Handy Tips -- Trouble Shooting Problems

• Search onboard help installed within the program you are using – under Help on menu – or try F 1

• Use Internet to help find solutions - Google the problem for on-line help if you can’t find solution in the onboard Help menu – be specific to software “add images to Picasa collage” so that results will be specific to the software you are using

• If all else fails for printers try unplugging the printer and plugging it back in again


Recommended Approaches to Software

• Check to see what software that comes pre-installed or bundled on your computer. Graphic software is often already bundled with other software on new computers. Windows Media Player and Windows Movie Maker are pre-installed on computers running on a Windows based operating system - if not the most recent try downloading the current version to your computer.

• Consider downloading and using Picassa for managing images on your computer and basic graphic functions.

▸ Try Open Source software if you don’t already have software for multimedia functions -
1. Open Office for general computer software -
2. GIMP, for graphics/images and
3. Audacity for sound editing and recording
4. Firefox web browser

Free Software
1. AVG - security software
2. COMODO internet security


Increasing your skill level

Typing lessons - increases accuracy and speed
http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gtypist/
http://www.learn2type.com
http://www.freetypinggame.net/
http://www.powertyping.com/

Tutorials specific to software you wish to learn - examples:

Microsoft Office Suite
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/default.aspx
Open Office Suite
http://documentation.openoffice.org/
Picasa
http://www.learningelectric.com/picasa2
GIMP graphic software
http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/
Audacity Audio Software
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/tutorials.html

Dragging and Dropping

Dragging and Dropping
Moving and copying files using Windows Explorer
From a Source Location to a Destination Location

1. Right Click on Start button (left hand side of screen at bottom)

2. Choose Explore > which opens Windows Explorer

3. Go to the location you want to place the document - going up or down the folder directory on left portion of this screen

4. We will refer to this now as Window #1 - it is the Destination Location.

5. Move this window if necessary by placing cursor on the status bar and dragging it to an appropriate location on the screen at the right hand side of the screen. Resize so it is about half the size of the screen.

6. Again Right Click on the Start button

7. Choose Explore > which opens a 2nd Windows Explorer window which will be our Source Location. We will refer to this now as Window #2

8. Move this window if necessary by placing cursor on the status bar and dragging it to an appropriate location on the screen at the left hand side of the screen. Resize so it is about half the size of the screen.

9. You should now have two windows in front of you the Source on the left and the Destination on the right.

10. Starting now with the Source (on the left) Go to the location of the originating document - going up or down the folder directory on the left portion of this screen. Select the document by clicking the mouse (left click) on the file.

11. Now we will select the Destination by clicking anywhere inside the window on the right. When you have located the right folder click on the folder to open the folder by double clicking on the folder.

12. Return to the Source window (at Left of screen)

13. Drag the selected file to the location you want it to be in the Destination Window

14. Release the file in the Destination Window

15. Close Window #1 and Window #2

Alternate ways to move and copy files (using the Right Button on Mouse)

• Right Click on the file in the source window and then select COPY

• Locate the Destination where you want the file copied to – and then Right Click at that location and choose PASTE

• A copy of the file will now exist at the new location as well as at the original location

• If you want to move the file and not produce a duplicate select CUT instead of Copy in the first step

Lots of Great Courses in 2009-2010

This year will have more new courses than ever as we celebrate our 10th anniversary.
Check it out.

Computers helping community groups

as published by The Guardian - Dec 22, 2008

Seniors College of P.E.I. board member David Mabon, left, Seniors College student Roberta Hubley, Provincial Treasurer Wes Sheridan and Industry Canada Community Development Officer Tim Wartman, right, take a look at some of the computers recently donated to the Seniors College at the ISN Wireless facility in Montague through the Computers for Communities P.E.I. Initiative.


Not-for-profit community groups and charitable organizations across the Island can now receive refurbished computers, free of charge, thanks to a partnership between Industry Canada and the Provincial Treasury.

Provincial Treasurer Wes Sheridan recently visited the Seniors College in Montague to see first-hand how the Computers for Communities Initiative (P.E.I.) is helping Island community groups stay connected.

This initiative falls under the umbrella of the Computers for Schools (CFS) program, a national partnership between Industry Canada and non-profit licensees across Canada.

Surplus computers, which have been donated by the public and private sectors, are refurbished and given to schools, libraries and non-profit learning organizations throughout the country. Industry Canada is contributing $129,940 towards the Computers for Schools program in P.E.I. for 2008/09.

Schools require Pentium 4 level computers, but CFS also receives many Pentium III level computers and wants to find good use for them.

The Computers for Communities (P.E.I.) Initiative will make sure these make their way to not-for-profit community organizations.
Provincial Treasury employees are administering the program on P.E.I.

“Gaining a full classroom of computers allowed Seniors College to expand our programming into Montague,” said Seniors College president Ian Scott. “We were able to respond to requests from Islanders wishing the opportunity to gain new skills in a supportive and very accessible environment. Whether at a basic or more advanced skill level, our programs have been very popular. This program quickly put much needed computers into a community situation where, coupled with an excellent teacher in Pat Hayes, they are making a real difference.”

To qualify for the CFC (P.E.I.) Initiative, a community group or charitable organization must have not-for-profit status, which may be provincially or federally granted. Computers for Schools was co-founded in 1993 by Industry Canada and the TelecomPioneers. Over 931,000 computers have been distributed across Canada.