FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 187 (25/11/99)

LINK WITH THE PAST

My old notebook PC has Windows 3.11 as the operating system and I would like to upgrade it to Windows 95 so that I could use Word 97 and other more up to date software, which I have on my desktop machine. The notebook has no CD-ROM drive and the cost of an external drive is beyond my budget. Can you suggest a practical method of loading software from CD-ROM to a computer without a CD-ROM drive?
Peter Dyson,

A

Once you have Windows 95 loaded on your notebook PC you can use the Direct Cable Connection (DCC) facility to link it to a Windows 95/98 desktop PC, to access its CD-ROM drive, from where you can download programs. The simplest solution would be to get hold of a copy of Windows 95 on floppy discs (it occupies 22 discs…), they were supplied with Win 95 laptops up until a couple of years ago. Sets of discs are frequently advertised in magazines like Micro Mart for just a few pounds. We covered setting up a DCC link between two PCs in some detail in Boot Camp 68.

TIMELY REMINDER

Is there a way to set up an alarm in Windows that will sound whilst I am working to stop me forgetting what the time is?

Vince Emmerson

A

If you are using Windows 98 you can set up the Task Scheduler in My Computer to open a program or carry out a particular action at a specified time, or you could set up a 'Reminder' in Microsoft Schedule+ (Start > Programs). There are also a number of shareware programs worth investigating. Alarm++ from Perpetual Software is versatile and easy to use. It can be downloaded form shareware sites such as Tucows (www.tucows.com) or direct from the Perpetual website: http://www.skst.com/perpetualmotion/

PICTURE POSER

I'm new to the Internet and I cannot download pictures. I get all the text but just blank squares where the pictures should be. I use Internet Explorer and my ISP is Freeserve. Can you help?
Hazel Adams

A

If you right-click on a picture icon, select Show Picture from the drop-down menu and the image appears then the picture download option in Internet Explorer has been switched off. You can turn it back on again by going to Internet Options on the View menu and selecting the Advanced tab. Scroll down the list until you get to Multimedia and put a check in the box next to Show Picture. 

FINAL SCORE

My Mac has a game series, Eric's Ultimate Solitaire, one of which is Towers. This is just as addictive as FreeCell (which I am temporarily without until I get a new PC) and more difficult moreover not all games have a solution, though you are not obliged to try every deal. However, you may backtrack to the start or as far back as you want and if you switch the Mac off it's there ready waiting for you just as you left it when you switch on again. I was always irritated that switching off the PC caused me to lose a game of Free Cell. It has a good "Nice Going!" when you win and a sad groan when you give up. I love it!
Richard Statham

I was very interested by the accounts of other FreeCell addicts. My friend John is quadriplegic and plays FreeCell via a voice recognition program. He has stacked up a winning run of over 100. He solved the very difficult game 1941 inside a day but has not as yet attempted the only supposedly 'unwinnable game', which is 11982. Several people have played all 32,000 games. 99% of games can be solved using only 3 FreeCell buffers and 80% using 2. 15% of games require only one buffer. This comes from http://users.aol.com/wgreview/fcfaq.html where there is a wealth of information.

Mike Hare

A

Thanks to the many Solitaire and FreeCell addicts who sent in scores and statistics over the past few weeks. However, we'll have to draw a veil over this particular topic as several readers have demonstrated very convincingly how easy it is to modify screen grabs and tweak the Windows Registry to produce some truly astounding results…

IT'S A SNIP!
In answer to the "Cutting edge" problem from Bob Brewis (F!F!F! November 4), the scissors symbol can be obtained as follows: select the font to Wingdings or Wingdings2, click Insert, Symbol and there are several scissors to choose from. Adjust font size as required.

Françoise Pilot

Select font type Monotype Sorts and press the " # " key or Shift+1. One can then select bold, change sizes or Italics

Adrian R Dale, Great Clacton, Essex

Select font Windings then press Alt + 034 for a whole pair of scissors or Alt + 035 for a pair with one blade hidden.
Andrew McCallum

Bob Brewis doesn't say what Word processor application he is using. But with Corel WordPerfect suite 7 if you select insert, then character you can ask for the iconic character table and a whole host of icons become available including a variety of scissors. Alternatively he could try importing one from the clipart that comes with most word processors or publisher suites.
P. Bryant

How about numeral eight followed by less than "8< ", or greater than eight ">8"?
Jerry Birtles

Scissors signs can be found on the excellent Martin Vogel's Symbols True Type font, which has many other useful signs, including Euros, disabled signs, and astrology. It's available at many free download sites like www.freewareweb.com but is specifically at http://cgi.zdnet.com/slink?11803:1706904.
Christopher Stout

A cutting scissors symbol can easily be obtained from Lotus SmartSuite WordPro simply by clicking on Text - Insert Other-Symbol and choosing the font Wingdings. Among many symbols are two types of scissors which when highlighted can be positioned anywhere on the page and then printed

Michael Theobald

Scissors symbols are in the Wingdings font. The symbols I can't find are a printer's dagger and double dagger ('obelus' or 'double-obelus'). Any offers?

Philip Pearson