Computer Tips - Enhance Your Computing Experience

[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

You can increase your computing efficiency and gain more enjoyment out of using your PC by applying some simple computing tips like those listed below. Unless specifically noted, these tips are intended for users of the Microsoft Windows operating system.

These are tips that I have tried out and thoroughly tested on my own operating systems and confirmed via other sources. However, there are a great many variations in the way individual computers may be configured. Therefore, it is impossible for me to guarantee that the tips will always work on your system in the way that I have described.

Use Alt + Tab to Cycle Through Open Applications

In Microsoft Windows, if you have a lot of applications running simultaneously, the corresponding taskbar buttons for these applications are increasingly jammed into the available taskbar space and become harder to identify. Only a small portion of the button caption for each application is displayed.



Choosing the desired application from such a cluttered taskbar can waste valuable seconds and reduce your computing efficiency, especially if you repeatedly restore the wrong application by mistake. However, you can get around this issue, and keep your fingers on the keyboard, by using the key combination, "Alt + Tab". Pressing Alt + Tab together will evoke a window that clearly displays the icons and captions of all open applications and lets you cycle through them with ease.

To use this feature:

1. Press down the Alt key first and then press down the Tab key (The order is important). Keep the tab key depressed. The Alt + Tab window should appear.

2. Cycle through the available application by repeatedly pressing the Alt key. When the icon for the desired application is highlighted, simply release the Alt key, and the application will be restored.

To cycle through the list in the opposite direction, press Shift + Tab rather than just Tab by itself.





Install a Backup Browser for Computer Troubleshooting

The web browser is likely to be one of the most heavily used programs on a typical Internet connected computer. A web browser is quite a complex program. Among other things, it has to:

• Handle a variety of formats, such as HTML code, images and scripting languages such as java script, and convert them to a form that humans can easily understand.
• Use your Internet connection to access the computer where the requested web page is stored and display a copy of it.
• Allow the user to download programs from the Internet.

Given this heavy workload and complexity, it is not surprising that web browsers are a common source of computer problems.

Therefore, it is a good idea to download and install a secondary browser that can be used as a backup when things go wrong with your primary browser.

Some instances in which you might have a need to use your spare browser are when:

• Your primary browser keeps crashing and won't allow you to view any web pages.
• Your primary browser won't correctly display a particular website such as a java chat room.
• Your primary browser won't allow you to download any programs.

Also, a spare browser can help avoid a Catch 22 situation in which you know the solution to your browser problem is available on the Internet but you cannot access any websites to find it.

Because the Internet Explorer browser comes pre-installed on Microsoft Windows based computers, many new computer users may not be aware that there are good quality alternative web browsers freely available online.

An excellent alternative to Internet Explorer is Mozilla Firefox. Another good choice is the Opera browser. Both of these applications will serve very well as backup browsers. Both are easy to download and install and are simple to use. In fact, you may find that one or both of them are superior to Internet Explorer and decide to use them all the time. (I use Mozilla Firefox as my primary browser and Internet Explorer as my backup).



Even if you only have a need to use a back-up browser once in a blue moon, it is wise to download and install one before such a need arises.

 

[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

Defragging Your Hard Drive in Windows XP

When you save a file or program (a program is just a collection of special files anyway) to your hard drive, it is not generally stored as a single entity. Instead, it is divided up into a number of small pieces. When you retrieve the file, the computer puts all the pieces back in the correct order so that you can view your file or run your program.



As you save more files, delete unwanted files, install new programs and uninstall others the disk can become more and more fragmented. That is, the small file pieces will become more and more scattered throughout your hard drive. Deleting files and uninstalling software can leave empty pockets of various sizes amid your remaining data. Now, when you save new files, bits of these files will be placed in these empty sections. Simply put, little bits of your file might end up spread all over your hard drive. This means that your computer will take longer to find all the little file bits and put them back together when you need them.

If your computer's hard drive becomes heavily fragmented, the computer's performance may be significantly affected. The computer may become sluggish and unresponsive. Luckily, Windows XP has a built in tool that can easily remedy problems caused by a defragmented hard drive. This tool is the Disk Defragmenter. The tool "defrags" your drive by re-ordering all the little bits of data so that files and programs can be retrieved more efficiently. This means that your files and programs will load faster.

To use the Disk Defragmenter in Windows XP:

1. Shutdown any programs that you have running.

2. Click Start / All programs / Accessories / System Tools, and then click on Disk Defragmenter. The Defragmenter interface should open.

3. In the top part of the interface, make sure your primary drive is highlighted. Depending on how your computer is set up, there may be one or more drives that you can choose from. The available drives will be listed under the column labelled "Volume". Your primary drive is most likely your "C" drive and this is the one that is probably most in need of defragging.

4. Click on the button labelled "Defragment" to start the process. The process might take quite some time, depending on how big and how fragmented the drive is.

5. When the process is complete, a message box will pop up to inform you. You can then exit out of the Disk Defragmenter and resume normal computing.

To maintain peak performance, your computer's hard drive should be defragmented on a regular basis. Just how often defragging is necessary will depend on how much you use your computer and the sort of activities you use it for. In Windows XP, the Disk Defragmenter has an "Analyse" button. Clicking the button will rapidly generate a report that informs you if the disk needs to be defragged




Microsoft Word Sample Text Trick - The Quick Brown Fox

This is an interesting little trick if you use Microsoft Word.

1. Open a blank Microsoft Word document.

2. Enter =rand() and press the "enter" key.

In Word 2003 and earlier versions, using the rand() function in the way described automatically adds several sentences and paragraphs that repeat the words, The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. These words are often used for testing because, together, they contain all the letters in the English alphabet in one concise and coherent sentence. Such a sentence is known as a pangram.

In Word 2007, the rand() function adds information about using specific Word features in order to create a more realistic document for testing. However, if you wish to use the "Quick Brown Fox" pangram in Word 2007, you can still do so by inputting the function =rand.old(). Another Word 2007 option is to use =lorem(), This function automatically adds the familiar Lorem ipsum dummy text that has been used by the printing and typesetting industry since the 1500's. Nowadays, Lorem ipsum text is also used extensively by web developers and publishers to add random text to such things as templates and website prototypes.

You can alter the results of the rand() function by adding numbers in the round brackets. The first number controls the number of paragraphs while the second number controls the number of sentences in each paragraph. For example, using "rand(3,5)" will add three paragraphs of five sentences each. Leaving the brackets empty will add the default number of paragraphs and sentences, which is set at three sentences and three paragraphs.



This information often circulates via email with the added disclaimer that "not even Microsoft can explain the result". Some of the emails also falsely claim that Microsoft is offering a large cash prize for anyone who can shed light on this trick.

In fact, this is a well-documented feature of Microsoft Word that simply allows sample text to be quickly added to a document for testing purposes. Microsoft can in fact "explain the result" and do so in an article on the MS Support website.

 

[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

Keeping Track of Newsletter Subscriptions

If you subscribe to a lot of email newsletters, keeping track of subscriptions can become a little difficult. At some point, you may want to quickly access information such as the address of the newsletter's website, when you subscribed, how to unsubscribe or how to contact the publisher.



Therefore, it is a good idea to save the "Welcome" email that you generally receive when you subscribe to a newsletter. Most email newsletters will provide some sort of introductory message that contains relevant information that may come in handy at a later date. A good way to store these "Welcome" messages is to create an email folder specifically for the purpose. Then whenever you subscribe to a newsletter, you can simply drag the "Welcome" email into this folder for future reference.

Because I subscribe to quite a large number of newsletters, I have extended this concept a little further. I have an email address just for newsletters. Having a separate email address makes it quite easy to filter all newsletters into a specific email folder. Once they arrive in my "Newsletters" folder, I can then drag and drop the messages into the most appropriate subfolder. As well as a subfolder for "Welcome" messages, I also have subfolders for each of my favourite newsletters. These subfolders then act as handy searchable archives for my newsletters


Creating Windows Screenshots - How to use the Print Screen Key

A picture tells a thousand words they say, and sending or printing a screenshot of an application in action can often be of great assistance if you are seeking technical help, teaching someone how to perform a particular task or simply recommending the program to a friend.

Windows has a built-in function that allows you to easily create screenshots of any open Window, including the desktop. This function is accessed by pressing the "Print Screen" key on your computer keyboard. On most keyboards, the Print Screen key is located on the upper right above the "Insert" key. On some keyboards, it may be labelled "prt scr" rather than "Print Screen".



To create a screenshot:

1. With the desired application open, hit the Print Screen key. Pressing the Print Screen key should store a copy of the current computer screen on the Windows Clipboard.
2. You can then paste the image into an image program such as MS Paint, manipulate it as desired, and save it to your hard drive for future reference. You can also paste it to other compatible programs such as MS Word, Power Point and others.
3. Now you will be able to view this frozen moment in your computer's history any time you like as well as print it, upload it to a web page or email it as required. (You may need to reduce the image file size before uploading it to a website or emailing it.)

To create a screenshot of just the active Window rather than the entire computer screen, press "Alt + Print Screen" rather than just "Print Screen".

By the way, the label "Print Screen" is a carry over from earlier days of computing. In the DOS operating system, hitting the Print Screen button simply printed an image of the screen displayed at the time, hence the name.
.

Assigning Keyboard Shortcuts

You can easily assign your own keyboard shortcuts for many Windows based programs.

1. Right click on the program's desktop shortcut icon and select "Properties". Alternatively, right-click the name of the program in the start menu and s select "Properties".
2. In the Shortcut Key box, enter the key of your choice, for example: "Z".
3. Windows will automatically add the extra key sequence needed, for example: "Ctrl + Alt".
4. Now you can run the program directly from the keyboard by keying "Ctrl + Alt + Z".

Using keyboard shortcuts means there is no need to minimize open windows in order to run a program. Once they become a normal aspect of the way you use your computer, keyboard shortcuts can significantly increase your efficiency.

Note: If you use one of the F keys instead of a letter, you can achieve one key shortcuts! However, be aware that this may conflict with an existing function for that key. For instance, you could use the F1 key, but this will mean that F1 will no longer open Windows Help. (You could still open "Help" via the Start Menu).

 

[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

Disabling the Caps Lock and Insert Keys

I tend to get a bit heavy handed when I'm word processing and often inadvertently press the Caps Lock key or the Insert key. This can be irritating and waste time.

I've found a tiny freeware program called CapsUnlock that allows you to disable both the Caps Lock key and the Insert key. The program runs in the background and you can control it via an icon that resides in the System Tray (near the clock). A right click menu allows you to easily enable and disable the keys, or turn the program off altogether.



The download site claims that the software is suitable for all Windows Operating systems and I've found that it works fine on both my Windows 98 and Windows XP machines.

Click the link below to visit the developer's home page and download the program:

CapsUnlock​

There are more advanced and somewhat convoluted ways of disabling keys that do not require any extra software. However, this little program does the job very well, is easily reversible, and does not require any fiddling around in the Windows registry.

Windows Key Shortcuts

The Windows keys, normally located 2 keys to the left and right of the space bar, might be more useful then you realize. Once incorporated into your every day computing style, these shortcuts can become quite worthwhile time savers.



Windows Key + E Opens Windows Explorer.

Windows Key + Pause/Break Opens System Properties dialog box

Windows Key + F Opens Find Files dialog box

Windows Key + Control + F Opens Find Computer dialog box

Windows Key + R Opens Run command line interface

Windows Key + M Minimize all open windows

Windows Key + Shift Key + M Maximize all open windows

Windows Key + F1 Displays Windows Help

Windows Key + Tab Moves through task bar buttons. Press (Enter) to open the selected window




Monitoring Windows Resources

There probably aren't many users of Windows operating systems that have not experienced unexpected crashes from time to time. The good news is that there is an easy way to avoid at least some of these crashes. Obviously it is more desirable to initiate a controlled shutdown than experience a system crash that could result in data (and hair) loss. One way to achieve this goal is to use resource-monitoring tools that can inform you of impending trouble before it strikes.

Windows 98/Me users:

The Windows Resource Meter is a tiny program that runs in the background and lets you know the amount of resources your system is using at a given time. It displays as an icon in the System Tray and is colour coded. If the icon dips down to yellow, it might be a good time to close a few programs to see if you can reclaim some memory. If it goes down to red, and closing programs doesn't improve things much, it's probably a good time to reboot your system. Clicking the icon will open a window with more detailed resource information.

To locate and enable the Windows Resource Meter:

1. Click "Start", "Programs", "Accessories" and then "System Tools". Hopefully the Resource Meter will be present. If not, you may need to install it from your operating system installation disk. Alternatively, you can download a slightly enhanced version. The enhanced version has some extra right-click menu items.

2. If you want the Resource Meter to load when you start your computer you can drag its shortcut from "System Tools" and drop it in the "Startup" folder.



Windows XP Users:

Thankfully, Windows XP tends to be more stable than Windows 9x and has better memory management. Never the less, it's still helpful to keep an eye on your CPU usage.

You can keep the CPU meter from Windows Task Manager running in your system tray all the time. To do this:

1: Key Control/Alt/Delete to open the Windows Task Manager.

2. Click "Options" and then check "Minimize on Use" and "Hide when Minimized."

3. Click the "minimize" button rather than the "close" button and the little resource meter will stay in your system tray and let you see how hard your processor is working.

Hold your mouse over the icon to see the actual percentage of resources being used. Click the icon for quick access to the Task Manager.

 

[Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu]

[h=1]Microsoft Word Shortcuts[/h]Microsoft Word has a lot of keyboard shortcuts that can increase your efficiency.

Here are just a few that I find particularly useful:

Cntrl + C: Copy
Cntrl + V: Paste
Cntrl + X: Cut
Cntrl + Z: Undo
Cntrl + Y: Redo
Cntrl + S: Save
Cntrl + B: Make highlighted text Bold
Cntrl + I: Make highlighted text Italic
Cntrl + K: Insert a hyperlink
Shift + F3: Change case of highlighted text
Shift + F7: Open the thesaurus
F4: Repeat the last action
Cntrl + Shift + >: Increase the size of highlighted text
Cntrl + Shift + <: Decrease the size of highlighted text

Note: Many of these keyboard shortcuts work in other programs as well.