For Whiter Whites! and Brighter Colors! read -
-=+ NOISES FROM THE BASEMENT +=-
Vol. 2, Issue 8 May 9,
2001 ISSN 1531-5258
1) Windows Tips - "In The Beginning, Part IV"
2) File Find! - "Hidden Menu"
3) Sites-Seeing - "Message In A Bottle\Earthquake Rose"
4) Email Funny - "WinPenguin"
5) MOUS Tips - "But, I Want My Frog to be RED!"
6) They Said It - quotes to give one pause
7) Hodgepodge - that what fits no where else
~ ~ ~
Truly glad to grab your eyeballs for a few minutes!
Welcome, or welcome back!
AOL users - see the newsletter end for your links!
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1) Windows Tips -
"In The Beginning, Part IV"
Over the past few issues I've presented a series introducing the
various files that Windows may use in the startup process.
This week we'll wrap up the file descriptions, and in coming
weeks we'll build on what's been learned to gain greater
control over these devices that seem to occupy so much of
both our desk space and our time!
~ ~ ~
There are two files that compose what is commonly called the
"Windows Registry", both of which are system-critical files
required to start Windows. Because these
files are so critical
to Windows operation, in the future we'll use special software
tools provided with Windows to examine them.
The first, SYSTEM.DAT, is similar to the System.ini file.
It contains both computer and software settings, including
information about the programs that load upon startup. This
file is saved in your C:\WINDOWS folder.
~ ~ ~
The USER.DAT file is the second of the two registry files.
USER.DAT file is similar to the Win.ini file; it contains
information about program configurations and parameters,
and also information about Windows configuration.
USER.DAT is also saved in the C:\WINDOWS folder.
~ ~ ~
On rare occasions, you might have one more file that is
utilized by Windows startup - the WINSTART.BAT file.
The WINSTART.BAT file is used by programs that require a
DOS-based program to enable a Windows-based program.
This might be the case if you're using your computer to
interface with equipment in an industrial or laboratory setting,
but most of you won't have a WINSTART.BAT file.
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2) File Find! -
"Hidden Menu" [377
Kb/EXE]
Great tool here - Hidden Menu just might become an essential
part of your Desktop today!
First, use Hidden Menu to create your own customized
selection of the programs and shortcuts you use every day.
Add the icons from your Quick Launch tool bar – Internet
Explorer, Show Desktop, etc. - and reclaim another inch of
space on your Taskbar. Take a look at those icons scattered
all over your Desktop - put them on a Hidden Menu and clear
them off the Desktop!
Then select where you want Hidden Menu to appear – any
edge/corner of the screen is fair game.
It will then hide,
but quickly snap into view whenever you put your cursor in
the designated area. There’s many more
options, too many
to discuss here - you'll soon forget you ever used the Start
button to launch programs!
Hidden Menu is available at the author's site in 16 different
languages, the default download link is English:
http://ideasoft.heha.net
Special Note: As of Wednesday morning,
the author's site
is experiencing extremely long connection times. If you’re
having trouble reaching that site, and would like to download
a copy of this file in English, click here:
http://www.basementnoises.com/free4u/dl97.htm
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-=++=-
3) Sites-Seeing -
"Message in a Bottle\Earthquake Rose"
"I'll send an SOS to the world, I'll send a message in a bottle" -
a recent advertisement of an appearance by Sting on the Ally
McBeal TV show led me to remember this site, which I'd tucked
away for you folks months ago.
Each week as I write this newsletter, in the back of my mind
is always the awareness that the words I type will be instantly
whisked into the Inboxes of readers worldwide the moment
I press the "send" button.
Rarely do I hear back - did my
epistle reach receptive eyes, or did it fall upon the shoals
of a Deleted Items folder, sight unseen?
You can have a very similar experience by visiting one
of the Message In A Bottle sites indexed here.
Enter a
message that will be printed, bottled in your choice of
container, and tossed into a large body of water of your own
selection. Current launch points are
located in the USA,
UK, and Brazil.
Want to make a connection? Send your
Message in a Bottle:
http://www.conwasa.demon.co.uk/miabix.htm
~ ~ ~
The aftereffects of earthquakes have produced some of the
most awe-inspiring photographs I have ever seen. The forces
in play when the very Earth moves are probably the most
powerful that a human can experience - and still remain alive.
Most have seen terrible pictures of homes, highways, even
whole cities flattened in mere moments by the rending of the
Earth's surface.
Nature herself gave us a rare glimpse at an earthquake’s
”delicate” side on February 28, 2001. In
a shop called Mind
Over Matter, a sand tracing pendulum captured the patterns
created by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake. The result was a
uniquely delicate image of art created by Mother Nature
at her roughest. Beauty from chaos at:
http://www.earthquakerose.com
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4) Email Funny -
"WinPenguins" [182 Kb/EXE]
Probably the cutest deskmates to hit a monitor since
The Sheep - now you can have Penguins!
Lots of penguins!
An army of penguins roaming your Desktop if you so choose!
When run, it places an icon in your SystemTray that you'll
double-click/right-click to control your penguins. Note: the
"alpha blending" option you'll see is a Windows 2000
only option and will have no effect for Win98 users.
http://www.basementnoises.com/free4u/dl99.htm
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5) MOUS Tips -
"But, I Want My Frog to be RED!"
Did you know that when you work with ClipArt, you can change
the individual colors used on a graphic?
This tip works only
in PowerPoint, so if your intent is to use the changed ClipArt
in a different program like Word or Publisher, perform the
changes in PowerPoint and then cut-and-paste into the
destination program.
To recolor ClipArt:
I)
In PowerPoint, click the ClipArt graphic you want to
change.
II)
Select: Format | Picture
| Picture tab
III) Select the Recolor button
IV)
The Recolor Picture dialog box will open. You'll see
a pane containing all the
original colors used in the
graphic, and another column
captioned "New"
V)
Click the box next to the original color you wish to
change, then use the dropdown box
to its left to
select the new desired color
VI)
Repeat previous step for each color you want to change
VII) Click OK, then OK.
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6) They Said It
"If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of
civilization, it expects what never was and never will be...
if we are to guard against ignorance and remain free,
it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
- Thomas Jefferson.
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7) Hodgepodge
Concerning next week’s edition of Noises From The Basement:
I’m going to be away from computer access until late evening
next Wednesday, therefore next week’s issue will not hit your
Inboxes until that time. Thanks for your
understanding.
~ ~ ~
Rising gasoline prices continue to be a topic of conversation,
and this week's Photo Funny shows that they have reached
a new high... And scroll on down to the
Bizarro story to
see just how far one gas station owner would go to remain
"competitive":
http://www.BasementNoises.com
G'nite, and thanks for
reading!
=====================================================
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comment on this issue
of Noises? Send your criticisms and/or
compliments to:
noises@BasementNoises.com
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=====================================================
My standard "Your Mileage May Vary" Caveat:
NFTB does not assume responsibility for your use of
information given. Tips are tested on a
machine with
Windows 98 and Office 2000 Professional installed.
As I am firmly convinced that all systems are unique little
creatures in and of themselves, any given tip or suggestion
might just not be available to you. Why?
Murphy Rules!
All advice should be weighed against your own abilities
and circumstances and applied accordingly.
It is up
to you, the reader, to determine if advice is safe and
suitable for your current situation.
Any product or brand names mentioned in this ezine
and associated website are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.
NOISES FROM THE BASEMENT is a BTB Management Services
publication e-published every Wednesday and always
delivered directly to your e-porch, rain or shine!
Noises From The Basement
ISSN: 1531-5258 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C., USA
Copyright (c) 2001, Dave Gretz
All Rights Reserved.
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