November 6, 2010 * Seminar Notes
Keystone Computer Concepts
We Speak English, Not Geek!

Thank You! 
Thanks for attending our seminar today, November 6, 2010.  Here is something I totally forgot to show which is very important!  Please have a look by clicking the start arrow!

Yes, tonight is when we turn our clocks back!  Don't forget to get your extra hour of sleep!

Today's topic was "Thanks To The Internet."  Here is the PowerPoint presentation for you to download and watch on your computer:

Seminar 11-06-2010 PowerPoint

We started out with Joyce playing and singing a parody of the song "Thanks For The Memory" called "Thanks To The Internet" (with apologies to Bob Hope).  The original music is by Ralph Rainger; these lyrics by Joyce Delling-Grubb.  Here are the words, if you'd like to have them:

Thanks To The Internet

Thanks to the Internet,
Everything is fine,
I can shop online,
Check the news and weather
and the sun and moonrise times,
How lovely it is!

Thanks to the Internet,
I can surf all day,
No board gets in the way,
IE, Firefox, Opera and Safari now till May,
How lovely it is!

I can do business in my jammies,
And I can send my documents to Paris,
Or I can chat all day till I am famished,
It's so much fun -- no harm done.

So, thanks to the Internet,
I really do believe
By pressing "send/receive"
My email and my pictures come and go --
and it's Christmas Eve.
How lovely it is!

Yes, thanks to the Internet,
I'll Facebook and I'll tweet,
I'll vote online, that's sweet!
No need to use a map,
my GPS just can't be beat
I'll blog and I'll invest,
the Internet's the best!
I thank you so much!

After Joyce's rendition, we began talking about static webpages.  I showed www.4kcc.com as an example of a static webpage.  Static pages are those over which the Internet surfer has no control. 

Next, I went to www.google.com and showed the iGoogle page I had created.  I showed how to add gadgets onto the page and how to move gadgets around.  I also showed how you can change the theme of the page. 

While I was demonstrating iGoogle, we got a window which kept popping up which indicated that there was a stack overflow.  I couldn't get rid of it, I couldn't close the webpage before it came back, so I had to use the Task Manager to get rid of Internet Explorer.  Once it was gone, I restarted IE and went back to iGoogle.  Everything was good from there.  I explained that I used Task Manager instead of shutting the entire computer down.  I also mentioned that this had recently been a topic of one of our Question of the Week emails.  Here is the link to that email, in case you missed it:  click HERE.

Someone asked if these gadgets would slow down the Internet.  I explained that they will, to some degree, but that the major culprit of slow Internet speed is multiple toolbars.  I shared how the use of toolbars is something I call the "E. T. Syndrome."  Almost all of the toolbars out there have to "call home" to their servers every time a browser is opened up.  I suggested that one toolbar is enough with two toolbars as a maximum.  I also suggested that the toolbar "MyWebSearch" should always be removed if you see it sneak onto your computer.

 We also talked about Home Pages and I said I would do a question of the week on home pages soon.  So, be on the lookout for that!

Immediately after the break, we discussed the main purpose of businesses other than non-profit.  Most people got the main purpose - to make a profit.  I then explained how we are affiliated with many companies but only companies which we feel offer good products, good service and value for your money. 

I went over each drop-down menu on 4KCC and I divided the room in half.  I asked everyone on my left to visit our "Computer-related Products We Recommend" page and click on at least 5 banners.  Then, I asked the people on my right to visit our "Non-Computer-related Products We Recommend" page and also click on at least 5 banners.  I explained that I wasn't asking you to buy anything, just click on the banners.

I also explained how buying through our site benefits each of us - the person clicking often gets great deals like "free shipping" and we, here at 4KCC, are paid a small percentage of the sale. 

We concluded with prizes and with the announcement of our next seminar:  Saturday, December 4, 2010.  We hope everyone can attend and please bring a friend!