Getting  Along With Your Computer Column Archive

Tips
By Cate Eales
Appeared May 29, 2008 on castanet.net

This week I'll show you how to solve your Vista SP1 sound problems, enhance your Office experience, and improve your typing. Now you can listen to some music while you work on getting that beautifully formatted report out faster!


Can you hear me now?
Some people have a problem with their computer's sound after installing Vista SP1. The problem is, there isn't any sound!

Like my mother always told me, the best way to solve that problem is before it happens. In this case, what you should have done is install the newest drivers for your sound card before installing Service Pack 1. Since that didn't happen, we'll just have to go straight to the fix. Just follow the procedures here until you find the one that works for you.


Microsoft Office 2007 more compatible than ever
If you don't use Microsoft Office 2007 and you have begun receiving Word documents that your older version of Office won't open, you will want to get hold of the free Office Compatibility Pack, available here. Please make sure you install any updates for you version of Office before you install the pack. You might want to have a look at this overview.

Users of the free MS Office alternative called OpenOffice have come to appreciate the ability to save a document, spreadsheet, or presentation as a PDF file right from within the application. MS Office was not able to offer that until now. A newly released add-in will allow you to save your MS Office documents as PDFs. You can grab it here. (Genuine Office validation required.)

As well, there is an add-in for MS Office which will allow you to open and read documents created in OpenOffice format. The add-in is available on SourceForge.net, here. Please be aware that this is not a Microsoft site, and the add-in is still somewhat experimental. Read the documentation.


Learn to type or improve your typing
I have set up more brand new computers for clients in the last two months than I did in the six months preceding. Prices have really come down.

It's always exciting to set up a computer for a first-time user. Many of my new clients want to know where they can learn to type. I have some suggestions, but first let me say that there is nothing wrong with the "hunt and peck" method. If that works for you, stay with it! If you want to learn a more formal typing method, or you want to type faster, and you want to have a little fun, check out Typeracer, here. As you type, you race a car against other typists. It's fun.

I found Keybr.com less entertaining, but certainly effective. Typeracer involves typing phrases; Keybr.com involves typing random words. I like my foolishness better with race cars, but maybe that's just me.

If you want to download a program rather than use one on the web, Bruce's Unusual Typing Wizard comes highly recommended. You can download it here. And, if you feel the need for speed, try the TypeFaster Typing Tutor, available here.


Thank you everyone who wrote with questions, comments, and words of encouragement. Please email cate@rlis.com if you have anything to ask or tell about your computer. Don't forget, you can browse the column archives at any time. Point your browser here to go there.  If you'd like to subscribe to this column by email, please visit this link.  It's easy, and free. If you'd prefer the RSS Feed, click here.


Links
You experience problems with sound after you install Vista Service Pack 1 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948481
Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en
How to use older versions of Office to open newer Office files http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924074
Save MS Office documents to PDF http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=4D951911-3E7E-4AE6-B059-A2E79ED87041&displaylang=en
OpenDocument/OpenXML Translator for Office http://sourceforge.net/projects/odf-converter
Hunt and Peck http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunt_and_peck#Hunt_and_peck
Typeracer http://play.typeracer.com/
keybr.com http://www.keybr.com/
Bruce's Unusual Typing Wizard http://typing.qcalculus.com/
TypeFaster Typing Tutor http://www.typefastertypingtutor.com/
Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archives http://rlis.com/column.htm
Get Cate's column by email http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?Sub=20618
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Cate Eales has been helping people make online computing safe, accessible and fun for over 20 years. She lives in Kelowna with her husband, Eric, and her dog, Sandy. Cate is a partner in Real Life Internet Solutions, helping individuals and small businesses with virus, spyware and malware eradication; personal computer training and management; digital image management; music transfer; and website design, hosting and management. Email Cate at cate@rlis.com with your comments, suggestions, or questions. To browse the column archives, visit the Real Life Internet Solutions website at www.rlis.com.

© Cate Eales 2008 – All Rights Reserved
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