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====== Tech Center Tips and Tricks Workshop ======
These are the notes for the Workshop I am giving at the NCCL's 2006 meeting in Chicago. The workshop is titled, **//Tips for Taming Your Computer.//** 
===== Security =====
  - Virus Protection
    - Programs
  - Fire Wall
  - Pop-up Prevention
    - Program Recommendations
  -Remove Adware
  -[[http://dotnetjunkies.com/WebLog/mlevison/archive/2005/02/24/56516.aspx | Surviving on the internet]]
===== Maintainence =====
  - Scan Disk
  - Defrag
  - Disk Clean Up
    - 3rd Party Programs
      - [[http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm|Easy Cleaner]]
    - MS Disk Clean up
  -  [[http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=174300458 | Langa Letter]] A Complete PC Maintenance Checklist Fred Langa offers a comprehensive plan for keeping your PC in absolute top-notch condition. 

===== Web and Email =====
  - Manage Email
    - Folders
    - Rules
      - [[http://www.drku.org/images/SettingRules.jpg | Setting the Rules]]
    - [[http://www.vjlyons.com/3.html|Read]] "Save Your Brain.  Turn off the E-Mail (Notification)" by Vince Lyons
    - Sorting E-Mail into folders - [[http://popfile.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/wiki.pl |POPFile]] is an automatic mail classification tool.
    - Good article by David Tebbutt on managing your E-mail. Read the article [[http://www.iwr.co.uk/information-world-review/comment/2155356/rebirth-email | here.]]
    - Sources for Free Email Accounts
      - Google mail
      - Yahoo 
      - HotNorth
      - [[http://10minutemail.com/10MinuteMail/index.html | 10 Minute E-mail]]
  - [[http://www.adriansavage.com/blog/_archives/2006/7/11/2100018.html | Tips for a Better Working Life]] From //The Coyote Within // 
  - RSS  
    - [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_%28file_format%29 | What is RSS?]]
    - This page has a RSS feed. Subscribe to the site. 
    - [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_aggregator|Aggragator:]] Aggregators reduce the time and effort needed to regularly check websites of interest for updates, creating a unique information space or "personal newspaper."
  - Search
      - The Web
        - [[http://google.com | Google]]
        - [[http://clusty.com/ | Clusty]]
        - [[http://www.scroogle.org/ | Scroogle]]
      - Your Computer
    When sending a message, type the name of the recipient you want to appear in your Contacts and then place the email address inside <>. That will auto-add the name to your address book formatted.
    For instance, rather than: stewart@example.com in the To: box, use Master Stewart Rutledge, the Wonderful <stewart@example.com> 

As a matter of fact, this method seems to work in most email clients (Thunderbird, at least) that auto-add recipients to your address book. Thanks, Stewart! &#8212; Gina Trapani
From [[http://www.lifehacker.com/software/gmail/gmail-tip-automatically-add-a-contact-name-to-your-address-book-202120.php | Lifehacker]]


===== Help =====
  - Tip Sites
    - [[http://www.scotsnewsletter.com/default.htm | Scot's Newsletter]]
    - [[http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/secur.htm | Internet Security]]
    - [[http://langa.com/recommend.htm | LangaList]] Very good tips newsletter
  - Discussion Groups
  - Other Tips
    - [[http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000640033887/ | How To:]] Use your Gmail account as a personal file server (Requires Windows XP to set up.)
    - [[http://www.kurucz.ca/research/ | Research Resource Portal]] Free online resources
  - Keyboard shortcuts for Windows -[[http://computer.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question266.htm&url=http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q126449& | Keyboard Shortcuts]] 
  - [[http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/cumousetips.html | 10 Tips for Using a Computer Mouse]]
  - [[http://www.onecomputerguy.com/desktop.htm | Desktop Tips]]
  - [[http://ccmag.gospelcom.net/0406/0406editorial.pdf | Spam Rant]] //Christian Computing Magazine//. Interesting editorial on spam.
  - [[ http://managee.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-make-presentation-memorable.html | How to Make Presentation Memorable]]
  - [[http://pickit.uni.cc/win_goodies.php | 16 Hidden Windows XP Goodies]]
Hi Group!

=====Alternate Programs=====
  - [[http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/|This Link points Firefox]] If you are using Firefox be sure **to upgrade to version Firefox 1.5.0.2**. This version fixes some security issues of the earlier version.
  - [[http://www.irfanview.com/ | Irfanview Graphics program FREE]]
  - [[http://del.icio.us/ | del.icio.us is a social bookmarks manager]]
  - [[http://www.listible.com/list/windows-opensource-and2For-freeware | Opensource and For-Freeware]]
  - [[http://www.openoffice.org/ | openoffice.org]] OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites, the product is free to download, use, and distribute. 
  - [[http://openoffice.blogs.com/openoffice/ | Openoffice.org, Training, Tips and Ideas]]
  - [[http://portableapps.com/apps/office/suites/portable_openoffice | Portable OpenOffice.org]] Portable OpenOffice.org is the complete OpenOffice.org office suite -- including a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation tool, drawing package and database -- packaged as a portable app, so you can take all your documents and everything you need to work with them wherever you go.
  - [[http://100-downloads.com/ | 100-downloads.com]] Top-100 essential downloads of free software & freeware for Windows XP
  -[[http://www.megspace.com/computers/tinyspell/ | Tiny Spell]] A small utility that allows you to easily and quickly check the spelling of words in any Windows application. 
  -[[http://todotxt.com/ | Todo.txt]] Using plain text files to track your stuff. Simple portable and not dependent on someone else's format or program.
  -[[http://www.bootdisk.com/utility.htm | Must have utilities]]

=====Other Tips=====
  -[[http://www.43folders.com/2006/08/22/excel-thread/ | How are you using Excel? ]] Information on the varried ways people are using Excel from 43 Folders at [[http://www.43folders.com/ | www.43folders.com]]
  -**Changing the font size on the fly.** If you hold down the Ctrl key on your key board and turn the small wheel in the middle of your mouse, the print size will change - it will either get larger or smaller - depending on which way you turn the wheel. Also the print will become darker depending which way the wheel is turned. 

==== Return ====
Return to Workshops web site [[http://www.drku.org/workshops-06.htm | here]]