Windows 8 Tricks 1

Windows 8 Tricks

1. Open from the lock screen

Windows 8 opens on its lock screen, which looks pretty but unfortunately displays no clues about what to do next.

It's all very straightforward, though. Just tap the space bar, spin the mouse wheel or swipe upwards on a touch screen to reveal a regular login screen with the user name you created during installation. Enter your password to begin.

2. Handle basic navigation

Windows 8's interface is all colourful tiles and touch-friendly apps. And if you're using a tablet then it'll all be very straightforward: just swipe left or right to scroll the screen, and tap any tile of interest.

On a regular desktop, though, you might alternatively spin the mouse wheel to scroll backwards and forwards.

And you can also use the keyboard. Press the Home or End keys to jump from one end of your Start screen to the other, for instance, then use the cursor keys to select a particular tile, tapping Enter to select it. Press the Windows key to return to the Start screen; right-click (or swipe down on) apps you don't need and select Unpin to remove them; and drag and drop the other tiles around to organise them as you like.

3. Group apps

The Start screen apps are initially displayed in a fairly random order, but if you'd prefer a more organised life then it's easy to sort them into custom groups.

You might drag People, Mail, Messaging and Calendar over to the left-hand side, for instance, to form a separate 'People' group. Click the 'minus' icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to zoom out and you'll now find you can drag and drop the new group (or any of the others) around as a block. Right-click within the block (while still zoomed out) and you'll also be able to give the group a name, which - if you go on to add another 20 or 30 apps to your Start screen - will make it much easier to find the tools you need.

Windows 8.1 now provides a special Customise mode with much the same functionality. Right-click an empty part of the Start screen, or swipe up, tap Customise, then drag and drop tiles or rename app groups to whatever you need.

4. Use the quick access menu

Right-click in the bottom-left corner (or hold down the Windows key and press X) for a text-based menu that provides easy access to lots of useful applets and features: Device Manager, Control Panel, Explorer, the Search dialog and more. Download the Win+X Menu Editor and you'll be able to further customise the list with programs of your own.

5. Find your applications

The Win+X menu is useful, but no substitute for the old Start menu as it doesn't provide access to your applications. Press Ctrl+Tab, click the arrow button at the bottom left of the Start Screen, or swipe up from the bottom of the screen and a list of your installed programs will appear. If you can't see what you need immediately, start typing an application name to search for it. Or, in Windows 8.1, click the arrow to the right of "Apps" to sort your programs by date installed, most used, category or name.

6. Make access easier

Get more

If there's an application you use all the time then you don't have to access it via the search system. Pin it to the Start screen and it'll be available at a click.

Start by typing part of the name of your application. To access Control Panel, for instance, type 'Control'. Right-click the 'Control Panel' tile on the Apps Search screen, and click 'Pin to Start'. If you're using a touchscreen, press and hold the icon, then flick down and select 'Pin to Start'.

Now press the Windows key, scroll to the right and you'll see the Control Panel tile at the far end. Drag and drop this over to the left somewhere if you'd like it more easily accessible, then click the tile to open the desktop along with the Control Panel window, and press the Windows key to return you to the Start screen when you're done.

7. Shut down

To shut Windows 8 down, just move the mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of the screen, click the Settings icon - or just hold down the Windows key and press I - and you'll see a power button. Click this and choose 'Shut Down' or 'Restart'.

In Windows 8.1, press Win+X, click 'Shut down or sign out' and select the option you need.

Some of the tricks available in previous versions of Windows still apply. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, for instance, click the power button in the bottom right-hand corner and you'll be presented with the same 'Shut Down' and 'Restart' options.

And if you're on the desktop, press Alt+F4 and you'll be able to choose 'Shut Down', 'Restart', 'Sign Out' or 'Switch User' options.

8. Use the app bar

Windows 8 apps aim to be simpler than old-style Windows applets, which means it's goodbye to menus, complex toolbars and many interface standards. There will usually be a few options available on the App bar, though, so if you're unsure what to do then either right-click an empty part of the screen, press Windows+Z or flick your finger up from the bottom of the screen to take a closer look.

9. Launch apps from the desktop

Windows 8 doesn't provide any obvious way to launch apps straight from the desktop, but this is actually surprisingly easy to set up.

Right-click on an empty part of your desktop, select New > Shortcut, and type Explorer Shell:AppsFolder in the "Location" box. Click Next, enter a name - "All Programs", for instance - and click Finish. Double-clicking that shortcut will open a folder listing all your installed programs, including the apps, and you can launch whatever you like.

10. See what's running

If you launch a Windows 8 app, play with it for a while, then press the Windows key you'll switch back to the Start screen. Your app will remaining running, but as there's no taskbar then you might be wondering how you'd ever find that out.

You could just press Alt+Tab, which shows you what's running just as it always has.

Holding down the Windows key and pressing Tab displays a pane on the left-hand side of the screen with your running apps. (To see this with the mouse, move your cursor to the top left corner of the screen, wait until the thumbnail of one app appears, then drag down.)

And of course you can always press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to see all your running apps in the Task Manager, if you don't mind (or actually need) the extra technical detail.

11. Close an app

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Windows 8 apps don't have close buttons, but this isn't the issue you might think. Apps are suspended when you switch to something else so they're only a very minimal drain on your system, and if you need the system resources then they'll automatically be shut down. (Their context will be saved, of course, so on relaunching they'll carry on where you left off.)

If you want to close down an app anyway, though, move the mouse cursor up to the top of the screen. When it turns from the regular mouse pointer to the icon of a hand, hold down the left mouse button and drag it down the screen. Your app should shrink to a thumbnail which you can drag off the screen to close it.

If that's too much hassle, then simply pressing Alt+F4 still works.

And when all else fails then press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to launch Task Manager, right-click something in the Apps list and select End Task. Beware, though, close something you shouldn't and it's easy to crash or lock up your PC.

12. Hide the taskbar

If you run Windows 8 on a tablet then it makes sense to keep your taskbar on the left, where it takes minimal space and is best placed for easy thumb access. Switch your tablet to portrait orientation, though, and you'll suddenly find the taskbar grabs much more valuable screen real estate.

It doesn't have to be this way, however - not if you install Surface Taskbar Helper. This neat tool enables you to set the taskbar to "auto hide" based on its current orientation, so for instance you can always show it in landscape view, but hide it in portrait, which is a very flexible way to get the most out of your display space.

13. Master Internet Explorer in Windows 8

Click the Internet Explorer tile from the Start menu and you'll launch a full-screen version without toolbars, menus or sidebars, which like so much of Windows 8 may leave you initially feeling lost.

Right-click an empty part of the page or flick your finger down from the top of the screen, though, and you'll find options to create and switch between tabs, as well as a Refresh button, a 'Find' tool and the ability to pin an Internet shortcut to the Start page. Click the spanner icon and select 'View on the desktop' to open the full desktop version of Internet Explorer.

14. Spell check

Windows 8 apps all have spellcheck where relevant, which looks and works much as it does in Microsoft Office. Make a mistake and a wavy red line will appear below the offending word; tap or right-click this to see suggested alternative words, or add the word to your own dictionary if you prefer.

15. Run two apps side by side

Modern UI apps are what Microsoft calls 'immersive' applications, which basically means they run full-screen - but there are ways to view up to four at once.

On Windows 8, swipe from the left and the last app you were using will turn into a thumbnail; drop this, and one app displays in a sidebar pane while your current app takes the rest of the screen. And you can then swap these by swiping again.

Windows 8.1 expands on this and can display up to four apps simultaneously, if you've enough screen space. Move your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, and when it changes to a hand icon, drag and drop your app to the left or right. Once you've moved it enough, a dividing line will appear, you can drop the app, and it'll appear in just that part of the screen. Use the bar between your apps to resize their window widths, or if you need to make one full-screen again.

16. Run as Administrator

Some programs need you to run them with Administrator rights before they'll work properly. The old context menu isn't available for a pinned Start screen app, but right-click one, and if it's appropriate for this app then you'll see a Run As Administrator option.

17. Make a large app tile smaller

You'll notice that Windows 8 apps come in different tile sizes, and these won't always be set up as you like (if you're not really interested in Sports, say, you might prefer that tile to be small). In Windows 8, right-clicking a tile displays 'Smaller' or 'Larger' options which you can use to resize it. Or in Windows 8.1, right-click a tile, 'Resize' and choose from one of four tile sizes: 'Large', 'Wide', 'Medium' and 'Small'.

18. Uninstall easily

If you want to hide an unused app for now, select 'Unpin from Start'. The tile will disappear, but if you change your mind then you can always add it again later. (Search for the app, right-click it, select 'Pin to Start'.)

And, if you're sure you'll never want to use an app again, choose 'Uninstall' will remove it entirely.

Of course, if you like to try out lots of apps then uninstalling them one at a time can get a little tedious. If that becomes a problem, give Windows App Boss a try - it enables you to select multiple apps and remove them all at once.

19. Customise app privacy

It is worth keeping in mind that by default Windows 8 apps can use your name, location and account picture. If you're not happy with that, it's easily changed. Press Win+I, click More PC Settings, select Privacy and click the relevant buttons to disable any details you'd rather not share.

The new Task Manager also includes a History feature that tracks the CPU time used by every application. If you're wondering what someone's doing most of the time on their Windows 8 system, launching Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and clicking the App History tab will give you an idea. But if you don't want someone doing the same to you, clicking App History > Delete Usage History will clear all the figures.

20. Show administrative tools

Experienced Windows users who spend much of their time in one advanced applet or another are often a little annoyed to see their favourite tools buried by Windows 8. Microsoft has paid at least some attention, though, and there are ways to bring some of them back.

As we've mentioned, pressing Win+X launches a menu with plenty of technical tools: 'Device Manager', 'Network Connections', 'Computer Management' and more.

If you need more power, open the Charm bar by flicking your finger from the right-hand side of the screen and select 'Settings' then 'Tiles'. Change 'Show administrative tools' to 'Yes' and click back on an empty part of the Start screen. And it's as simple as that. Scroll to the right and you'll find a host of new tiles for various key applets - Performance Monitor, Event Viewer, Task Scheduler, Resource Monitor and more - ready to be accessed at a click.

21. Search everywhere

The Windows 8.1 Search tool is no longer just about scanning your own system. It's now integrated with Bing, delivering internet results and (sometimes) even Wikipedia-style summaries of whatever you're searching for.

To give this a try, launch the Charms bar, click Search, type 'Marilyn Monroe' and press Enter. As well as seeing any matches in your own documents, pictures or videos, you'll get a picture, brief bio (birth date, husbands, siblings, date and place of death), and links to films, videos, albums and more.

That's just the start, though. Swipe left (or spin the mouse wheel) and you'll find more pictures and summaries for all the top 'Marilyn' search engine hits: IMDB, Wikipedia,MarilynMonroe.com andBiography.com, as well as further links for images, videos, related searches and more. Click any of these to open a browser window at that site.

This extra search power can be very useful, but if you'd prefer to keep desktop searches to your own system then it's easily disabled. Launch the Charms bar, click Settings > Change PC Settings > Search, and set 'Use Bing to search online' to 'Off'.

22. Install anything

Most mobile platforms recommend you only install apps from approved sources to protect your security, and Windows 8 is the same: it'll only allow you to install trusted (that is, digitally signed) apps from the Windows store.

If this proves a problem, though, and you're willing to take the security risk (because this isn't something to try unless you're entirely sure it's safe), then the system can be configured to run trusted apps from any source.

It's all done via a single Registry key, too. Just launch REGEDIT and set the value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx\AllowAllTrustedApps key to 1.

23. Pin app contents to the Start screen

It's easy to pin apps to the Start screen (right-click, select "Pin"), but you don't have to stop there. Many apps also enable you to pin particular content for easy access later.

If you want more ideas for your upcoming holiday in Rome, for instance, you could open the Travel app, right-click, select "Destinations" and choose the "Rome" tile. And then repeat those steps every single time you revisit the page. Or, alternatively, right-click your preferred Destination tile, select "Pin...", and you'll be able to access it directly from the Start screen.

Similarly, if you use the Mail app with multiple accounts then just open these, and you can right-click to select separate live tiles for each one - much more useful.

24. Log in automatically

WARNING: Your account will lose admin privileges as a result of this step

Of course even if you remove the lock screen, you'll still be forced to manually log in every time your system starts. This can also be resolved at speed, though, using much the same technique as in previous versions of Windows.

Hold down the Windows key, press R, type 'netplwiz' and press Enter to launch the User Accounts dialog.

Clear the "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer" box and click OK.

Enter the user name and password of the account that you'd like to be logged in automatically, click OK, restart your system and this time it should boot directly to the Start screen.

25. Use six apps at once

Launch a Windows 8 app and it appears full-screen, which is fine on a small tablet but not so impressive when you've got a 27-inch widescreen monitor to fill.

Toolbox for Windows 8 helps out, though, by bundling 12 common apps in a single package. You get a Facebook client, browser, calculator, weather app, clock and more. And instead of always appearing full-screen, you can run and interact with two, three, four, even six of these tools, all at the same time.

26. Replace the Start menu

If Windows 8's search and navigation tools still leave you pining for the regular Start menu, installing the free Classic Shell will replace it with something very similar.

Install it and you get the standard menu of your installed programs, for instance, along with Search and Run boxes, the Recent Items menu, and Windows 7-type shutdown options. And it can make Windows 8 boot directly to the desktop, too.

Classic Shell doesn't entirely ignore the modern UI world, though. A menu of installed apps enables you to launch them from the desktop, and you can alternatively switch to the Start screen with a click.

27. Learn Windows key shortcuts

Win : switch between the Start screen and the last-running Windows 8 appWin + C : displays the Charms: the Settings, Devices, Share and Search optionsWin + D : launches the desktopWin + E : launches ExplorerWin + F : opens the File Search paneWin + H : opens the Share paneWin + I : opens SettingsWin + K : opens the Devices paneWin + L : locks your PCWin + M : minimises the current Explorer or Internet Explorer window (works in the full-screen IE, too)Win + O : toggles device orientation lock on and offWin + P : switch your display to a second display or projectorWin + Q : open the App Search paneWin + R : opens the Run boxWin + U : open the Ease of Access CentreWin + V : cycle through toasts (notifications)Win + W : search your system settings (type POWER for links to all power-related options, say)Win + X : displays a text menu of useful Windows tools and appletsWin + Z : displays the right-click context menu when in a full-screen appWin + + : launch Magnifier and zoom inWin + - : zoom outWin + , : Aero peek at the desktopWin + Enter : launch NarratorWin + PgUp : move the current screen to the left-hand monitorWin + PgDn : move the current screen to the right-hand monitorWin + PrtSc : capture the current screen and save it to your Pictures folderWin + Tab : switch between running apps

28. Boot desktop apps faster

While you can still set up desktop apps to load when Windows 8 starts, they don't have the priority they once did. Quite the opposite, in fact - Windows 8 delays their launch to ensure everything else starts more quickly. This can make the system more responsive as your system boots, but if you're switching straight to the desktop then it may slow you down, so it may be worth turning off the delay, just to see if you can spot any improvement.

Launch REGEDIT and browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Serialize.

Create the Serialize key if it doesn't exist, and select it in the left-hand pane.

Right-click in the right-hand pane, create a new DWORD value called StartupDelayInMSec, and leave it set at zero (or, if a value is already there, set it to zero).

Restart and the desktop apps will now launch more quickly. Try three or four test boots to see if there's any improvement, and if not, delete the StartupDelayInMSec value to restore the default settings.

29. Launch programs fast

What you need to know

If you're a fan of keyboard shortcuts and don't like the idea of scrolling through app tiles to find the program you need, don't worry, Windows 8 still supports a useful old shortcut. Which is perfect if, say, you're looking to be able to shut down your PC with a click.

Launch the desktop app, right-click an empty part of the desktop and click New > Shortcut.

Browse to the application you'd like to launch here. Or for the sake of this example, enter

shutdown.exe -s -t 00

to shut down your PC, or

shutdown.exe -h -t 00

to hibernate it, and click Next. Type a shortcut name - 'Hibernate', say - and click Finish.

Right-click the shortcut, select Pin to Start and it should appear on the far right of the Start screen - just drag the tile wherever you like.

30. Take intelligent screengrabs

If a Windows 8 application is showing something interesting and you'd like to record it for posterity, then hold down the Windows key, press PrtSc, and the image won't just go to the clipboard: it'll also be automatically saved to your My Pictures folder with the name Screenshot.png (and then Screenshot(1).png, Screenshot(2).png and so on).

You might hope that pressing Win+Alt+PrtSc would similarly save an image of the active window, but no, sadly not. Maybe next time.

31. Default to Photo Viewer

Double-click an image file within Explorer and it won't open in a Photo Viewer window any more, at least not by default. Instead you'll be switched to the full-screen Windows 8 Photos app - bad news if you thought you'd escaped such hassles by using the desktop.

If you'd like to fix this, go to Control Panel > Programs > Default Programs and select Set your default programs.

Scroll down and click Windows Photo Viewer in the Programs list.

Finally, click 'Set this program as default' if you'd like the Viewer to open all the file types it can handle, or select the 'Choose default' options if you prefer to specify which file types it should open. Click OK when you're done.

Posted via A.Mohamed Nazar

Keyboard இல் F1 தொடக்கம் F12 வரை தரப்பட்டுள்ள Function Keyகள் மூலம் பெற்றுக்கொள்ளக் கூடிய வசதிகள்!

F1
இது பெரும்பாலும் எல்லா ப்ரோக்ராம்களிலும் Help Screen ஐ ஓபன் செய்யப் பயன்படுகிறது. CMOS Setup இலும் பயன்படுகிறது.
Windows Key+ F1 Help Screen ஓபன் செய்ய.

F2
இது Highlight செய்யபட்ட file or folder or Icon க்கு Rename செய்யப் பயன்படுகிறது. CMOS Setup இலும் பயன்படுகிறது. Boot மெனுவுக்கு செல்ல

Microsoft Word இல் இதன் பயன்கள்:
Alt + Ctrl + F2 --> open a new document in Microsoft Word.
Ctrl + F2--> display the print preview window in Microsoft Word.

F3
இது நிறைய ப்ரோக்ராம்களில் Search option ஓபன் செய்ய பயன்படுகிறது. MS-DOS இல் கடைசி வரியை Repeat செய்ய பயன்படுகிறது. MS WORD இல் upper case இல் இருந்து lower case க்கு வார்த்தை முழுவதையும் மாற்ற பயன்படுகிறது.

F4
Find window ஓபன் செய்ய(check in the My Computer ) கடைசியாக நடந்த Action ஐ Repeat செய்ய பயன்படுகிறது.(உதாரணம் MS WORD இல் ஒரு line ஐ தொடர்ந்து Paste செய்ய இது எளிதான வழி.)
Alt+F4 will Close all Programs.
Ctrl+ F4 will close current Program.

F5
Reload or Refresh
Open the find, replace, and go to window in Microsoft Word
PowerPoint இல் Slide Show ஸ்டார்ட் செய்ய.

F6
cursor ஐ address bar க்கு மாற்றும். (IE, Mozilla)
Ctrl + Shift + F6 இது புதிய MS WORD Document ஐ ஓபன் செய்யும்.

F7
MS இல் Spell Check & Grammar Check செய்ய பயன்படும். (Word, Outlook,etc ) Mozilla வில் Caret Browsing ஐ ON செய்ய பயன்படும்.

F8
விண்டோஸ் ஸ்டார்ட் ஆகும் போது நாம் Safe Mode Access செய்ய இது பயன்படும்

F9
Quark 5.0 வில் Measurement toolbar ஓபன் செய்ய பயன்படுவதாக உள்ளது.

F10
இது MS இல் MenuBar ஓபன் செய்ய பயன்படுகிறது. (MS WORD இல் முயற்சி செய்யவும்.)
Shift+F10 - Right Click ஆக செயல்படும்.

F11
இன்டெர்நெட் பிரவுசர்களில் Full Screen கொண்டுவர பயன்படும். nகணினி திரையை முழு ஸ்க்ரீன்க்கு கொண்டு வரவும் பயன்படும்.

F12
MS Word இல் save as menu வை ஓபன் செய்ய பயன்படும்.
Shift+F12 will Save MS Word
Ctrl+Shift+F12--MS Word print செய்ய பயன்படும்.

Mohamed Nazar

Windows 7 Tricks

Windows 7 Tricks



1.Launch Taskbar Apps in a Cinch

You probably have all your favorite apps pinned to your taskbar. Launching each requires you moving your mouse all the way down and clicking. Boring!

An easier is to press the Windows key and the position of the app in the taskbar. For example, in the example below, I have Explorer in the first position. Pressing Win+1 will open it up right away. Oddly, using the numpad for this doesn’t seem to be working.

I wish I could multitask better

2. Search Within Documents

By default, Windows doesn’t search the contents of files that aren’t indexed. If you’re in a hurry and need everything searched, prefix your search keywords with content: and Windows will look for every instance of the word.

3. Change the ‘Shut Down’ Button Behavior

For people like me who hibernate on a whim, the shut down button in the start menu is an absolute hindrance. Two clicks to get what I want? Unacceptable. Fortunately, you can easily customize this behavior.

I still prefer XP's approach. Win followed by U and enter.

Go to your Control Panel, click Appearance and Personalization -> Taskbar -> Start Menu. Select the Start Menu tab and choose the Hibernate option and you’re good to go.

4. Enable Internet Searches from the Start Menu

A slightly impractical but still very useful tip. From the start menu, run gpedit.msc. In the window that opens up, go to User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar. In the right page, you should find an entry called Add Search Internet link to Start Menu. Go ahead and enable it to see Windows display a Search the Internet link with every search.

As I mentioned, not very practical but at least saves you from opening a browser

5. Copy into the Command line

Let’s start off with a nerdy one. Often when you’re following a tutorial online, you’ll be asked to run a few commands in your command line. You coyly press Ctrl+V but uh oh. What’s this? Nothing happened.

To copy something into the command line, press Alt+Space which invokes the windows menu. Now go to the edit option and choose paste. Voila! To make it even shorter Alt+Space followed by E and P gets it done in four keystrokes.

6. Use the Volume Mixer to Granular Audio Control

Did you know Windows ships with the ability to control volume on a per app level? You’d usually control the volume by clicking on the speaker icon in your system tray. For the volume mixer, right click on the icon and choose the mixer. You’ll notice a window with options for your main playback device as well as each application that’s capable of outputting sound. In the example below, I have Firefox, and Winamp running.

Great song, if you're wondering.

As an added bonus, if there’s a ungodly sound blaring from you speakers and you don’t know where it’s coming from, the mixer is the place to check!

7. Create a Picture Slideshow on your Desktop

Tired of using the same wallpaper but tired of having to constantly change your wallpapers? Windows 7 has a solution.

The much easiest way is to select multiple images in an explorer shell anywhere, right clicking and choosing Set as Background. Windows will automatically cycle through the chosen images.

You're free to select as many as you want

If you’re itching for a little more control, right click anywhere on the desktop, choose Personalize -> Destkop Background and choose multiple images. You can now choose the interval between changes as well as the order in which they are shown.

8. Invoke the Run Utility in a Single Keystroke

As a power user, I’m constantly looking for getting things done quickly. The run utility is a big help in this aspect. Launching it is still a chore. The easier way? Win+R. Keep in mind that the utility is launched with user level permissions only.

Hola there, indeed!

9. Adding Additional Clocks

I work as part of a distributed team and I frequently have to look up times in different cities. To make this work in Windows 7, click the clock icon in your tray. Choose Additional Clocks in the windows that pops up and add the additional cities you want. Unfortunately, the additional times don’t exactly get displayed in your tray — you need to hover over the clock.

Yes, I'm writing this article this late.

10. Instant Window Docking

Do you have multiple windows open at a time and in need of some immediate organization? Press the Windows key and the left or right arrow key to dock that window to that portion of the screen.

Once docked, you can revert to your earlier position and size by pressing the Windows key and the opposing arrow key.

11. Create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts

Did you know you can launch your favorite applications through custom shortcuts? Let me show you how, it’s easy.

Great game and gets a thumbsup from me!

Just right click the application or its shortcut and click on Properties. Select the Shortcut tab where you’ll find a field for Shortcut Key. Just use a keystroke combo that doesn’t clash with existing shortcuts!

12. Maximize and Minimize Windows in a Heartbeat

Tired or too busy to click the maximize button? Windows provides you with a super quick shortcut: Win+Up key. What about minimizing, you ask? Win+Down key . Pretty nifty when you’re juggling lots of windows.

13. Clean Up Your Text Rendering

One thing I adore on OS X is the clean, crisp typography that it renders. While earlier versions of Windows struggled with this aspect, 7 is pretty spot on.

If you’re unhappy with the current way it renders text, you can always tune it up. Go to Control Panel -> Appearance and Personalization and choose Adjust ClearType text under the Fonts category. The utility that pops up should walk you through setting up text rendering the way you want.

Pay attention to this tool -- it relies on user input for proper calibration

14. Turn Your PC Into a Wifi Hot Spot

Windows 7 ships with the ability to turn any run of the mill wifi adapter into a working, basic wifi router.

Setting it up is a matter of running two commands as well as clicking a few checkboxes. But for the sake of brevity, I’m not including the full guide today — you can find it here.

15. Tweak the Autorun Behavior

By default, Windows 7 pops up an autoplay window when you plugin new media. While a lot of people find it quite useful, it merely gets in the way for me.

Thankfully, you can tweak this behavior in a granular manner. Want your audio CDs to autoplay in Winamp but want your movie DVDs to open with VLC instead? Or want autoplay disabled on just your USB devices? Easy. Go to Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound. There you can find a separate section just for autoplay. The first link lets you tweak everything to your heart’s contents.

It's best to disable autoplay for software

16. Open Folders in New Processes for Added Stability

Folders are opened under the same process by default which, while more efficient, can cause issues when you’re dealing with an unstable file system. You can work around this issue by opening each folder in its own process. You can do so by pressing Shift when right clicking a folder and choosing Open in new process.

The approach is pretty similar to how browsers sandbox plugins and tabs.

17. Use the Inbuilt Black Box

Windows 7 ships with a utility that records the steps you’ve taken on the computer automatically including mouse clicks. You can use these recordings to speed up issues when you’re dealing with tech support.

Use the previously mentioned Win+R combo to bring up the run dialog and type in psr. Just click on the bright red button to get started with recording your steps.

This tool is a boon when you need tech support.

18. Remove the Recycle Bin from the Desktop

I tend to run a super tight ship on my desktop. No icons whatsoever. When I first started using Windows 7, the recycle bin was a thorn in my side. Vista let me right click and delete the entry but Windows 7 denied me that.

As I figured out earlier, the functionality is still present - just behind a couple of clicks. Right click on the desktop, choose Personalize and then Change Desktop Icons on the left side pane.

Uncheck the relevant entry and off the bin goes!

It should be apparent which options is relevant here

19. Insta-Lock Your Workstation

Do you have someone at the door in the middle of a financial transaction or something else sensitive? It’d be wise to lock your computer before leaving but it takes multiple pesky mouse movements and clicks to get it done.

There is a simple combo in 7 to instantly lock your desktop: Win+L. Really helps when you’re in a hurry and has saved me lots of times.

20. Minize All Open Windows

If you’re running a Rainmeter or otherwise widget heavy desktop like me and need to look at your desktop instantly to look something up, the traditional way is a bit of a chore.

Look no further than a quick Win+M which will instantly minimize all open windows. Win+D does roughly the same thing except it seems to render the widgets invisible as well.

21. Restore the Quick Launch Bar

I was one of those people who used the quick launch bar fervently in Vista. Even though, this feature is not enabled by default in 7, there is a quick workaround.

Right click your taskbar, choose Toolbars -> New toolbar. In the dialog that pops up, paste in %AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch. You can now tweak the bar’s position, enable/disable titles and the size of the icons.

Start here

22. Show the AM/PM Symbol in the System Tray

Depending on which locale you selected during installation, the time in the system tray may not display the AM/PM marker. Changing it takes only a few steps.

Go to Control Panel -> Clock, Language and Region and choose Change the date, time or number format. In the window that pops up, look for the Short time setting and change it to hh:mm tt

I still can't get over the way the yanks format their dates

23. Set the Taskbar to Show Text Along with Icons

The default taskbar is setup so that apps only display their icons. Which works for me but you may feel otherwise — specially if you’re feeling nostalgic about Vista.

aka Vista mode

To display each icon’s text as well, right click the taskbar and choose Properties. In the popup, change the Taskbar buttons setting to Never combine.

24. Disable Aero Peek

When you hover over the icon at the end of your taskbar, Windows displays renders just the borders for each window letting you take a look at your desktop — otherwise called Aero peek. This might be a performance killer if you run an older generation machine.

For those reading these captions -- again, some excellent music

To turn this off, right click your taskbar, choose Properties and uncheck Use Aero Peek.. This method seems to have a variable success rate so let me know how it’s working out for you.

25. Zoom in Effortlessly

For users who need to zoom into their screen quickly, here is an alternative that’s mouse free: Win plus + button. The Windows magnifier tool will kick in at 200% magnification. You can zoom in further or zoom out once done.

Yes, the tool really is this small. Works great though.

26. Shift Click for a New Instance of an App

Here’s a cool trick: if you have an app running that has an icon in your taskbar, shift or middle click on its icon and Windows will launch a fresh instance of the application.

As an added bonus, Ctrl + Shift + click will open an instance with admin privileges.

27. Automatically Reduce the Volume When a Call Arrives

I think a vast majority of our readers use our PCs to make voice calls. Windows 7 has lots of built-in functionality around this feature. Let’s take a look at one of the most practical.

When you’re using a PC to make calls and you have a sound producing app on the side, Windows 7 will automatically reduce the system volume. I prefer completing muting everything and that’s how I’ve set mine up. Here’s how.

Press Win+R and type in mmsys.cpl. This will take you directly to the Sound section of the Control Panel. Click on the Communications tab and choose Mute all other sounds. As expected, this will automatically mute everything but the call.

28. Move Your Page File

This is one of those fabled performance tricks told over the years: moving your system’s paging filr from the C partition to a separate hard drive gives you a nice little performance boost. I’ll let you google up about the whys but here is how to do it.

Open Control Panel -> System -> Advanced System Settings. Choose the Advanced tab and click on the settings button of the Performance category. In the popup, click on the Advanced tab and finally the change button. Uncheck the solitary checkbox and create a new page file in a different hard drive after selecting the No paging file option for the C partition. Phew!

29. Activate God Mode

Though the name is quite misleading, the fabled God mode is a neat trick. Invoking it is pretty easy. Create a new folder titled GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} and the folder’s icon will change to resemble a control panel and will contain a plethora of control options.

And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.

30. Shake to Minimize

This is another of those nifty little window management tricks. When you’re working on a cluttered desktop, grab the titlebar of a window and give it a vigorous shake and every other window will minimize meekly providing you all the focus you need.

As a bonus, Win+Home does the same thing.

31. Drag and Drop to Path Glory

When working in the command line, there are plenty of times where you need to provide the path to a specific file or folder. Compiling code, for example. Instead of typing it out, just drag the file into the command prompt and its path will automatically be inserted.

32. Enable Hidden Wallpapers

Considering wallpapers are, well, free this isn’t as impressive as I’d like but hey, hidden is hidden and unlocking equals dopamine. Right? Right?

Go to C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT and you’ll find it stuffed with folders named MCT-xx where xx is a named region. Each of these folders contains region specific themes and wallpapers. Go nuts. Or not. It’s your call, really.

Yay! Dopamine!

33. AutoArrange Your Desktop

You can ask Windows 7 to arrange your desktop by right clicking on the desktop and choosing View -> Auto arange. Once enabled though, you don’t have to go through all those clicks to re-arrange your desktop. Pressing and holding F5 does the trick!

34. Easier App Switching

Alt+tabbing is nice but there is an easier way to switch to your apps. Press the Windows key plus the position of the app in the taskbar. For example, if an app is placed first in your taskbar, press Win+1 and the app will get focus. If it’s not running, it will be launched, as mentioned earlier above.

35. Open a Command Prompt at a Specific Folder

Again, a tip that works out for devs. Press the the Shift key when right clicking on a folder and you’ll see additional options. One amongst them is Open command window here. Really helps if you don’t feel to comfortable with the command line.

That's the Ruby root folder, if you're interested.

36. Calibrate Your Screen

Windows 7 ships with calibration tools in built. While you google around for the long way, here is a quick tip. Press Win+R, and enter dccw.exe in the popup. The Windows Display Color Calibration tool will pop up to sort out your issues.

The calibration tool's welcome screen

37. Monitor Your Performance with Resource Monitor

Windows 7 is usually incredibly quick for me but if yours is acting out, here is a quick little tool buried in Win 7 to help you diagnose the issue.

Click on the start menu and type in resmon to launch the Resource Monitor. The tool provides you with an indepth look at what is eating your CPU cycles, memory and network.

Only video games and transcoding seem to make any kind of dent in modern CPus

38. Enable Checkboxes to Select Multiple Files

I think everyone knows to press the Ctrl key to make multiple selections. Here is a keyboardless way to make it happen.

Go to any folder, click on the the Organize button on the top and select Folder and search options. Go to the view tab and enable the Use check boxes to select items option. Once done, a small checkbox will appear next to each item letting you select multiple items with just a mouse.

Yes, I know the file names are incredibly chaotic

39. Navigate Your Taskbar With Your Keyboard

You can easily move through your taskbar directly through just your keyboard. Press Win+T to cycle through the taskbar icons. Once the initial combo has been pressed, you can also use the arrow keys to navigate your apps.

40. Launch Task Manager in the Proper Context

I bet you always press Ctrl+Alt+Del to bring up the venerable task manager. Have you noticed there is a slowdown before it launches?

While you can deal with the technicalities of why it happens here, here is a quick little shortcut that step around the entire process: Ctrl+Shift+Esc.

Computer Tricks

Computer Tricks



Computers have simplified our life to a great extent. Things that were impossible earlier can now be completed instantly thanks to computers. But, does this mean that a PC is all work and no play?

Obviously not! Here are some of the best tricks you can try out on your Windows based computer.
Anchor

1. Make your computer speak what you type

You can use your PC's built in features and some VBScript magic to create a simple program that will make your computer speak whatever you input to it. What are you waiting for? Head over to this post to start a conversation.

2. Find your computer's gender

Want to know if your PC is a male or a female? Simple. Try the previous trick to know if your computer is a 'he' or a 'she'.

On a serious note, this depends upon the voice you have selected in Microsoft Text to Speech options.

3. Lock Folders with password

Do you often have other people seeing your personal files? You can store them in a password protected folder so that only you can access them. Go see this post to know how to protect your personal files effectively.

4. Make your computer greet you every time you start Windows

A simple modification in the first trick will let you have an awesome computer said welcome that you can use to impress all your friends. Just read this post to make your computer welcome you in its own mechanical voice.

5. Have fun with Notepad

If you think that Notepad is just a basic text editor, then, you will be amazed by its capabilities. You can use Notepad to create everything from personalized logs to harmless viruses that are incredibly annoying. Go see this post to know just how useful Notepad is.

6. Command Prompt too has some tricks up its sleeves

So, you thought that Notepad has some tricks but not the command prompt? If you thought so, then you would be surprised to see all the cool stuff you can do with the Windows Command Prompt. Just see this post to get impressed.

7. Change your Processor's name

Are you bored of your old processor and want a new one with a staggering name? Change its name to something extraordinary to get that something special for your PC.

8. Make a Keyboard Disco

Use some VBScript coding to create a live disco using the LED keys on your keyboard. See this post to know how your keyboard can turn into a disco.

9. Use your Keyboard as Mouse.

You know you can use your mouse as keyboard using the On-screen keyboard. What if I tell you that it is also possible to do the reverse? Just read this post to see how.

10. Use Keyboard Shortcuts to get work done in no time

Use some amazingly useful keyboard shortcuts to greatly increase your efficiency when working on a Windows computer.

11. Wallpapers:

They slow your whole system down, so if you're willing to compromise, have a basic plain one instead!
12. Drivers:

Update your hardware drivers as frequently as possible. New drivers tend to increase system speed especially in the case of graphics cards, their drivers are updated by the manufacturer very frequently!

13. Minimizing:

If you want to use several programs at the same time then minimize those you are not using. This helps reduce the overload on RAM.

14. Boot Faster:

The 'starting Windows 98/XP' message on startup can delay your booting for a couple of seconds. To get rid of this message go to c:\ and find the file Msdos.sys. Remove the Read-Only option. Next, open it in Notepad or any other text editor. Finally, go to the text 'Options' within the file and make the following changes: Add BootDelay=0. To make your booting even faster, set add Logo=0 to remove the Windows logo at startup.

15. Restart only Windows:

When restarting your PC, hold down Shift to only restart Windows rather than the whole system which will only take a fraction of the time.

16. Turn Off Animations:

Go to Display Settings from the Control Panel and switch to the Effects Tab. Now turn off Show Windows Content While Dragging and Smooth Edges on Screen Fonts. This tip is also helpful with Windows XP because of the various fade/scroll effects.

17. Faster Start-Menu Access:

Go to the Start menu and select Run. Now type Regedit and hit Enter. The Registry Editor will appear on the screen. Now, open the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. You should see a MenuShowDelay value. If you don't then do the following: right click on a blank space in the right pane and select New\String. Change the name in the new value to MenuShowDelay. Now that we have the MenuShowDelay value, double click on it and enter 0 in the value data field. This sets the start menu delay to 0 milliseconds.

18. Resolutions:

If you are willing to do anything for faster performance from your PC, then try lowering your display resolution. The lower it is, the faster your PC.

19. Turn off Active Desktop:

Go to your Display Properties and switch to the Web tab. Uncheck View My Active Desktop As a Web Page. Since the Active Desktop option under Windows 98 uses a lot of system resources, this option can have a dramatic effect on the speed of the whole system.

20. Defragment Often:

Windows 98's Defrag tool uses Application Acceleration from Intel which means that when you defragment your drive, data is physically arranged on the drive so that applications will load faster.

21. Take your PC to Bed:

Using the Advanced Power Management feature under Windows 98 gives you the option to use the sleep command. That way, you can send your PC to sleep instead of shutting it down and then restarting it. It's as simple as pressing a button and then pressing the same button to wake it up. You can tell Windows after how many minutes/hours of inactivity to automatically sleep the machine in the Advanced Power Management section of the Control Panel.

22. Faster Internet Access:

If you use the internet for reference and the sites you visit are rarely updated then try the following. In IE (the same can be done in Netscape) go to Tools, Internet Options. Next, click on Settings... in the Temporary Internet Files section. Finally, select Never for the first option and double the amount of storage space to use, click OK!

23. Benchmarking:

Benchmarking can be very useful when run frequently. It can tell you how your PC's components are performing and then compare them to other machines like yours. For example, when you overclock your PC, you want to know how much more speed you have and whether it is stable. All this and more can be discovered using benchmarking. An excellent piece of software for doing this job is SiSoft Sandra which can be found in the Downloads File Archive!

24. Refresh the Taskbar without restarting:

If you in some way change the taskbar, either in Regedit or elsewhere, you can refresh the task bar without restarting. Hold down Ctrl Alt Del, and double click on Explorer. Say Yes to close Explorer, but no to closing Windows. This will refresh the Taskbar and system tray.

25. Quick CD Eject:

Instead of pushing the button on your drive, right-click your CD drive letter in My Computer and click on Eject. This will also remove any icons that have become associated with the CD drive.

26. Start Up Programs:

Windows can be slowed down when programs run on start up. To eliminate this, check your Start up folder. You can access it from the start menu: Start, Programs, Start Up. Another way to eliminate programs from loading even before Windows actually starts is by doing the following: Click on Start, then Run. Type msconfig. It will take quite a long time for this program to load, but when you finally see it on your screen, explore the different tabs. They all have to do with how quickly your PC boots, so select what you want, and uncheck what you don't want!

27. Fonts:

When Windows starts, it loads every single font in the Fonts folder. Therefore, the more fonts you have, the slower the booting process. To get rid of unwanted fonts, simply go to the Fonts folder under c:\windows and remove whatever you don't want. Fonts that have a red letter 'A' as their icon are system fonts, so don't delete them.

28. Stretching Wallpapers:

Don't "stretch" your wallpaper in Windows 98 since it actually slows Windows down when you drag icons around on the desktop.

29. RAM Matters:

If you have less than 32MB then you should seriously think of upgrading it to at least 64MB. Windows runs much more smoothly with 64MB or higher and tends to use less hard disk space for virtual memory.

30. Partitioning:

A very nice little thing you can do to boost system performance. By partitioning your hard drive, splitting one physical drive into several logical ones, you can gain several advantages. 1. If you get a virus or you accidentally format a drive, not all will be lost. 2. By placing the swap file (Win386.swp) on a separate drive, The swap file will be less fragmented and thus, faster. 3. Place Windows on a separate drive and whenever you need to reinstall it, you rest assured that your data is safe on a separate drive. Partitioning can be done using a few programs such as FDisk which comes with DOS. However, FDisk formats everything on the hard disk before partitioning. Alternatively, you can use Partition Magic from Power Quest to partition your hard disk without losing your data.

Top Ten Tips to Improve System Speed
1. Let your PC boot up completely before opening any applications.

2. Refresh the desktop after closing any application. This will remove any unused files from the RAM.

3. Do not set very large file size images as your wallpaper. Do not keep a wallpaper at all if your PC is low on RAM (less than 64 MB).

4. Do not clutter your Desktop with a lot of shortcuts. Each shortcut on the desktop uses up to 500 bytes of RAM

5. Empty the recycle bin regularly. The files are not really deleted from your hard drive until you empty the recycle bin.

6. Delete the temporary internet files regularly.

7. Defragment your hard drive once every two months. This will free up a lot of space on your hard drive and rearrange the files so that your applications run faster.

8. Always make two partitions in your hard drive. Install all large Softwares (like PSP, Photoshop, 3DS Max etc) in the second partition. Windows uses all the available empty space in C drive as virtual memory when your Computer RAM is full. Keep the C Drive as empty as possible.

9. When installing new Softwares disable the option of having a tray icon. The tray icons use up available RAM, and also slow down the booting of your PC. Also disable the option of starting the application automatically when the PC boots. You can disable these options later on also from the Tools or preferences menu in your application.

10. Protect your PC from dust. Dust causes the CPU cooling fan to jam and slow down thereby gradually heating your CPU and affecting the processing speed. Use compressed air to blow out any dust from the CPU. Never use vacuum.

Maintaining your computer is the key to keeping it healthy and fully working and of course, fast. Windows 95 has most of the tools for maintaining your PC, but Windows 98 extends the possibilities and makes it even less of a hassle. If you follow the list below and run the programs listed frequently, you will be guaranteed to have a maintained computer at no extra cost. There are, however, other programs in the market with stronger engines, but then again, they're not free (stop smiling...) Most of these programs can be found under the Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools folder.

Computer Maintenance tips for keeping it healthy

1. Disk Defrag: It is advisable to run Defrag under Windows 95 once a month or when you add/remove programs. However, under Windows 98, you can run it every week if you want because it has a new engine, which means that the more you run it, the faster your computer will get. What happens is that your programs are placed on your hard disk in a way so that the ones you use most often are easier for the hard disk to find and run. Make sure that the 'make my programs run faster' is ticked in the 'Settings' window in Defrag.

2. Scandisk: Running a thorough check is good once a month in both Windows 95 and 98. Run this once a month if you feel that your hard disk takes a long time to load programs. A standard check is very fast and checks for basic disk problems concerning files and folders and lost fragments. It takes an average 2 minutes to complete so try running it often.

3. Disk cleanup: This one is good for seeing how much disk space is being used up by unnecessary files that are in the recycle bin, temp folder, or in temporary internet folders. You can then remove them!

4. RegClean: A simple but effective piece of software this is. You can download it for free from Microsoft's web site. It is also available on many magazine cover disks. Reg Clean takes about a minute to check the registry. Then it asks whether you want to clean out redundant or orphan file. This usually helps the computer to get rid of files that have been left behind by uninstalled programs.

5. Windows update: It's a good idea to use Windows Update to make sure your computer has all the latest fixes, patches and updates. You can do so by clicking on its icon in the Start Menu under Windows 98.

6. Tweak ALL: A very handy program that allows to change settings, which cannot be changed using Windows alone!
Computer Tricks Every Geek Should Know

We've talked before about the things every computer user should know how to do, but we geeks are special: we want to go above and beyond, to explore every nook and cranny of our system and make everything easier. Here are ten ways to do just that.

1. Find New Uses for the Programs You Already Have

Chances are, you've probably already found a few awesome tools and added them to your productivity arsenal, but most programs can be used for more than just their inteded purpose. The file-syncing Dropbox, for example, is also great for monitoring your home computer, printing files from afar, and even downloading stuff with BitTorrent. Savvy folks can use Gmail to store files in the cloud or find out if someone's stolen your laptop. Any tool can become multipurpose if you know its ins and outs.

2. Use the Command Line Like a Ninja

Using the command line isn't as exciting as it looks in the movies, but it can be a very useful tool (in fact, some tools are just better in the command line). It's pretty easy to learn, too—check out our command line primer for beginners to learn some basic commands. Once you've got that down, read up on the best shortcuts that help you navigate the command line like a ninja. Those guides apply to UNIX-based systems like Linux and OS X, but if you're a Windows user you can grab something like Cygwin to get a similar experience (or, if you want a more Windows-centric tool, try Powershell).

3. Read and Understand Your Resource Usage

When your computer starts acting a little slow, a lot of people jump to their resource monitor to see what's causing problems. However, just looking at a bunch of charts and graphs isn't going to tell you what's wrong unless you really know what you're looking for. High CPU is a common problem with one app slowing your system down, and as soon as you close it, the issue should go away. High network activity could be the cause of slow internet or slow file transfers over the network. RAM usage, however, is where a lot of people get thrown off: high RAM usage isn't inherently a bad thing. Know the difference between good and bad RAM usage before you start blaming processes. If you want to keep an eye on your resources, check out our favorite system monitors for Windows, Mac, and Linux, too.

4. Run Everything on a Schedule

Stop performing all that system maintenance yourself and set it all up to run on a schedule. With Windows' built-in Task Scheduler, you can run just about any kind of task—whether it's maintenance, picture uploads, or even a simple alarm—through Windows' built-in tools (in fact, it's one of the best Windows 7 features you've probably forgotten about). Mac users looking for something similar should check out Tasks Till Dawn.

5. Know Your OS's Hidden Features

Every operating system has hidden things lying under the hood, you just have to know where to look. Windows users should check out the hidden features of Windows 7 and Windows 8, while Mac users should peruse the hidden features of OS X Lion and Mountain Lion. If you want to find even more, you can often find them in Windows' Registry or in OS X's terminal. System tweakers like Ultimate Windows Tweaker, OnyX for Mac, and Ubuntu Tweak are also great places to find secret features.

6. Learn to Crack Passwords (and Protect Yourself)

Everyone should know how to create a secure password, but responsible geeks can take it a step further by learning how to break into a comptuer. This skill—whether used on a Windows machine or a Mac—can really help you understand how computer thieves and hackers will try to get at your data. Learning the process means you know how to protect yourself against the process—not just with strong passwords but with encryption and other settings tweaks that keep thieves out. Similarly, you may also want to learn how to crack a Wi-Fi network's WEP and WPA password.

7. Navigate Everything With Your Keyboard

There are certain basic keyboard shortcuts everyone should know, but if you really want to use your computer more efficiently, you can take it so much further. Learn the most common shortcuts for your favorite programs, like Gmail, Microsoft Word, basic text boxes, and even Facebook. After a little while, you'll be able to blow through menus and text boxes with unbelievable speed. Check out our guide to becoming a keyboard ninja, complete with a bunch of cheat sheets to help get you off the ground.

8. Run a Basic Linux Distribution

Even if you don't want to switch operating systems, knowing a few Linux basics can be really handy. With a live CD on hand you can troubleshoot your machine, revive an old, slow PC, and make your way through Linux-based DIY projects. Check out our five-part guide to getting started with Linux, and be careful—it can be quite the rabbit hole once you get into it!

9. Squeeze More Power Out of Your Hardware

With a bit of tweaking, you can push your hardware past its original limits and get some pretty serious bang for your buck. When it comes to your PC, you can overclock your processor and video card, and even install OS X on non-Macs by building a Hackintosh. And, while you're at it—even though it isn't a computer trick specifically—you should try turning your $60 router into a $600 router with DD-WRT.

10. Program Your Own Dead Simple Scripts

You don't need to learn an entire programming language to write advanced scripts. Windows users can do a ton of awesome stuff with AutoHotkey, from creating simple keyboard shortcuts to controlling their PC remotely. To get started, just check our beginner's guide to AutoHotkey and our list of the best AutoHotkey tricks. Mac users don't have anything quite like AutoHotkey, but you can do quite a bit with the built-in, insanely easy-to-learn AppleScript. If you aren't the coding type, check out Automator on the Mac and its clone, Actions on Windows

When all is said and done, this is probably way more than 10 tricks, but if you don't know any of the above, they should keep you busy for awhile. If you have an idea we didn't list, be sure to mention it in the comments below.

abnazinfotech