If you have a subject or interest to you or one you would like to teach, please contact me by email or see me at the general meeting.
We need your assistance to continue our Education classes.  Here is how you can help - answer these questions!

   1, What subjects do you recommend we teach?
   2. Are You willing to teach a class on a computer subject?
   3. Do you know of someone who would teach a class?
   4. Overall do you have suggestions for improving our Computer Club educational programs? 

In an effort to ease congestion at the reception desk at the monthly general meetings, we are requesting you send your renewal dues to Robert Kutschera, 203 Ootsima Way, Loudon, TN 37774-2820.
 
Please make your check to TVCUC and include your email address so we can email confirmation of your renewal. Of course, if you wish to have a hard copy receipt, we can send that to you as well.

Thank you for your participation and support of the Tellico Village Computer Users Club.
 

Two SIGs are now meeting each month at the Chota Rec Center, with two others on vacation.  The meetings last for about an hour and half.

   Genealogy-first Thursday at 3:00 PM (contact Don Stieghan at 458-2142)

   Digital Photography-second Thursday at 3:00 PM (contact Jim Noonan at 458-9940)

   Computer Hardware-on vacation

   Music on the Computer-on vacation

Many of you subscribe to the computing magazine, Smart Computing.  Do you know that your club can earn and has earned free subscription to the magazine?  You may have been at a meeting when a subscription was given away as door prizes.  Well, you can help earn more of those free subscriptions.  When subscribe or renew and let the publisher know you want the Tellico Village Computer Users Club to give credit to the club.

To do this, go to www.smartcomputing.com.  In the blue panel on the left side of the homepage, go down to User Groups.  Click on User Groups and you will link to the User Group Program page.  The text on that page will tell you about the free subscription program.  In the Orange (yellow) panel at the left, click on Subscribe or Renew Today!

This will link you to the page where you can renew you subscription.  Fill out your data.  Then, as you scroll about half way down the screen, you will come to Give Your Group Credit For Your Order.  Select Tellico Village Computer Users Group, Loudon, TN and the group will be credited when you complete your order.

You may also renew or subscribe by phone at (800) 424-7900.  Just tell the phone person that you want your group to get free subscription credit.

Thanks for your support.

At the December meeting I presented a program on ergonomics. You should keep the following in mind when using your computer, particularly if you sit in front of it for long periods of time:

·         Your monitor should be at eye level. If you're tilting your head back to see the monitor, consider getting yourself a cheap pair of reading glasses so you can keep your neck at a natural angle.

·         You should be sitting in a chair that has an adjustable back-and make the effort to adjust it!

·         If you sit at the computer for long periods of time, consider getting a footrest.

·         If your do not have a dropdown keyboard shelf, consider getting a desk that has one. Your arms should be straight out from elbows to fingers. If your wrists are bent to reach your keyboard, you put added stress on them.

On the subject of wrists, when you use your mouse, you should not be twisting your wrist back and forth; instead, move your entire arm. But you can lessen your use of the mouse if you learn to use keystrokes, which are not only easier on your wrists, they are faster and more accurate, especially as we get older and shakier.

I handed out a listing of handy keystrokes at the meeting, which you can find on the TVCUC Web site (http://www.tvcuc.org/papers.htm). Following are other sources for keystroke listings, including some great shortcuts for Firefox:

·         Keyboard shortcuts for Windows: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449

·         Keyboard shortcuts for all Microsoft products: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/keyboard.aspx

·         Keyboard shortcuts for Word 2000 (nice layout and appropriate for all versions of Word): http://www.fgcu.edu/support/office2000/word/shortcuts.html. Note that many of the standard keyboard shortcuts for Word (e.g., Ctrl-P for print, Ctrl-C for copy)also work in other programs, including your picture programs and your browser!

·         Keyboard shortcuts for Word 2002 and for Word 2003: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290938

·         Keyboard shortcuts for Gmail: http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=6594

·         Keyboard shortcuts for Firefox: http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/keyboard.
The January 2008 issue of PC World contains a Here's How article on "Eleven Undocumented Firefox Tips." Tips include clicking the mouse wheel to open a link in a new tab, something that I've found to be wonderfully useful. I couldn't seem to find the link to that article, although I did find a link to another Firefox tips article from the September 2007 issue (http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136862/article.html).