio, video, or big images, you may wish to defragment on a weekly basis. Most users should not need to defragment more frequently than once a month.

to open the defragmenting utility. Then select the drive you to defrag and Click on OK to start defragmentation .

Internet

What is a Network?

A system that transmits any combination of voice, video and/or data between users. The network includes the network operating system in the client and server machines, the cables connecting them and all supporting hardware in between such as bridges, routers and switches. In wireless systems, antennas and towers are also part of the network.

A network is a group of two or more devices, such as computers, printers, and scanners, that can communicate and share files with each other. Devices on the network are often referred to as workstations, and each runs a networking program that enables the device to communicate with the other devices on the network and the server, a central computer that controls the network. (The server also stores files and programs and routes data between workstations, among other tasks.) In order to use the network, you are usually required to connect to it, or log on, using a user name and password. The software on the server verifies that the user name and password are correct, and then grants you access to the network and the information on it.

Once you are logged on to the network, you can store files, share them with other people, or use other network devices such as printers and scanners. For example, you can create a worksheet for students to access and complete online. You can also send e-mail to other people on the network if your network has an e-mail program installed. If your network server has an e-mail program and Internet software installed, you can send e-mail to people outside the network, like educators with whom you collaborate on research, and you can search for information on the World Wide Web. To connect to the World Wide Web, you must use the Internet connection on your network, or you must use a dial-up connection if you are not on a network or you are at home.

What is a Browser?

The program that serves as your front end to the Web on the Internet. In order to view a site, you type its address (URL) into the browser's Location field; for example, www.ebizel.com , and the home page of that site is downloaded to you. The home page is an index to other pages on that site that you can jump to by clicking an underlined hyperlink or an icon. Links on that site may take you to other related sites.

Bookmarks

Browsers have a Bookmark or Favorites feature that lets you store references to your favorite sites. Instead of having to type in the URL to visit the site again, you select the bookmark.

Mosaic

The Mosaic browser put the Web on the map in 1993, but by the mid-1990s, Netscape Navigator (commonly called "Netscape") had 80% of the market. Vying for top spot, Netscape and Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) constantly added new features and functions that fragmented Web sites into competing camps.

Today, IE, which is included with every Windows PC, has approximately 90% of the market. Netscape is still popular among devotees, and it spawned Mozilla and Firefox, the latter gaining a lot of attention when released in 2004. Opera also has a nice following, and Safari is the browser for Mac OS X. Maxthon is also quite popular, and there are others.

Getting Connected to Internet

0ne of the most prominent ways of doing research and communicating with other people is using the World Wide Web(WWW). The World Wide Web is a collection of all of the Web sites available on the Internet. A Web site is a collection of Web pages in a given location, and it is often for a particular organization such as a company, an educational institution, or a non-profit group. The address, or URL, of the Web site will tell you what kind of organization has posted the site. The URL for a commercial site will end with .com, an educational institution with .edu, and a non-profit group with .org and so on .

A Web page is a file that can contain text, pictures, and other multimedia. The Web is an exciting medium for students because it creates a dynamic and interactive learning environment. Web pages often contain links to other Web sites. A link is a word or a picture that, when you click on it, takes you to another place on that Web page, another Web page, or another Web site.

To connect to the World Wide Web using an Internet connection on your network, you must access the network and then open the browser on your computer. The Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 browser is an integrated component of Windows 98. When the browser opens, you see your default home page, from which you will always start your searches. You can go to other Web pages by clicking links on the Home page or by typing the address to a Web site in the Address bar, which is usually located at the top of the browser window.

Navigating WWW

With Windows 98 it is now easier than ever to connect to the global community. Windows 98 provides you with everything you need to take full advantage of the Internet, including Outlook Express e-mail, FrontPage Express for creating your own Web pages, and the Internet Explorer Web browser.

To open the browser window and load a Web page:

1. Click the Launch Internet Explorer Browser button on the Quick Launch toolbar located on the taskbar. The browser window opens. If you are using a dial-up connection, the Dial-Up Connection dialog box appears.

2. Connect to your Internet Service Provider if necessary by entering your username and password.

Once connected to the Internet, the browser will load your default home page. You will see the URL (uniform resource locator, otherwise known as a web address) for the Web site in the Address bar. The following illustration shows the eBIZ education home page.

The Internet Explorer

The Internet Explorer is one of the most popular browsers available these days. It has a market share of near-about 80%. With every Windows 98 PC. IE is shipped for free, that means u don't need to buy a browser to surf the internet.

Using Outlook Express

Sending a message

What is e-mail?

Electronic mail, or e-mail is quickly becoming one of the most widely used forms of communication in the world. It is fast, convenient, and does not cost anything in addition to the normal charges associated with the Internet connection. Using e-mail, you can send a simple text message like a reminder about an assignments, or you can send a message with other files attached to it, such as a grade report created in Microsoft Excel or a worksheet created in Microsoft Word that a student may have missed. The message can also contain links to other e-mail addresses or Web sites, so you can send students Web pages that you want them to look at. With a microphone, you can even send voice messages!

What is Outlook Express?

Outlook Express is the e-mail program that comes with Windows 98. To open the program, click on the Outlook Express desktop icon or Quick Launch button. When you open Outlook Express, the left side of the window, called the Folder pane, displays the various folders in the program used to receive, send, and store e-mail messages. The right side of the window displays several shortcuts to the different tasks you can do: Read Mail, Read News, Compose a Message, Address Book, Download All, and Find People. The following illustration shows the Outlook Express window

Sending an email message by using Outlook express

To write(compose) and send a message through Outlook Express, follow these steps:

1. Start the Outlook Express.

2. On the standard toolbar, click the Compose Message button,the New Message window opens.

In the To field, type the Recipient e-mail address.

5. To CC (carbon copy) someone , click in the CC field. Type the e-mail address in the field. To blind CC someone (CC someone without the other message recipients knowing the person received the message) , click in the BCC field. Type the e-mail address in the field,. Remember both CC & BCC are optional you can still send a message to someone just type the email address in the TO field and if you want to send a message to moltiple people comma seprate each email address.

6. To add a subject line to the message, click in the Subject field and type a brief line regarding the subject of the message.

7. Click in the blank field below the Subject field and type your message.

8. When you are done with your message, click Send. The message automatically moves to your Outbox folder and you return to the main Outlook window.

Note: If you are always connected to the network and Internet connection, your message is automatically sent. otherwise you will need to Click Send And Receive to connect to the Internet connection and send the message.

Attaching a file

Sometimes you need to add information to an e-mail message that would be too time consuming or inconvenient to retype in the message. For example, if you had a school newsletter you wanted to send to parents or a class schedule you needed to send to students, it would not be convenient to retype the information when it already exists in another document. In these types of situations, you can attach an electronic copy of the document to your e-mail message.

When you attach a file to an e-mail message, keep in mind that the recipient must have a program that can read the file. For example, if you attach a Word 97 file to the message but the recipient only has Word or MS Excel Workbook , the recipient won't be able to open the attachment.

To attach a file with your email message, follow these steps:

a. In the Outlook Express program, address the e-mail message.

b. Type a message in the blank message field below the Subject field.

c. Position the cursor in the message field where you want to insert the file. This can be at the beginning, at the end, or anywhere in between.

d. On the Insert menu, click File. The Insert File dialog box opens.

e. Locate the file you want to attach. Click the file and click OK. An icon representing the file labeled with the file name appears in the message.

f. To insert other files, repeat steps D and E.

g. Send the message by clicking on Send button .

Receiving and Reading a message

When Outlook Express receives messages, it stores them in your Inbox folder. The number next to the word Inbox on the left side of the window tells you how many messages are waiting for you. If there is no number, you have no new messages.

When you click the Inbox folder on the left side of the window, the contents of the folder are displayed on the upper, right portion of the window, which is called the Message List pane. The Message List pane shows the subject and author of the messages in the Inbox. If a message header is bold, that message has not yet been read. If the message header is not bold, the message has been opened.

The lower right portion of the screen is called the Message Contents pane, and it shows you a preview of the message selected in the Message List pane. This feature allows you to scan the message contents to see if and when to read that message. To preview the contents of another message, just click another message header in the Message List pane.

To receive and read messages, follow these steps :

1. Open the Outlook Express program.

2 . In the Folder pane, click your Inbox folder. If it has a number next to it, you have new or unread messages. New and unread messages appear in bold in the Message List pane.

Adding e-mail addresses to the address book

If you frequently e-mail the same information to the same people, you can also build distribution lists. For example, you might build a distribution list of all the students in your class or all of the parents of the students, a list of conference participants for a conference you are organizing, or a list of other educators with whom you share a research interest. Then, when you need to e-mail something to everyone in the group, such as a permission slip, an agenda, or an interesting Web site link, you can choose the distribution list name from your address book instead of each address separately.

To add e-mail addresses to the address book, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Address Book.

2. On the File menu, click New Entry. The New Entry dialog box opens.

3. From the Select the entry type field, choose the type of address the new recipient has. If you do not know the type, choose Other Address.

4. In the Put this entry box, the In the radio button should be selected. From the list, select the address book to which you want to add the new address and click OK.

5. In the dialog box that opens, fill the fields with the appropriate information. (If you do not know some of the information, contact your system administrator.) When finished, click OK.

6. When finished, close the Address Book dialog box.

Today, there have been 3 visitors (5 hits) on this page!

This website was created for free with Own-Free-Website.com. Would you also like to have your own website?