MARCH 2008 PAGE 1

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: CORRECT A WORD DOCUMENT WHEN LISTS WONT RENUMBER CORRECTLY 10

FROZEN FONTS 13

HACKERS EXCEL IN PC ATTACKS 12

LETTERS 6

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 9

SEE THE PRINT 3

SPEED UP ONLINE VIDEO FOR SMOOTHER VIEWING WITH DOWNLOAD ACCELERATOR 4

TECHNOLOGY - HILL BILLY STYLE 13

TEMPLATES 8

THERERE BARGAINS BY THE BYTE-LOAD 11

WARNING ON STEALTHY WINDOWS VIRUS 5

MEETINGS

FRIDAY, 14 MARCH, 7:30 PM Introducing Mediator, a more

sophisticated presentation program than PowerPoint, by Kevin Costigan

Setting a Password in XP by Pat Colby

SATURDAY, 22 MARCH, 1:00 PM Compressing Pictures by Pat Colby PDF How, Why & Wherefores? by

Bodo Schwarz

ICE SOCIAL NIGHT When? Friday, 28 March 2008,

6:30 pm for 7:00 pm Where? German Club, Northcliffe Drive, Kembla

Grange (Next to Prime) RSVP Saturday, 22 March 2008 Contact Bodo Schwarz, 4284 8754,

bodo@tadaust.org.au

REGULAR FEATURES ELWYNS VIEW 2

HINTS & TIPS 3, 8, 9, 10, 12

ROUND AND ABOUT ICE 1

QUOTABLE QUOTES 13

ONE LINERS 8, 9

STOP ME IF ... 14

CARTOON 8

ROUND AND ABOUT ICE WELCOME It gives us great pleasure to welcome Bob McKellar and Isabel Pauza as members of the Illawarra Computer Enthusiasts and we hope that their association with ICE will be a long and happy one.

SPONSORS We would like to express our gratitude to AGA Club Germania, who has agreed to sponsor ICE for another year.

QUICKIE RAFFLE The results of the February Night meeting raffle were George Hood 1 GB Flash Drive Eve Green Personal Organiser donated by

Michael Hickman Duncan Charig Return to Treasure Island

DVD donated by Bodo Schwarz LUCKY DOOR DRAW February Night meeting Norm Gadsby McAfee VirusScan Plus BADGE DRAW February Night meeting Michael Hickman 125 Internet videos EDUCATION Please add $5.00 to all advertised course fees, which now includes the manual you need when attending the nominated training sessions. Remember that you must complete the

(Continued on page 9)

Illawarra Computer Enthusiasts Newsletter Information, Computer Literacy, Education.

Affiliated with the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association (ASCCA) March 2008 Illawarra PC Users Group $2.00

PAGE 2 MARCH 2008

PATRONS Sharon Bird MP, Member for Cunningham Noreen Hay MP, Member for Wollongong Alex Darling AM, The Lord Mayor of Wollongong

Vol. 26, No. 1, February 2008

Official Journal of The Illawarra PC User Group Inc.

ABN: 81 127 508 207

4284 8754 - icepcug@gmail.com - www.illawarrapcug.org.au Correspondence to: Illawarra Computer Enthusiasts, 9 Ursula Road, Bulli, NSW 2516

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ELWYNS VIEW BARGAIN OR BASEMENT?

By Elwyn Jordan, ICE

D id you get a new laptop for Christmas? No, neither did I. Now, it might seem strange writing about Christmas now, seeing as itll be March when you read this, but as this is actually the first column Ive written for the year, just go with it, okay? And the point is that laptops are getting down to the sort of price-level that could see them being included on many Christmas shopping-lists. For under $600 (after cash-back) you can get a brand new laptop with operating system. As it says in the catalogue, Cheap as! (Although they dont say cheap as what! Yes, I know, its a figure-of-speech; cheap as, quick as, good as, and so on. I get annoyed at things like that; as WHAT?! Its another example of how our English language is being abused by the masses! Sorry, I digress).

Oh, and (yes, Im digressing again!), whats with this cash-back thing? I dont get it; who benefits from that? As an example, a Compaq laptop selling for $546, after cash-back. You pay the shop $696 and then claim $150 back from the manufacturer. Why? Why not just have the price fixed at what it ends up costing you? Yes, youve got to contact the manufacturer and then they get to know your name and address etc, but they get that anyway when you send in your warranty details, (or even from the retailer when you buy it if they want to). Someone must benefit from it, because a lot of retailers are doing it, but I

dont know who, or how.

Anyway, lets have a look at these laptops.

One of the current letterbox leaflets has two laptops for under $600. A Compaq, which Ive mentioned, for $546, and an Acer for $591. Youve got to admit that is very cheap! I mean, both come with Windows Vista, so if you just take the price youd pay for that and deduct it from the total; youre looking at a very cheap computer! Seems like an absolute bargain! So, are they any good? Or is there a catch? Are they a bargain, or they just the basement? Well, Ive often discussed in these columns the principle of you get what you pay for. And while, at these prices, youd have to say that youre getting a lot of computer for the money, there is a bit of a catch.

The first thing to realise is that these are very much entry-level machines. (So, yes, theyre from the basement in terms of current computer technology). 512Mb of RAM and an 80 GB hard drive wouldve been pretty schmick a few years ago, but now theyre very much ho-hum. Especially when running Windows Vista. And this is perhaps the main thing; Vista really needs 1 GB of RAM to operate efficiently. So performance is going to be slow. The minimal RAM is the one area where the cost-cutting will be most noticeable.

(Continued on page 3)

Vol. 26, No. 2, March 2008

Official Journal of The Illawarra PC User Group Inc.

ABN: 81 127 508 207

4284 8754 - icepcug@gmail.com - www.illawarrapcug.org.au Correspondence to: Illawarra Computer Enthusiasts, 9 Ursula Road, Bulli, NSW 2516

EDITORIAL TEAM AND CONTRIBUTORS Editor, Production, Advertising: Bodo Schwarz bodo@tadaust.org.au Assistant Editor, Research: Robert Castles robert.castles@gmail.com Distribution: Robert Parsons rparsons@exemail.com.au Contributors: Robert Castles, Robert Davidson, Keith Dewley, Elwyn Jordan, Olav Lehmann, Michael McKeen, Gladys Pickering, Alan Slater.

APRIL NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTION DEADLINE 15 MARCH 2008.

MARCH 2008 PAGE 3

This page is sponsored by Penny Ferguson

Processors in these machines arent exactly state-of-the-art either. The Compaq runs a Celeron M540 1.86 CPU, and the Acer a Celeron M530 1.73 unit. Any half-decent machine these days runs a dual-core processor; so again, performance is going to be limited by the low-power specs. Its a combination that inevitably keeps a tight rein on what the computer will be able to do; a (comparatively) low-power processor with a very basic amount of RAM.

Having the operating system included at this low price (laptops usually come with an installed operating system) certainly adds to the value of the whole deal, but it also means that youre stuck with Windows Vista, whether you like it or not. Yes, I know, Im famously antagonistic towards Windows latest operating systems, (I usually start liking them after the next one is released!), but Vista seems to have attracted more than its fair share of criticism. And when you buy one of these machines you buy into the world of Vista, as I said, whether you like it or not!

Speaking of the operating system, you dont actually get a Windows Vista DVD either. What you get is a recovery disk; which is the manufacturers own packaged version of Vista. Thats not such a bad thing though, because you get all the drivers included. So should the whole thing crash, or need re-installing, running the DVD restores the system to how it was when you brought it out of the shop. So as I said, not such a bad thing really.

Now, if these particular machines look a bit more basement than bargain, you can always spend more to get something better. As always, spending a few more dollars rewards you with worthwhile gains in specification. Pay just $834 (yes, after the usual cash-back) and Acer gives you a dual-core Pentium processor, 1 GB of RAM, and a 120 GB hard-drive. Comparatively, I suppose thats a significant increase in price, but its still a very cheap computer! Look further into the glossy recycle-bin fillers and youll find a lot more machines, at more normal prices. And when you go into the shops, they do tend to favour the more expensive models in their displays.

Anyway, back to the under-$600 specials. Forget about them, right? Well, no, I still think theyre actually worthwhile considering, provided you know what youre getting. The thing is, computers these days

ELWYNS VIEW (Continued from page 2)

are so powerful, compared to machines of just a few years ago, that even these basement models are quite capable. And when youre paying what is virtually 2nd-hand price for a brand new machine, then they start to look like worthwhile bargains.

Ive seen a couple of these tested in computer magazines, and the reports werent as condemning as you might think. The Compaq (perhaps typically of the brand) is reported as being fairly slow, but the Acer they reckon is actually not too bad.

The bottom line is that for light use, to carry out just basic computer tasks, really these machines are quite adequate. So they are both bargain and basement. And if I had a spare $600 lying around I think Id buy one myself. Now, Im off to write a quick letter to Santa. If I get in early, who knows?

SEE THE PRINT

W hen you go to print something, you prob-ably go to File, Print, choose all of the settings you want and then click on the Print button to get the process going. Well, what if your print job is going to take a long time? You don't want to have to sit there and wait on it, do you? But then again, when you come back, wouldn't it be nice to be able to check the sta-tus of it? If that sounds good to you, there is a way to do it. Here's how!

Once you click on the final Print button that gets everything going, an icon will appear in the bottom right hand corner of your taskbar (the same place where the clock icon sits). You can then double click on that icon to see the progress of your print job. The icon looks like this (only much smaller), depending on the kind of printer you happen to have:

Now, when you double click on the icon, you will see such headings as the name of the document you're printing, its status, the number of pages it is, the size of it and when it

was submitted. You can also use the icon to cancel or pause a printing job.

To do that, just click on the Document menu and choose Pause, Cancel, Resume, etc. There's also a Help menu, just in case you run into any other problems.

Office Picture Manager E-MAIL PICTURES Select your image as described above, right-click

them and choose Send to > Mail Recipient.

PAGE 4 MARCH 2008

The boom in video sharing websites like YouTube and Google Video has made broadband internet essential for many people. But even with broadband, which isn't available to everyone, it's sometimes not fast enough. Online movie clips can stall and stutter as the computer struggles to download a video or media stream.

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SPEED UP ONLINE VIDEO FOR SMOOTHER VIEWING WITH DOWNLOAD ACCELERATOR

invaluable for downloading large files. Tabbed downloading - track multiple on

current downloads under separate tabs in the main window.

Scanning of downloads by built-in ZoneAlarm security software.

Previewing downloads - watch the movie or see what's in the compressed Zip file while you download it. This helps avoid accidentally downloading and saving the same file twice.

The free version isn't exactly free - it includes advertisements, which display in an information window.

You don't have to put up with the advertisements in the full, paid-for version of DAP. It also claims other features such as faster acceleration, better management of completed downloads, the ability to extract as well as preview Zip files while downloading, privacy tools such as securely deleting unwanted files and traces of downloads from your computer, downloading in the background, support for 'skins' that change its appearance, and technical support.

How it works DAP was introduced in 1999 by Israel-based company Speedbit and works by taking advantage of the fact that files on the internet are usually hosted on many different servers around the world. DAP locates the fastest and nearest servers and connects to multiple servers at the same time to download the file, which evens out the load and can reduce Internet bottlenecks.

If you download DAP you can also opt to install the Speedbit Video Accelerator software. This takes a different approach to speeding up web video, but still uses the multi-connection idea. It has been adapted to improve delivery of online video services by YouTube, Metacafe, Dailymotion, Grouper and iTunes (premium service only). Speedbit has announced future support for services including Reuters, CNet, Bebo, ESPN and MySpace.

The free DAP is a 6.5 MB download and works with Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera and Firefox browsers. It's available in multiple languages and can be used with PCs running

(Continued on page 5)

T he easy, but costly, solution is to sign up for a faster connection from your Internet Service Provider (ISP), but before you commit to the extra expense, why not try to squeeze a bit more out of your existing connection by using download accelerator software?

Sometimes called an online optimiser, download accelerator software doesn't require faster connection or even a faster computer. Instead, it uses a collection of software tricks and shortcuts to pack more information down the same internet connection. These tricks include special compression techniques and downloading simultaneously from multiple server sources.

One of the best known download accelerators is the aptly named Download Accelerator Plus (DAP), which claims 140 million users. DAP promises downloads up to 400% faster, but the key words here are 'up to'. As with most download methods, the speed increase can vary dramatically, depending on the servers involved, the time of day, the speed of your local connection and other factors.

DAP comes in two versions: a free version and a premium version, which costs about $43.

What it does Apart from the speed claims, DAP has some very useful features, including: Managing downloads - keeping track of files

in a central location and providing a download history that shows what you've already downloaded, or partially downloaded and when.

Resuming broken downloads - if your download is interrupted by a broken connection you can pick up where you left off, rather than having to start again,

MARCH 2008 PAGE 5

This page is sponsored by Robert Parsons

WARNING ON STEALTHY WINDOWS VIRUS Security experts are warning about a stealthy Windows virus that steals login details for online bank accounts.

from windows 98 up to Vista. A version is also available for Apple computers running the Mac OS X operating system.

Should you try it? Even if you only have a dial-up connection, the free version of DAP is probably worth having for its file management capabilities alone, particularly the ability to resume interrupted downloads. But the download acceleration makes it a must-have.

If you only download files occasionally and aren't a heavy user of online video services like YouTube, you'll probably be happy to settle for

the speed boost and other features in the free version of DAP.

If you do a lot of downloading you'll appreciate the extra speed and security of the paid-for premium version. Both are available for download from www.speedbit.com.

Check each step carefully as you install DAP so you can uncheck automatic inclusions such as Google Toolbar if you so choose.

Create a restore point on your computer before you install the software. If you don't like the software or experience conflicts you can simply roll your computer back. Source: Choice, September/October 2007 Submitted by Keith Dewley, ICE

SPEED UP ONLINE VIDEO FOR SMOOTHER VIEWING WITH DOWNLOAD ACCELERATOR (Continued from page 4)

online banking systems of one of more than 900 financial institutions.

The Russian virus-writing group behind Mebroot is thought to have created the torpig family of viruses that are known to have been installed on more than 200,000 systems. This group specialises in stealing bank login information.

Security firm iDefense said Mebroot was discovered in October but started to be used in a series of attacks in early December.

Between 12 December and 7 January, iDefense detected more than 5,000 machines that had been infected with the program.

Analysis of Mebroot has shown that it uses its hidden position on the MBR as a beachhead so it can re-install these associated programs if they are deleted by anti-virus software.

Although the password-stealing programs that Mebroot installs can be found by security software, few commercial anti-virus packages currently detect its presence. Mebroot cannot be removed while a computer is running.

Independent security firm GMER has produced a utility that will scan and remove the stealthy program.

Computers running Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 that are not fully patched are all vulnerable to the virus. Source: BBC News Submitted by Robert Castles, ICE

I n the last month, the malicious program has racked up about 5,000 victims - most of who are in Europe.

Many are falling victim via booby-trapped websites that use vulnerabilities in Microsoft's browser to install the attack code.

Experts say the virus is dangerous because it buries itself deep inside Windows to avoid detection.

Old tricks The malicious program is a type of virus known as a rootkit and it tries to overwrite part of a computer's hard drive called the Master Boot Record (MBR).

This is where a computer looks when it is switched on for information about the operating system it will be running.

"If you can control the MBR, you can control the operating system and therefore the computer it resides on," wrote Elia Florio on security company Symantec's blog.

Mr Florio pointed out that many viruses dating from the days before Windows used the Master Boot Record to get a grip on a computer.

Once installed the virus, dubbed Mebroot by Symantec, usually downloads other malicious programs, such as key loggers, to do the work of stealing confidential information.

Most of these associated programs lie in wait on a machine until its owner logs in to the

PAGE 6 MARCH 2008

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LETTERS Subject: PIN Number Reversal

Hi Bodo This is an extract from a statement issued by the Australian Banking Association in August 2007 in reference to PIN Number Reversal.

The Australian Bankers Association (ABA) says information circulating in an e-mail about the use of a reverse PIN at an ATM is false. From time to time, an e-mail containing incorrect information circulates in the community. This fact sheet has been prepared advising the community about this urban myth.

The e-mail claims that by entering your PIN in reverse into an ATM will summon police. This claim is false.

The Personal Identification Number (PIN) is a number that only you should know which is entered at an ATM or an EFTPOS terminal to give you access to your money in your bank account.

This e-mail claiming that entering your PIN in reverse will summon police to an ATM and the withdrawal will be successful is totally false.

The PIN has only one function to allow the customer to access their account and it must be entered correctly each time and kept confidential.

If a customer enters a PIN in reverse they will receive an error message and be prompted to provide the correct PIN. Safety Tips at ATMs It is important to note that customer safety and crime prevention are key considerations when siting ATMs. ATMs are located in well-lit areas that are highly visible to passing traffic. Robberies at ATMs are rare, but wherever there is cash, it pays to be careful.

These general rules should be followed for ATM safety, especially at night:

Minimise your time at the ATM by having your card ready when you approach the machine;

Take a look around as you approach the ATM and if there's anything suspicious, don't use the machine at that time (report any suspicions to the police);

Once you've completed your ATM transaction, put your money away immediately and leave. It's best to count your money later;

If you don't feel comfortable using a particular ATM, consider continuing on to

another branch or using off-street ATMs in banking lobbies;

Do remember that EFTPOS can be used to withdraw cash at many other places, like supermarkets and service stations.

Internet: www.bankers.asn.au Phone: 02 8298 0417 Fax: 02 8298 0402

Cheers, Olav

Subject: Mail Box Full Bodo,

Do you get mail returned with the reason that the recipient's mail box is full?

This can happen with most ISPs but never happens with Gmail where the allowance is over 6 GB. There are other online E-mail providers and they all provide storage far in excess of the popular ISPs. A big advantage of the huge storage of Gmail is that you never have to delete e-mails. This means you can search easily and archive e-mails and have the ability to retrieve them when and if needed.

I just got an email returned because the recipients mail box was full.

Robert C

Subject: ICE item? Hi Bodo

This link may be of help to our members.

Alan

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/default.aspx

Subject: ICE Education Hi Members,

Many of our courses are now available, and nine of those have been allocated dates.

A number of you have already signed on for them but there are still vacancies, so please have a look at them at the next meetings to make sure you do not miss out.

We are open to suggestions regarding shorter courses lasting two hours each aspects of computing that will help you achieve

(Continued on page 10)

MARCH 2008 PAGE 7

This page is sponsored by George Hood

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PAGE 8 MARCH 2008

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Call Goran or Adrian on

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This is our Secretary during the lead up to the Telstra Connected Seniors workshop.

TEMPLATES By Alan Slater, ICE

T here are a number of sites you can go to download templates to use with the Microsoft Office Suite programs.

However, you should be aware that some do come with spyware. A reliable place to download templates is directly from the Microsoft Web site itself.

The next time you're looking for some sort of template to use, try this link: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/default.aspx

There you will find templates for a multitude of topics, including stationary, cards, rsums, presentations, invoices, budgets, flyers and forms, just to name a few.

So, if you're looking for a template, you'll definitely want to give this place a try!

Being normal is driving me crazy!

WORD TIP A simple way to activate Help is to press F1.

MARCH 2008 PAGE 9

This page is sponsored by Norm Gadsby

I C I C L E S 2007 2007 YYEARBOOKEARBOOK

T he ICICLES Yearbook can be ordered by interested members by pre-payment of $15.00.

Again as last year, the yearbook will be produced in colour as the monthly issues appear on the ICE website.

You can place your order at the reception desk at our meetings.

Save your money for a rainy day or a new computer!

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Q: I need to know how to change a file extension. Can you please help me? A: That's an excellent question and I'm sure you're not the only one who has wondered about this in the past! I mean, file extensions are a big part of our computing lives and every file we work with has its own special extension and format. So, if you've ever needed to change an extension and you're not sure how to do it, keep reading to find out!

First, let's go over some examples. You may have even experienced these before. Maybe you have a document that is in an .htm (HTML) format, but you'd like to view it under a .txt (text) extension. Or, maybe one of your friends e-mailed you a picture, but instead of it being a JPEG format like you're used to, it was sent as a GIF or maybe even as a PDF. So, how can you change those to be the formats you want? It's pretty easy, so let's get to it!

First, you need to make sure your system is set up to allow file extension changes. To check on that, go to your Start menu, choose Run, type in "explorer" (without the quotes) and click OK. Once the new window opens, go to the Tools menu and click on Folder Options. Next, choose the View tab and find the option that says "Hide extensions for known file types." Make sure that is unchecked and then click OK. Now, you're all set!

Next, go to the file you want to change, right click on it and choose Rename. You can then rename the file with the new extension you prefer. Once you're done, just hit the Enter key on your keyboard and it will be saved. Then you can go and open the file again, but this time, it will be the way you want it. Source: WorldStart.com

enrolment form included in your Members Kit and pay all fees before commencing your chosen training course.

Also a trainers Kit has been developed and will be circulated to all trainers in due course.

Speaking of trainers, we are still in need of members that are willing to attend the Train the Trainer course. This course is free to members and the training manual is included in the package. All we expect in return, is that take on some training sessions.

The main three trainers are starting to feel a bit jaded and may eventually lead to dummy spits. Remember we all do it for the love of it, but remember the famous straw that broke the camels back. I can recall from personal experience, when all the training was left to me about 8 years ago; eventually I had enough and no training was offered for about 4 years. Im sure none of us want to see this happening again. So please give this some serious hard thought and make yourself available for the next Train the Trainer course.

MEETING PRESENTATIONS Ive been asked by the committee to ask you if you are willing to demonstrate your favoured programs, or tell us how you solved a problem or some of the tricks you developed; it only needs to be 5-10 minutes long. If you can do this, this would mean (to quote Shoalhaven PCUG motto) Users helping users and it would make our lives (the presenters that do it all the time) easier and their meeting more enjoyable. So how about it.

ASCCA MEMBERS MEETING 18 March 2008, 10:00 am 2:30pm, Level 1, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney. RSVP to Secretary by 15 March 2008.

This meeting is going to be an Open Forum. There will be no invited guest speakers; it will be an opportunity for Clubs to speak.

W e still have two vacancies, either as a committee member or volunteer: Marketing Officer, who is able to promote products to members and the general public that ICE may have to sell from time to time, eg. ICE CD, ICICLE Yearbook, Take the Teacher Home, etc.

Berkeley Markets Co-ordinator, who is able to co-ordinate the clubs activities and arrange for the assistance of members at the markets.

ROUND AND ABOUT ICE (Continued from page 1)

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the literacy you desire. Just let us know. There is a sheet out on the education table asking you to list any courses you would like us to run. Please help us to help you.

We want more trainers this is a free course to encourage members to actively participate in either doing a presentation on some topic of their choice or to help tutors. We need new approaches and fresh ideas.

I also feel I need to train someone to one day take over as Education Coordinator. The work is quite rewarding and worthwhile. Any volunteers?

As you no doubt know a special drop in day for club members and interested seniors who want to learn how to use the Internet is taking place on Saturday 23rd February, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Four interesting presentations will be given and there will be free 30-minutes lessons in our Computer Laboratory on how to open an e-mail account. Booking is essential.

When I first joined ICE I was a true beginner worried about what-if aspects of the computer. I found members who were always ready to help me overcome what I thought were insurmountable problems. I am grateful to all the members who have helped me over the years.

We look forward to an interesting year with regard to the courses on offer.

Dont hesitate to contact me if you wish to know anything further.

See you on the 23rd. Gladys

Subject: Internet Shopping - Bargains online Hi Bodo,

I must confess to doing most of my banking online, booking many holidays in Australia, New Zealand and UK through internet travel sites, and buying a range of goods from online traders, more especially through the fun and challenge of eBay auctions. Recently I even made my first sale on eBay to a buyer who waited till the final 60 seconds to enter his bid and snap up a bargain.

I'm not planning an online home loan because we moved house last year and need to wait another 36 years to justify the next move.

LETTERS (Continued from page 6)

Perhaps I'll pick up some wine in the future but I've yet to be tempted to pay for online music downloads.

So far I've never been ripped off, cheated or defrauded through online transactions of any kind and I 'm aware of safety issues which mean taking no unnecessary risks.

ICE readers will be sure to find some helpful information for online dealing in the attached article.

Cheers :) Michael McKeen

Editors Note: The article in question is Therere Bargains by the Byte-Load on the facing page.

CORRECT A WORD DOCUMENT WHEN LISTS WONT

RENUMBER CORRECTLY By Mary Ann Richardson

Y ou want the numbered list in your Word document to start at 1, but it keeps starting at 4, even if you select Restart Numbering from the shortcut menu. Rather than try to renumber, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the numbered list. 2. Click Set Numbering Value. 3. Select the Start New List button. 4. In the Set Value text box, type 1 and then

click OK. When you set the Set Value text box to a number, your list will start with that number; when Restart does not start with 1, its best to check and reset the Set Value text box according to the steps above.

The Set Numbering Value will also correct instances where clicking Continue Numbering will not work for example, when you want one list to continue numbering from another above it. Follow these steps to correct this situation:

1. Right-click the numbered list. 2. Click Set Numbering Value. 3. Click to select the Continue From

Previous List button and then click OK. Source: TechRepublic, 22 January 2008

GENERAL TIPS SORT IT OUT Re-order data in a sheet by highlighting the

data to sort and picking Data > Sort.

MARCH 2008 PAGE 11

popularity in recent years offering at-call interest rates way above those people can get in everyday transaction accounts. The highest interest currently paid by

these accounts is 7.5 cent per annum by Brisbane-based SunCorp and Perth-based BankWest according to financial services comparison website www.infochoice.com.au. Theyve grown massively because they offer a very simple solution for people, Infochoice general manager Denis Orrock said. They are also very convenient, he said.

Stockbroking As share market investing has boomed in popularity in recent years, so has the use of online stockbrokers. The biggest - Commsec and Etrade - account an 80 per cent of the market combined and allow investors to buy and sell shares for about $30 per trade.

You can get some online brokers for $19 or $20 a trade, as opposed to a full service broker which would be about $150, Mr Orrock said. Of course, doing it yourself online rather than using a stockbroker means you are given no advice on what stocks to buy and sell, but you do have access to financial data, analyst forecasts and other information.

Home Loans There are growing numbers of so-called online home loan providers, but Mr Orrock said we were still a long way away from a true online home loan. "Online providers are growing slowly - one of the issues is the process. We are still paper based," he said.

The cheapest variable home loans, according to infochoice.com.au, include RateBusters at 7.65 per cent per annum and One Direct at 7.88 per cent. But the interest rate is not the only measure of a loan. You need to look at features, fees and service, Mr Orrock said. "Look at ongoing fees for the life of the loan and also the cost if you leave the loan," he said. Many cheap home loans have break fees that can run into thousands of dollars if the borrower switches providers or sells their home within a few years.

Music U.S. computer giant Apple transformed both the music industry and its own fortunes when it introduced the iPod in 2001. Today there are

S hopping for bargains is no longer limited to the post-Christmas and mid-year stock take sales. Thanks to the internet, huge discounts on consumer goods and services can be found all the time if you know where to look. Almost everybody has heard of eBay, the world's biggest source of new and second-hand goods online, but there are plenty of other Internet shopping destinations.

DealsDirect.com.au had its origins as an eBay seller but went solo in 2004, and today has more than 500,000 customers. It sells everything from cotton sheets and kitchen scales to electric guitars and pet carriers, and most items are at least 50 per cent off recommended retail prices, before shipping costs. Some items can be a little quirky, such as the $9.95 authentic CDs from pop stars such as Fergie, Gwen Stefani and Mika that come with the warning you may find some Chinese writing in addition to the English writing on the cover of the CD and in the booklet.

DealsDirect.com.au co-founder Paul Greenberg said orders had doubled in the past 12 months. "It's a trend that's happening across the nation as Australians realise in massive numbers that there are safe, reliable ways to go shopping online," he said. Safety is a key concern among would-be internet shoppers, and major online players such as eBay and DealsDirect.com.au have easily accessible information and advice for newcomers (refer ten tips).

Today Smart Money outlines some of the key areas where online bargains can be found.

Travel Sites such as wotif.com.au and lastminute.com.au offer a wide range of accommodation options complete with photographs and detailed descriptions often at heavily discounted prices. All major car hire firms have plenty of information and online booking systems; as do the airlines. Independent sites such as webjet.com.au allow travellers to compare prices among different airlines and then add hotels, cars and insurance to their bookings.

Savings Accounts Online deposit accounts have soared in

This page is sponsored by Fred and Lorna James

THERERE BARGAINS BY THE BYTE-LOAD By Anthony Keane

Internet shopping growth is increasing as a safe, reliable, convenient and often cheaper retail option.

PAGE 12 MARCH 2008

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many sites where people can buy music and download it to their computers and digital music players.

Today the popular iTunes website sells songs for $1.69 each, but it is not alone. Digital music downloads can be purchased for similar prices at many sites including www.jbhifimusic.com.au and www.bigpondmusic.com.

However, there are some complex issues surrounding digital music, a recent report by consumer group Choice warned. "Music purchased online includes technical restrictions, called digital rights management, that are built into the file to limit the number of times the track can be copied, transferred or burnt to CD," Choice says. "Expect DRM to be included in most music you buy online." Choice said information about DRM was usually buried in the frequently asked questions, help or information section on music websites.

Wine Wine has been pretty cheap to buy amid the wine glut of recent years, but those heading online can purchase it even cheaper. Big discounts can be enjoyed by those who buy in bulk or by the bottle from auction sites such as graysonline.com.au and sterlingwine.com.au.

A quick check of the Sterling website last week found bids for 1990 Penfolds Grange at little more than half their estimated value of $500-$650 a bottle. On a cheaper note, bids for $30 bottles of wines in an auction closing this week were at just $10 late last week. Even cheaper still, a $9.95 bottle of Angove's Butterfly Ridge Merlot Cabernet 2006 is just $4.95 at winesale.com.au.

However, buyers should beware of additional costs such as freight, insurance and re-packing which can cost between $10 and $20 a carton.

Ten Tips for Secure Shopping in Cyberspace Arrange a special credit card for all your on-

tine shopping, with a low Limit such as $1000, to reduce your exposure.

Shop at trusted destinations. Although small businesses and websites can offer great value and service, it is safer to shop at well known and respected websites.

If you are still nervous, find websites that offer traditional payment methods such as Bpay.

THERERE BARGAINS BY THE BYTE-LOAD (Continued from page 11)

Ask questions - email the customer service link to get comfortable with the merchant.

Only shop on Australian sites - except for Amazon - and avoid the temptation to buy from Hong Kong and Eastern Europe. Many sites are fine but it's better to be safe than sorry. Shop with a local supplier that you can follow up.

Start with small purchases, maybe Less than $20. Once you get comfortable with the website you can increase your level of spending.

Make sure that shipping costs are fair in relation to the size of the purchase and include insurance for damage and loss in transit.

Don't give out unnecessary personal information - your name, address and credit card information is all that is needed to process a purchase.

On auction sites, don't let the "win" factor take over your common sense with responsible spending. Be careful and check sellers' reputation - find a friend who is an experienced buyer on these sites, because you don't know who you are buying from.

Shop around - compare prices for the item you want to buy. The beauty of the internet and search engines like Google is that comparative pricing is only a click away.

DealsDirect.com.au Source: The South Australian Advertiser, February 2008 Submitted by Michael McKeen, ICE, South Australia

HACKERS EXCEL IN PC ATTACKS

M icrosoft says hackers have found a way to use some older versions of its Excel spreadsheet program to take over control of people's computers.

The software giant said yesterday it was investigating reports of such attacks, but had not yet determined whether it would patch the hole, or when.

People who open a specially-crafted Excel file from an e-mail attachment or visit a compromised website could be inviting hackers to take over their PCs. Source: The Daily Telegraph, 18 January 2008

Keyboard Shortcuts Instead of selecting the Edit menu and copy, simply use Ctrl + C to

copy text/files to the clipboard.

MARCH 2008 PAGE 13

This page is sponsored by Lorraine and Lynnette

Disclaimer: The Illawarra PC Users Group Inc. disclaim all responsibility for any losses or damage which may be attributed to the use or misuse of any material published in this Newsletter. The ILLAWARRA COMPUTER ENTHUSIASTS NEWSLETTER ICICLES is published by the Illawarra PC Users Group Inc., 9 Ursula Road, Bulli, NSW 2516

TECHNOLOGY - HILL BILLY STYLE (9)

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FROZEN FONTS By Bodo Schwarz, ICE

U se filters and other effects in Photo Shop to make letters take on the characteristics of the word they spell, such as ICICLES.

1. Create new Photoshop document with a black background and enter some text in a heavy font (eg Ariel Black), font colour white and a large point size. For this example we are typing ICICLES since we wish to create the icicle effect.

2. Select the Text layer by clicking on the layer thumbnail in the Layer palette. In the Menu bar click on Layer, Rasterize, Layer; the layer is now rasterised and the text you typed in the layer will appear in the layer thumbnail.

3. Ensure that the former Text layer is still selected; you open the Filter menu, click on Noise, Add Noise and click OK. Still in the Filter menu, click on Pixelate, Crystallize, choose a small Cell Size (eg 5) and click OK.

4. To create the icicle effect, turn the Text layer on its side by choosing the Edit menu, Transform, Rotate 90 CW. In the Filter menu, select Stylize, Wind and in the resulting dialogue box set the Method to Wind and the Direction From the Right,

lettering an authentic icy appearance.

To do this you select the Layer menu, New Adjustment Layer, Hue/Saturation Click OK in the resulting New Layer dialogue box, a Hue/Saturation dialogue box will appear. Make sure the Colorize and Preview boxes are checked, set the Hue to 173, the Saturation to 35 and the Lightness to 0.

Click OK (see illustration below) for the selections to take effect.

and then click OK. Reapply the filter several times by pressing Ctrl + F and watch the icicles grow.

5. Rotate the Text layer back to its original orientation and add a Hue/Saturation layer to reduce the red hues in the text and increase the blue hues slightly to give the

QUOTABLE QUOTE To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent. Robert Copeland Submitted by Alan Slater, ICE

PAGE 14 MARCH 2008

We wish to thank for their support

Meetings are held every second Friday, 7:30 pm, and fourth Saturday, 1:00 pm (February to November), of the month at the Unanderra Community Hall (Rear Hall), corner of Factory Road & Princes Highway, Unanderra.

If undeliverable return to: Illawarra Computer Enthusiasts 9 Ursula Road, Bulli, NSW 2516

thirroul Licence No. 2TA4622. A Travelworld Franchise

Office owned and operated by Keith and Ann-Maree Scott.

See Ann-Maree and Keith for all your travel arrangements

Shop 9B Thirroul Plaza

Thirroul, NSW 2515 4267 4011 4267 4125

thirroul@travelworld.com.au

Sunday, 9 March 2008 ILLAWARRA CREDIT UNION HOCKEY STADIUM

Waples Road, Unanderra

www.computerfairs.com.au 0414 961 117

Your key to the Internet

1300 HOTKEY (1300 468 539) for both Accounts and Technical Help

ask@service.hotkey.net.au Box 350, Petrie Qld 4502 (Accounts) www.hotkey.net.au/

This page is sponsored by Bodo Schwarz

Sunday, 2 March 2008 BERKELEY SPORTS STADIUM Kanahooka Road, Berkeley

Sunday, 16 March 2008 BEATON PARK (SNAKE PIT) Foleys Road, Gwynneville

enquiries@computermarkets.com 0425 211 965

A Printer Cartridge Recycling Station is now located in the foyer of the small hall of the Unanderra Community Centre for your convenience.

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