Are you aware that Windows is giving you virtual Sticky Notes?

Click on the Start button and type "Sticky," or if you are a Win 8.1 user to the Home Page and type "Sticky."  The program will be your top search choice.  Open the program and an empty sticky note will appear on your screen.  Feel free to type anything into it; for example, a new phone number for your sister, or a doctor's appointment, or a shopping list, whatever you want to remember.

Feel free to add more sticky notes by clicking on the plus sign that appears as you put your mouse over the note. 

If you don't want to see them anymore, simply click on the Sticky Note icon in your taskbar.

If you need to see the notes again, click on the icon in your taskbar again.  To get rid of a sticky note, click on the X in the top right corner.  This is a very useful tool to keep important short term information always on hand.  (Brigitte Haag)

Malware Protection

Judging from the number of members we help with their computer problems each week,  acquiring unwanted malware is one of the biggest problems we face  now days.  You might be seeing pop-ups on your screen warning of hundreds of problems "they" can fix for you, ($$$),  or other annoying pop-ups, maybe your web browser just isn't working right any longer, or not working at all,  your computer slowing down, all signs of a possible malware infection.

A FREE program called Malwarebytes can be your computer's best friend for these situations.  It's totally free, only runs when you tell it to so it doesn't interfere with your regular anti-virus program, and very easy to use.

Go to www.malwarebytes.org and download the FREE version.  Read each screen carefully to be sure you aren't getting some additional software that you don't want, and uncheck any boxes offering you these other programs.

After you download it, install it. 

One word of caution about installing it:   the last screen you see when installing it will likely have a box with a check mark in it, saying "Enable free trial of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium."

 Remove the check from this  box  (yellow highlighted area in the picture), You don't want this trial version of the Premium. 

You'll now have the program icon on your desktop, ( the picture at the top), double click it every one or two weeks and run it.

 If it finds malware after the scan, the next screen shows you these different instances of malware.  They should all already have a check mark beside them,  Click Remove Selected.

Your computer thanks you......!

                              Ron Purkhiser

The "Snipping Tool" is included in your Microsoft Operating System free.  To find the app, go to "Search" on Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.  When you locate it, create a shortcut on your desktop.

The purpose of the "Snipping Tool" is to provide a means to copy any form of data, documents, pictures, or internet information and paste them someplace on your computer.  As an example, on the picture below from the Timber Pines website, I would like to capture the picture of the chair and eliminate the background scenery.

If I click on the "Snipping Tool" shortcut, a box appears (see arrow above).  Select "New" and the image of the picture will become faded and a small cross will appear.  Place the cross in the corner of the picture and while holding the CTRL key down, highlight the picture with your mouse.  Release the mouse.  The image will now be saved on the "Clipboard" of your computer.  You can now shut down the image and website.  At this point you will be able to paste the image on a document, email, etc. 

You can now paste the image into a document or email.

The same is true for documents you find anywhere on your computer -- emails, websites, other documents.......

Another example would be if you were searching for a recipe on the internet and did not want to copy the pictures or advertisements that went with the item, you would use the "Snipping Tool" to select the portion of the article you want and can then paste it into any work program or email.

Or, in the case on the right, if you went into Wikipedia and wanted only some personal information on President Kennedy and not his complete biography, you would select only that portion of the document and paste it onto your computer.

You will find many uses for this tool.  Try it, you'll like it!!

                   Ron Dakin