Computing
Maintained by Stan Frost, Troutfly Internet.
Lots of us acquired internet-ready computers around the time
of the millennium. Are you new to computing? Have you mastered the
basics and want to learn a little more? Whatever your level there
should be something to interest you here. We simply link from this
page to relevant tuition web sites around the world. Links are being
added all the time. Enjoy!
| Broadband |
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| The Newbiggin-on-Lune (015396 23) exchange was
Broadband enabled on 2nd February 2005. At this time the standard
package from most ISP's was 512Kbps for around £17pm.
Over the spring/summer this package was improved to 1Mbps and
even 2Mbps for approximately £18pm. Only AOL dragged behind at 500Kbps. By the autumn of 2005 most ISPs offered 2Mbps for £18pm, including BT. By the summer of 2006 some ISPs offered up to 8Mbps and the NOL exchange was upgraded to accept this speed. In practice this service currently delivers between 1.8Mbps and 5.5Mbps depending on the distance from the exchange. Broadband Speed Test Sites http://www.adslguide.org/tools/speedtest.asp (requires Java applet) |
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| BT Broadband | |
| Email Authentication | Following installation of BT Broadband you will be able to receive email using Outlook Express but will be unable to send from a non-BT email account. In order to be able to send email you will need to make a small change to Outlook Express. This change is called Authentication. |
| Basic Computer Skills |
| Mouse Skills | |
| Mouse skills | For absolute beginners. Improve your mouse skills while learning about the parts of a computer and the internet. Flash player is required to run this exercise |
| Keyboard Skills | |
| Coming soon. A basic exercise that teaches keyboard skills | |
| Web Browser Skills | |
| Instant Internet | This is a web site aimed at teaching parents and guardians of children how to use a web browser while alerting them to the potential dangers of the WWW. There are dangers awaiting our children on the web - learn about some of them here. |
| Email Skills | |
| Attachments | If you are having problems receiving attachments using Outlook Express with Windows XP this page explains what to do. |
Internet Security |
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| Good advice up to 2005-6 would have been to use a collection of free products - AVG (Anti-virus), Adaware (Anti-spyware) and Zone Alarm (Firewall). From 2006 several companies (Norton, McAfee and Zone Alarm) combined these features and more into a single product - an Internet Security Suite. It is now worth investing in one of these. My preference is Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite. | |
| Web Cams |
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| You can add a web cam (web camera) to your computer for about £50. A web cam makes a great Christmas present. But did you know that you don't have to have a web cam yourself in order to connect to others on the web. Here is a selection of links to cameras all over the world. They range from cams pointing at boring fish tanks to cams on topless beaches in California (you wouldn't really expect a link to one of those on a community web site would you?) There are now web cams on satellites orbiting the earth and there is a cam in the depths of Loch Ness (no idea what you may see there). Web cams have added a whole new dimension to the porn industry which, once again, is something we should guard our children against. Web cams actually take still pictures so don't expect the image to look like a video. Sometimes the picture refreshes every few minutes. Some cameras refresh every few seconds. The real value of a web cam is that you can link to a loved one anywhere on the planet for the cost of a local phone call. Follow the links below to view the world live as it is now! Enjoy! | |
| Tromso, Norway | This camera, pointing out of a window at the University of Tromso, is just about the fastest downloading live image I have come across. |
| Earth Cam | This web page links to a large number of web cams which are categorised into topics. Quite frankly you probably do not need any other link. |