User Tools

Site Tools


tips_tricks_workshop

Return to Workshops web site here

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

  1. Virus Protection
    1. Programs
  2. Fire Wall
  3. Pop-up Prevention
    1. Program Recommendations
  4. Remove Adware

Maintainence

  1. Scan Disk
  2. Defrag
  3. Disk Clean Up
    1. 3rd Party Programs
    2. MS Disk Clean up
  4. 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

  1. Manage Email
    1. Folders
    2. Rules
    3. Read “Save Your Brain. Turn off the E-Mail (Notification)” by Vince Lyons
    4. Sorting E-Mail into folders - POPFile is an automatic mail classification tool.
    5. Good article by David Tebbutt on managing your E-mail. Read the article here.
    6. Sources for Free Email Accounts
      1. Google mail
      2. Yahoo
      3. HotNorth
  2. Tips for a Better Working Life From The Coyote Within
  3. RSS
    1. This page has a RSS feed. Subscribe to the site.
    2. Aggragator: Aggregators reduce the time and effort needed to regularly check websites of interest for updates, creating a unique information space or “personal newspaper.”
  4. Search
    1. The Web
    2. 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 Lifehacker

Help

  1. Tip Sites
    1. LangaList Very good tips newsletter
  2. Discussion Groups
  3. Other Tips
    1. How To: Use your Gmail account as a personal file server (Requires Windows XP to set up.)
    2. Research Resource Portal Free online resources
  4. Keyboard shortcuts for Windows - Keyboard Shortcuts
  5. Spam Rant Christian Computing Magazine. Interesting editorial on spam.

Hi Group!

Alternate Programs

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 100-downloads.com Top-100 essential downloads of free software & freeware for Windows XP
  5. Tiny Spell A small utility that allows you to easily and quickly check the spelling of words in any Windows application.
  6. Todo.txt Using plain text files to track your stuff. Simple portable and not dependent on someone else's format or program.

Other Tips

  1. How are you using Excel? Information on the varried ways people are using Excel from 43 Folders at www.43folders.com
  2. 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 here

tips_tricks_workshop.txt · Last modified: 2010/01/01 22:28 by 127.0.0.1