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DADDY BOB'S COMPUTER Q & A
December 2,
2007
Q.
Sometimes, when I click on a graphic on a
web page, I get the message "Click to
activate", but when I click on it nothing
happens. What's this all about?
A.
Microsoft added this to Internet Explorer V7
as a way to get around a patent of Eolas
Technologies, Inc. that has something to do
with the way certain things were displayed
in IE. The "Click to activate" actually did
activate something, it just isn't noticeable
to the user.
A $521
million judgment against Microsoft in 2003
resulted in Microsoft taking this action.
This case has now been settled between the
two companies, and this settlement has paved
the way for Microsoft to license Eolas'
technologies.
There is
a revision to IE7 in the works that will be
released soon that will remove this from IE.
This will not require any action on the part
of the user. It will also, not require any
changes to be made to the web page.
This
update will be automatic if you have
Microsoft Updates set to download and
install automatically.
Once
Internet Explorer is updated, all pages that
currently require 'click to activate' will
no longer require the control to be
activated. They'll just work.
Q.
For a long time I'd not seen the little dog
that comes out when you open a Word
document. Then one day there he was. What
did I do to I turn this feature on?
A.
First, the puppy you are referring to is
called The Office Assistant. There are
several that you can use. The default paper
clip, a smiley face, a robot, the Office
logo, a wizard, a globe, the kitty, and the
puppy. Here's how to use it.
1. Open
Word or any other Office program.
2. Click
Help, then choose to either Show or Hide
Office assistant. (Hide is preferred by me)
3. After
it has been shown and is visible, RIGHT
click on it whatever it may be.
4. Select
"Choose Assistant".
5. Click
Next to page through the possibly
assistants. My granddaughter always used the
kitty cat.
6. If you
select one that isn't already installed you
will be given the opportunity to install it.
7. When
prompted insert the Office CD that you used
to install MS Office. You do still have all
your original CDs don't you? When the Office
installation auto-starts, just exit it.
8. The
new Office Assistant will be installed, and
then can be used.
9. You
can also choose the option to change the
things the Office Assistant will do.
10. You
can also choose to animate the Office
Assistant.
The
Office Assistant may have been intended to
be helpful, but to me it is a royal pain.
Always popping to tell me how to do
something I already know how to do, and
making suggestions that many times have
nothing to do with what I'm trying to do.
Thankfully, the Office Assistant has been
eliminated from Office 2007, so apparently,
others share my assessment of it. |
