Page 12      Diablo Blue      November, 2000

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same way that Internet images are stored and used.
Q: What is Wallpaper? How can I change it? Can I use a picture from the Internet or a picture that I have scanned?
A: The background on your desktop is called WALLPAPER. The picture, or graphics displayed are found in the system or can be added from other sources. Mine is a space shot showing the shuttle and arm of an astronaut looking down on the Great Lakes.
To change the wallpaper, RIGHT click the desktop, select PROPERTIES and select the WALLPAPER TAB or BACKGROUND TAB as some systems name it. In the displayed window there will be a list of installed wallpaper scenes to select from. Scroll through the list, and if you have a favorite, select it. You also can have it centered in the desktop window, or tiled--multiple images of the picture or graphics used to fill the screen. I prefer CENTERED. These images can be .BMP, or JPG files; pictures of the kids, or your favorite ski trail, or whatever you desire can be used.
If you find a picture on the Internet and would like to use it as a wallpaper background, here's how to install it. Right click the image and the selections SET AS WALLPAPER, or SAVE PICTURE AS are available. I prefer to save the picture and then access the desktop properties as explained above to later try it. Save the picture in the C:\WINDOWS folder and you are all ready to change it when you want a different wallpaper setting.
Scanned pictures can be used in the same way that Internet images are stored and used.

I Had a melt down of my Windows 98 SE computer, and after many attempts to rectify it, I decided to reformat, and start from scratch. All of this coincided with the hype for Windows ME, so why not thought I.
I installed the promotional edition of Win ME. This went all to easy.
Now I had to reinstall all of my Previous applications, and the story changes.
For anyone who has relied on DOS MODE (Disk Operating System) to get them out of a jam, forget it in Windows ME. There is a new sheriff in town, and you are going to have to play by his rules. Microsoft did not quite kill DOS in in Windows ME, but they wounded it so badly that it can barely crawl.
If you can't quite give up DOS MODE, there is a free patch and program that will guide you through the process of setting up to unhide ME's DOS MODE, or subvert Redmond's code, or the lack of it for DOS MODE. On the net go to www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/.
Windows ME has some other quirks too.
When I went to install my HP printer, I got a pop-up message that it would not run correctly on this version of Windows. But in the corner was a check box "run this program", so I checked it, and no problems! The HP printer worked OK.
Then I tried reinstall my HP scanner. But this time, the pop-up said to go to the Internet to download an upgraded driver. For some reason or other this did not work. Then I tried to switch from a USB connection to SCSI, but now there was some trouble with SCSI, so this remains an unresolved problem. I may try a new scanner later. An expensive solution!
Yes! One more problem! My mouse is both USB & PS2, and would not work on USB, but PS2 was OK.

My impression is that there is a compatibility problem with some USB peripherals in Windows ME, but I have not read any thing on this yet.
All of the software That I used, Corel Draw, WordPerfect, file manager, etc., worked all right.
My evaluation of Windows ME is that it is a "yes and no" product, and even if the interface looks like Windows 98, there are lots of compatibility problems (make sure it supports your peripherals before you try to set it up!), it takes some getting used to, and I am still feeling my way around.