DECEMBER 2011- ADDING GRAPHICS TO A WORD PROCESSING DOCUMENT

ADDING GRAPHICS TO A WORD PROCESSING DOCUMENT
DECEMBER 2011
MICROSOFT WORKS 8.0 WORD PROCESSING
Add an existing picture or photo from a file on your computer:
1. In the document, click where you want to insert a picture.
2. On the Insert menu, point to Picture, and then click From File.
3. If the picture file you want is listed, double-click the file name to open it.
4. If the picture file isn’t listed, switch to the drive or folder where the file is located, and then double-click the name of the file you want to open.
Tip: You can also add an existing picture by clicking the Insert Picture icon on the toolbar.

Add a Microsoft clip art picture:
1. Click in the document where you want to insert a picture.
2. On the Insert menu, point to Picture, and then click Clip Art.
3. Click Browse.
4. Under Select a category, click the category you want.
5. You can refine your search by choosing a sub-category under Select a sub-category, or a type of clip under Select a media type.
6. Click the picture you want, and then click Insert.
Tip: You can also add an existing picture by clicking the Insert Clip Art icon on the toolbar.

If the picture you want to insert is on the Works compact disc, you will be prompted to insert the disc containing the clip into the CD-ROM drive of your computer. After you insert the compact disc, Works will find the picture you want and insert it into your document.

Add a picture or clip art from the Internet:
1. Locate the graphic on the Internet.
2. Right click on the picture and select Copy.
3. Click in the document where you want to insert the picture.
4. Right click and select Paste.

Resize a Photo or Clip Art Picture:
To resize clip art and maintain a picture's proportions:
1. In your document, click the picture that you want to resize. Selection handles appear around the picture.
2. Position the mouse pointer over one of the CORNER handles until it looks like a 2-pointed arrow.
3. While holding down the left mouse button, drag the corner into the center of the picture until it is the size you want, then release the mouse button.
Note:
To keep the same proportions, you MUST drag a corner handle. If you drag in a side or top handle, you will warp the picture.



Crop a picture
1. In your document, click the picture that you want to crop. Selection handles appear around the picture and a Picture toolbar will appear at the top of the page.
2. Click on the "Crop" tool on the Picture toolbar.
3. To crop a single side, use a side, top, or bottom handle. To crop two adjoining sides at once, use a corner handle.
4. To crop equally on two sides at once, hold down CTRL as you drag the center handle on either side inward. To crop equally on all four sides at once, hold down CTRL as you drag a corner handle inward.
6. Drag the handle until you have cropped the area you want to remove. Release the mouse button.
Notes:
a. Cropping does not make any change to the actual picture or graphic. You are simply telling the program how much of the original picture that you want displayed.
b. If you want to resize the picture, do this BEFORE cropping. Trying to resize after cropping will reverse the cropping and display the full picture.

Wrap text around an object:
You can wrap text around an object to highlight the shape, curves, and points of the object. It makes a document look interesting, and doesn't move the object.
1. Click to select the object (picture or clip art).
2. On the Format menu, click Object.
3. Click the Wrapping tab.
4. Under Style, click on one of the style choices:
a. The In Line With Text style insets the graphic in the text at the location of the insertion point. The graphic moves as you add or delete text. The text does not wrap around the graphic; white space extends to the margins on either side of the graphic.
b. The Square style wraps the text around all sides of a square bounding the graphic. The graphic moves as you add or delete text.
c. The Tight style wraps the text around the graphic in an irregular shape bounding the actual image. The graphic moves as you add or delete text.
In the Square and Tight styles, you will have available the Text Placement option boxes that will allow you to move the picture to the left or right margin.


CHRISTMAS FREEBIE:
Often we try to include information in documents that require aligning the text. Using tabs is the way any typist would use to do this and it works well if all the information is the same length and there are only a few items. However if some information is long and others are very short tabbing doesn't work. Using the table function is the answer. The table function wraps the text to fit and aligns everything. It offers controls to show borders, text breaks and many other features and is easy to use.

October 2011 - Organize Photos with Picasa

The invention of the digital camera has made the statement “a picture is worth a thousand words” a reality. Small high quality cameras that make instant pictures and movies at no cost have led to billions of photos being taken and viewed daily. Facebook and YouTube have more photo and movies online today then were taken in the previous 50 years.

Once upon a time you loaded a 36-picture roll of film that cost $2.00 into a $200 camera and took the film to a store to develop the pictures for $10. Or bought a movie camera and a 50-foot roll of film and made a 5 minute movie that had to be developed and played on a special projector. Today a camera that fits in your pocket or a cell phone can take photos or movies that can be seen instantly or shared with friends on the internet at no cost. Suddenly that shoe box in the closet isn't able to store these memories. Photo album programs that allow you to store, edit and catalog all these images on your computer or create CD storage disks are the answer. Many are either expensive or don't work well. A free program, Picasa from Google is today’s best answer. Learning to use it requires some training, but it is worth the trouble.

Downloading Picasa

First you must go to the Google website at www.google.com. Near the top of the page about 3 lines from the top find the word “More”, click on it and then click on “Even more”. In the right hand column you will see Picasa. Click on it and follow the instructions for downloading it to your computer.

When you install Picasa, you have the option to allow it to scan your computer for folders containing photos and images, which will then be shown as folders in Picasa. Folders in Picasa represent actual folders on your computer, so changes you make to folders in Picasa also affect the folders on your computer. For example, deleting a photo from a folder in Picasa deletes the photo from your computer. At the same time, deleting a photo from a folder on your computer removes the photo from Picasa.

Albums are different from folders because albums only exist in Picasa. They don't represent real folders on your computer. Albums may also contain photos saved across multiple folders. For example, you might create an album called 'Pictures with Grandma,' and include photos of grandma saved in different folders. It's important to note when you delete or move photos from an album, the original files remain in their original locations on your computer.

SCANNING AND MONITORING YOUR PHOTOS

You can use the Folder Manager to control how Picasa scans and monitors the folders on your hard drive:

1. Click the Tools menu in Picasa.
2. Select Folder Manager.
3. Select a folder from the folder list on the left that you want to add or remove from Picasa's watch list.
4. Select one of the following monitoring options on the right

• 'Scan Always': Picasa views all compatible image types in these folders, and it automatically adds new photos. Picasa actively scans this folder for changes.
• 'Scan Once': Picasa accesses all compatible image types in these folders only once. It doesn't detect new photos added to folders with this setting.
• 'Remove from Picasa': Picasa doesn't look in folders that are marked with this status.

Click the OK button to save your changes.

The folders that you've set Picasa to continuously scan are listed in the 'Watched Folders' section.

FOLDER LIST ORGANIZATION

The Picasa folder list allows you to neatly display and sort the folders on your hard drive. You can change the way you view these folders without changing their actual location on your hard drive.

• Click the View menu.
• Select Folder View.
• Select your folder view or your sort type. You can also change the Picasa folder view by using the buttons above the Folder List.
• Flat folder view - this is the default view. This view displays all the folders that you've directed the Folder Manager to scan, regardless of the folder hierarchy on your computer's hard drive. Apart from your normal 'Folders' collection, you may notice other collections like 'Projects' and 'Downloaded Albums' which are designed to organize specific types of photos.
• Tree view - with this view, all of your scanned folders and sub-folders are presented in a hierarchical view, reflecting the folder structure of your hard drive. You'll see your folders grouped under headings like 'My Pictures' and 'My Documents' (Windows) or 'Pictures' and 'iPhoto Library' (Mac). Other collections like 'Projects,' 'Exported Pictures,' and 'Hidden Folders' won't be visible in the Tree view.
• Simplified tree view - all of your scanned folders and sub-folders are presented on the same level underneath the top-level directory. This is a good way to sort all of your folders within the same list. Within each view, you can sort the folders by creation date, size, name, or recent changes.

SORTING PHOTOS AND ALBUMS

You can sort both the order of folders and albums in your Picasa folder list, as well as the way your photos are sorted within a folder or album.

Sort photos: To adjust the way your photos are sorted within a folder or album, please take the following steps:

• From the folder list, click on the folder or album that you'd like to re-order.
• Click the Folder menu or the Album menu.
• Select Sort by.
• Choose to sort your photos by the following options: Name, Date, or Size. To reverse the sort order of name (Z to A), date (oldest to newest) or size (largest to smallest), just hold down the Shift key when you make your selection.

To change the order of your photos manually, you can also drag and drop photos to your desired location.

Sort folders and albums: To change the order of your folders and albums in the folder list, follow these steps:

• Click the View menu.
• Select Folder View.
• Choose from the following sorting options:
• Creation date: Newest to oldest.
• Recent changes: Most recently updated first.
• Size: Largest to smallest, by the amount of hard drive space taken up. Name: Alphabetically, A to Z.

You can also access the sorting options by clicking the pull-down arrow menu in the button bar above your folder list, next to the folder structure buttons.

MOVING FOLDERS You can move entire folders around on your hard drive from within Picasa. Follow these steps:

• Right-click (Windows) or control-click (Mac) the folder you'd like to move in the Folder List.
• Select Move folder.
• Choose your desired destination.
• Click OK.

Note: These moves are permanent on your hard drive!

CREATING AN ALBUM

You can combine photos from multiple folders into a single album in Picasa. Photos that you include in an album remain in their original folder locations on your computer, even if you reorganize or delete photos from the album. To create an album, you can follow these instructions:

• Select the photos you wish to include in the album and put them in the Photo Tray in the lower-left corner of the window.
• Once all your selections are in the Photo Tray, click the Add Selected Items to an Album button on the Photo Tray.
• Select New album. You can also choose to add the photos to an existing album in the menu.
• In the 'Album Properties' window, name the album.
• Click the OK button.

EDITING FOLDER OR ALBUM PROPERTIES

You can edit the following properties of a folder or album:

• Folder/Album name
• Date
• Place taken
• Detailed description
• Background music for slideshow and movie presentation modes

To edit an album or folder's properties, please use the following steps:

• Select the folder or album you'd like to edit.
• Click the Folder menu or the Album menu in Picasa.
• Select Edit Description.
• Make your edits. Please note the following:
• Date: You can manually choose a date that should be associated with the folder. Alternatively, Picasa can analyze the timestamp of your photos in the folder or album and determine a date for you if you select the 'Automatic Date' checkbox.
• Background music: Select the 'Use Music for Slideshow and Movie presentation' option if you want music to accompany the display of the photos in that particular folder or album, while in slideshow or movie mode. Click the Browse button and select the MP3 music file you'd like to use.

Click the OK button.

All above information from the Google Picasa Help site

Files and Folders

Please see the January 2011 post for the write up. The only changes are the locations menus for Windows 7 which were shown at the meeting.

July 2011 - Skype

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services transmit voice traffic over an IP-based network, which, in layman’s terms, means you’re going to get phone service over the Internet. It’s similar to talking over a normal telephone, except it’s often much cheaper than regular phone service and doesn’t always have to involve a traditional telephone. People who are accustomed to using traditional phone services will encounter a significant learning curve when they decide on one of the many quality services out there, but that’s all a part of getting used to something new.

Skype is a VoIP software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chats over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee. Skype has also become popular for its additional features which include instant messaging, file transfer, and video conferencing.

Skype has 663 million registered users as of 2010. The network is operated by Skype Limited, which has its headquarters in Luxembourg. Most of the development team and 44% of the overall employees of Skype are situated in the offices of Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia. (Wikipedia)

Pros:

Calls to other Skype users are free

Video conferencing

Cheap rates to call landlines

Cheap international calling

Cons:

Variable voice quality

No 911 service

Computer must be on to make calls

No service during power outages

Scant technical support

Professional reviewers and users alike love Skype because it allows you to have free PC-to-PC VoIP calls or video calls. One drawback is sound quality that is decent at best, and poor in some reviews. If you want to call landline phones, you'll need to subscribe to Skype's pay service. Reviews recommend Skype for free international calls to other Skype users, as well as for very inexpensive international calls to landline and cell phones. Skype isn't designed, however, to be the sole telephone for the household, mainly because it can't make 911 calls.

(ConsumerSearch.com, October 2010)

Service Plan and Fees:

One of the advantages of dealing with Skype is the options they give you in terms of how you can pay. You can either pre-pay, pay as you go or pay monthly with PayPal, credit card, Moneybookers or prepaid cards you can buy at Wal-Mart.

This service offers three plans (Unlimited U.S. & Canada, Unlimited North America and Unlimited World) for $2.99, $6.99 and $13.99, respectively. The distinct difference between these plans is where you can call. The Unlimited U.S. & Canada plan gives you unlimited calls to the United States and Canada. Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey (landlines only, discounted rates to the rest of Mexico) are added to the Unlimited North America Plan. You’re able to call 40 other destinations with the Unlimited World Plan. The good thing is that even the most expensive plan doesn’t cost you very much.

Features:

Skype offers their customers a solid list of 17 features. The difference between what they and their VoIP services competitors have to offer is the fact they’re a video chat based VoIP service. As a result, you’re going to get several options like the ability to send files and screen sharing. You can also take advantage of the fact you can call other people who have this service for free. Other free features this service offers include video calls, Skype-to-Skype conference calls and instant messaging and group instant messages.

If you want to get in touch with someone who doesn’t have this service, it will only cost you about two cents a minute. The costs for receiving calls from landlines and mobiles, sending text messages and having voicemail are very low as well. Subscription plans have these features included at no cost to you or are discounted. Accessing this service via WiFi hotspots is another inexpensive option this service provides its customers.

Ease of Installation/Setup:

The process of setting up Skype is easier than what you would find with any of their competitors. You don’t have to deal with any equipment or the hassles that go along with it. All you have to do is download the program and install it on your computer. If you want to talk to another person, you need to have a headset or external microphone. They have Mac and Windows versions of their software, so there’s no need to worry about whether you’re compatible or not. The most important thing to have with this service is an internet connection. If you have a good internet connection, the rest takes care of itself.

Help/Support:

Skype provides their users with a list of popular answers to frequently asked questions and help topics that focus on particular aspects of their services, such as Payments & Billing, Products & Features, Skype for Business and Technical Issues & Using Skype. On the right side of the support menu, you can take advantage of their helpful step-by-step tutorials, glossary, information on how you could look for the information you need better, reports on whether parts of this service’s system are operational, user forums, data on their payment options, the ability to view purchase limits and how you can get more help. The get more help option is a little disappointing because all it does it is bring up a search box for the FAQs section.

Summary:

When you use this service, you will find that it’s one of the most flexible VoIP services out there. You can do a number of different things and pay them exactly how you want to pay them. There aren’t any rigid guidelines holding the customers back from truly enjoying the services Skype has to offer. For that reason alone, you should choose them over the VoIP services that have plans that are a lot more rigid.

(www.Voice-Service-Review.TopTenReviews.com (2011)

June 2011 - eReaders

'eBook' is short for 'electronic book', a digital version of a print book that has been optimized for on-screen reading. eBooks are available in a variety of different formats that can be read on a personal computer or hand-held device designed specifically for this purpose.

eReaders are simple computers that are very portable and can be used to store and view many books. Even the lowest priced versions can store over 200 books. The purpose was to allow you to take many books with you on trips or have several books available in one small package. The arrival of tablets and netbooks on the market has cut into the potential market. eReaders had a severe drop in price, falling from $300 - $500 into the $150 - $170 price range. Tablets and netbooks can do everything that eReaders can and a lot more and are only slightly more expensive. Some of the early eReaders were linked to a book seller and used only a specific format that the seller controlled. Apple and Google joined Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders and others in selling eBooks.

When libraries started making eBooks available, they standardized into two basic formats EPUB and PDF format. Most books are available in these two formats.

Variety of eReaders:

eReaders come with many different features. Most are essentially the same size, about as big as a medium sized book. They are about as thin as your little finger and weigh less than a pound.

1. Some can only display black and white, while others display full color. It is claimed that the black & white format is easier to read in bright conditions than the color models.

2. Some come with automatic connection to the book seller to buy and download eBooks, while others need an open wireless connection (WiFi). Some of those with the automatic connection will allow you to surf the web, while others only allow the connection to the seller. Since the eBooks have slow processors, the connections are still slow compared to tablets and netbooks.

3. Most will allow you to play 'audiobooks' using internal speakers or using headphones.

4. Some will play slide shows of images you have loaded.

5. Some have the ability to play music, if you have loaded songs.

6. Video play back is included with some eReaders. These videos are more in the music video type, not full movies.

7. Some allow email and web surfing if a wireless source is available. It is slow but does work.

In other words, they are trying to be everything to everyone. Almost all eReaders come with preloaded free books from the public domain. These are books without copyright protection and include many of the classics. You won't find anything written after 1929 in the free books unless the publisher forgot to copyright it. Many of these have been scanned by students from college libraries and are very poor quality.

Do you need an eBook Reader?

The choice will be based on what you need and want to do with it.

1. Are eBooks cheaper then paper copies? NO, but they can be downloaded. Purchased copies can be saved on your computer for later usage.

2. Out of print books are often available as eBooks.

3. eBooks will never be sold for thousands of dollars at auction like rare paper books.

4. Are eReaders easier to carry than paper books? Yes, they are lighter than one hard cover or three paperbacks.

5. Can you pass them on to friends? No, copyright laws forbid printing or sharing of any eBooks except free ones without copyright protection.

6. Do you travel often with several books or want to check email at a hotel on the road? eReaders can do this.

7. The size and weight of an eReader can be helpful for those with disabilities that make holding a book a challenge.

8. Text size can be adjusted for those with vision problems and some eReaders even will read the text aloud to you.

9. The digital library is always open, whether you purchase an eBook or borrow one from the library. And you will never have a late fee for library eBooks as they return themselves.

eBook Sources:

There are many on line sources.

Amazon has a large list of available eBooks, as well as Borders and Barnes & Noble

Apple Store also sells eBooks.

Google has both free eBooks and eBooks for sale. They claim to have over 3000 free eBooks available.

Your Local library offers free eBooks for loan. I have never been able to get anything current and generally got a copy of the paper version faster. That may change as eBooks become more popular and libraries get more copies.

There are many other online sources, but these are the major sources.

Be sure to do your homework before buying an eReader. Items to consider include:

· Size and weight

· Controls, buttons, touchscreen

· Battery life

· Features

· Book formats handled

· Capacity

· Store Access

· Price

MAY 2011 - INTERNET BROWSERS

An Internet browser is your window to the web, where you can find almost anything from the comfort of your own living room. Today, the Internet is widely used for media, research, communication, shopping and entertainment. The better your browser, the more you will see and experience.

Up–to–date web browsers are equipped with the latest features and technology to simplify, accelerate and enhance your Internet experience. The newest features include tabbed browsing, RSS feeds and voice interaction. Browsers are also more customizable and entertaining with skins, informative and fun widgets and additional add–ons.

Safety is a common concern among web surfers, and for good reasons. The number of hazards seems to grow every day. Viruses, spyware, phishing schemes and identity theft are some of the concerns. Other worries come from the threat of online predators and the appropriateness of material for children. Modern Internet browsers shield against all of these factors to keep you, your family and your PC safe.

What to Look for in Internet Browsers

Internet browsers should have three main objectives: simplicity, security and helping you get the most from the web. Because all of the browsers that are being considered are free, you may want to download and consider several of them. You might even decide to use more than one browser—for example, one for fun and one for research.

Criteria used to evaluate Internet browsers are:

Feature Set

Top–ranked Internet browsers offer many practical features that make surfing the web faster, easier and more convenient. A few of these features are tabbed browsing, thumbnail previews and an integrated search engine.

Ease of Use

Internet browsers ought to be simple to use so anyone, regardless of their knowledge of computers or the Internet, will feel comfortable using the web.

Security

Security is one of the most important aspects of browsing the web. Internet browsers should protect against pop–ups, viruses and phishing frauds and allow you to clear personal information so you can feel confident while online.

Speed & Compatibility

Your internet browser should help you surf fast and efficiently. While the speed of your computer and internet connection account for most of the speed, not all browsers are created equal in regards to how fast they startup, process HTML and JavaScript. Likewise, not all internet browsers will open all pages correctly. The best browsers will open websites quickly and properly.

Help/Support

Although most internet browsers are free, quality customer support helps if you run into problems. Developers provide support through email, phone, FAQs, manuals and tutorials.

PASSWORDS AND SECURITY

PASSWORDS AND SECURITY

Security:

Security is a multi level program. It is like guarding a castle. You have a moat, tall walls and a strong gate. In a computer this is your firewall, anti-spyware and anti-virus. They keep most people out of your computer, some can slip through, usually because you let them in or are tricked into opening the door. That is where password security takes over protecting important files and personal information. Passwords are the combination lock on the vault or the key to the strong box.

Refresher – Password Usage:

These days we need a password or PIN everywhere. We have so many that we can’t keep track of them all. We forget to update them and when we do, it’s difficult to come up with effective ones that we can still remember, so we procrastinate changing them for months, even years. We all know this is bad, but the alternative – the painful, irritating password creation and memorization process – is sometimes more than we can tolerate. There is hope! Passwords don’t have to be complex cryptograms. A few simple methods can help make living with passwords a little easier.

While we may find them annoying, it is important to remember why passwords are important: passwords are often the last defense against intrusion. They protect personal information – information we don’t want anyone and everyone to know. In our personal lives, this means financial information, health data, and private documents. In a professional context, this may encompass anything considered crucial to the success of the organization: trade secrets, financial data, intellectual property, customer lists, etc.

Passwords are simpler and cheaper than other, more secure forms of authentication like special key cards, fingerprint ID machines, and retinal scanners. They provide a simple, direct means of protecting a system or account. We’ll define a ‘password’ as a word, a phrase, or combination of miscellaneous characters that authenticates the identity of the user. Passwords are generally used in combination with some form of identification, such as a username, account number, or e-mail address. While a username establishes the identity of the user for the computer or system, the password, which is known only to the authorized user, authenticates that the user is who he or she claims to be. This means that their function is to “prove to the system that you are who you say you are”.

Password Cracking:

While passwords are a vital component of system security, they can be cracked or broken relatively easily. It is much easier than most users would think. (The difference between cracking and hacking is that codes are cracked, machines are hacked.) Passwords can be cracked in a variety of different ways. The most simple is the use of a word list or dictionary program to break the password by brute force. These programs compare lists of words or character combinations against passwords until they find a match. There are also numerous password cracking tools available that any average person can use.

A more technical way of learning passwords is through sniffers, which look at the raw data transmitted across the net and decipher its contents. “A sniffer can read every keystroke sent out from your machine, including passwords” (University of Michigan). It’s possible that someone out there has at least one of your passwords right now.

How To Choose Good Passwords:

In creating strong, effective passwords it is often helpful to keep in mind some of the methods by which they may be cracked, so let’s begin with what NOT to do when choosing passwords.

1. No Dictionary Words, Proper Nouns, or Foreign Words

Since password cracking tools are very effective at processing large quantities of letter and number combinations until a match for the password is found, users should avoid using conventional words as passwords. You should also avoid regular words with numbers tacked onto the end and conventional words that are simply written backwards, such as ‘nimda’. While these may prove to be difficult for people to figure out, they are no match for the brute force attacks of password cracking tools.

2. No Personal Information

One of the frustrating things about passwords is that they need to be easy for users to remember. Naturally, this leads many users to incorporate personal information into their passwords. However, it is alarmingly easy for hackers to obtain personal information about prospective targets.

3. Length, Width and Depth

A strong, effective password requires a necessary degree of complexity. Three factors can help users to develop this complexity: length, width & depth.

Length means that longer is better. Probability dictates that the longer a password, the more difficult it will be to crack. It is generally recommended that passwords be between six and nine characters. Shorter passwords should be avoided.

Width is a way of describing the different types of characters that are used. Don’t just consider the alphabet. There are also numbers and special characters like ‘%’, and in most operating systems, upper and lower case letters are also known as different characters, particularly in passwords. As a general rule the following character sets should all be included in every password:

* uppercase letters such as A, B, C;

* lowercase letters such as a, b, c;

* numerals such as 1, 2, 3;

* special characters such as $, ?, &;

* alt characters such as µ, £, Æ.

Depth refers to choosing a password with a challenging meaning – something not easily guessable. Stop thinking in terms of passwords and start thinking in terms of phrases. “A good password is easy to remember, but hard to guess.” The purpose of a mnemonic phrase is the creation of a complex password that will not need to be written down. Examples of a mnemonic phrase may include a phrase spelled phonetically, such as ‘ImuKat!’ (instead of ‘I’m a cat!’) or the first letters of a memorable phrase such as ‘qbfjold*’ = “quick brown fox jumped over lazy dog.” What may be most effective is to convert some of those letters into other characters (substituting the number ‘3’ for the letter ‘e’ is a common example).

Extra Protection

All of the good password cracking programs include foreign words, backwards words, etc. And the easiest way to steal a password is by asking for it, so it’s simpler to never give it away. There are also certain behaviors that users should practice in order to maximize the effectiveness of their passwords. Users should avoid using the same password on multiple accounts. Doing this creates a single point of failure, which means that if an intruder gains access to one account, he or she will have access to all of the user’s accounts. Users should never disclose their passwords to anybody unless they are a known, trusted source, and then, passwords should only be disclosed in person (not over the phone or by e-mail).

Changing & Storing Passwords and PINs:

In order to ensure their ongoing effectiveness, passwords should be changed on a regular basis. Changing passwords securely is fairly simple. Windows passwords are changed through the Control Panel. If it’s an online account, don't use a public computer to change the password. If at all possible, the password should be changed over a secure connection. Don’t let anybody watch while typing the old and new passwords. Exercise extreme caution when writing down or storing passwords.

How often one should change passwords really depends on the account. Just use good judgment and don’t be lazy. Changing a password is relatively quick and painless compared to the irritating and expensive process of combating identity theft.

Much of this information is from http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/simplest-security-guide-better-password-practices