COMPUTER TIPS AND TRICKS

Since I now run Windows Vista I will soon
have some tips for that Operating System.
These tips are for Windows XP-SP2 and Internet Explorer 7,

although they will work on many of the others.

For Printable Page, go
HERE

For OUTLOOK EXPRESS tips, go
HERE

One of the first things you will learn about computers is that you can do the same thing, six different ways. An example... to go back to a previous webpage you can click on the little green arrow in your tool bar.... or you can just click the "Backspace" key...both do the same. I have a third way...a mouse with 4 buttons on it and the thumb button is programmed to go to previous page.
My point is...these tips are not "written in stone"....they just work for me.

SINGLE CLICKING

ENLARGE TEXT WITH WHEEL MOUSE

MINIMIZE-MAXIMIZE TRICK

LEARN CCP (CUT/COPY/PASTE)

=================CAL'S NOTES=================
First off, you'll be glad to learn copying and pasting is easy. You can copy and paste just about anything: text, web pages, files, pictures, you name it. The idea behind the process is to take information from one place and deposit it into another.
For an example, let's pretend you're reading something on a web page and need to copy and paste a small section of it into an e-mail. Here's how:

1. First, you'll need to select the text you wish to copy. You do this by putting your mouse cursor at the first character you want to copy and, holding down the left mouse button, drag the cursor to the last character you need copied. As you drag, you'll notice everything gets highlighted (selected).

2. Next, right-click the selected area. Choose Copy from the menu that pops up (or you can use CTRL-C if you like keyboard shortcuts).

3. Finally, Right-click the area in your e-mail page where you would like to insert the "small section" of text. Click Paste from the menu that pops up (For this, CTRL-V is your keyboard shortcut).

That's it. The steps are basically the same for any copy & paste procedure you need to do.

Here's another example.
If you want to get a little more fancy, place your cursor at the first character you want selected and, while holding down the SHIFT key, click next to the last character you want selected.
It's sometimes easier to follow this procedure than to make selections by dragging,
especially when your wrestling with a lengthy document. I can't remember the number of times the area I wanted to stop selecting at zipped right by me on a document!

Another fun way to use the SHIFT key is adding to an existing selection.
Let's say you select an area of text and you came up short of what you really needed. Rather than trying to re-select the whole thing, just hit the SHIFT key and click your mouse where you would like the selection to end. (You can also shorten a selection by doing this too.)

After you have used the SHIFT key to get your text selected, follow the pervious steps to copy / paste.

~Cal~

"My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles,
and the letters get in the wrong places."
A. A. Milne (1882-1958)

SELECTIVE PRINTING

=================CAL'S NOTES=================
Found a web page you want to print? Easy, just hit Ctrl+P.....

But... don't waste paper printing what you don't need.
Ever need to print just part of a web page or e-mail? You too huh? Well...
First, you need to know that this does not work with every system out there. This tip only works if both your printer driver and the software application you're using supports this little trick. So, take this for what it's worth.
Here's how it usually works:

1. First, highlight the text area you would like to print.

2. Next, from the File menu, select Print...

3. When the printer dialog box comes up, look for an option for "Selection", in a
"Print Range" box. Again, not all printers / software support this.

4. Click Apply/Print.

Oh, one more thing. If you can't print a selection, you can always copy and paste the stuff you want into a word processor and print it from there. Sure, it's not nearly as much fun, but it's better than printing out eight pages of junk just to get a small section of text. You might remember this if you want to print something from my "Print Out Page"... there's about 8 pages of these tips and you might not need but one or two tips.

~Cal~

E-MAIL ETIQUETTE

=================CAL'S NOTES=================
Sending e-mail that looks good is a reflection of your professionalism. And an e-mail that is properly written not only makes you look good, but is easier for your recipients to read which will win you lots of points with that individual. Finally, if you send an e-mail that looks good, you also look like you know your way around the computer and the Internet.

Here are some tips to writing a winning e-mail:

Always include a Subject.

PLEASE DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS. IT'S HARD TO READ AND IS THE EQUIVALENT TO SHOUTING!

use punctuation its hard to read stuff that doesnt have any commas capital letters periods or apostrophes

Usee yur spall chacker. Its annyang to try to reede constent spalling misstakes.

When forwarding an e-mail to someone, copy and paste what you want to send into a new e-mail then send it off. This is especially true if you had to dig through tons of "layers" to actually get to the message of the e-mail.

Avoid embedding sounds or using "stationary" in your messages. You may think they're cute, but they take much longer to download and can be very annoying to your recipient. Additionally, when your recipient responds to your e-mail, they may have to re-format their text (especially color) in order for it to be readable.

<P>

Re-read your e-mail message before you send it out. I don't know how many times I thought I had everything just right then found something that was way out of place when I re-read the document.

As per proper etiquette, when you send someone a letter, note, and so on, you are supposed to sign your name at the bottom.
Use a Signature...here's how to do it automatically in Outlook Express:
Within Outlook Express, click Tools, then Options. 
Click the Signatures tab. 
Click New. 
Under Signature settings, place a check beside the option to Add signatures to all outgoing message. 
Under the Edit Signature section, type in how you want your signature to appear. 
If you have more than one signature created, highlight the signature you want automatically inserted into your e-mails and click the Set as Default button. 
Click OK. 
Now when you send an e-mail through Outlook Express, your signature will automatically be appended to the end of the message.

Finally, don't use short hand. Stuff like "r u going to stp by ltr" can be hard to read. Don't be lazy, type the whole word.

Well, I guess that's about it. I know that I occasionally have an e-mail transgression (I think we all do), but maybe these guidelines will help everyone communicate a little better.

~Cal~

For Printable Page, go
HERE

SEND WEBPAGE BY EMAIL

=================CAL'S NOTES=================
"Some of you have told me you had trouble sending my site to your friends so I want to show you a real easy way to do it from a computer.
From any webpage, go to your toolbar (top left corner of your screen) and click on FILE.
Then Click SEND... and then, LINK BY EMAIL. That's it! Your email page will open and you can send it to as many as you like from your address book.

AOL USERS, it's a little different.
Each web site that opens has a little heart next to the minimize, maximize and Close signs. All you have to do is click on the "Heart" or double click and a menu will come up. You may choose any one of four things you would like to do:

1. Add to Favorites
2. Add to Tool Bar
3. Insert in Mail 
4. Insert in Instant Message
All you have to do is click on the "Insert in Mail" and a new email will pop up with the Web Site in it, and you simply insert all the email addresses you want to send it to. All the recipient(s) has to do is click on it when they receive it.

Hope this helps."
~Cal~

DESKTOP SHORTCUT to a WEBSITE

Address Bar
In Microsoft Internet Explorer, use Alt + D to highlight
the address bar. This allows you to enter a URL without
the mouse. And if you're still typing "http", "www", and ".com"
as part of the address -- don't. It's just not necessary.

For those of you that are good typist (certainly not me),
here's a link to a whole bunch of keyboard shortcuts..
They might even make the Mouse obsolete!
KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

AWESOME CAPS LOCK TRICK

=================CAL'S NOTES=================
 Don't you hate it when you accidentally hit the Caps Lock key? Sometimes I have a whole sentence typed in before I realize my mistake! (I know, GASP!)
What if you could set your computer up so it alerts you when your pinky finger wanders off and taps the Caps Lock key? With this tip, I'll show you how to make your computer beep & flash the next time it happens.
The first thing you'll need to do is get the computer to beep when you hit the Caps Lock key. Here's how:
1. Click the Start button, Settings, Control Panel (XP Users, hit the Start button, Control Panel). Open (click on)the Accessibility Options Icon.

2. On the Keyboard tab, click the "Use Toggle Keys" checkbox.

That's it for the beeping part.
Next, we need to get your screen to flash you, uh, flash at you. Here's how:
1. From the Accessibility Options screen, click the Sound tab and check the "Use SoundSentry" checkbox.

2. Next click the Settings button and select "Flash active window" from the "Warning for windowed programs" drop down box.

That's it. Hit OK until you're clear of property and settings screens. Open your favorite word processor and hit your Caps Lock key.
Cool huh?
~Cal~

HOW TO SAVE PICTURES

HOW TO MAKE A "FLOPPY" DISC

=================CAL'S NOTES=================
          How to Make a Floppy Disc with XP
Note: Most other Windows OS are basically the same.

"Floppies" are limited in size to 1.44 mb's. Make sure what you are saving is smaller than that. (Right click on the item and select Properties to see the size in bytes)

Simply Right Click on the file or folder you wish to save and select the "Send To" option.
Click the option "3 1/2" Floppy". You will be prompted to Insert a 3 l/2" Disc (A:)... that's it, the rest is automatic. Allow it time to fully load.

To retrieve data from a Floppy:

Click on the "My Computer" on your desktop. The first icon will be for your 3 1/2" Floppy (A:) drive.
Left Click on it and again you will be prompted to "Insert disc"...
allow it time to completely download (you'll stop hearing strange little noises).
That's it... just save it to where ever you wish.

VERY IMPORTANT! - ALWAYS be sure to REMOVE the floppy from your tower... or when you re-boot, you'll encounter all sorts of problems until you remember to remove it. (Been there and done it)

Sure hope this helps.

~Cal~

"MORE GREAT
TIPS HERE

For Printable Page, go
HERE

For Outlook Express tips, click HERE

Since I now run Windows Vista I will soon have some tips for that Operating System.These tips are for Windows XP-SP2 and Internet Explorer 7, although they will work on many of the others.

SINGLE CLICKING

ENLARGE TEXT WITH WHEEL MOUSE

MINIMIZE-MAXIMIZE TRICK

LEARN CCP (CUT/COPY/PASTE)

"My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places." A. A. Milne (1882-1958)

SELECTIVE PRINTING

E-MAIL ETIQUETTE

SEND WEBPAGE BY EMAIL

DESKTOP SHORTCUT to a WEBSITE

Address Bar In Microsoft Internet Explorer, use Alt + D to highlight the address bar. This allows you to enter a URL without the mouse. And if you're still typing "http", "www", and ".com" as part of the address -- don't. It's just not necessary.

For those of you that are good typist (certainly not me), here's a link to a whole bunch of keyboard shortcuts.. They might even make the Mouse obsolete! KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

AWESOME CAPS LOCK TRICK

HOW TO SAVE PICTURES

HOW TO MAKE A "FLOPPY" DISC

"MORE GREAT TIPS HERE

"The most overlooked advantage to owning a computer is that if they foul up there's no law against whacking them around a little!"

Since I now run Windows Vista I will soon
have some tips for that Operating System.
These tips are for Windows XP-SP2 and Internet Explorer 7,

although they will work on many of the others.

"My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles,
and the letters get in the wrong places."
A. A. Milne (1882-1958)

Address Bar
In Microsoft Internet Explorer, use Alt + D to highlight
the address bar. This allows you to enter a URL without
the mouse. And if you're still typing "http", "www", and ".com"
as part of the address -- don't. It's just not necessary.

For those of you that are good typist (certainly not me),
here's a link to a whole bunch of keyboard shortcuts..
They might even make the Mouse obsolete!
KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

"MORE GREAT
TIPS HERE

"The most overlooked advantage to owning a computer
is that if they foul up there's no law against
whacking them around a little!"