Five Mini Tips to make you life easier
By Duncan Drury
Here
I offer some small, but significant, tips that will enhance your computer use.
They may make your use of the computer faster – possibly saving you money in
internet cafes. They may bring to your attention features you didn't know
existed – helping you to learn about the computer you use. I hope that you find
them useful.
1. Magic Tab
The tab key is your friend. It is the key on your keyboard above Caps Lock. It
may say Tab on it, or it may have a picture of two arrows pointing in opposite
directions. You may have wondered what this key is for. It is usually used in
word processors for inserting a small amount of white space and lining up text.
However, for the average user, the tab key speeds use of the computer. If you
are on a web site with a form (this can be for registration, or merely logging
in) you can use the tab key to jump from one field (place where you type) to the
next. Rather than reaching for the mouse, moving the pointer over the next field
and clicking, you just hit the tab key.
Hold down the Alt key and press Tab to move through the windows you have open.
Handy at work if you are looking at a web page you shouldn't be and the boss
walks in. Quickly Alt Tab back to your spreadsheet before he sees!
2. The other mouse button
Your mouse has two buttons. Normally you only click the left hand one. The right
hand one is very useful too. When you click it, a menu is displayed showing
common things you might like to do depending on where you clicked. This means
you don't have to search through menus for the function you need. You can also
learn about useful functions you might not have known about by reading the
"right click menu".
3. Single and Double Clicks
I have noticed that a lot of people click twice on everything. Some things are
meant to be clicked only once. For example, links on web pages and buttons on
menus. If you click twice, you may accidentally click on a link on the page you
are trying to get to, and thus move on to another page. In the case of a button
you may well run the function twice – this could be disastrous. So when should
you double click? As a general rule you only need to double click to open a file
or programme. An exception to this is if you are opening a file or programme
from the Start menu, in which case you should only click once to avoid opening
the programme multiple times.
4. Keyboard short cuts
You can use the Ctrl and Alt key with other keys to access common functions. For
example, to copy something, select it and then press Ctrl and C. To paste use
Ctrl and V. To select everything on a page or in a document use Ctrl and A.
Keyboard shortcuts are often displayed next to the corresponding function in
menus.
In internet explorer you can scroll down a web page without
using the mouse by simply pressing the space bar. Alternatively use Page Up and
Page Down to scroll in any programme.
In Word, the Home key will move the cursor to the start of the
current line. Conversely, the End key will move it to the end.
5. Change your home page
Do you use your computer to access the internet everyday? Do you always see the
MSN page when you start Internet Explorer? Do you ignore it and move on to
another page immediately? If you answered yes, then why haven't you changed your
home page? To do this, go to the page you would like to see everyday, then open
the Tools menu, select Internet Options and click the Use Current button. Bye
bye Microsoft. You could open to a news page (have you tried news.google.com?),
your web mail, your businesses web page or just a page with pretty pictures
which calm your mind. It is your choice. There is no need to stick to the
default.
Proxomitron web filter
I have just discovered that the programmer of the highly recommended Proxomitron
web filter (for removing adverts from web pages you visit) has ceased
development of the software. You can still get this software for free from
www.proxomitron.info and it is well
worth the download.
Competition
I still have a CD containing high resolution satellite images of Tanzania up for
grabs to the person who sends me the most interesting/amusing email describing
what technology has changed their life. It doesn't have to be computer
technology, or even hi-tech. Send your entries to
duncandrury@yahoo.co.uk. Closing
date for entries is November 15th and the winner will be announced in the Arusha
Times published on November 22nd.
