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Introduction | |
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How This Book Is Organized | |
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Conventions Used in This Book | |
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Menu Commands | |
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Shortcut Key Combinations | |
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Web Page Addresses | |
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Special Elements | |
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Let Me Know What You Think | |
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Getting Started | |
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Understanding Your PC Hardware | |
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What Your Computer Can-and Can't-Do | |
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Getting to Know Your Personal Computer System | |
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Computer Hardware Basics | |
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Setting Up Your New Computer System | |
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Before You Get Started | |
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Connecting the Cables | |
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Turning It On and Setting It Up | |
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Using Windows | |
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Understanding Microsoft Windows XP | |
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What Windows Is-and What It Does | |
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Different Versions of Windows | |
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Working Your Way Around the Desktop | |
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Important Windows Operations | |
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Using the Start Menu | |
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Understanding Files and Folders | |
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All the Other Things in Windows | |
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Getting Help in Windows | |
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Taking Windows for a Spin | |
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Playing a Game | |
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Launching a Program-and Printing and Saving a Document | |
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Viewing Your Documents | |
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Examining Your Hard Disk | |
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Shutting Down Your System | |
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Personalizing Windows | |
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Changing the Look of Your Desktop | |
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Organizing Desktop Icons | |
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Changing the Way the Start Menu Works | |
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Activating Special Effects | |
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Chaning Your Click | |
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Using a Screensaver | |
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Resetting the Time and Date | |
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Setting Up Additional Users | |
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Working with Files and Folders | |
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Viewing Folders and Files | |
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Navigating Folders | |
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Creating New Folders | |
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Renaming Files and Folders | |
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Copying Files | |
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Moving Files | |
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Deleting Files | |
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Working with Compressed Folders | |
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Upgrading and Maintaining Your System | |
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Adding New Hardware and Devices to Your System | |
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Most Popular Peripherals | |
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Understanding Ports | |
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Adding New External Hardware | |
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Adding New Internal Hardware | |
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Using the Add Hardware Wizard | |
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Connecting Portable Devices to Your PC | |
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Setting Up a Home Network | |
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How Networks Work | |
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Setting Up a Wired or Wireless Network | |
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Running the Network Setup Wizard | |
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Setting Up Wireless Security | |
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Sharing Files and Folders Across the Network | |
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Performing Routine Maintenance | |
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Free Up Disk Space by Deleting Unnecessary Files | |
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Make Your Hard Disk Run Better by Defragmenting | |
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Perform a Hard Disk Checkup with ScanDisk | |
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Keep Your Hardware in Tip-Top Condition | |
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Dealing with Common Problems | |
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How to Troubleshoot Computer Problems | |
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What to Do When Windows Freezes | |
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Dealing with a Major Crash | |
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Undoing the Damage with System Restore | |
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Using Computer Software | |
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Installing New Software | |
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Automatic Installation | |
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Manual Installation | |
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Installing Software from the Internet | |
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Removing Old Programs | |
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Working with Microsoft Works | |
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Different Versions of Works | |
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Working with Works | |
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Other Popular Software Suites | |
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Working with Words | |
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Exploring the Word Interface | |
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Working with Documents | |
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Working with Text | |
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Printing a Document | |
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Formatting Your Document | |
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Working with an Outline | |
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Working with Pictures | |
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Working with Numbers | |
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Understanding Spreadsheets | |
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Entering Data | |
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Inserting and Deleting Rows and Columns | |
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Using Formulas and Functions | |
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Sorting a Range of Cells | |
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Formatting Your Spreadsheet | |
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Creating a Chart | |
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Working with a Database | |
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Creating a New Database | |
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Changing Views | |
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Editing Your Database | |
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Sorting and Filtering | |
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Creating a Report | |
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Working with Presentations | |
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Understanding Microsoft PowerPoint | |
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Creating a New Presentation | |
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Formatting Your Slides | |
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Adding Graphics | |
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Applying Slide Transitions | |
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Start the Show! | |
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Managing Your Finances | |
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Setting Up Your Accounts | |
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Navigating Money | |
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Managing Your Bank Account | |
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Banking Online | |
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Playing Games | |
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Building a State-of-the-Art Gaming System | |
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Installing and Playing PC Games | |
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Playing Games Online | |
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Playing Games Against Other Players | |
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Finding Videogame News and Tips Online | |
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Using the Internet | |
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Connecting to the Internet | |
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Different Types of Connections | |
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Before You Connect | |
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Setting Up a New Connection | |
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Connecting via a Commercial Online Service | |
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Sharing an Internet Connection | |
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Surfing the Web | |
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Understanding the Web | |
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Using Internet Explorer | |
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Basic Web Surfing | |
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Advanced Operations | |
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Let's Go Surfin'! | |
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Finding Stuff Online | |
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How to Search the Web | |
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Where to Search | |
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Searching for People and Businesses | |
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Searching for News, Sports, and Weather | |
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Searching for Financial Information | |
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Searching for Medical Information | |
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Shopping Online | |
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How to Shop Online | |
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How to Find the Best Prices Online | |
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How to Shop Safely | |
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Booking Travel Reservations Online | |
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Buying and Selling in eBay Auctions | |
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How Does an eBay Auction Work? | |
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eBay Bidding, Step-by-Step | |
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Buy It Quick with Buy It Now | |
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Protecting Yourself Against Fraudulent Sellers | |
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eBay Selling, Step-by-Step | |
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Sending and Receiving Email | |
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Setting Up Your Email Account | |
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Understanding the Outlook Express Window | |
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Managing Your Email | |
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Sending Files via Email | |
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Protecting Against Email Viruses | |
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Using Address Book to Manage Your Contacts | |
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Using Instant Messaging and Chat | |
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Sending and Receiving Instant Messages | |
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Chatting with Friends Online | |
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Using Newsgroups, Message Boards, and Blogs | |
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Reading and Posting to Usenet Newsgroups | |
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Participating in Web-Based Message Boards | |
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Joining the Blog Community | |
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Downloading Files | |
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Finding Files Online | |
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Downloading from a File Archive Website | |
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Downloading Files from Any Web Page | |
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Creating Your Own Web Page | |
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Building a Web Page at a Home Page Community | |
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Using Page-Building Software | |
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Uploading Your Pages | |
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Protecting Your PC from Viruses, Spam, and Other Nuisances | |
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Safeguarding Your System from Computer Viruses | |
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Fighting Email Spam | |
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Hunting Down Spyware | |
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Defending Against Computer Attacks | |
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Shielding Your Children from Inappropriate Content | |
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Playing Movies and Music | |
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Playing CDs and DVDs | |
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Understanding CD/DVD Playback | |
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Using Windows Media Player | |
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Playing a CD | |
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Playing a DVD | |
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Ripping and Burning CDs | |
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Understanding Digital Audio Formats | |
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Ripping Songs from CD to Your PC | |
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Burning Your Own CDs | |
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Copying Entire CDs | |
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Downloading and Playing Digital Music | |
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Downloading from Online Music Stores | |
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Downloading from Free Music Sites | |
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Downloading from File-Trading Networks | |
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Playing Digital Music with Windows Media Player | |
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Listening to Internet Radio | |
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Using Your PC with a Portable Music Player | |
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Working with the Apple iPod | |
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Transferring Songs to Other Portable Music Players | |
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Editing Your Own Home Movies | |
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Configuring Your Systems for Video Editing | |
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Choosing a Video Editing Program | |
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Working with Windows Movie Maker | |
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Burning and Copying DVDs | |
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Choosing a DVD Creation Program | |
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Creating a Movie DVD Direct from Tape | |
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Creating a Movie DVD from Video Files | |
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Creating a DVD Slideshow | |
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Copying a DVD | |
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Working with Digital Pictures | |
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Connecting a Digital Camera or Scanner | |
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Making the Connection | |
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Transferring Pictures via USB or FireWire | |
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Transferring Pictures from a Memory Card Reader | |
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Scanning a Picture | |
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Managing Your Digital Photos | |
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Managing Your Photos | |
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Choosing a Photo Editing Program | |
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Editing Your Photos with Adobe Photoshop Elements | |
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Printing Your Photos | |
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Printing Photos Online | |
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Creating Digital Scrapbooks and Other Photo Projects | |
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Checking Out Digital Scrapbook Programs | |
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Using Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer Deluxe | |
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More Fun Photo Projects | |