December 2005
Used with permission. Copyright © 2006 Get-the-Net, Inc. All rights reserved.
Q. How can I tell what program is
connected with a shortcut on my Desktop?
A. Very easily: Right-click any
shortcut icon and select Properties from the menu that appears. The Target
field shows the path to the program on your hard drive. Most programs end
with the three-letter file extension .exe, which indicates an executable
file. Viewing the path to the .exe file will reveal to which program the
Desktop shortcut links. For example, if I right-click my Word Desktop
shortcut, in the Target area I'll see, "C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office\Winword.exe." Winword.exe is the program that launches Word.
Q. When I delete files that I know
I'll never need again, it seems like a waste of time to put them in the Recycle
Bin and then have to delete them from there. Isn't there some way I can just
delete files without sending them to the Recycle Bin?
A. Absolutely. If you feel that
you've bin there and done that Recycle Bin routine, you can bypass the
Recycle Bin by holding down the Shift Key when you right-click a file and
select Delete. You'll be asked to confirm the deletion, but it will not ask
you if you want to send the file to the Recycle Bin. If this causes you to
break out in a sweat, you might want to continue to use the Recycle Bin as
your safety net.
On a related note, any time you want
to empty the Recycle Bin, right-click its Desktop icon and select Empty
Recycle Bin. Before emptying it, be sure there's nothing in the Recycle Bin
that you want to save. If you're the least bit unsure, play it safe and open
the Recycle Bin and review files before deleting them.
Q. A friend of mind recommended your
weekly computer-help newsletter. If I subscribe, will it be sent to me by email
or does it come in the regular mail?
A. It's delivered piping hot to
your email box every Friday morning, just like clock work. I'd be remiss if
I didn't mention that a celebratory milestone was reached this month with
the publishing of our 300th issue. Thank you, thankyouverymuch. For those
who aren't familiar with it, when I launched the newsletter a few years ago,
my objectives included providing helpful computer and Internet information
in an easy-to-understand, friendly, intelligent, and occasionally
entertaining format. (Some might argue it should be "entertaining, and
occasionally intelligent format.")
It was also my objective to create a
kinder, gentler corner of the Internet as a "safe-harbor," where subscribers
were welcome to ask questions in an advertising-free environment, where no
question would be too "basic" or too silly, where every inquiry would
receive a prompt, personal response, and every subscriber would be treated
with dignity and respect at all times. (It never hurts to aim high.)
I would like to take this
opportunity to thank the many readers of this publication who also subscribe to
my newsletter (www.MrModem.com)
and who have recommended "Mr. Modem" to their friends, family members, and
colleagues. Thank you for your support, and now it's onward to issue 400!
Mr. Modem's DME (Don't Miss 'Em) Sites
of the Month
December 2005 www.MrModem.com
100 Most Mispronounced Words
Have you ever "axed" for
directions to the "libarry" or ordered an "expresso" and received a
blank stare in return? Dr. Language (not related to Mr. Modem),
supplies a list of the most mangled words and phrases in the English
language. In this "doggy dog world," you can't be too careful.
www.yourdictionary.com/library/mispron.html
Medline Interactive Health
Tutorials
Health tutorials provided by the
Patient Education Institute of the National Library of Medicine. Using
animated graphics, each tutorial explains a procedure or condition in
easy-to-understand language. These tutorials require the use of the
Flash plug-in. If you don't have it installed, you'll be prompted to
obtain the free download before you begin the tutorial.
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorial.html
Truth in Advertising
Remember the good old days when
smoking was cool and sophisticated, long before emphysema and lung
cancer came along and ruined everything? This Web site will escort you
back to those glamorous, smoke-filled days through a gallery of
cigarette ads from the 1940s and '50s. Watch the beautiful people,
including Linda Darnell, Arlene Dahl, Maureen O'Hara, Rock Hudson, John
Wayne, and even Santa Claus, enjoy a relaxing smoke.
www.chickenhead.com/truth
From Mrs. Modem and our three furry
felines, we wish you a happy and healthy 2006!
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