Computer Tips & Tricks
Tip
#1 - To increase (or
decrease) the default font size on your Web browser (so the Web pages you are
viewing are easier to read), on the Web browser menu, go to View > Text Size
and select the size you want. The font size will stay this way until you change
it. You can also enlarge the text on any Web page by pressing Ctrl and the plus
or minus keys (for bigger or smaller fonts).
Tip
#2 - You can tap the
Space bar on the keyboard to scroll down on a Web page one screenful at a time.
Add the Shift key (Shift + Space bar) to scroll back up. You can also use the
arrow keys or the page up/page down keys on the keyboard to move up and down.
Tip #3 - You can switch or toggle from one
open program to the next by pressing Alt key plus the Tab key (Alt+Tab). Also
look down at the taskbar at the bottom of the computer screen and any program
that you have open will be showing.
Tip #4 - You don’t have to type “http://www”
into your Web browser. Just type the remainder: “alltechstudio.blogspot.in/” or “blogspot.in/,”
for example.
Tip
#5 - Copying and pasting
text – If you want to copy some text from a Web site or document and paste it
into another document, click on the first word of the text you want and,
holding down your left mouse button, drag the cursor over the text you want to
copy. Then hit the Control key (Ctrl) and the letter C on your keyboard. To
paste this onto another document (Word, e-mail, etc.), toggle over to that
document and hit the Control key (Ctrl) and the letter V on your keyboard.
NOTE: If you don’t want to paste the text w/formatting, pictures, etc., instead
of hitting CTRL+V, click on Edit on the menu bar of Word and choose Paste
Special and choose unformatted text.
Tip
#6 - The most commonly
used feature in Internet browsers is the back button. However, all browsers
also have a small black down arrow to the right of the back button. This button
allows you to easily see the history of the last 5-10 pages you've visited and
quickly get back to them. This feature is especially helpful for those pesky
pages that forward you back to a page each time you press the back button or
for when you wish to move back several pages but don't want to have to press the
back button several times.
Tip #7 - Delete browsing history - You will be amazed at how many
files you collect when you browse the internet, including temporary internet
files, cookies, history, form data, and passwords. To keep your computer
running smoothly you must regularly delete all of this junk. If you are a
person that likes the computer filling in your passwords you should probably
leave the cookies and the passwords. To get there open Internet Explorer. On
the menu bar, go to Tools and choose Delete Browsing History. This will take
you to a menu like the screenshot below: You can choose to Delete all at the
bottom or you can delete them individually.
Tip #8 - If you’d like to set your browser so
that you do not keep your Internet history (default is 20 days), i.e., a list
of Web sites you’ve visited, you can do that by going to Tools > Internet
Options (on the library’s public computers, this will be blocked, so you need
to go to View and choose Web Page Privacy Policy and then the Settings button).
On the General tab, next to the heading, Browsing history, click on the Delete button.
Instead of hitting Delete under Browsing history, click on the Settings button.
Under the History section, you’ll see the number of days to keep pages in the
history. At the library, we keep this at zero, but at home, it’s probably
something different, like 20 days. You can change it to zero.
Tip
#9 – The General tab is
also the place to go see what your home page is set at (if you don’t feel like
clicking on the house icon on your browser) and where you can set your search
default (again, if you don’t want to do that from the browser, where it shows
in the upper-right corner).
Tip
#10 - If you want to set
your browser up so that the temporary files are ALWAYS deleted after you close
the browser window, click on the Advanced tab. Scroll down until you get to the
Security section. Check the box for ‘Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when
browser is closed.’ Make sure to Apply and hit OK.
Tip
#11 - File extensions –
Say someone sends you a file attached to an e-mail. The file will have a name
and an extension. File extensions basically let you know what type of
information is contained in a particular file. For example a Microsoft Word
file has the .doc or docx extension. The .jpeg or sometimes the .jpg is a file
extension for a certain type of graphic (photo). Here are some other examples
of file extensions: .exe (An executable file, usually the file that starts a
program.) .pdf (Portable Document Format, is a file format created by Adobe
Systems. Most office documents come in .pdf file format.) .Doc/.docx –
Microsoft Word document (if an ‘x’ is included, it’s version 2007) .xls/.xlxx –
Microsoft Excel workbook/worksheet (if an ‘x’ is included, it’s version 2007)
.ppt/.pptx – Microsoft Power Point presentation (if an ‘x’ is included, it’s
version 2007) .zip/.rar (These could be any file but they have been compressed
and packed away to a smaller size. When unpacked or unzipped it will become
what it was originally.) .wav/ .mp3 (music files) .jpg/.gif/.bmp (Picture file
formats)
Tip #12 - Send a friend the web page you are
viewing (or a link to the Web page) using the default mail program on your
computer by clicking File > Send (or click the Pages button on the browser
menu bar) and either "Page by E-mail" or “Link by E-mail.” Otherwise,
just copy the URL in the browser address section and paste it in an e-mail.
Tip #13 - To stop those annoying pop-up ads, on
your Web browser, go to Tools > Pop-up Blocker and turn on/off or enable
just for this site. NOTE: For some Web sites to function properly, specifically
the library’s online catalog (http://innopac.fauquiercounty.gov), you must
allow pop-ups.
Tip
#14 - Bookmarks -
Quickly bookmark any web page in all major browsers by pressing CTRL + D on
your keyboard. Pressing these two keys together will open the bookmarks or
favorites for your browser and allow you to quickly place a bookmark for the
page you're currently at. Otherwise, on your browser, click the Add to
Favorites button, which is the star with the green plus sign to the left of it.
Or, go to Favorites > Add to Favorites (you can organize your favorites into
categories). If you haven’t organized your favorites into folders (topics) and
want to have an easier way to view the list, alphabetically, click your right
mouse button and select Sort by Name.
Tip #15 - RSS Feeds - RSS (Really SimpleSyndication) is a format for delivering regularly changing web content. It is
technology you can use to have information sent to you, rather than having to
go look for it. Many news-related sites, weblogs and other online publishers
syndicate their content as an RSS Feed to whoever wants it. RSS solves a
problem for people who regularly use the web. It allows you to easily 4 stay
informed by retrieving the latest content from the sites you are interested in.
You save time by not needing to visit each site individually. You ensure your
privacy, by not needing to join each site's email newsletter. You can tell
whether a Web site provides RSS by noting the RSS button on Internet Explorer.
If it’s grayed out, that means no RSS. If it turns orange, you can click on it
and just get the RSS (no ads, etc.). To subscribe to the feed itself, click the
Subscribe to Feed link. When you want to come back to the feed(s) later, simply
click on the star button on your browser (Favorites Center) and click the Feeds
link. You’ll see a list of any Feeds you’ve subscribed to. NOTE: There are
several Web sites on the Internet that maintain large listings of available RSS
Feeds. These sites include Syndic8.com, CompleteRSS, and Search 4 RSS.
Tip #16 - Suppose you’re looking at a Web page
and there is a link on the page you want to click on. However, you don’t want
to lose the page you’re on. You can open that link in a new browser window by
holding down the Shift key on your keyboard and clicking on the link.
Tip #17 - Printing sections of a page - Save on
your printer ink by selectively printing in Windows programs such as Microsoft
Word, Internet Explorer, WordPad, Outlook, etc. To do this, highlight portions
of text you wish to print and click print. In the printer dialog window under
Page Range choose the option Selection.
Tip
#18 - Print preview – If
you’re not sure how many pages a document will be, instead of clicking on
Print, choose File > Print Preview. You’ll see the number of pages and can
then decide to print just a section or page range.
Tip
#19 - If you’re trying
to find a particular name or word on a Web site or a document, hold down Ctrl +
F to get the Find dialog box: Type in the name or word and then hit the Next
button to find the first/next instance of it.
Tip
#20 - Internet Security
– If you do any sort of online shopping or go to a site that requires you to
enter personal information (name, address, etc.), check to see if the site
you’re on encrypts the data. To verify this look for a small lock ( ) in the
bottom right corner of portion of your browser window or next to the address
bar (as shown below) depending on your browser and its version. If visible this
lock should also be in the locked position and not unlocked. 5 Internet
Explorer 7 secure address bar We also suggest that you look at the URL and make
sure it begins with https as shown above. When in the lock position all data
you send will be encrypted, which helps anyone from understanding the data if
it's intercepted while being sent. When no lock is visible or the lock is in
the unlocked position all information is being sent as plaintext and if
intercepted it could be easily read. NEVER send confidential information via
e-mail, because e-mail is not encrypted.
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