Alt + Enter a highlighted object to see its Properties, like file size, date created or last modified, and what program is associated with the file. You can also just hold the Alt key down and double-click the item.

Keep reading to discover how to speed up your start up. Also, personalize your PC's look! Be sure to check out the Friday Funnies and Amanda's Cool Site of the Day.

Every now and then I stumble on an unexpectedly good piece of software. It maybe a title that's not really that well known but is superior in many ways to the "big boys" out there. Well, that's what I have for you today! And the price is amazing :-)

We have an awesome print program called Print Artist and it really gives both PrintShop and PrintMaster a run for their money - and is superior in many ways. This software is just great - really easy to use, packed full of features, and really goes the "extra mile" when it comes to great tools and options. Seems no matter what kind of project I wanted to try, this could do it - and with an incredible amount of control. You can really get some amazing results with this one!

You can use this software to create any number of print projects - the list below is just a very partial one:

Create thousands of projects including:

• Year-Round Greeting Cards
• Scrapbooks
• Event Posters
• Brochures
• Business Newsletters
• Small Business Stationery
• 3-D Crafts
• Party Sets
• Banners
• Calendars
• Personalized CD Labels
• Fundraising Invites
• Theatre and Movie Programs
• and much more!

Impressive huh? The thousands of included templates and clipart make the project almost too easy! Making an incredible looking print project in a matter of minutes is no sweat for this software! (Of course, you can work from scratch too if you prefer - that's easy too :-) Oh, and look at all the ways this helps you make the most of your projects:

	5,000 high-quality images
	4,000 Fun and Unique Layouts
	1800 Sentiments
	300 AGFA Fonts
	Spell Checker
	Mail Merge for easy addressing
	Easy Drag and Drop technology
	QuickStart Card gets you off the ground quickly
	GraphicsGrabber helps you find the right image
	No experience necessary!

I really like how this combines flexibility and power with easy of use. Most print software does this, but PrintArtist seams to have it down to a science! Plus, if you're looking for a bargain on some really powerful print software, this is a no-brainer:

Your cost? Get this - Just $6.97 and US shipping is FREE! For that kind of money, you just can't go wrong. Give this a try - I think you'll find yourself as hooked on it as I am! Talk about a deal:

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=1792

PS - Please note that this isn't a title we can get all the time so once these sell out, that's it. PLEASE hurry to the site to get in on this one! When people try this, they end up hooked - see for yourself!

Q:
My system seems sluggish. I know it has to do with all the programs that sit in my system tray, but how can I keep these programs from running at startup?

A:
I hate it when I install programs and they insist on starting when I boot the computer. You know the drill. You install something and it places an icon in your system tray.

All those little icons you see in your system tray represent programs that are RUNNING. If a bunch of stuff loads when you start your computer, you may be maxing out your system before you launch your first regular program. So, if you find your computer getting progressively slower as you add more software, it could be that these system tray icons are, at least partially, at fault.

In addition, program running in your system tray can cause any (or all) of the following problems:

- Sluggish system speed
- Frequent lockups / illegal operations
- Software install problems
- Difficulty in running some programs

The more of these programs you have running, the more likely it is that you're going to see one or more of the problems mentioned above. Granted, System Tray programs are not the only cause for the conditions mentioned above, but they are the first place to look.

So, how do you keep all these unwanted programs at bay?

1. Click Start and select Run...

2. Next, type in:
msconfig

Then hit OK.

3. The System Configuration Utility should run (please note that not all computers have it installed -see note below).

4. Click the Startup tab.

5. You'll see a listing of all the stuff that starts itself when your computer does. Just uncheck the programs you don't want to load and leave the rest alone.

Note - If you don't have msconfig on your system (win 95 / 2000 doesn't) then check out Startup Control Panel at:
http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

It does basically the same thing.

Once you get msconfig or the program above running, you'll probably see more stuff than you bargained for. I would advise exercising caution while unchecking, especially if you're not sure about what program(s) you're suppressing. Stuff like Scan Registry and System Tray are probably best left alone. If you see stuff that you recognize as being non-essential software, than uncheck it. This is one of those do at your own risk things.

If you're not sure which program is being referred to, look at the path. Sometimes the folder just before the ".exe" file can give you a clue as to what program you're dealing with.

For example, if I see something like:
C:\program files\real\realplayer.exe

I can guess the program in question is the ever annoying Real Player.

In general, don't disable stuff that starts like this:
C:\Windows

Or stuff like this:
SysTray.exe

These are more likely to be important system files and programs. You may find that your computer won't run without them and you'll have to go into Safe mode to get things working again.

Finally, note that unchecking this stuff doesn't remove it from your system. The idea behind having these programs start when the computer does is to give you fast, easy access to them. However, having too many of these programs running at the same time can hit you hard in the system resources department. I personally make sure anything I don't need isn't running. If I need it, I'll click on it's shortcut.

~ Steve

Have a question for the newsletter? Submit it at the link below:
http://www.worldstart.com/submitquestion.htm

Redecorating with Personalized Style

Yesterday we talked about how to choose your desktop theme from those available on your system. Those are pretty basic. You can also modify them or create your own!

Note: These directions are for XP users. Other versions of Windows will look slightly different and have the settings in slightly different places. Look in the Control Panel as a starting point.

All right, let's get started. Right-click your desktop and choose Properties.

The Display Properties window will appear. Click the Themes tab and select the theme you want to change. Just be sure to Save your changes with a new theme name. Otherwise, your changes will be lost when you select a different theme. In the Save As window that opens, notice the file extension. This means you can use .theme in the search function to find all the theme files on your PC!

Now it's time for the fun part! Let's tinker with the individual pieces of the theme: backgrounds, icons, screen savers, color schemes, window and button styles, font sizes, mouse pointers, and sound schemes.

To change your background, go to the Desktop tab and pick one from the list or Browse the picture files on your PC until you find one you want to use for your wallpaper. DO NOT CLICK OK. For our example, I'll be going with an island theme. If you want to change the icons Windows uses for your programs, folders, or files, click the Customize Desktop button. I'm going to leave these alone because I tend to recognize things visually, and I don't want to confuse myself looking for the program with the green blobby icon!

Next, let's pick a screen saver for our new theme. Click the Screen Saver tab and choose one from the list, then fine-tune it with the Settings button. If you're concerned about someone hopping on your PC, you can password-protect your screensaver. Just be sure to remember your password! Again, DO NOT CLICK OK.

Under the Appearance tab we can pick the window and buttons rules and the font settings. I'm going to select XP style windows the the silver color scheme to coordinate with the island picture. I tend to get eyestrain by the end of the day, so I'm going to make the text larger. If you click the Advanced button, you can adjust individual settings for certain windows. The Effects button changes how windows visually behave. DON'T CLICK OK... YET. Leave the Display Properties window open.

Now let's change the mouse scheme and the sounds. Go to the Start menu and select the Control Panel, and then (XP) Mouse or (Classic) Printers and Other Hardware, then Mouse. This will look different in the Classic view than in the XP view. Either way, the Mouse Properties box will appear.

Change the Pointers and Pointer Options under their respective tabs. You can Browse for other pointer images. When you have them just right, click OK in the Mouse Properties window.

For the sounds, go back to the Control Panel and choose Sounds and Audio Devices Properties. In the window that appears, choose the Sounds tab. If a previous owner has put a sound scheme in place (like spongebob 2001, for example), you'll see it there. You can also pick a specific sound for each event that your computer performs. You can also Browse for additional sounds, like music clips and voice clips. When you have everything as you like it, click OK.

All right! Now you can go back to the Display Properties window and select the Theme tab. You'll see your new theme name(Modified). Save As whatever name you want your finished new theme to have and click OK.

Enjoy your PC's new, personalized look!

~ Chris Fisher

If you enjoy our tips, tell your friends. That's what keeps this newsletter growing.
http://www.worldstart.com/referafriend.htm

Friday Funnies

Overly Educated Diagnosis

Three men, a physicist, a engineer and a computer scientist, were driving down the highway. Suddenly, the car started to smoke and stopped.

The physicist said, "This is obviously a classic problem of torque."

The engineer said, "Let's be serious! It has burned the spark of the connecting rod to the dynamo of the radiator. I can easily repair it by hammering."

The computer scientist said, "What if we get out of the car, wait a minute, and then get in and try again?"

~ Author unknown

For more stories, jokes, quotes and cartoons every day, sign up for our Just for Grins newsletter.

Remember the Milk

I make lists for everything, from what I need to get done for WorldStart to house chores to grocery lists. When I found this site I was delighted! So after checking out the Learn More link, I readily signed up. It's free!

This is a very thorough planner and list maker. The first screen you see when you sign up and log in is the Overview area. You'll have one task already assigned to you. That task is to "Try out Remember the Milk". I headed over to the Tasks section next.

There you can check off your first task and click complete. This will make "Try Out Remember the Milk" go away. To add tasks, just click the bright blue link Add Task. Before you start adding tasks, check out the Inbox, Personal, Study, Work, and Sent tabs.

The Inbox is like your e-mail inbox, but instead of getting e-mail you can receive lists from other users. This could be really fantastic to use for family chores, or tasks from your boss at work. You can send lists to other users in the Sent area. I keep my housework, grocery, and general to-do lists in the personal area, but you can use it for whatever you need. There are also Study and Work areas for organizing those lists.

You can even set some items to repeat or to have due dates. This allows you to focus on the really important things without forgetting about little things like lunch. (Yes, I often forget to eat lunch.) You can tell at a glance if you have a project that is overdue, due today, or even due tomorrow.

In the Contacts section, you can invite people to join, manage the other users you may already have, and so on. In the Settings section, you can edit your user information, like what country you are from and your time zone.

If you have a question check the site's Help section to see if it has already been answered. This section also lists keyboard shortcuts to help you use this site more easily.

I can't wait to put this site to work. I'm going to be very organized, and it will be much easier to multi-task the millions of things I need to get done.

http://www.rememberthemilk.com/

~ Amanda

Do you have a cool, non-commercial site that you want to share?
Send it to Amanda at amanda@worldstart.com

Now available in our Software Store:

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WLAN USB Dongle - $24.97
This wireless dongle is the perfect solution for your wireless network applications, based in the IEEE 802.11g standard that offers data rates up to 54 Mbps.
It is a USB network adapter that plugs into your notebook or PC to enable access to a LAN, or peer-to-peer networking without the need for any wires. Order yours today!
http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=2025

October Wallpaper

Join the thousands who download them every month.

	Leaf Jumble No clue what kind of leaves these are or even the type of tree they fell off of, but I just had to snap a pic last fall. Taken only 5 minutes form my house - colorful and convenient!
	Leaf on a Log Happened by this last fall while on a hike. I'll admit to moving the leaf a bit for a better composition, but it could have fallen on that spot :-)

As always, these are 100% free. Just head to the site to pick 'em up:

http://www.worldstart.com/month-wallpaper-calendar.htm?