Actually, Dave, I think we're talking abou the same thing here. I'm sorry about my confusing lingo -- it's one of those things that's much easier to show someone than to explain... Don't give up.

I'm a little confused about one thing... Did you say that you have an S icon image that you want to use? If you do, you can definitely use that as the icon to represent the new file type. If not, you can pick one of the gazillion other icons that come with a Windows system to differentiate it from the others.

Go ahead and try my directions from my earlier post and let me know how it turns out. You won't break anything.

 

I decided to download AOL 9.0 Security Edition yesterday, which is an upgrade. I had PC-cillin that came with the machine, but since the AOL SE offered a free installation of McAfee, I decided to do it. First I scanned everything on my computer for viruses (turned out to be 60,000 files - never realized there were so many!). That came up clean. But now it takes forever to boot up, which is driving me crazy. I guess that is the tradeoff for good protection.

 

Some of my computer friends think AOL tends to "gobble up" more and more resources with each upgrade. I liked AOL, but recently switched to a DSL connection and dumped AOL.


Maybe you also have too many programs starting at start up? That can bog it down too.

 

^ Nah, I just think it's the McAfee doing its thing...that's the only difference in the upgrade. I have DSL but prefer AOL for email and other things, so have kept it at a reduced rate. But you are certainly not alone. That is why they are in so much trouble!

 

There are a few things I miss about AOL and thought about going back with the reduced rate, but so far I haven't.

They do have a built in firewall and a few other things that probably make it worth the rate they charge if you bring your own connection.

I was away this weekend, and even though I could access my email, AOL has a better system for getting your old mail, previously sent mail, etc.

 

I'm trying to buy and learn to burn DVD's (and CD's eventually) and had no idea there were so many types. Can anyone explain (to a layperson) the difference between +RW and -RW? And do I have to call my help desk to figure out which type computer takes?

 

Angela

+RW and -RW are different standards for DVDs. Your computer is probably new enough that it can handle both. You can find out by right clicking on your "My Computer" icon, clicking on "Properties" and on "Device Manager". Click on the + next to the "DVD/CD drives" in the list that comes up and see what it says.

My computer can handle both, but my DVD player for my TV can only handle +RW. You might want to check that too.

 

[QUOTE=ralper,Dec 16 2004, 09:53 AM] Angela

+RW

 

No. Depending on how old you stereo equipment is, the laser in teh DC player may have problems scanning the disc's surface and reading the data. This may also depend on the disc itself.

If I buy the cheap no-name brand CD-Rs from Fry's Electronics, I can use them everywhere except in my girl-friend's stereo system and her car. Other discs play perfectly on her equipment, but I can't give them to my parents. It's all trial and error, unfortunately.

 

Also, you may have received a PhotoCD that naturally you would not be able to play on a stereo system, for example. "CD" just means that the disc adheres to a certain industry secification; it's up to you what kind of data you put on there and what devices would be suitable to read the data.

A CD that contains an .AVI or .MPG file would normally not be able to be read by a DVD Player, for example, and traditionally, an old CD plaeyr would not know what to do with a disc containing MP3 files.