Blog, Blogging, Blogger, Blogosphere
Pearl Thornton wrote to ask the origin of the acronym "blog." Well, it came from the phrase "web log." Therefore, anything someone posts to a web site could be considered a blog. However, the term is generally understood to mean something that someone posts (logs) on a fairly regular basis - often on a particular subject. Some blogs are simply the individual postings of one person, but most allow for replies from other bloggers.

Volume Control
Dayton Truax asked how to silence the music that plays automatically on some Web sites. Well, Windows computers normally have a Volume Control icon, displayed as a tiny speaker, in the System Tray near the digital clock. Clicking the icon once will display a sliding volume control lever along with a "Mute" check box for eliminating sound altogether. Double-clicking the icon will bring up additional audio controls.

Dashes to Long Lines
Marilynne Smith wrote to ask: When I write a draft, I often separate my thoughts with a line of dashes. In Microsoft Word, these dashes automatically turn into a solid line. How can I keep this from happening?

Turning a few dashes (hyphens) into a solid line is a default "AutoCorrect " setting in Word. The same default will turn a few equal signs (=) into a double-line that spans the width of a page.

Here's how to defeat these defaults: Within Word 2007/2010, click on the Microsoft Office button, and then click on the following:
Options>Proofing>AutoCorrect Options>AutoFormat As You Type
Finally, uncheck Border Lines.

Within pre-2007 versions of Word, click on:
Tools>AutoCorrect Options>AutoFormat As You Type.
Finally, uncheck Border Lines.

Full Hard Drive
Toni Miller wrote that her laptop's hard drive is nearly full and she wondered if a new program could be installed on an attached external drive. Yes, but when a program is installed it spreads files around in different areas of the computer's hard drive. A better approach would be to transfer personal files from the laptop to the external drive to make room for the new program.
Another way to free up space is to do "cloud computing." Instead of using a space-hogging suite of programs like MSOffice, one can use Google Docs for creating and editing Microsoft-compatible word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation files online.

Speaking of Google Docs...
Since Google now allows the uploading of virtually any file to Google Docs, I find this to be an invaluable resource for moving files to and from the four computers we use at home, not to mention having free backup storage of files "in the clouds." Also, since most email programs have restrictions on the size and types of files that can be attached to a message, Google Docs is the ideal way circumvent the limitations. Anyone who has a Gmail account automatically has access to Google Docs.

Free Calendar Program
Ron Wagner asked about a calendar program for handling his busy schedule of appointments and meetings. Well, Mary schedules all our appointments with Google's Calendar program, which is free and can be accessed from any computer with an Internet connection.

Date and/or Time Automatically Updated
Eleanor Cohen wrote: Excel 2007 changes the date I originally inserted to the current date every time I open a file. But I don't want it automatically updated. How can I fix this?

Here are Microsoft's instructions for inserting a date that does not automatically update:

To insert a static date or time in Excel:
    1. On a worksheet, select the cell into which you want to insert the current date or time.
    2. Do one of the following:
    • To insert the current date, press CTRL+; (semi-colon).
    • To insert the current time, press CTRL+SHIFT+; (semi-colon).
    • To insert the current date and time, press CTRL+; (semi-colon), then press SPACE, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+; (semi-colon).

    To insert the Date & Time in Word, click on Insert>Date & Time. Check the box by "Update Automatically" if you want them to do that.

      Notice: Someone Sending Email with Porn Links under PCDon Google Group  
      Speaking of spam emails, someone is using the name of a Google Group we once created, but which we have never used, to send out emails containing links to porn sites. If you receive an email with a brief message such as "Check out this funny video - lol" and a blue link - just delete it. The message may say you're receiving this email because you subscribed to a PCDon Google Group. Baloney - there is no active group under the name of PCDon!
      This is pure fraudulent spam. Just delete it or report it to Google. Thank you!

    © Donald Ray Edrington – All Rights Reserved

    Top of Page

Don Edrington - Computer Columnist for The Californian and San Diego's North County Times

Senior Computer Tutor
Don Edrington

Home Page       About Don




Free Newsletter

If you would like to receive our weekly newsletter just send an email to Mary Hanson at: ComputerTutorTeam@gmail.com.
Mary Janese Hanson   There are no fancy sign-up forms – just mention newsletter in the subject line of your email.
  We've been sending out this PC Help Newsletter since 1994, and it contains no advertising of any kind – just useful computer tips.
  Furthermore, your email address is safe with us – we don't share it with anyone under any conditions whatsoesver.