Did you know that you can "right click" on a Mac just like on a PC? When you do, a specific sub-menu will pop (which varies by software) like that pictured below.

So, how do you "right click" on a Mac? If you have a USB, two-button mouse, that can be plugged in to the Mac and used as we do throughout our schools. Then, just click on the right button and the menu will pop up. If you have a one-button mouse or are using a Mac laptop, you can hold down the control key (ctrl) and then click the mouse button. This combination also functions just like a right-click. Try it, and see what hidden menu options you discover in your most frequently used software programs.

(This entry was adapted from an e-mail sent to all District 21 staff members on August 20, 2007.)

Recently, we have once again faced an increase in the number of inquiries by District 21 staff members about the receipt of unwanted e-mails in their District 21 Inbox.

What is Spam?
While we ought not yet be convinced that Wikipedia, the Internet's communal and editable encyclopedia is the best source of students to gather information, it is the perfect place to find general technology definitions of something like spam. In a nutshell, spam is the e-mail version of junk mail. Of course, the Internet is far-less regulated than what comes through the United States Postal Service as well as being far more anonymous and far more international in scope. This combination makes the Internet fertile ground for unseemly activities. For more information on spam, see the Wikipedia encyclopedia entry or the Wikipedia dictionary entry.

The Spam Filter
In District 21, we use a very powerful and popular spam filter. This computer appliance sits in "front" of our e-mail server in relation to the Internet, and it intercepts messages before they arrive on the e-mail server. Thus, the software on the e-mail server does not make any difference--for better or worse.

The Spam Filter does work
Below you can see charts showing the activity on the spam filter. The first two graphs show the e-mails that hit the spam filter during a 24-hour period. (The first one is from August 19, 2007, and the second one is from April 21, 2008.) The second set of graphs covers a four-week period (July-August 2007 and March-April 2008). It is very similar to graphs from all seven days of the week. Notice that the filter blocks nearly all of the e-mails! (All of the red e-mails are blocked!) Only a small percentage of e-mails come through, and of course, many of these are the spam that has made it to your Inbox. Frustrating? Yes--very!

How does the Spam Filter work?
We must set the filter on a scale of more to less restrictive. This is a balancing act. If we set the filter to be too restrictive, then the e-mails we want to receive will not come through. If we set it to be too permissive, we will receive all kinds of unwanted spam. As you can see from the charts on the attachment, the filter DOES block TONS of e-mail. Nevertheless, in order to receive e-mails from parents and colleagues, we need to live with the fact that some spam e-mails will come through.

What can you do?
First, do not sign up for unnecessary services with websites using your District 21 e-mail address. The more that your e-mail address is "out there" in cyberspace, the easier it is for it to be picked up by spam services. Second, when you receive e-mails from people you do not know, delete them--particularly if there is an attachment or if the subject tells you that you've just won some money! Finally, never open an attachment unless you are expecting it. (Those with student interns this year--Encourage them NOT to send their resumé directly to a principal as an attachment. Principals won't/shouldn't open them. Hey, Principals! Don't open attachments from prospective candidates!)

Some people think that documents are not compatible on a Mac or a Windows computer if they were created on a machine that uses the other platform. Nearly every feature in a basic Microsoft Office document (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) has been compatible since Office 1997 for Windows and Office 1998 for Mac came out--a decade ago! Sometimes, though, these documents can use a little extra help being read. One thing that always helps a document open correctly on any system is the extension, the period and letters that follow the document's title that you have created. Different types of files each have their own unique extension. Some familiar extensions include: .pdf and .jpg.

Each of the three major Microsoft Office programs has its own unique extension, too. These have always been:
- .doc - Word
- .ppt - PowerPoint
- .xls - Excel

In Microsoft Office 2007 (Windows) and Office 2008 (Mac), the default file format has changed to what is known as XML. The new extensions are:
- .docx - Word
- .pptx - PowerPoint
- .xlsx - Excel
The addition of the "x" DOES make a big difference. Files with this extension will not open on Office 2003 or Office 2004 machines, the standard version of Office used in District 21.

Of course, when you are creating and saving your work, you can use the "Save As" command, and choose to save the file as a ".doc" file rather than a ".docx" file. (See the picture below for an example of where you would make this choice in the pull-down menu in the Save As dialog box.)

There are converters for both Windows and Mac computers that allow one to convert a file from the XML format (i.e., .docx) to a standard Office file (.doc). Of course, using such files can be simplified if the original creator of the files simply saves them using the standard format. So, if you are working at home on a computer with a newer version of Office or if your students are doing so, learn and teach everyone to use the standard file to make collaborating and sharing such files easier!

For more information on using word processing, spreadsheet, or presentation software, visit AtomicLearning.com or call the Help Desk (847.934.8100--press 2).

An abridged version of the Professional Presentations workshop was held after school on April 10, 2008. A longer, work-focused version of this workshop will be held in August 2008 prior to the start of the 2008-2009 school year.

In addition to the materials that were shared during the presentation, the following links provide useful information about creating the best possible professional presentations for parents and other educators. (These links do take you off of the School District 21 website and include commercial advertisements.)

- Before You Create a PowerPoint Presentation
- 8 Secrets to a Knockout Business Presentation
- The Seven Deadly Sins of Powerpoint (sic) Presentations
- Creating Effective PowerPoint Presentations

Also, remember, School District 21 teachers and students can use AtomicLearning.com for great screencasts on many specific topics in PowerPoint 2004. If you need the user name or password, please see your school's iTech teacher.