Improving Win 95/98/Me/2000 just a mouse click away
May 20, 2001
By JIM BROOKS
We all need a
little help now and then -- especially when working with the Windows
family of operating systems.
Since I put my
current home PC together some months ago, there have been a few
things I've wanted to modify about the Windows 98 operates.
I found a site
that has all sorts of tips and tricks covering not only Windows 98
operating system, but also Windows 3.1, and the entire Windows
95/2000/Me/XP lineup.
If you've got
questions, the Windows-Help.Net Web site has the answers -- or links
to someone or someplace that does.
In my own
case, I was seeking out ways to improve how my menus worked in the
Windows 98 operating system. At the Windows-Help.Net Web site, I hit
pay dirt.
Users can find
out how to alter the look and feel of their Windows operating systems
with instructions so simple even I could follow them.
The long list
of hints for Windows 98 included:
how to
change the size of the icons on your desktop;
turn
on/off CD-ROM Autorun;
adding
Windows 95-style cascading menus to the Windows 98 Start button;
play a
midi song on startup; and,
change
the start-up and log-off screens.
Two of the
selections I have never used on the Start button menu are
"Favorites" and "Documents". With the tips I
found at the Windows-Help.Net I was able to easily eliminate these
unused features.
Some of the
tips and hints may sound basic to experienced users. The problem is
that unless you make these changes frequently, it's easy to forget
what you did to make the changes.
Besides the
Windows hints, you'll find lots more good information for anyone
using a version of the Windows operating system.
The site is an
information resource for Information Technology professionals and
computer users. There are news articles, links to free software, and
a very busy online community and forum section where users can post
questions about their specific operating system.
There's a lot
of good information here, so fix a good cup of coffee and take time
to browse the site thoroughly.
Windows-Help.Net
is a division of InfiniSource.com, a company devoted to Windows
applications and support for the operating systems.
To reach the
Web site's section on Windows 95/98/Me/2000 operating system tips,
click on the "Win95 Support" link listed under
"Resources" on the home page menu, which can be accessed at www.windows-help.net.
TIE THE
(FISHIN') KNOT. With Memorial Day and vacation time fast
approaching, there's one activity that is as much a part of summer as
lemonade and sunscreen.
Some do it for
leisure; others do it for sport. Fishing is one of the few sports
that can serve both purposes equally well.
Most of us
have family members who are masters at fishing knots. Unfortunately,
I wasn't a very good student when my dad was showing me as a kid.
The secret, of
course, is using the proper technique when tying knots -- a tricky
situation when it comes to handling nylon fishing line.
Part-time
fishermen like myself can appreciate this section of the Tennessee
Outdoorsman Web site devoted to keeping fishing lines properly tied.
It's a simple
page with about a dozen different knots, but you'll find something
for nearly every situation. It's a handy resource and might even
teach an experienced angler something new.
I learned the
one fishing knot I can tie is called (at least in Tennessee) a
Specialist Fly Knot.
Grab your
tackle box and visit www.tnoutdoorsmen.com/knots.htm
for more information.
SALON HANGS ON.
One of the Web's hippest sites media sites continues to face the
struggle of its life as it works to find enough cash to keep it
running until it can reach the break-even point.
Salon.com
executives think it can reach that point in about six months,
provided the company can keep its doors open that long.
Its stock
faces delisting by NASDAQ, and the company has endured a number of
job cuts and a 15 percent across-the-board pay cut.
In March,
Salon.com began offering a premium advertise-free service for $30 per
year. The premium service also was to feature content not available
at the free Salon.com site.
While it
reports visits from more than 2.7 million visitors per month, making
those hits pay off in form of revenue remains an exclusive goal of
Salon and other online media.
As of Dec. 31,
2000, Salon reported enough cash to carry the company through June.
If no cash can be raised, Salon.com may become another statistic in
the Great Internet Shakeout.
Comments
and questions about this column may be sent to jbrooks@myoldkentuckyhome.com,
or visit www.myoldkentuckyhome.com
on the World Wide Web.
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