FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 070 (19/08/97)

PARISH COUNSEL

Some years ago I found that I needed a new typewriter, but when I looked for one I discovered that apart from a few distinctly wonky ones in various shopping catalogues, they could not be brought, at least not in this country. At about the same time I found myself with the job of editing our Parish Church magazine. I brought a Canon Starwriter combined word processor and printer and after several years struggling, have learned to live with it, except for certain niggles. The blue on blue screen is not very easy to see and becomes wearing on the eyes after an hour or so. I have not the room for a computer and do not want to spend another year learning to use a new machine. 

There must be a lot of people just like me, who just want efficient letter-writing and graphics but have not the slightest interest in computers. Do you know of any word processor/printers that would answer my needs?

George Bickerstaff, Shaw, Lancs

A

Having mastered the intricacies of the Canon Starwriter you will be surprised how easy it is to use most PC word processor packages. A laptop is the most flexible solution. You will be able to accept contributions from other PC or Mac users on disc, a much wider range of fonts and typefaces are available and simple desktop publishing programs will enable you spruce up the magazine with illustrations and clip art. Printers needn’t take up a lot of room. Many desktop models have a ‘footprint’ that’s only slightly larger than a sheet of A4 paper. The PC and printer don’t have to be physically connected, a lot of recent laptop PCs and printers have ‘cordless’ infra-red communications facilities. Perfectly adequate 486DX laptops can be found for less than £500 in the pages of magazines such as PC Mart and Micro Mart, and compact colour inkjet printers sell from around £120.

EASY INSTALMENTS?

Many software programs incorporate their own uninstallers. How reliable and efficient are they?

Robin Holman, Heath End, Farnham

A

The uninstaller utility incorporated into an item of software is usually the safest way to delete that program; it is regrettable that all programs don’t include them as standard. The uninstaller will have a record of where all of the files that the program loaded are located, so when it is removed it will should leave nothing behind. Windows 95 keeps track of software with an uninstall facility and lists them in ‘Add/Remove Programs’ in Control Panel. Removing software by simply deleting the file from the directory tree in Explorer or My Computer (or Filing Cabinet in Windows 3.x), almost always results in orphaned files. At the very least they waste valuable hard disc space; they can also interact with other programs and cause erratic operation or crashes, or worse! Programs like CleanSweep and Uninstaller are a good investment. They monitor all new installations, so they can be safely deleted when the time comes. They can also track down bits of old software left lying around. On most well used machines they can usually recover several tens of megabytes of lost hard disc space. 

PISCATORIAL PURSUIT

Some years ago my Xerox PC had a really super screen-saver with an aquarium, where the fish swam across the screen. I feel cheated by Microsoft Coral Reef, the colours are good but the fish do not swim. Do you know where I can get a fully mobile aquarium for my Pentium PC?

Philip Rich, Crowthorn, via fax.

A

It sounds as though your old computer had After Dark from Berkley Systems, which had one of the first and still one of the best swimming fish screen savers. It’s still available, Version 4.0 for Windows 3.1 and 95 sells for around £20. If you have an internet connection you will come across literally thousands of free screen-savers on the world wide web, some with a fishy content. Berkley Systems own web site is worth a visit; http://www. berksys.com

CARDFILE COPIED

In response to your answer concerning the absence of Cardfile in Windows 95, (Missing File, FFF 22nd July), I successfully transferred Cardfile to my Windows system. All I did was copy the cardfile.exe file from the Windows 3.1 directory together with the address.crd it had created.  It runs with no problem at all. 

Anna Hussey

A

We didn’t suggest that for two reasons. Firstly Mr E. A Gallop -- the sender of the original question -- said that it was his first PC, consequently he didn’t possess a computer with Windows 3.1, from which to copy the Cardfile program. Secondly, we could not encourage Mr Gallop to copy Cardfile from a version of Windows not licensed to him as that would be in breach of several dozen clauses in the copyright agreement. Have you any idea how many Microsoft lawyers read Connected? However, your point is well taken...