J&J Computers | Monthly Archives: June 2013

PDF’s Why are they so important? A truly universal file format!

Posted on 06/29/2013 by Jason Thomas

Why are PDF’s so important to everyone? Portable Document Format – The truly universal file format for documents!

I have been around computers since the first home computer, and there has always been a struggle between systems for a universal file format for text and a universal file format for graphics. When the PDF file was first released in 1993 by Adobe, it was considered just another file format to deal with that just happened to be able to handle both graphics and text. PDF’s however have evolved into a great universal file format that is widely accepted and used by the majority of devices and software. It has become even more widely used since it’s release into open standards in 2008, which has allowed for it to become a truly universal format.

There are several other universal formats that handle graphics such as gif, png, jpeg, tiff, etc. and although they can have text as graphics, you can’t easily pull the text out for use in other documents. There are also several universal formats for text, the main one being just a plain text file or txt file. These however can’t have graphics in them. The closest universal format other than PDF is HTML and it is actually a mark up language that shows how to display its text and place graphics that aren’t actually part of the file itself. PDF’s independently contain not only the text and graphics, it also contains formatting (including resolution and size), programming for embedded forms (including formulas, buttons, bar codes, drop down boxes, etc.), security, and much more. The PDF file format can even be formatted with different color controls and resolutions for use in display or for print to get the most out of the file depending on its intended use. And although Adobe made and highly supports the format, it can and is used in all kinds of software, so you are not dependent on just one software vendor.

The other issues in the past with a universal file format have been about what device you could open it on. Some of the first documents and graphics files were very vendor specific. You originally couldn’t open a bmp (bitmap) file on a MAC, and you couldn’t open a tiff on a PC. Now days we have PC’s, MAC’s, Linux, Android, Blackberry, iOS, and a few others, yet all of them have adopted ways to open PDF’s. Not only can you open them on just about any device, but a large and growing amount of software can now open them. You can find web browsers, document suites, graphics suites, and stand alone programs and apps that can view and edit these documents. The biggest down fall currently is on the editing side as this is currently handled better by the more expensive suites out there. There are however some cheaper or free ones out there that do a decent job, and most proprietary software can export their format into a PDF.

So if you want a file format that is robust enough for daily use, that the whole world would be able to see and use, then PDF’s are the perfect truly universal file format for you.

Jason Thomas
J&J Computers
678-225-7045

How to get to all apps in Windows 8 and 8.1!

Posted on 06/28/2013 by Jason Thomas

How to get to all apps in Windows 8 and 8.1!

There are distinct differences on how you get to the all apps view between Windows 8 and 8.1. There is also a way in Windows 8.1 to make the all apps view of the new user interface a default instead of having to do extra steps.

Getting to all apps in Windows 8:

1. Right click on bottom blank area of the new user interface
2. Then click on “All Apps” at the bottom right hand corner of your screen
3. To switch back to the main user interface, just repeat steps one and two

Getting to all apps in Windows 8.1:

1. Click on the down arrow on the bottom left hand corner of your screen
2. To get back to the main user interface, click on the up arrow at the bottom left hand corner of your screen

Making the all apps view default in Windows 8.1 (Not available in Windows 8):

1. Got to your desktop by clicking on the “Desktop” tile
2. Right click on the Task Bar at the bottom of your screen and select “Properties”
3. Click on your Navigation tab
4. Then check mark the option of “Show the apps view automatically when I go to Start”
5. Click on “Apply” and then “OK”
6. From now on when you select the Start Button or use your Windows Key it will go directly to the all apps view and bypass the main new user interface.

Jason Thomas
J&J Computers
678-225-7045

Windows 8.1 Start Menu Returns Sort of… Start Button returns is more like it!

Posted on 06/27/2013 by Jason Thomas

Windows 8.1 Start Button

Today Windows 8.1 Preview was released and we took a look at the return of the Start Menu. Well sort of…. The Start Menu hasn’t actually returned in Windows 8.1, it really is only a Start Button.

When you click on the new Start Button it is essentially a short cut back to the new UI (User Interface). You can make it look more user friendly by setting a check mark to show the desktop background behind the new UI. This is done by:

1. Right clicking on the desktop task bar, going to properties.
2. Then going to the Navigation Tab.
3. Check marking “Show my desktop background on Start”
4. Click “Apply”
5. Click “OK”

This setting basically makes the new User Interface, go over the desktop background picture instead of the other picture. This isn’t much, but it does make it feel less intrusive of a switch.

The Start Button also has some very nice features by right clicking on it such as:

1. Control Panel
2. Task Manager
3. Run
4. Device Manager
5. Search
6. Shut Down
7. And Much More….

Most people that wanted the old Window 7 style start menu back, won’t be pleased with this update. However it is much better than not having a Start Botton at all, as is the current version of Windows 8.

Jason Thomas
J&J Computers
678-225-7045

Windows 8 Video Tutorial – 3 Ways to get back to the new UI

Posted on 06/20/2013 by Jason Thomas

Windows 8 Video Tutorial – 3 Ways to get back to the new UI

Since the release of Windows 8, there has been some confusion on how the new UI (User Interface) works, as well as how to get back to it after going to the desktop or other programs. There are currently three main ways to get back to the new user interface and they are as follows:

1. Hit the Windows button on the lower right hand side of most keyboards.

2. Put your mouse at the upper right hand corner of your screen to show the charms bar. Then click on the Windows logo start charm.

3. Put you mouse at the bottom left hand corner of your screen, and a small start box will appear. Click on that box.

Jason Thomas
J&J Computers
678-225-7045

Parents Must Understand Technology

Posted on 06/17/2013 by Jason Thomas

PARENTS MUST UNDERSTAND TECHNOLOGY!

From Twitter to Facebook, from Tablet to DNS, and from YouTube to Pirate Bay, parents must understand technology and not to fear it. Technology isn’t going anywhere and neither is the web backing it. I hear parents all the time asking how to protect / block their kids from things that they don’t even understand. This just won’t work…. Parents have got to take the time to understand the different aspects of the technology that their kids are using. Technology can help fundamentally with a child’s development. It can help with reading, writing, eye hand coordination, arithmetic, critical thinking, and much more. As parents we need to embrace technology so our kids can benefit from it.

Please don’t get me wrong, blocking access to some content can help you in your quest to protect your kids, but you understanding what they’re doing and why their doing it will go a long way. Blocking the wrong content (which can happen easily) can harm a child’s good development with technology. One great example of this was with my own son. I use a service called OpenDNS, which is a DNS (Domain Name Service) service that can be tweaked to filter different websites based off of content that they have detected. I Love this service because at a flash I can block the majority of adult content, violent content, social content, etc. I found however that by doing this I also blocked him from his favorite website, YouTube. Now yes there is adult content on YouTube, but there are also great things on YouTube for kids as well. His favorite thing on YouTube is to look up how to build different things step by step out of Lego’s. Needless to say, my OpenDNS account was quickly changed to allow this site. We personally monitor what he watches on it, but it is a good resource for many different subjects for him. Wikipedia is another great example of a site that has mixed content and should not be blocked. Lesson: DON’T BLOCK THE GOOD CONTENT OR ACCESS TO IT JUST BECAUSE THERE IS SOME BAD CONTENT.

Another issue with technology that I see parents messing up is the age at which their children should have access to a computer, device, or service. If your child shows interest, then they are old enough to be introduced. I know some parents that don’t have their kids touch a computer until they’re in pre-school, and by this point they are way far behind all the other kids and are missing critical skills. Kids can handle a mouse, keyboard, and touch pad device by the time they are 3. Now I don’t mean go out and buy them an iPhone because they want to call their friends all night. What I mean is don’t think just because they want to use something that they are going to use it for bad things or someone is going to get them. It’s about monitoring what they use, for what reason, and for how long. On almost all the common devices and services out there, there are great parental controls to help (please notice I said help and not that they do it all) you as a parent monitor your kids and limit what they access. All use should be in an open environment, which can constantly be seen and interrupted if necessary. Lesson: DON’T BLOCK KIDS FROM THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, MONITOR AND SUPERVISE INSTEAD.

The last thing that drives me nuts with parents is their immediate paranoia of the unknown and the tendency to block, restrict, and plain take away something due to their lack of knowledge. Just because you haven’t heard of something before, doesn’t mean it’s bad. Nine times out of ten your kids are going to know about something before you do. Talk to them about the things you don’t know about, and then go learn about it. Use some of the same resources they use: Google, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, etc. These can all be great resources to find out about things that you are worried about. You should also call a friend or computer consultant and ask questions, as well as try the device or service for yourself. Some services and devices even have their own age restrictions (Facebook, Tumblr, & Google Account are all 13 years old). Not every device or service is good for all age groups, but with more knowledge in hand you can make those decisions. Lesson: LEARN MORE ABOUT TECHNOLOGY BEFORE YOU GET SCARED OF IT.

Lastly there are great ways and resources out there to help you. On just about every device there are password settings that will prevent the usage of the device if needed. Almost all devices and operating systems now have some program that has been developed to help with parental controls. Most routers these days have the ability to use restrictions by machine anywhere from time limits to content. Services like OpenDNS can help with content restriction. If you have any questions about any of these, there are plenty of resources online. If you yourself are not good with technology then call a professional to help set these up. Sometimes it may be a combination of different things that are needed and may need to be adapted as time goes on and as they get older.

Just always remember that the best filter is a knowledgeable parent that monitors and guides their kids in the right direction so they can get the most out of the technological world around them.

Jason Thomas
J&J Computers
678-225-7045