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DADDY BOB'S COMPUTER Q & A
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December 25, 2005
Merry
Christmas
Q. How do I change the icon on my desktop
for My Computer, The recycle bin, etc.?
A.
Right click on an empty spot on your desktop, and
then click Properties. Click the Desktop tab, and
then the Customize Desktop button near the bottom of
the dialog window. There you can change the icon for
My Computer, My Documents, My Network Places, The
Recycle bin full and empty.
Q. Why
doesn't flash memory need a battery to keep it from
losing what is saved to it?
A.
Flash memory
like that found in most digital cameras, and USB
memory sticks is a special kind of ROM (Read Only
Memory). Read Only Memory is memory that once
something is burned into it, it is permanent, and
needs no battery to retain its memory. Flash memory
is a special kind of ROM that can be erased.
Sometimes called "flash RAM",
it is a type of nonvolatile memory that can be
erased and reprogrammed in units of memory
blocks. It is a variation of EEPROM Electrically
Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
which, unlike flash memory, is erased and rewritten
at the byte level. Therefore, Flash memory is not useful as
normal computer memory RAM
because RAM needs to be addressable at the byte (not
the block) level.
Flash memory gets
its name because the microchip is organized so that
a section of memory cells are written to or erased
quickly or in a "flash." (The technical
explanation of this erasure that it is caused by Fowler-Nordheim
tunneling in which electrons pierce through a thin
dielectric material to remove an electronic
charge from a floating gate associated with each
memory cell).
Q. Is there
a way to cancel an Email after it has been sent?
A. If
you are using AOL and send the email to another
person on AOL, it may be possible to retrieve the
email providing the person it was sent to has not
yet opened it. However, if you are not on AOL then
I'm afraid that once it is sent, it too late to do
anything about it, but possibly apologize to the
person you really didn't mean to send it to in the
first place.
Q. I have a new Dell laptop that has something on it
called an ExpressCard slot. What is that?
A.
This answer directly from Dell. "ExpressCard
technology is a small, modular add-in card designed
to replace the larger PC Card over the next few
years. The technology takes advantage of the
scalable, high-bandwidth serial PCI Express and USB
2.0 interfaces. Systems with ExpressCard slots are
expected to ship starting with the introduction of
PCI Express in 2004.
It promises to
deliver thinner, faster and lighter modular
expansion to desktop and notebook computer users.
Consumers will be able to add hardware capabilities
such as memory, wired and wireless communications
cards and security devices by simply inserting these
modules into their systems. All Express Card slots
will accommodate modules designed to use either
Universal Serial Bus (USB*) 2.0, or the emerging PCI*Express
standards.
Click
HERE
to visit a web site and view a White Paper by Dell in which
they explain why the PC Card is
nearing its end of life and they describe
ExpressCard technology. They conclude by describing
how the industry and customers can transition
smoothly from legacy PC Card to ExpressCard
technology."
My Note: I suspect that it is called "Express"
because it will use the new PCI Express bus
standard.
