Volume 2, Number 5
January, 2002


Content Guide:
Suitable for elementary school students Elementary School
Suitable for middle school students Middle School
Suitable for high school students High School
General tips for teachers General

Technology Applied
Into the Classroom
STLP News
Through a Student's Eyes
Assistive Technology
The Web
Red-Hot Links
Literacy On Line
Tech Help
Tips from the Pros
Training Schedule at the Ambrose Lab
Staff profiles
Miscellaneous
"The network is down . . . " (humor)
The TIPS Archives

Instructional Technology Home Page
Fayette County Public Schools home page

Editor: Jeffrey L. Jones,
District TRT jjones@fayette.k12.ky.us

This website is intended for the instructional use of students and staff of Fayette County Public Schools

 

Hidden Settings in Microsoft Office 2000

And to think we've gotten it wrong all these years!

"While visiting family over Christmas break my uncle shared this story with us. My cousin Joey (age 5) was spending the night with his nanny. He likes the computer and needs something to keep him busy so she let him play on the computer by himself. Obviously the house was pretty quiet so my uncle peeked in on him. Joey was on the floor with the keyboard across his lap. He had taken all the keys off the keyboard! My uncle, understandably upset, asked him (in a not so nice manner) what he was doing. Joey replied 'I was just taking the keys off to put them back on in abc order. I wanted to make it easier for Nanny to type!' Makes sense to me!"

". . . So should I reboot, or stick birthday candles in it?"

"In an elementary school which I visited as part of the District Tech. Assessment, we were told that when a kindergarten class was visiting the lab, they were discussing a problem with PC's "freezing up."

After a few minutes, one of the kindergarteners raised his/her hand and reported, 'Mrs. Teacher, my computer is frosted!'"


Blue Screens of Death We'll Never See Department


The rain isn't real either!

You might notice that computers don't operate the same when they appear in movies as they do in real life. Look closely next time you're in that favorite multiplex . . .  

  • Word processors never display a cursor.
  • Actors never have to use the space-bar when typing long sentences.
  • All monitors display inch-high letters.
  • You can gain access to any information you want by simply typing "ACCESS ALL OF THE SECRET FILES" on any keyboard.
  • All computers are connected. You can access the information on the villain's desktop computer, even if it's turned off.
  • The really advanced computers emulate the sound of a dot-matrix printer. (See The Hunt For Red October or Alien)
  • All computer panels have thousands of volts and flash pots just underneath the surface. Malfunctions are indicated by a bright flash, a puff of smoke, a shower of sparks, and an explosion that forces you backwards.
  • A hacker can get into the most sensitive computer in the world before intermission and guess the secret password in two tries.
  • Any PERMISSION DENIED has an OVERRIDE function.
  • No matter what kind of computer disk it is, it'll be readable by any system you put it into. All application software is usable by all computer platforms.
  • The more high-tech the equipment, the more buttons it has. However, everyone must have been highly trained, because none of the buttons are labeled.
  • Whenever a character looks at a screen, the image is so bright that it projects itself onto his/her face (see Alien, 2001, Jurassic Park).
  • The internet connects to everything. You can edit credit records, search hotel registries, lookup police criminal files, search (and edit) drivers license databases, edit social security files and more just using the internet! (see The Net).