Sharon Poffinberger Expert Guru
I started my learningthepc.net business back in 1997 to help others learn the basic to using the Personal Computer. I have since expanded to technical support, MS Office, Photoshop, Digital Imaging, and just about anything else that people need to learn.

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Joining 3D Chat Rooms

3-D Chat provides not only the means to text message to other members, but to see and interact with their 'avatar', which is a representation of them. By joining 3-D Chat, you often have to download the software that will enable to move around in an environment as well as build objects in that world.
Once download, you select a user name I.D. and join in an introductionary tutorial such as how to move and where to find things.
Some basic features all 3-D chat offers are;
1. Text chat. You can type and enter words to communicate with other members.
2. Moving around the 3-D world. Similar to a game, the motion allows you to explore this environment by using a combination of the mouse or the keyboard, or just the keyboard.
3. Changing your appearance. The avatar is the character that represents you in the 3-D environment. You can often select from pre-made faces, clothes, hair, and accessories. Membership offers privelages of more choices but also completely new avatars such as animals or well known characters. For instance, you can be Homer Simspon or Master Chief from the video game Halo.
Some chat communities offer voice enable chat, streaming radio or movies, or interactive games you can play with other members.
Chat opens worlds to you.

MS Office Substitute: Openoffice.org

For those who are unable to afford the Microsoft Office Suite, there is a viable alternative; Openoffice.org. This free office suite includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software, database, and an art program which is compatible with the MS Office products.
Open, edit, and save MS documents, or save to a PDF document (for faxing, ebook, and web site downloading). This is all free, with less impact on your computer resources as the Microsoft products have. You will also find it is 'multi-platform', allowing many operating systems and networks to use.

Trillian: Using more than one messenger in one

One of the problems computer users face when signing up with the online messenger programs is the only way to speak to others online is if they are also members of the same messenger service.
Trillian offers a simple way to chat with multiple users in one window. Comprised of AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and ICQ, Trillian allows the user to sign into one account, which then automatically signs you into the other accounts. With just one window, you can chat with everyone.

Creative Blogging

Writing about the mundane, everyday life you lead might not be very appealing to some readers. There are a few ways you can add some interest;
*Write about your life that makes your life different than anyone else. This could include events such as hobbies or interest you follow, people that inspire or affect you in some way, or stories of your past that have held an impact on your beliefs and personality.
*Add media such as snippets of music, widgets, movies, and photo slideshows to share with others.
*Write on quotes you agree with, song lyrics that strike a chord in you, or political events that affect your life.

Online Harassment

You find them everywhere; people who have nothing else to do but to cause trouble for others. Online chat is not immune to abusers. You might find yourself not only facing bad language, and remarks that offend you, but you will also find that some abusers can flood the room with text, 'bomb' you with an instant message, or can boot you offline with programs they have at their disposal.
To protect yourself, use the mute and ignore features chat rooms provide. This shuts off their text to you. This will also shut off Voice features if the chat provides one.
Do not engage in arguments. This simply provokes trouble.
Have your Anti-Virus software updated.
Keep a firewall that allows you to protect your computer from hackers. Windows XP has a built in firewall, and ZoneAlarm is a free firewall you can download through http://www.lavasoft.com.
Leave the room if the abuse gets out of hand.
Report the abuser to the host server of the chat room. For instance; Report to Yahoo if within a chat room on Yahoo.com
Online harassment, like any harassment offline, is a violation of the law, and of the Terms of Service in nearly all chat rooms online.

DazStudio- 3D rendering with animation

DazStudio provides a program that allows users to assembled 3D objects in a 3D world which then renders quality 'snapshots' of the finished work. This also provides a means to which you can develop your very own 3D animation films, with a little practice.
The program is for Windows or Mac users. You will need at least a Pentium III at 700 Megahertz,(Power MacIntosh for Mac users) with Windows 2000 or above. 256 MB of RAM, 50 MB on the hard drive, and an OpenGL compatible card.
Although the program offers basic 3D models within the download, DazStudio can accept any Poser model as well. You will find the Mike 3.0 Figure, and the Victoria 3.0 with some clothes, hair, and skin textures. You'll also receive some animals such as a dragaonfly, and a gorilla, and a woodland scene with trees and lights you can adjust.
The program has created a number of breathtaking 'renders' as well as 3D animated 'shorts' (movies).
http://www.daz3d.com to learn more.