Letter-writing Cheats

This week we started to learn about creating form letters and how to use the mail merge tool in Microsoft Word. First of all a form letter is a letter that has pretty much the same text body but some aspects of it are changed. Usually this would be the name of the person etc.

Example Form Letters:

Dear Riku,
You are invited to the Stars Banquet on Thursday night. We would really appreciate it if you would attend. Please let us know if you will be coming ASAP.

Sincerely,

Mr. and Mrs. Yamaguchi



Dear Kyoko,
You are invited to the VIP Dance on Friday night. We would really appreciate it if you would attend. Please let us know if you will be coming ASAP.

Sincerely,

Mr. and Mrs. Yamaguchi

As you can see the two letters here are very similar and only the name of the recipent, the occasion and date have been changed.

Form letters make it much easier for us to get people the same message without having to write or type out all the information each time. So let's say you have thank you letters, or invitations to send out you can easily send out the same letter with just a few things changed quite easily using Microsoft Word and this is how to do it!

Mail Merging Instructions:

1) First of all open up a word document and click tools>mail merge.

2) Now a pop-up window should be present on your screen. Under 'main document' click 'create and click 'form letters'.

3) After you have done that another pop-up window will open and it will ask you if you would like to create your form letter using the already active window (the one that you have opened) or a new document. Choose the one that you are most comfortable with, I myself find the active window option easier.

4) Now as you can see you have unlocked the next part of creating a form letter. Under 'data source' click 'get data' and click 'create data source.

5) Another pop-up window should be open now. This pop-up window will allow you to create the options for the changing parts of the text in your form letter. These changing parts are called 'fields'. As you can probably see in your pop-up window you are allowed to enter a field name or choose one of the existing ones. I suggest creating your own. You can make fields for the name of the person, an address or anything else that you would like to change in your text. Type in your field name and click ok to create as many fields as you wish.
*Note: Remember to remove the existing field names by selecting them and clicking 'remove field name' and then create your own!

6) After you have done that another pop-up window will open up, which you will use to save your document. Type in a name for your file that you will easily remember and press okay.

7) For this step...yes another pop-up window! What a surprise! Click 'edit data source' on this pop-up window. Now you can enter in the specifics for the fields! Each time you fill out all the fields for one letter, this one set of data will be known as a record.

Example:

Name: Cherry
Favourite food: cherries

Name: Candy
Favourite food: candy

This is an example of what you would do when you enter in specifics for the fields. Note that my fields are the name and favourite food and not the information I have entered. Above I have created two different recordsl

8) Once you have created as many of these as you want, click ok. Now you can type in your message, but wait! It isn't like any other message. You type your message but everytime you want to put down one of the things that will vary in your form letter click 'insert merge field' (this should be displayed right below all the other toolbars as an extra tool bar at this stage). You choose the field you want and click and then continue with your message placing the fields where necessary.
*Note: If you ever wish to edit your data source you can always go into tools>mail merge>edit.

9) When you're all done with that the last thing to do is click tools>mail merge>merge. A new document with all the different letters with different specifics should open up. Now you can do whatever you want with them! Wasn't that much easier than typing them all out?

Ear invaders get ready to face revenge!

The newest assignment: Create your own Podcast about a topic that will be provided to you.

Though we haven't started on this project just as yet, we're all very curious and excited about it. To complete this assignment we'll be using the program "Audacity." Once you download this program from sourceforge.net, you'll have a fully functional recording studio right at your fingertips! This sounded like a lot of fun so I downloaded Audacity this weekend.

I spent sometime experimenting with Audacity, I found the Karaoke version for a song and had my sister sing over it. After that I experimented with different songs and effects. I tried speeding up and slowing the song down, fading, and adding an echo. These are just a few basic features available with Audacity but there is truly a lot more that you can do.

Also, last class we shared our discoveries about Microsoft Word. Most of the ones presented I have already listed but there were some new ones that Mr. Case showed us how to use effectively.

Microsoft is good, you can have my word!

Microsoft Word is known to be the most widely used word processor in the world. Just about anybody who has used a computer knows what Microsoft Word is. The question is whether you really know as much as you think you know about Microsoft word and that's what we've been told to investigate today. So I've got a lot of poking around to do in Microsoft Word, let's see what I can find out!

Findings:

1) Footnotes: A footnote is a note at the bottom of a page of text that refers to or explains a specific part in the text above. I've never had to use this function before but I was always curious about it. To insert a footnote you simply have to go to insert>footnote. Then you set the options to fit your needs best and there you have it!

2) Frames: Frames act like dividers in the document and help you separate different parts of your document. A function that I found a frame would be useful for is if you'd like your table of contents to be displayed on the side as a frame. To insert a frame into your document you simply click format>frames and from there you can choose what you would like to do with your frame.

3) Macros: A macro is a feature that allows you to record a series of actions made on Microsoft Word that you can save and have repeated just by running your macro! This makes things a lot easier, especially if this is a specific format you use for your work all the time, a macro would save you the time of having to set it up. To create a new macro you go to tools>macro>record new macro. After you have done that you assign your macro either to the keyboard or to the toolbar, depending on which you will be using to perform your actions. A small toolbar should pop up in the corner that has controls for stopping and pausing your macro. Once you're done press stop and save your macro!

4) Objects: I always noticed the insert object option on my toolbar whenever I was using Microsoft Word but I never realized what exactly it could do. I previously thought it was probably just the same as putting in a picture into the word document, however, it can do a lot more! This feature allows you to insert a file from another program such as WordPad right into your Microsoft Word document. Or you can create a new file using that program right that instant, working in your Microsoft Word window. You can insert powerpoint slides and MIDI files, the possibilities are pretty wide. Basically this option expands what exactly you can have present in your word document. To use this feature you go to insert>object.

5) Page Numbers: You can save the time of having to number all your pages using this feature, because Microsoft Word will do it for you! It's actually quite simple you go to insert>page numbers. Even though this does seem like a very obvious function that we should all be aware of, I just didn't bother trying to use it before. It can be useful if you're preparing something that requires page numbers and Microsoft Word will place the number where you want it on the pages.

6) Date and Time: This feature is accessible from insert> date and time. Though it is a quite simple feature, and you could easily type out the date yourself, I suppose this could come in handy if you were in a rush.

7) Theme: I wasn't quite sure if it was possible to have a theme for Microsoft Word but it is! You can have a theme for your document just like a Powerpoint slide. I'm not sure if this feature would be useful to the average person but it is something I didn't know. To apply a theme you go to format>theme and then choose the one you wish to use!

8) Paste Special: This is a feature that allows you to paste something in your document that is a bit out of the ordinary. Something other than just text or a picture. The most interesting thing I found about this feature was that you could insert HTML format into the document. You can also insert formatted and unformatted text and a whole variety of other things. To use this function you go to edit>paste special.

9) Captions: As you all know we often need to put captions below diagrams or pictures when using Microsoft Word. The caption feature is very helpful with this as it saves you the trouble of having to move the text around manually. I've passed by this function before but never tried using it, I think you may have more control if you performed this task manually, however. To add a caption, you first select what you would like to add the caption to then go to insert>caption and set it up from there.

10) Subscript and Superscript: Subscript and Superscript are the smaller characters that are placed above (superscript) or below (subscript) the normal leveled text. An example of superscript is the 'nd' in 2nd or the 'rd' in 3rd. Something similar would be used in the case of subscript but it may be numbers. I myself have always wondered how to do this manually and today I found out. To put something in subscript or superscript you can add the button to your formatting toolbar. If you don't already have the formatting toolbar displayed with your other toolbars go to tools>customize>toolbars and check the box for the formatting toolbar. After you have done that click the little arrow on the toolbar, which should open up a pull down menu. You click add or remove buttons on this and simply add the subscript and superscript buttons. Now whenever you want anything to be in subscript or superscript you click the button first and then type.

Ear invasion of the broadcasters part 2

Podcasts, podcasts and more podcasts! This time we were asked to listen to 4 podcasts about 4 different topics and write a little bit about each. As you know my last choice for a podcast was about Adobe Photoshop and photography, so that was automatically ruled out as I began my search for Podcasts. I spent some time to think of the things I'm interested in and would like to listen to a Podcast about. The first thing that came to mind was the craft of writing! Well that sounds a bit too dramatic but I do have a passion for the English language, so the first Podcast I listened to was focussed on Grammar. It took me a while to think of the subject for the next Podcast, but eventually somehow I chose a Podcast that discusses the hidden dangers and scams in business. I believe this came from my slight interest in legal matters. For the third Podcast I chose a weekly horoscope and lastly I chose a Podcast about Anime.

1) Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

This first selection consists of episodes of a Podcast that concentrates on grammatical rules used in the English language that are often overlooked or confused. I actually found this Podcast very interesting and listened to a few episodes but my favourite one is one that discusses the use of the word "woman" as an adjective. In the Podcast a listener has submit a question about the appropriateness of using the word "woman" as an adjective and has pointed out that many people would refer to Nancy Pelosi as the first woman speaker of the house. The person submitting the question asks why the word woman is used instead of female. She also points out that in the case of a male speaker the word man would sound absolutely absurd. So the question remains, is using the word woman OK or not? In Grammar Girl's opinion in the case of Nancy Pelosi it is all right to point out that she is female, since she is making a first but the word female should be used instead of woman. According to Grammar Girl using the word woman as an adjective is subtly suggesting that woman are incapable or do not normally perform the task being discussed at that time. The same can be said if someone points out that someone is male unnecessarily. In my opinion the word woman should not be used as an adjective since the word man isn't used as one either!

2) The Shady Side of Business with Ian Katz

This next Podcasts's episodes are all about business and what hazards are part of the business world. The episode that I listened to really closes in on the use of instant messaging and e-mail in business and how it isn't taken seriously by those who use it. From this episode I myself have realized that I do not take e-mail as seriously as I should be! In fact a lot of people consider e-mail to be not as significant as sending a letter, because hitting the send button just isn't as intimidating as putting a letter in a letter box, as mentioned in the Podcast. Many intelligent people have mistaken that e-mails and instant messages are not/can not be recorded! The truth is that many companies store the e-mails in their database and instant messages can be copied and saved by anyone sending or receiving them! These can serve as very dangerous proof if precautions aren't taken to refrain from communicating material that can be used against the sender via internet. Even Bill Gates has made the mistake of sending content in an e-mail that was used against him when in an Anti-Trust Trial against Microsoft! This goes to show that we all better be more conscious of what we put out on the internet...who knows when it could come back to haunt us?

3)Weekly Horoscope PodCast by NewAgeStore.com

I chose this Podcast just out curiousity. Many people, like myself, who aren't superstitious pay no mind to the Horoscopes in magazines and newspapers and believe them all to be very good marketing. I've made up my mind about all the horoscopes I've come across in my life but I have never heard a Podcast Horoscope so I just wanted to see, or in this case hear, the difference. My astrological sign is Capricorn so naturally I chose the episode according to that. The Podcast states that I should be careful about my belongings, that I will have ghosts of my past brought back to me along with encounters with people I haven't talked to in years and that I will be forced to make a split decision. This is all apparently due to the movement of the solar system, which is discussed in the Podcast but it wouldn't make sense to the average person so the proof for the information being authentic seems a bit weak to me. Also, just like any other horoscope, I am disappointed to say that the predictions announced were very vague and could apply to just about anybody. They would especially feel that the horoscope was correct if they had the ideas in the Podcast in mind throughout the week!

4)Anime Round Table and Review

This is the fourth Podcast I chose for this assignment and as you can see it is related to Anime or Japanese Animation. If you haven't heard of Anime before, or just aren't sure about what it is, it is a Japanese style of animation. It originates from the Japanese form of art known as Manga, usually used in illustrated graphic novels. This Podcast reviews anime in it's episodes and since I'm a very big fan of Anime, I found this Podcast to my liking. I listened to the latest Podcast which is actually a PreShow to a discussion about the Anime "Witch Hunter Robin". I have already seen this Anime and will possible tune back in to this Podcast to catch the full show! The Podcast summarizes the plot of Witch Hunter Robin and encourages people to go out and watch it. Witch Hunter Robin revolves around the life of a 15 year old girl who is a witch, this means she has extraordinary powers, in her case she has the power to use and control fire. She works for an organization known as Solomon in Rome and is sent to work in the Japanese counterpart (STNJ) of this organization. The organization is in charge of catching and killing witches that are using their powers inappropriately. Most of the episodes consist of investigation and catching these witch criminals. If police investigation and government conspiracy are your thing then this is the show to kick off your Anime-loving journey!

Ear invasion of the broadcasters part 1

We've been listening and watching to so many Podcasts that now I believe we have a much better idea of what they are. After presenting myself and being the audience for many other presentations about Podcasts, it has actually made me want to become a regular listener to some of the Podcasts I've come across.

Podcasts were something completely new to me when we were first introduced to them and as we spent more time on doing our projects and hearing about other people's projects, I think I developed a much better understanding of them. I think this understanding will help me use Podcasts efficiently in the future.

We've been told that later on we'll get to try making our own Podcast and that sounds very interesting and I can't wait to try it! Right now, however, I'm a bit concerned about what kind of new weapons the US military will come up with next! After listening to a classmate presenting a Podcast on this subject it's come to my attention that there is a lot of destructive power being created!

Podshop photocast...I mean photoshop podcast!

Our new assignment was to find a Podcast about something we're interested in, listen to it and then talk about it to the class. Well I spent a lot of time browsing through many different Podcasts. I looked for Podcasts on many things, until I decided that I would like to listen to a Podcast about "Adobe Photoshop" for my assignment. I found a wide variety of Podcasts about this topic using iTunes but it was a while before I decided on the one I want to use. Finally I chose a simple and very brief Video Podcast that had instructions to using a very effective technique for Photoshop. It was an episode part of the "Photoshop CS2 Killer Tips by Matt Kloskowski". I actually tried it out and was very pleased with my results. It was something I hadn't even come across during my "Photoshop Exploration". That just goes to show that we're always learning! So I'll be sharing my results with the rest of the class whenever we present!

Aside from that I'm very pleased with my final score on the test! I want to continue to do well throughout the rest of this course.

Occasion for Examination

Today is test day! Our test is about powerpoint and I just thought it would be good if I put some basic shortcuts to remember on my blog.

Keyboard Shortcuts:
Blank Screen: B(Black) W(White)
Switch Pointer to Pen: Ctrl+P
Switch Pen Back to Pointer: Ctrl+A
Show Hidden Slide: H
Move to Next Slide: Mouse click, right arrow key, page down
Move to Specific Slide: Enter

These are the main shortcuts that are really helpful while using powerpoint. I hope I did well on the test!

Good things come in small pods

Podcast: A multimedia file that can be downloaded automatically to your computer using RSS and Atom feeds. An internet broadcast in a periodical format.

Podcast is basically a method of making users aware of new content. If the technical terms are left out Podcast is a very good method of sharing and spreading information. This is an elaborated summary of how podcast works and why it is useful.

A podcast is a multimedia file that functions using syndication feeds. For podcasts web syndication feeds are used. This term basically means that part of site (such as updates etc.) is made available to the subscriber of the feed itself. Podcast differs from downloading or streaming because it can be downloaded automatically as long a software that can read RSS or Atom feeds is present. RSS and Atom feeds are both XML(Extensible Markup Language) languages. RSS and Atom feeds are the core of the system that make podcasting possible.

Podcast is very convenient as it brings you the information you want directly to you. The host of the information will set up different feed channels and you just have to select the feed that is most suited to your needs. The file will be pulled from the internet and downloaded to your system. It allows you to find a Podcast on whatever your interests may be and is available to you whenever you want!

Podcasts have many uses. They were originally created so that individual could have their own raido shows but now they are used as a basis of communication in many other ways. They can alert people about meetings, provide updates, act as tours or tutorials and even work as school lessons.

More information about podcast can be found here. This is also where I acquired my information.

Psst...this posts contains some tips and tricks!

Our work in class today is to look at a few websites that talk about tips and tricks for powerpoint. These will be mentioned on our test tomorrow so I'm trying my best to use them to my advantage and investigate them as best I can.

Websites:
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,1874,2146,00.asp
http://www.123ppt.com/powerpoint-tutorials/index.asp

After looking at these websites we have been told to find out more about 'podcast'. I will be updating my blog later with my findings.

Interaction Contraption

For the last week we worked on Interactive Powerpoint Presentations. We all got to make our own and then we went around to evaluating other people's presentations. Today we'll be doing some more evaluating and so far I've really enjoyed most of the presentations that I've seen.

Interactive Presentations are a great tool to use if you can't be there when the presentation will be viewed. They can help you convey information such as instructions or make for a fun experience. The best thing that I liked about this assignment was that we can use our imagination to come up with any kind of Ineractive Presentation we want. It really did open up a wide range of possibilities to look at.

For my Interactive Presentation I chose to do an RPG theme. Though it wasn't as advanced as video games made today, I think that the interactive aspect of it made it really exciting. I hope that everyone enjoyed the presentation.

I learned a lot from this assignment and am looking forward to using this kind of presentation in the future.