Tiplet expert tips & tech support

February 10, 2009

How to Find and Remove Unwanted Programs from Your Computer

Filed under: applications,computer performance,Windows — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

Computer hard drive capacity just keeps going up and up as our storage needs increase, so we don’t feel the need to be as choosy as we used to about installing programs. After all, there’s plenty of room. Problems can crop up, however, when an application uses too many resources and slows the computer down – and as many of us discover, there really is a limit to how many things we can have on the hard drive before running out of space. If buying a new hard drive is not an option, it may be time to pare down the number of applications installed on your computer. Here’s how.
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Embedding or Linking Excel Worksheets in Word 2007 Documents

Filed under: applications,Windows — Tags: , , , — admin @ 9:00 am

by David Hakala

That impressive business plan or loan application of yours would sure look better if it had a spreadsheet embedded in it. There are two ways to embed Excel worksheet data in a Word document, and we are going to cover both of them. This article applies to Word 2007.

Data stored in a non-Word application’s format is called an Object. We will be working with Excel objects. You can embed an object in a Word document or link it to a Word document.
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February 9, 2009

How Can I Mount a CD Image Without Burning It to a Disk?

Filed under: applications,digital media — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

You just spent an hour or more downloading the CD image for your favorite game or the latest version of OpenOffice, and you realized you’re fresh out of blank CDs – or worse than that, your CD burner is on the blink. There is an alternative – download and install an application that works as a virtual CD drive and use it to open and run any compatible CD image.
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February 7, 2009

Change Default Font Style in Microsoft Word 2002, 2003, and 2007

Filed under: applications,Windows — Tags: , , , — admin @ 9:00 am

by David Hakala

When I first opened Microsoft Word 2007 and started typing, I nearly went blind. The default font is Calibri 11-point, which is too small for my aged, trifocal-wearing eyes. Then I started getting Word 2007 files from people and they, too were in Calibri 11-point. It seems Word 2007 is taking over the world, so it’s time for everyone to change their default font to something I can read.

The default font style in any version of Word is stored in a special document called a template – specifically, the Normal (style) template. The Normal template is loaded as the basis for any new document you start in Word. Its style elements are saved with the document. Any changes you make to font styles or other elements override the Normal template but do not change it, so the same font style is applied the next time you create a new document. You have to open the Normal template itself and modify it.
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February 5, 2009

How to Create a .pdf File

Filed under: applications,online computing — Tags: , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

PDF stands for “portable document format,” and that’s just how we need our documents to be: portable. It’s inconvenient to spend time creating a file only to find out that the recipient cannot open or view it. The beauty of PDF is that anyone can open, view, and print these files, as long as they have one of several free PDF reader applications, such as Adobe’s Reader. But what can you do if you want to be able to distribute files in the PDF format? It’s not quite as obvious how to make PDF files – but it’s not difficult, and you can do it for free.
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February 3, 2009

How to Make a Multi-track Recording with Audacity

Filed under: applications,digital media — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

Making multi-track recordings was once the province of those with access to a recording studio, but with the help of a free application called Audacity, anyone with a computer and a microphone can record and edit multi-track audio.

Audacity is an open source audio manipulation application that is easy to download and install. Follow the on-screen instructions, and then launch the application. To begin recording, plug a microphone into your computer or check to see if your computer has a built-in microphone and use that. Recording with a microphone is the default state in Audacity, so click the record button and begin speaking or singing. If everything is working as it should you’ll see the level indicators moving. When you’re done recording this first track, play it back to make sure it is the way you want it to be, then save it as a new project by clicking on File, then Save Project As. Give it a name and click Save.
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Create Word Documents from Excel Macros

Filed under: applications,Windows — Tags: , , , — admin @ 9:00 am

by David Hakala

Suppose you have a database of company information and contacts. You want to use an Excel macro to copy addresses and such into different Word documents. How can you make Excel open a specific Word document into which information will be pasted?

Word’s mail merge feature is one solution. But if you are working with multiple Word documents, the mail merge trick won’t work. You will need something more complicated called Office Automation, which allows creation of macros that work with multiple Office applications and not just one, such as Word.
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February 2, 2009

How Can I Tweak Firefox and Thunderbird to Be as Great as People Say They Are?

Filed under: applications,Internet — Tags: , , , — admin @ 6:00 pm

by Gabe Goldberg

One of the Internet’s many beauties is the diversity of choices available — for everything. There are multiple search engines, Web browsers, ISPs (Internet service providers), operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac). This means that no two people have precisely the same computing setup or online experience, which leads to hours of fun-filled arguments about whose choices are best.

In fact, competition works to everyone’s advantage: No matter what your choice is for a given function, the vendor or manufacturer knows that you have alternatives and must hustle to keep your loyalty. The “browser wars” — first when Microsoft pushed Internet Explorer (IE) development to catch innovator Netscape and more recently with Mozilla Firefox stealing market share back from IE (and, of course, with contributions from Opera, Google’s Chrome, and other contenders) — have generated beneficial innovation and evolution.
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How to Record a Cassette Tape Onto Your Hard Drive

Filed under: applications,computer hardware,digital media — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

It’s nearly impossible to walk into a music store today and find a cassette tape for sale. Everything is on CD now, and the ’80s mainstay of audiophiles is relegated to the swap shop and garage sales. But if you have a favorite cassette that you just don’t want to give up, never fear: You can make a digital copy and burn it to a CD for everyday use, then pack the cassette away for safekeeping.
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January 31, 2009

How to View PDF Files

Filed under: applications — Tags: , , , — admin @ 9:00 am

by David Hakala

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a standard file format seen everywhere on the Web, in software documentation, and in business. The “official” reader program for PDF files is the Acrobat Reader by Adobe Systems Inc., which invented the PDF format. However, Acrobat Reader is a rather large (33.5 MB download), cumbersome program. There are slimmer competitors that don’t slow your system down as much as Acrobat Reader. There are even ways to view PDF files without any software installed on your system.
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January 30, 2009

How to Load and Edit Digital Video on Your Computer

Filed under: applications,online computing,photos and video,Windows — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

Once you’ve shot all that great video on your DV recorder, what’s next? If you want to do more than just store the tape away or replay it on your video camera, you’ll need to upload the video to your hard drive. Digital video cameras come equipped with USB or Firewire connections that make it easy to transfer files. Follow the instructions for your particular camera, then open up your video editing software and get ready to become a movie producer.
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