I miss floppy disks. They serve as a reminder of when I first started to use a computer. I remember how spiffy the disks looked, the process of inserting a disk into a drive and snapping shut the door. It was truly a fun time — and apparently government employees at the Pentagon still use floppy disks to manage the United State’s nuclear weapons programs.
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May 30, 2016Floppy Disk Roundup!May 27, 2016No More Hardbound Computer TitlesWhen you buy a “real” book, you have a choice: The first release is generally a hardbound copy, which I find delightful. May 25, 2016Throwaway FilenamesThe most common filename on my computer’s mass storage device is . . . May 23, 2016Slithering AroundI’m a computer game fan, naturally, but I’m also picky about which games I like to play. I enjoy arcade games and first person shooters. I like quick action. And I prefer something that I can stop playing after a few minutes when I get bored or when work calls. Recently, I discovered an online game called Slitherio.
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May 20, 2016Gradient ExamplesOn Wednesday’s blog post, I wrote about gradient fill options in Word. They apply an interesting effect to shapes and they’re fun to play with. What really helps, however, are examples that show how the gradients can be applied and what they look like.
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May 18, 2016Make Your Own GradientsWhile exploring the possibilities of the various object-fill color commands in Word, I stumbled across a most amazing tool: the gradient. You can use Word to create and apply gradient colors to objects, text, and a host of interesting items. That’s neat, but what the heck is a gradient?
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May 16, 2016Some Android QuestionsI enjoy feedback from readers because it helps me improve future editions of my books. So I don’t mind answering email questions, or even sharing the questions and answers on this blog.
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May 13, 2016Things I Don’t Have to Write About Any MoreI have books that have been through 15 or more editions. It’s amazing that these titles are still around. Yet, the reason they have editions is that technology moves forward and, honestly, people aren’t as naive about computers as they were 25 years ago.
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May 11, 2016More Desktop Cleanup!The other day, I was bored. So I looked at my Windows desktop. I saw icons plastered there by some install program. And I thought, “Why don’t I remove them?”
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May 9, 2016Tracking MinutesAndroid phones are great for tracking mobile data. Hidden in the Settings app is a mobile data usage screen, with a lovely pie chart and a list of those apps that hog up most of the data. But what about talk-time minutes? If you don’t have an unlimited talk plan, how can you tell when your minutes are just about up?
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