MIKE'S COMMENTARY
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE
NEWS & NOTES BY SUE FOUST

MIKE'S COMMENTARY AND BITS OF WISDOM:
 

Every reader should access the tech page of this Newsletter and read the first article in the Virus Section.  Click here for Virus Article On Tech Page

KCNET CLASSES:
Internet and Email
 4 session course
Topics include using the browser to find information on the Internet, web and email addresses, sending and receiving email, forwarding and replying to email, bookmarks, using the address book, and more. There is always time for questions and general exploration.

Beginner Windows 9x/XP
 4 session course
Topics include an introduction to all parts of the computer, learning about the desktop, mouse features and operation, and features and operation of the keyboard. Also creating shortcut icons, using recycle bin, wallpaper and screen savers, toolbars and taskbars, drag and drop, using window features (minimize, maximize, resize, etc), control panel, accessing the different drives, and more. There is always time for questions and general exploration.

Intermediate Windows 9x/XP
 4 session course
Topics include organization of windows programs, creating and organizing folders, file extensions, saving files from Internet, folder and file views, formatting floppy disks, installing programs, download programs from Internet, HTML email, uninstall vs delete, scandisk and defrag, email attachments, and more. There is always time for questions and general exploration.

Advanced Windows 9x/XP
 4 session course
Topics include a review of the management of folders and files, an introduction to photo manipulation, introduction to web page creation, using the sound recorder, attaching recordings to emails, introduction to eyeball cams and Internet transmission, and an introduction to burning your own CDs. There is always time for questions and general exploration.

KCnet Users Group:  (formerly know as  "Senior Net Learners" most recently called "Advanced Class").  I  wanted to call this class "The Abusers Group", but Sue would not hear of that.  Attendees are persistent in their search for computer knowledge.  They ask great questions and present interesting challenges.  The cost for this class is $0.00 for members of KCnet and $2.00 per session for non KCnet members.  There is no set format for the sessions.  Occasionally we will take a specific subject and do a detailed study over a period of successive weeks.  Don't be afraid to ask questions.  The folks that have been attending for awhile are always happy for a review and in most cases new or better ways to do things will surface.  Questions stimulate in-depth exploration with the usual result being an understanding of how and why.
We welcome new attendees from the Advanced sessions and our forever growing KCnet membership.  This is an advanced group and we cover a lot of territory. We are kind of free flowing.  You never know what will transpire.
It is not necessary for attendees to have their own computers but it sure helps with the learning curve.
KCnet Advanced Class computer knowledge and Advanced Class computer skills are necessary.

OTHER CLASSES:
CLICK HERE FOR ORIENTATION - BEGINNERS - INTERMEDIATE - ADVANCED
CLICK HERE FOR SCANNING - MAC- GENEALOGY - WEB PAGE - EXCEL - WORD - DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - PHOTO MANIPULATION - OTHER SPECIALTIES
 

THIS WEEK'S CLASS SCHEDULE:
Beginners  Windows all versions
Tuesday and Thursday  - 9:00 - 11:00 AM
June 29, July 1, 6,  & 8
Instructor:  Wayne Smith

Kephart Plaza Seniors
Computer Lunch Bunch
Tuesday June 29 -- 11:00 - 1:00
Instructor:  Wayne Smith

KCnet Users Group:  Every Wednesday
The starting time is 9:00 AM on this Wednesday June 30.  We meet in Computer Lab 1 (The Big Room).  Leadership is Mike Foust and anyone that wants to jump into the fray.
We started with a cute session of pictures.
We found a site that featured beautiful autumn pictures.  The pictures could not be saved in the traditional way, right click and choose save image as.  No Clicks allowed.  However we did screen saves and then managed the picture with Paint Shop Pro by using the cropping tool and then saving the picture.  We then used the picture as a desktop background.  In the process we used a nice screen save program called GrabClickSave. It beats the heck out of the windows keyboard "Print Screen" process.   It is a free program and available at:  http://gcs.boumchalak.net/  Many of us knew of this program and use it but those that didn't were impressed.
We used the Google feature for finding images on the internet.  http://www.google.com  Highlight the word "Images" and type your request.  You will be surprised.
Tom Livingston said that he found a site on the internet for downloading Crescendo, the nicest midi player for internet sites, and for Internet Explorer or Netscape users.  You download the appropriate program for your browser and operating system.  Try it at:  http://www.armadilloweb.com/Crescendo/Crescendo.html
We explored the Power Toys page on Microsoft and downloaded a pretty neat program for image resizing. This works for XP Users. We also played with a rather sophisticated calculator that was available for download.
The Microsoft Page is:  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
Download Image Resizer for sure!!

COMPUTER CAMP 6th , 7th ,8th Graders Entire week beginning July 12th   9AM--2PM Subjects include:  Building a computer - Digital Photography - Web Page Creation - Sound creation, editing and recording - Music Recreation includes Dance Pads and LAN gaming Cost:  $75.00

Orientation to KCnet
One-Session Class – No Charge for KCnet Members
Third Wednesday of Every Month 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Instructor:  Bob Fenton

Genealogy
New Sessions will begin in September.
Instructor:  David Wallace

MAC User Group
New Sessions will begin in September.
Instructor:  Clair Falls

For more class details and to register visit: http://www.kcnet.org/class/
Registration can be done online, simply click on the course you are interested in and enter the information requested.  Registration can be done via phone 893-8111.

NEWS AND NOTES WITH SUE FOUST:

You are all invited to our annual board meeting, July 8 at 6:30 PM at the KCnet Learning Center, 18 East Main Street.  Trivia:  About 10 years ago, KCnet was formulated, a board of directors was selected and by July 1995, KCnet was incorporated.  Computer Camp for middle schoolers is July 12-16.  Call KCnet for details or to enroll a student.  The Clinton County Economic Partnership’s Eggs and Issues session at the County Club on Friday, 8-10 AM, was a qualified success.  With only 20 participants, the thought I had was, “It’s a lot of work for 20 people.”  But, I would certainly encourage the Partnership to continue the monthly event.  And, I’d suggest that you watch for an announcement for the next one and give it a try.  Speakers for this month included yours truly and other technology-connected guests, including our own Jeff Miller, former KCnet office manager.  Jeff is the owner of Data-Bit Solutions on Main Street, Lock Haven.  He sells, installs and maintains network components for homes and businesses.  It was fun being on the same agenda as Jeff, again. It was this event that started me thinking about our community.  I generally include all of Clinton County in my community, but it can include Lycoming and Centre Counties, too.  I was thinking about how we might promote our local businesses by supporting each other. Then, when my sister came to visit from Kansas City, she told me about a community that is a part of her life.  She and her husband own a building in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.  It’s in the “arts district.”  Lots of artsy people of all ages.  My sister’s building, as well as other big old buildings, houses many little businesses, many of them operating on a shoe-string. She brought the subject up, saying that as owner of the building, she is included as part of the community.  They work together, buy from each other and generally support each other’s businesses.  She thinks that’s so great and it gives her a very good feeling.  In addition, she feels a warmth that comes from the individual businesses.  She says they make her feel good, like her visit to their store really means something. Then I think about our community.  Do we shop in our community as the first place to buy?  Do you check the KCnet business mall for local businesses to patronize?  If you own a business, do you have a web page and is it on the KCnet business mall?  We have to start somewhere.  When KCnet was created, we thought we could probably get 20 or so small businesses to give us information for web pages. We wanted to promote our local economy.  Then the Internet grew at a pace that no one predicted.  Soon we had more than 200 businesses listed in our mall.  There are many more now.  A listing and/or simple, concise web page is free.  The more we list, the better the tool is for you to find a local business that will interest you. What’s my point of all of this?  I am suggesting that we all make a concentrated effort to promote local businesses.  If you have a business, get on the web.  We’ll help you, either by making a short and sweet web page or by recommending a local web design company to make you a real business site.  If you are shopping on line, check the KCnet business mall before going to Google to find a non-local company.  And, if you have any influence over city and county spending, with our tax money, make sure they shop locally for office supplies, office equipment, and services whenever possible.  How do you feel?  Say the county, for example, would buy supplies from a small business in Clinton County rather than a big, wholesale warehouse in Chicago or California, and they spend extra dollars to do it.  The multiplication of those dollars spent locally would benefit the local economy more than any dollars they could save by buying wholesale.  That’s my opinion.  What’s yours? Until next week… Ray McGill, owner of Nittany Travel, is the President of KCnet; William Raco is Vice-President; Judy Yoho is Secretary and Donald C.  Miller of North Bend is Treasurer.  Other members of the board are Fred Bierly, Donna Gebhardt Lannan, Earl Keen, R.  Keith Kelly, Paul Korn, Amy Lapriola, Paddy O’Hara-Mays, Bob Rolley, and Rich Wykoff.

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