Getting  Along With Your Computer Column Archive

"I didn't know that!"
By Cate Eales
Appeared August 2, 2007 on castanet.net

I'm lucky enough to be doing something I like. I get to work at computers, I get to solve problems, and I have a dog who lets me know when it's time to take a break.

So some of the computer things that are second nature to me are news to some of my clients. I thought I'd share some of the more useful ones here, since the dog doesn't care.


 

Get off to a good Start
For some reason, people just hate the Windows XP Start menu. I've heard people say "I can't find anything on the Start menu," and "It's too confusing." I notice that many of those same people have desktops littered with icons. I don't know how anyone finds anything there, either.

You can get that Start menu under control with two quick and easy tricks. First, instead of allowing that rascal to expand itself all over the Desktop when you click on Start, turn on the Scroll feature. To do that:

Isn't that a little better?

The second really easy thing you can do is display the contents of the Start menu in alphabetical order.

Was that easy or what? Now at least you've got a fighting chance of finding your program. So wouldn't this be a great time to drag some of those Desktop shortcuts to the Recycle Bin?


Use the right-click
What is the big deal with "right-clicking" all the time? Well, when you right-click (pressing just the right button on your mouse), you open a Shortcut menu. Depending on what you're doing, you'll get task-specific or application-specific choices that you don't get with a regular click (pressing just the left button).

Try placing your cursor on a file or folder and right-clicking. You'll see choices that include scanning the file or folder with your anti-virus program, zipping/unzipping the folder, a Send to menu, and maybe others, depending on how your computer is set up. Now try it in your browser. Just put your cursor on something on this page and right-click to pop-up the shortcut menu. It's just an easy way to accomplish something with one or two clicks. Click anywhere in the browser window to close the shortcut menu if you don't want to execute any of the commands.
 

Give Your Mouse A Break
But you don't have to click at all. Somewhere on your keyboard is a button that does the same thing as right-click. It looks like a piece of paper with an arrow on it. (I always thought it was the "Grocery List" button. I wish someone would invent one.) Find it and press it now. You'll find the same browser commands you would get by right-clicking.

And as long as we've given the mouse some time off, check out the shortcuts available with the Windows Logo key. Just pressing that key opens up the Start menu. You can use your arrow keys to navigate and your Enter key to select items --- all without a mouse.

Pressing the Windows key along with other keys give you great shortcuts. Press the Windows key and the E key at the same time, and you'll open the My Computer window. Press the Windows key and the Pause/Break key at the same time, and you'll see the System Properties without having to click seven times.

For a complete list of Windows shortcut key combinations, have a look here. What are your favourite short cuts in Windows? Do you have any tricks or tips to share? Send them to cate@rlis.com and I'll include the best ones in future columns. Thank you to everyone who wrote with ideas, questions, and comments. Send more to cate@rlis.com. Please remember you can browse the column archives at any time. We never close! If you'd like to subscribe to this column by email, please visit this link.  It's easy, and free. If you'd prefer the RSS Feed, click here.


Links
Windows shortcut key combinations http://www.computerhope.com/shortcut/windows.htm
Get Cate's column by email http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=20618
RSS Feed: http://rlis.com/rlis.xml
Cate's list of good, free software http://rlis.com/columns/column75list.htm

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Cate Eales has been helping people make online computing safe, accessible and fun for over 20 years. She lives in Kelowna with her husband, Eric, and her dog, Sandy. Cate is a partner in Real Life Internet Solutions, helping individuals and small businesses with virus, spyware and malware eradication; personal computer training and management; digital image management; music transfer; and website design, hosting and management. Email Cate at cate@rlis.com with your comments, suggestions, or questions. To browse the column archives, visit the Real Life Internet Solutions website at www.rlis.com.