TIME TO COME CLEAN

When was the last time you cleaned up your hard drive? You should do this about twice a year. If you are getting the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) you have the computer telling you it is time. If you are installing and uninstalling programs, and adding and deleting data files regularly it may be time for a cleaning. If you have a folder or icon for a program and you get and error message telling you Widows can’t find the file, it is time for a cleaning. How do you clean your hard drive? I want to talk about a few ways to do some of the common cleaning tasks. There are some of the features you may not have used. Check the program file and see if there is an uninstall option available with the software you have installed. Many newer programs include this feature. This will safely remove the program, any associated folders, links and Registry data. For adding/removing a program that do not include an uninstall program you can go to

Start: Settings: Control Panel: Add/Remove Program

this will give you a menu that depending on the version of windows you use will provide for the options of Adding, Removing, or Changinga program.

You will get a listing of all installed programs on your computer. Highlight the file you want to remove; select remove and the program will be removed. Sometimes this will leave little scraps of files behind. If this doesn’t clear up the problem you may need to get a program such as Norton Clean-Sweep or McAfee UnInstaller.

Another area that builds up trash in your system is the Internet. When you visit sites Windows will store a copy in the Temporary Internet Files Folder. You can go to Start: Settings: Control Panel: Internet Options: General: Delete Temporary Internet Files to delete all of the files or you can use search to fine the folder and delete sites you don’t visit often. You can also set how many days files will be kept to speed your finding sites you go to often. Start: Settings: Control Panel: Internet Options: General: History reset the days to a number you think is reasonable. This will free up disk space.

Finally as a part of the cleaning you may want to empty your Windows’ Cookies from your PC’s cookie jar. Cookies are small text files that a Web site stores on your computer to identify you and your visits to Web sites. These can be useful to help a Web Site serve you better. Go to the Documents and Setting: Administrator: Your Name: Cookies folder and delete the ones you don’t visit frequently.

These tips should help your computer run smoother.

Sincerely, 

Dr.Michael W. Dumin
Technology Section Editor

USING NAMES IN EXCEL

What is a name and Why would I want to use one? A Name is a word that describes the cell or range that you want to use in a formula. A descriptive name in a formula can make it easier to understand the purpose of the formula. For example, the formula =IF(F12>=abdominal_female,"pass","fail")
the field abdominal_female is the value for a passing score on the Fitnessgram curl-up test. You can use the name to represent an absolute value of a score that can be used anywhere in a workbook. The name abdominal_female has a meaning and can be easier to adjust if new standards come out or if you switch tests. Once you have created a field it is available to use or easily modifiable for use anywhere in the workbook. You could create a series of scores abdominal_female_12, abdominal_female_13, abdominal_female_14, and abdominal_female_15 to represent the passing curl-up scores for 12, 13, 14, and 15 year olds. Excel will then compare the student’s score with the value and report whether the student had passed the test or not.

How do I create names? I have a worksheet I call Weights that I list all of the value I will use with the names that I will use in the column to the left of the values. Then I put the cursor on the cell containing the value I want to name. Use Insert: Name: Define to create the name. You will then get a box that lists the name it the left column as the value name linked to the value you have in the right box. The under score that connects the words in the name are inserted by the program. When you want to use this name you will see a space with a down arrow on the tool bar, click on the arrow and you will get a drop down menu of names you have created. Select the one you want and build the formula around the name or you can create the formula and use Insert: Name: Paste to put the name in the formula where you want it.

Using names can simplify the use of formula as decision makers in Excel. Try it and see if you have question. Let me know how I can help.

Here are link to some school web pages with a source for finding may other pages.  Check out what others have done to help you decide how you want to design your site.

Factory Shoals Elementary School's Physical Education Homepage check out the use of sound in the materials available.

Fisher Fit for the Pasadena Texas Fisher Elementary School uses the Learning Network MySchoolOnLine.com for their web site.  

Use MySchoolOnLine.com to find other schools that have Web sites available.  If you find one close maybe they can help you develop you own web page.

Instead of using our listservs to discuss topics, start posting Technology PE questions to the PE-Forum, then email your favorite listserv to invite comments ON THE FORUM rather than to everyone on the email list!

The PE-Forum is easy-to-use once you complete a first time registration.

Check it out!

The CDC has released new information on Prevalence of Overweight Among Children and Adolescents: United States, 1999 the information indicate that we

More American Children and
Teens are Overweight is the title of another recent release from the CDC.