Ask Mister Modem
Q. I have approximately 100 pictures from a recent vacation that I’d like to send to others. Any suggestions for a program I should use for this?
A. “Sending” photos to me means transmitting them, in which case it would be via email. One word of caution, if I may: Unless you know your intended recipients very well, that’s a lot of photos to inflict upon anybody. In photographic circles, 100 vacation photos equal 400 non-vacation photos to anybody who did not accompany you on the trip. It’s been my experience that the level of viewer interest is in inverse proportion to the number of photos being shared. Caution is advised.
The best thing to do is to compress (ZIP) those 100 photo files into one humongous file, then use a service such as TransferBigFiles.com or MailBigFile.com. Using either service, you can upload your gonzo file to a secure area. The site will then provide a link to your designated recipients that they can click to download your file, thus circumventing any ISP-based file-size restrictions. Both sites offer free and paid services, so be sure to read about each one on their respective sites.
To compress (ZIP) all your photo files into one huge file, click to select (highlight) all the files you want to ZIP. Right-click the highlighted files and select Send To > Compressed (zipped) Folder. A .ZIP file containing all your photo files will be created. It is this ZIP file you will send. Your recipients will simply need to right-click, select Extract and select a location for the files on their computer.
If, however, by “send” you mean you would like to share your vacation photos in an online album that your invitees can then peruse until their respective heads explode, any of the popular online album-hosting sites such as Snapfish.com, Shutterfly.com or Flickr.com – and there are countless others – will serve that purpose quite nicely.
Q. I always use the BCC field when sending mail to multiple recipients. When I later want to review the folks to whom I sent an email, my Outlook 2007 Sent Items folder only shows me as the To: recipient, but not the people I sent BCCs to. Is there some way to check BCCs after sending?
A. Double-click to display the message full size in the Sent Items folder in Outlook 2007 and you will see the BCC recipients in the header of each message.
Q. Why is it that sometimes I need to type www when going to a website and for others I have to type http, without the www?
A. In a ‘Net shell, a website name is converted (using a DNS or Domain Name System server) from alpha to numeric format. In other words, the word(s) you type as the address of a Web site are translated into a series of numbers called an IP (Internet Protocol) address. This address tells your browser where on the Internet the website can be found. (It’s a bit more technical than that, but that’s close enough without lapsing into insufferable geekspeak.)
Some website DNS records are configured to allow you to type just the SiteName.com part of it, while others are configured in such a way that it requires the www (for World Wide Web) prefix.
Q. I know there is a great deal of medical information available on the Web, but do you know if there is anything online that can test for color blindness?
A. Before sharing information of this type, I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend seeking appropriate medical evaluation and consultation for definitive answers to health-related questions. I am not a doctor, nor do I portray one on television, though I did play one on radio back in the ‘70s – well, until an unfortunate Cease and Desist Order was issued.
With that caveat, there is a color blindness test located at the appropriately named colorvisiontesting.com website. The default font on this website is refreshingly large and easy to read.
Q. Why, when I try to type “char map” (for Character Map) in Start > Run, do I get a message saying that Windows cannot find it? How can I get to the Character Map?
A. Typing “char map” is close, but no cigar. There should not be a space in the command line entry, so type “charmap,” not “char map,” without the quotes. You can also get to it (depending on the version of Windows) by clicking Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Character Map.
Mister Modem's DME (Don't Miss 'Em) sites of the month
The Dorcus Collection
A collection of men’s fashion photography from the ‘50s, ‘60s and polyestered ‘70s. Caution: Some of the language on this site is a bit on the coarse side so sensitive readers, or those subject to chafing, should proceed at their own peril.
Skillshare
An unusual site that helps visitors connect with educators in order to learn whatever skill they are interested in learning. There may be a fee associated with some classes, so be sure to review the Frequently Asked Questions in the Help area. Better safe than hysterical. http://www.skillshare.com
Song Facts
Song meanings and music trivia, including highest album and chart position achieved. The trivia is quite interesting and links are provided to view a song’s lyrics, purchase the song or obtain the sheet music. http://www.songfacts.com
