Getting  Along With Your Computer Column Archive

Add Some Colour To Your Windows

By Cate Eales
Appeared August 30, 2007 on castanet.net

I stare at computer screens many hours every day, so I'm all in favour of making it easier to find what I'm looking for. Using colour has always made it easier for me to get organized and stay organized. I know a few tricks that might help you, too.


Find folders easily
In real life, I use different coloured file folders help me find the right one quickly. In Windows, Rainbow Folders is a free utility that will let you change the colour of any folder icon in your Windows XP. Why? Well, because sometimes it's easier to find the right folder when it isn't the same dreary yellow colour as every other folder!

Download Rainbow Folders, and install it. Then open it, navigate to any folder you want, and make it just about any colour you want. If you create a shortcut to that folder on your desktop, the shortcut will be the same colour as your folder.


Brighten up your email
If you use Outlook Express, you can use Message Rules to highlight email. If you want all the email from your boss to stand out, for example, try highlighting it in yellow.

Open Outlook Express
Click Tools | Message Rules | Mail

This opens a box where you will create a new rule.

Click on "Where the From line contains people"
Click on "Highlight it with color"

Now click on the underlined link for "Where the From line contains people" and enter your boss' email address. Next click on the link for "Highlight it with color" and choose a colour from the dropdown list.

Finally, give the rule a name like "Boss" and OK your way out. Next time you get email from your boss, it will be highlighted in yellow.

You can have more than one address in the "people" component of this rule. If you belong to a team, or you have several children or grandchildren, you can modify this rule to make those emails stand out, too.

Colour your Desktop
You can change the colour of your Windows Desktop in no more than six clicks. (And you can always change it back!)

1. Right-click on any vacant spot on your Desktop
2. Click on Properties
3. Click on the Desktop tab
4. Click on Color
5. Select a colour
6. Click OK

If you want to do more extensive remodelling, while you have that Properties tab open, click on Appearance, and you'll be able to change to another theme. Or, you can create a new theme for yourself by clicking on Advanced and then selecting items from the dropdown menu to change.
 

Following up on last week's column
Last week's column about Adobe Reader Alternatives strongly recommended Foxit Reader. I still strongly recommend it, but it should be noted that it does not work properly within Opera, which is a new browser, and which I have not used. To work around the problem, tell Opera to use Foxit as the application for .pdf files. They will open in a new window, rather than in a tab within Opera, but they will open much faster than they would with Adobe Reader!

Thank you to everyone who wrote with questions, comments and suggestions, and especially to Kris who wrote about Foxit and Opera. I appreciate all the emails, and please keep them coming to cate@rlis.com. And don't forget you can look at any of the past columns at any time by pointing your browser here. 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
Rainbow Folders http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Utilities/Explorer_Add-ons/Rainbow_Folders.html
Adobe Reader Alternatives http://rlis.com/columns/column109.htm
Foxit Reader http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php
Opera browser http://www.opera.com/
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.