Kenja's Newsletter & Updates

Hi everybody

As always I would like to first welcome all new-comers to the list, for both the Stationery and the Themes. I hope you enjoy the updates and stay with us for a long time.

Well the time has come and I am combining the Mailing Lists and am now producing a newsletter in combination with the Updates for my web sites. Sign-up stays the way it is for now, until I can figure out a better way to verify email addresses. In any event, the feedback on the last update were just great and so I think we might have something here.

The Newsletter will provide you with updates to my websites for Stationery, Desktop Themes, etc. and as a bonus I will add a link to a special download and sometimes you will get something really special, like a stationery, wallpaper. ICQ skins or whatever I can find that is small enough to send, but not so big as to clog up your e-mail boxes. This however is also still open for discussion.... so think it over and let me know what you think about this idea?

I will also discuss Virus Alerts and what to do, software that you can’t or shouldn't’t do without, which for the most part will be Freeware/Care-Ware, and also some other news and interesting links to the Internet. All in all I think it should be quite fun and interesting.

Ok then let’s get started first with the usual updates.

Theme News:

Kenja.net is now officially open and fully operational. As mentioned in the last update, all of my own Theme Creations are being kept there, sorted into categories rather than just alphabetically as on the kenja.com side, which is now reserved for themes created by others.

At kenja.net, you may choose from the following categories (new themes have been added):

• Animals
  All animal themes, and wallpaper made from nature pictures
• Bryce/SciFi
  Wallpaper are mostly my originals made with Bryce 3-D & PSP5. This section may also include Animals (i.e. Dolphins, Dinos etc), SciFi & Fantasy
• Fantasy
  Here you will find themes of Castles, Fairies, Dragons, Gnomes etc.
• Misc
  Anything from Art, People, Music, Movies etc.
• Native American
  Currently 18 themes on 3 pages & new ones added weekly
• Holidays/Religion
  Themes for Easter, St Patty Day, Thanksgiving & Halloween and also Religious themes
• Xmas
  As the name says, only Christmas themes here

All Desktop Themes on kenja.com are now on my server. There are no more links to other sites like EZ Themes, or any other sites except for themes by Nekbyter, which have to be directed to their respective pages for downloads (something I am also starting myself, in an effort to keep better track of my themes). In those cases you can click on the link and another window opens to the page where they are listed at, just as before.
Over 45 Themes have been added and the individual sections have also been broken down to sub-sections with their own index pages. It will now be a little easier to see what I has been added, though you still travel from letter to letter.

Stationery & HTML News:

Well, it is still too soon for me to start thinking about changing my stationery, as IE/OE 5 users are still in the minority. In the last update I offered those of you, who use Outlook Express 5 and/or Explorer 5 with Outlook 98, to change the HTML/Java Script coding on my stationery, so that you too may still enjoy it. Now this was not meant as an open invitation for me to start tutoring people (by e-mail no less) who know nothing about HTML. That offer was/is strictly for those of you who know what they are doing, and under the conditions that you give me credit for the graphics and the link (URL) to my site.

I can appreciate the fact that people want to learn how to create their own stationery and/or homepages. In that case I suggest that you visit Majik's Home on the Web for detailed tutorials and an online stationery script generator.

If you are serious about wanting to learn how to make web pages, then maybe you should try an HTML Editor program called Arachnophilia 3.9. This program is Care Ware, which means it is free, but the author would like you to do something nice for someone else in exchange for the program... nice concept! Or you can study HTML with this free Windows Help file called HTML Reference Library for Windows 95/98 version 4.0. This file is quite large with its 2.92 MB but worth the download, as it explains in great detail not only about the basics, but also advanced stuff like dynamic HTML (DHTML), Java Applets, VB Script, ActiveX, and Style Sheets; and this makes it indispensable for advanced users as well.

HTML & Graphic Accessories:

When making homepages or stationery, you need nice graphics and maybe even music to spice things up a bit. There are plenty of sites out there that offer nice graphics and plenty of midi files, but there is nothing that comes close to the feeling of gratification when you create something of your own.

Everyone has their own favorite programs they like to work with. I am one of those who hates to read instructions, and so I like to get programs that are easy to use, cheap (free is best) and achieve an almost instant result with a little experimenting. The programs that follow are for creating great looking graphics for your web pages or even as wallpaper on your desktop:

• Sterling-Ware Fractal Generator
  This is a Freeware Fractal Generator which makes graphics based on numbers and mathematical formulas. I have used it to create stationery and wallpaper. Sterling is very easy to use and extremely user friendly. No need to read a bunch of instructions, just start by choosing different options, click and watch the results appear.
• Ultimate Paint
  You will have to scroll pretty far down at their download page to get to the free version, but it is there. This program is almost like the older versions of Paint Shop Pro or a great upgrade from Paint that comes as part of Windows 95/98. You can also install some of the free Filters that are freely available on the Internet, though of Filter effects come pre-installed. This is a great little "toy", really easy to use and so affordable!
• KPT X Plug-in Filter
  Get this Plug-in for PSP5, Photoshop or any other graphics program that supports Photoshop compatible filters and plug-ins, than you can get this for free... but only until July 31,1999. To download you are required to register and you will get an email with your registration number (make sure to save the message for future references). The file is about 5 MB total and the filter is real nice. Get it while you can!!
• Harms Tile99 Graphic Generator
  This is also Freeware and lets you create all kinds of tiles. It has a bunch of pre-sets and also lets you integrate some of your own pictures into your current project. You really have to play with this one too, but it too is easy to use and you sure can't beat the price!
• Reptile
  A Freeware program, but you will have to fill out a registration form before downloading and they will send you an email with the registration number. If you save the file on CD or any other type of disk, make sure to save the e-mail with the registration code as well, just in case you need to re-install it at a later point (if you don't, you will have to register again). In any case this is one of the best of it's kind out there. Reptile lets you create tiles and bordered backgrounds. The interface is real easy to use and here too you can experiment with different settings and effects, this is however more or less limited to the tiles. For the borders you are more or less limited from dual colored to gradients. Another plus with Reptile is that can also preview your newly created background with text and link colors right within the program, and that can make all the difference in some cases.
• Font Magic
  If you ever thought about making a 3-D Text logo for your homepages, but didn't feel like buying a program then this is a great freeware alternative. Font Magic is easy to use and has quite a few options to get results without the price tag.
• Terragen Landscape Generator
  Everybody wants to create great looking and original wallpaper, and if you ever figure this one out you should be able to create stunning landscapes. I personally didn't have much luck creating anything with Terragen, but that is not to say that someone else can't. *smile* Maybe I am just use to programs like Bryce, but you just can't beat the price on this one either....Free! So if anyone creates a nice picture with it, send it my way and let me take a look at it.
• MusiNum
  Ever get tired of listening to the same midi files.... seems like everyone and everywhere you go it is always the same music? Now you have a chance to create your own midi files with a small, free program called MusiNum. It creates midi music based on numbers either at their web site or you can download the small program to your hard drive and play to your hearts content. *smile*
• CD2HTML
  So now you created a lot of graphics, midis, and other files. You have them all stored away nice and neatly on your CD or any other hard drive or directory.... now keeping track of all that is a bit more difficult. CD2HTML will create HTML files from your CD or other drives with indexes and even thumbnail pictures of your creations and so giving you the opportunity to stay ahead by organizing everything.
• Word Web (free Thesaurus and Dictionary for Windows)
  Everyone needs one of these, no matter how many dictionaries you have installed with Word or Office, or how many books you have. This is one is indispensable, especially when you have school aged kids. I find this one very easy to use... all you do is type in the word and click "search". Also gives you the Nouns, Adjectives, Verbs, Synonyms, Antonyms, Types, Types Of etc. A great addition to any computer also for a great price!

Now that you have created your homepages complete with your own midi music, graphics etc, you might want to consider applying for some Awards offered on the WWW, to give you some official recognition for all your hard work. This can be very tedious as there are many sites that offer Awards and you always end up entering the same information over and over again. With this free program called Aesop Award Submitter Version 1.38, you fill in the information one time and submit to 100's of Award sites. After you submitted your site for an Award, keep in mind that these sites get 100's or even 1000's of Award requests and you might be in for a long wait..... just be patient and don't give up! *smile*

On the Lighter Side of Life:

Top Ten Ways A Computer Nerd Can Impress His Date

1. Flash the big wads of tens and twenties you created with your color laser printer and top-notch graphics program.
2. Spend an evening playing floppy disks backward, listening for the secret messages about Satan.
3. Invite her back to your place to show her the etchings on your Newton Message Pad.
4. Let the lady go first when you reach the virtual reality escalator.
5. Serenade her with your MIDI-compatible drum pads.
6. Have your dinner illuminated by the soft glow of an active-matrix LCD panel.
7. If you're getting serious, consider a set of "his 'n' her" system unit keys.
8. Drive her crazy by murmuring tender love words with the help of a French-speaking voice synthesizer.
9. Never type on your date's laptop computer without permission, particularly if the system is on her lap.
10. When things get tough, simply ask yourself, "What would Bill Gates do in a situation like this?²

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