September 2008

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Word "Leaders"  --top

This should apply to most all versions of Word, but the location of the formatting commands may be different in Word '07...

In Word, this type of formatting is automatic with indexes and tables of contents, but doing this just anywhere in a document takes a little manual work.

If you attempt to do this by simply spacing with a series of periods, you will find it difficult to get clean, uniform columns.  Additionally, Word will interpret three periods as an Ellipsis and you will then have groups of three periods with a slight gap then another series of three periods.

So rather than manually trying to space things, here is what you need to do...

Enter a tab position in inches, which will be the distance between the two parts of the line.  Click the leader type desired (periods, dashes or a line), then click OK. If the leaders do not appear or the position needs to be adjusted, just go back into the tab formatting window and make whatever changes as desired. Right align is likely what you will want to have a clean looking column. Example left vs. right

You can also adjust the tabs by dragging the tab stop left or right to the desired position.  Note: You can delete tab stops by dragging them downward.

Thanks, Jeff

Word quick tip

You may find Word incorrectly line-breaks a sentence with proper names, e.g., Bergesch Computer.  If you want to hold that name together at the end of a line, use the nonbreaking space shortcut keys of Ctrl+Shift+spacebar rather than just a space.

Microsoft Live Mail --top

A customer recently had a situation with Windows Vista and Windows Mail where she would be typing a message and for no reason, the keyboard would stop responding.  What was actually occurring was the message she was typing in lost focus, i.e., the cursor was no longer in the message body.  It was necessary for her to click back into the message to continue typing.

Since this was the only application with the problem, it was not necessarily a Vista issue.  We found no pertinent articles at Microsoft, so without a fix, the next thing was to replace...

Coincidentally Microsoft recently released a new email application named Live Mail, available here.   Be aware, it has an odd and potentially frustrating installer!  When you get to the website, you must first install Windows Live.  When that has completed you will then have this installer window shown here.  Be sure to select Mail from the list and then click the Add to installation button!  Note: Mail is not listed as an option in this screenshot because it was already installed on our machine... You may want to review and add some of the other features like Family Safety...

The first time you open Live Mail it will prompt to import your Outlook Express information.  Note, it does not import from Outlook.

Live Mail operates nearly the same as Outlook Express and Vista's Windows Mail, but with a slightly different feel. For those with multiple accounts, Live Mail separates each email account into their own group.	click image to enlarge
Once again, Microsoft has a default setting that invites trouble and that is to preview incoming messages via the Reading Pane.  This basically opens the message whether or not that was your intention.  Fortunately that can be turned off via the Layout menu...
The new email message window is a little friendlier than previous email applications. The Add photos option is very handy and will embed the image in the message body.  It also offers a variety of tools for the image, such as rotation, borders and resizing. Live Mail checks spelling as you type and unlike Outlook Express, Live Mail does not require Microsoft Office for spell checking. ---- >

So, if you are using Outlook Express, you may want to give Live Mail a ride...  

AVG Antivirus --top

We are not sure how widespread this problem is, but we have seen two machine with Grisoft's AVG antivirus that do not automatically update.  The setting for automatic updates is turned off and changing that setting does not work correctly, it just reverts to off. 

If you are running AVG and have this problem, try uninstalling and reinstalling.

Stupid CitiCard Move? --top

With all the spam and phishing via email, you would think the credit card companies would resist using email for business, but apparently not.  CitiCard will soon notify their customers via email when potential card misuse occurs. 

Seems to us that would just open yet another door for phishing.  Always be skeptical of any email wanting you to click and login or provide information via email.

Internet Add-ons --top

Our September '07 newsletter discussed the problems Internet Add-ons can cause.  Recently we have found some machines having problems with the Yahoo Toolbar, where the browser just crashes out.  Disabling that toolbar (or removing via the Control Panel Add/Remove) resolves the problem.

If you are having issues with the Internet Explorer, try removing toolbars and add-ons...

IE8 --top

Microsoft is offering their second beta release of the Internet Browser version 8, with security being the biggest change from IE6 & 7.  One example of the new security is the way ActiveX add-ons are loaded.  When an ActiveX component installation is requested from a site, you must specifically approve the installation, i.e., if you happen upon a bad site, ActiveX components will not automatically install. 

While IE8 scanned our computer before installation, it did not pick up on a couple of esoteric ActiveX components we have.  It is our opinion the installation should have picked up on these, researched them and then prompted us to keep or remove the components. 

So it is unclear at this point how the final release would affect currently loaded add-ons, i.e., if your computer already has bad ActiveX components, we do not know if IE8 would automatically approve or disapprove of them...

There are many other security changes that should make the Internet a little safer and perhaps stop some of this more recent Internet junk.  But be aware, all these security updates may cause problems with some sites.

If you find sites no longer work properly, look through the security settings and visit these sites:  IE8 Support (limited support) or search the MS Newsgroups for "IE8."

The address bar now highlights the domain you are currently visiting.
That should help reduce the chance of operating in a false site. To the right is IE8's new Safety menu and items.

If you use Ctrl+F (Find) a lot, you will like this improvement.  Rather than the dialog box popping up as in older browsers, Find is now just a toolbar that stays open and allows you to move around the page easily...

Here are ZDNet's and Cnet News articles on IE8.

Politics --top

Recently we heard someone say the "Republicans are the party of wealth."   So with a  little time to kill and unending curiosity, we did some digging...

Forbes has an article on the Richest U.S. Presidents, here is their list:

• George Washington

• Thomas Jefferson - Democratic-Republican

• Andrew Jackson - D

• Zachary Taylor - Whig

• Theodore Roosevelt - R

• Herbert Hoover - R

• Franklin Delano Roosevelt - D

• John F. Kennedy -D

• Lyndon B. Johnson - D

• George W. Bush - R

Perhaps a more relevant article is The 400 Richest Americans (Sept '07).  But while that article tells much about the individuals and how they made their money, it did not reveal much about their politics.

Federal Campaign Contributions Since 1978 is a list of wealthy and famous people and how they contribute cash.  In that article we see very few contributing exclusively to a specific party and while overall the numbers lean slightly Republican, it is a long, long way from a landslide.  It is interesting to note the (highly paid) Hollywood types lean Democratic...

But maybe that initial statement is somewhat true.  Many of those in the 400 list are entrepreneurs who have put everything on the line and worked hard to get where they are...

Quick Links...  --top

In case you did not receive the notice.  Lakedale recently removed Postini as their spam service and now have their own in-house service.  You can log on and adjust it here: spamtrap.lakedalelink.net  If you have problems logging on or using the filter, call 274-9800.

10 Worst Glitches of the Web in '08 (so far)

Do you like nostalgia?  Here is a great site...

We will leave you with these...

I haven't spoken to my wife in years. I didn't want to interrupt her. - Rodney Dangerfield

and from Al Lowe

A bank robber held some employees as hostages. He asked the first hostage, "Did you see me rob this bank?" The hostage replied, "Uh, yes, I did." So the robber shot him dead. He turned to the second hostage and asked, "Did you see me rob this bank?" The hostage replied, "No, but my wife did!"

Do you find it strange that lemon juice is made with artificial flavor but dishwashing liquid is made with real lemons?

Three fonts walked into a bar. The bartender said, "Get out! We don't want your type in here!"