FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 164 (03/06/99)

TYPE APPROVAL

Regarding Christopher Wigdon's letter (F!F!F! May 20th), keyboards have tiny studs on the F and J keys, which are there for the two forefingers to home in on. A determined person can 'feel' the surrounding keys and associate the characters with the other fingers. I'm afraid after that it's 'practice makes perfect'!
Jeanne Wood

I found Flying Fingers' by Europress Software very helpful.
Frank Westfield,

Broadstone, Dorset

Try 'Typing' from the 'Expert Software' series, distributed by MicroProse.

David Wheeler

I suggest Typing Tutor 1.5, available from: http://vzone.virgin.net/analytical.eye/ttutor/

It is British and it is free!
A.D.W

I used GSP Instant Typing Tutor and found it excellent. It also helps, if you have been using a conventional keyboard, to change to one of the curly ergonomic ones, because they are actually harder to use if you are looking at the keys.
Jeremy Hummerstone

Invest in a program called Mavis Beacon. It is very American and immensely irritating but it does work. I used it for a while to get the basics and now, with lots of practice, simply writing a great deal of stuff on my computer, I really feel quite competent. I daresay no one would employ me as a secretary but that was not my aim. I have to use the computer a great deal in connection with my work and having learnt to touch-type has made life much easier and quicker. So I say, give it a go!
Joanna French

I came across a typing tutor some time ago from which I learned and it was quite painless. Simply divide the keyboard in two, as per correct typing practice. Use coloured labels or something to mark the centre line. Then, don't allow your left hand to go to the right of this line and vice versa but feel free to use any fingers. When you have really got used to this, mark the 2 columns of keys either side of the centre line and only press these keys with the fore finger of each hand, again using any finger for the other keys. Slowly progress outwards with successive columns and finger restrictions until you are using the correct fingers as per touch-typing. Then and only then get a touch typing tutor if you want to progress any further but you will probably find that you are almost touch typing anyway.
Roger Curtis

A

Thanks for the many ingenious solutions, for the record Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing received the biggest vote of approval.

ARRIVEDERCI INGLESI

Without any encouragement most of my Microsoft Internet Explorer tool bars
 and pull-down menus have turned Italian. It wasn't always so. Stampa, Chiudi and Pagina Iniziale are now all part of my everyday computer language, but I would like to get it back to English before I have to join a language school. I have searched everywhere for a solution. I haven't been able to get a response from Microsoft, and BT Internet was sympathetic but unable to help me.
Ray Donelan

A

This one is a real unmistero even Microsoft Technical Help were baffled. They came up with two suggestions, but the first one sounds like a bit of a long shot. Under Internet Options on the View menu select the General tab, click the Font and Language buttons and check the settings. The language should be English and the Character Set should be set to the Universal Alphabet. The second suggestion was to uninstall and then re-install Internet Explorer. We could understand something like this happening if the Regional Setting in Windows (Start > Settings > Control Panel) had been changed to Italian, but that would have a more widespread effect on other program's menus and toolbars, not just Internet Explorer. It's possible there's a faulty Registry entry somewhere, in which case re-installing might work but if anyone else has any ideas on this matter we will be pleased to pass them on.

TAPI ZAPPER
I am currently using CompuServe and when I exit the program a message always appears: 'The following applications are using the currently active dial-up
networking connection - 'Tapisrv.exe'. Can you throw any light on this and advise how to stop it recurring

Jim Johnston

A

This is a known problem with CompuServe version 3.0 and Windows 98. It can be cured with a downloadable patch. Click on Go, type File Downloads, double click File Finder choose All Files, enter Win98fix.exe in the Search field and follow the instructions.

EXPRESS ANSWER

Can you please tell me how to copy a piece of mail that is in one of my Outlook Express folders into a Word document? When I try to use the "Insert File" command in Word I am not able to identify an individual file in Outlook Express.
Tracey Gardner

A

Open and display the message in Outlook Express. Highlight the part you wish to use and press Ctrl + C (copy to clipboard), open the Word document, put the cursor where you want the letter to appear and press Ctrl + V (paste command). Alternatively open the Outlook Express message window in a Word document, highlight, click, hold, drag and drop into Word.

OFFICE IRRITANT

Reading F!F!F! during my office lunch hour, I was delighted to discover how to stop automatic date insertion in Word. Now can you tell me how to get rid of that darned Office Assistant who always assumes I need his help to write a letter?
Jean Preston

A

Click on the Office Assistant icon on the toolbar and then the Options button, on the Options tab uncheck Display Alerts, and he will trouble you no more.

CALL TO ACCOUNT
With regard to Sanjay Varsani's question about Call Waiting (F!F!F! 20th May), I rather like the fact that the call waiting tones are interpreted by my modem
as an error, forcing it to drop the line. This allows the incoming call through and people do not get the engaged tone. Generally I would rather receive the incoming call as I can always connect to the Internet later and pick up what I was doing, even lengthy downloads seem to survive and just pick up where they left off.
Richard Lamb

A cheaper way of getting calls through to yourself is to use the BT Call Divert system to divert all calls to your mobile phone if you have one. You can configure the system so it only diverts calls that meet an engaged signal get diverted to your mobile (i.e. when you're online). Although you have to pay a few pounds a quarter for this option and the cost of the call to your mobile, providing it is only a few calls a week it is certainly cheaper than the cost of installing and renting another line

Nigel Thomas

The best solution to the problem of incoming calls is to use B.T. Call Minder. This is a sophisticated answering service, which takes messages when the line is engaged, (unlike an answering machine). Of course you are not aware of a call being taken whilst using the Internet, but the service will alert you once the line becomes free again.

Ian Anderton

Another huge response with BT's Call Minder service the most polular choice amongst heavy-duty Internet users, without access to a second telephone line.