Tech

August 26th, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments

Useful Software

Searching

  • Google Desktop – Google for your stuff. Find emails, files, chat logs and previously viewed web pages FAST!

Anti-Virus and Spyware

PDF

Media Playing / Editing

  • K-Lite Mega Codec Pack – Best codec pack. Contains Media Player Classic and every codec needed to play any media file, including Quicktime and RealMedia; never install RealPlayer or Quicktime again - must have!
  • Winamp 5 – Best freeware Media Player. Visuals: my peronal collection
  • iTunes – Best music library manager, esp if you have an iPod - must have!
  • Irfanview – Best freeware image viewer - must have!

Compression

  • WinRAR – Best Windows compression utility…ever – must have!

Encryption

  • TrueCrypt – Free system and portable drive encryption that works

Communications

  • Skype – ‘Free Internet telephony that just works.’
  • Google Talk – Chat with other GMail subscribers
  • Pidgin – multi-protocol all-in-one instant message client

Surfing

Peer-to-Peer

CD/DVD Burning

Troubleshooting/Expert

  • Defraggler – best Windows defrag tool – must have!
  • MemTest86 (included in Ultimate Boot CD) – diagnose memory errors
  • Ultimate Boot CD – bootable ISO with dozens of useful freeware tools – must have for expert users

Fun

Windows Keystrokes

Application Controls (like Word)

  • Ctrl+A selects all text in a document
  • Ctrl+F searches the document
  • Ctrl+O opens a document
  • Ctrl+P prints the document
  • Ctrl+S saves; use it every two minutes

Clipboard operations

  • Ctrl+C copies highlighted text or files to the clipboard (also Ctrl+Insert)
  • Ctrl+V pastes the clipboard contents to where you are (also Shift-Insert)
  • Ctrl+X cuts highlighted text or files, moving them to the clipboard (also Shift-Delete)
  • Prt Scrn (Print Screen) – copies the screen to the clipboard
  • Alt+Prt Scrn – copies the active window to the clipboard

Changing active windows and documents

  • Alt+Esc cycles through open applications
  • Alt+Tab switches to the last application you were using (assuming it’s still open), hold Alt and continue hitting Tab to advance through all open applications, release Alt to switch
  • Win+Tab (Windows7) cycles through open applications just as Alt+Tab does but cooler
  • Alt+Underlined Letter selects items with underlined letters
  • Ctrl+Tab switches among open documents within an application, try it in Word, also moves through tabs in dialog boxes

Moving around

  • Arrow Keys move the cursor to select icons, menu items, etc.
  • Tab will most often move a cursor to the next field

Selecting Items

  • An item can be selected by typing the first letter of its name or by holding Alt and choosing the item’s underlined letter
  • Buttons with underlined letters can be pressed by holding Alt and pressing the button text’s underlined letter

Windows itself

  • F2 will edit current items, use to rename a file, edit a cell in Excel, etc.
  • F4 actives the address/location bar, use to explore a drive or go to a web site
  • Ctrl+Esc expands the Start Menu
  • Esc (Escape) exits menus and presses Cancel buttons
  • Enter selects active buttons and presses Ok buttons
  • Space will click activated buttons and toggle highlighted checkboxes
  • Win expands the Start Menu
  • Win+B highlights icons in the ‘Tray’ next to the clock, use in conjunction with Context Menu key instead of right clicking
  • Win+D toggles between open windows and the desktop
  • Win+E opens an Explorer window
  • Win+L locks the desktop and requires user’s password to unlock
  • Win+M minimizes all open applications
  • Win+R opens the ‘Run’ box to execute commands
  • Win+Tab activates items on the Taskbar

Manipulating application windows (Word, Internet Explorer, etc.)

  • Alt+F4 closes the current application
  • Alt+Hyphen activates the application control menu for current document within the current application
  • Alt+Space activates the current application control menu
  • Ctrl+F4 closes current document within current application

Operating menus
Alt activates menus, Alt again deactivates menus

When a menu is activated or visible, the commands on it can be executed by typing the underlined letter
for example, to open a file in Word (or Notepad)
Open Word (or Notepad)
Alt to activate the menu bar
F to choose the File menu (F is underlined)
O to choose Open (O is underlined)

Many applications have an Options dialog accessed from the Tools menu
Open Word (or Internet Explorer)
Alt, T, O in sequence will open the Options dialog
From here, you can use Ctrl+Tab to change tabs and Alt+Underlined Letters to select items, also try Tab, Arrow Keys, and Space

Minimize the current application with keystrokes
Alt+Space activates the application menu
N selects Minimize and the application shrinks

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