Working with computers for so long, sometimes I forget that not everybody knows about shortcuts that would make using computers easier. Here is a list of my most commonly used shortcuts! (For Mac, replace ctrl with the apple key next to the space bar)

General (these shortcuts will work in most programs, including graphic editing ones)
- Copy: ctrl+c
- Open: ctrl+o
- Paste: ctrl+v
- Save: ctrl+s (use this one often!)
- Undo: ctrl+z
- Select All: ctrl+a

Web Browsing (I only use Firefox so some of these might not work in Internet Explorer)
- Page down: space bar
- New Tab: ctrl+t
- Open link in new tab: There are three different ways to do this!

1. If you have a mouse with a scroll button between the two clicky-buttons, click the link with the scroll button. I found this by accident!
2. Right-click and select “open in new tab”
3. For Macs, hold down the function button while clicking the link

If you memorize these shortcuts, you won’t have to keep searching through all the options in the menu bars of whatever program you use–Microsoft Word has a ton of frivolous options and nowhere can I simply find “select all text.” Hopefully these tips will help you too!

- Learn a Language Faster By Slowing Down
- Using Bilingual Dictionaries
- Learning a Foreign Language for Beginners pt. 3: Main Resources
- How To: Use Chopsticks
- Learn Foreign Languages with Free Online Courses

This article voices a lot of complaints by new PC users who start up their shiny new system, only to be bombarded by software they don’t need:

The problem is a lack of respect for the consumer. The manufacturers don’t act as if the computer belongs to you. They act as if it is a billboard for restricted trial versions of software and ads for Web sites and services that they can sell to third-party companies who want you to buy these products.

The worst was a desktop icon called “Watch Hit Movies Now!” This turned out to be four full-length films from Sony’s movie studios, which the company had preloaded onto my computer at the cost of more than four gigabytes of precious hard-disk space. But they aren’t a gift. If you want to play them, you have to pay Sony.

My two cents:
Working at a privately owned PC company, I am all too familiar with this complaint. When I was monitoring some new system builds, I saw that one system had a search bar installed in the bottom left of the task bar. It turned out that it was a default add-on that is installed when you load Nero, the burning software. Luckily, our company prides itself on not pre-installing crap you’ll never need. I got rid of the search bar, knowing all too well that over time things like this “helpful” tool will slow down the computer. Why would burning software need a search bar? Or want to provide you with one? It’s really just a way for you to keep their logo on the screen at all times.

I’ve realized that these advertising tactics are a lot like SPAM. The more advanced users will know enough to get rid of them ASAP, while the more basic users will buy into them. It pains me everytime someone tells me they paid so-and-so amount for some software (that more than likely is available for free with some internet searching) because their computer told them to. It’s not the user’s fault–what would you do if your car told you it felt a flat tire coming on?

The trick is, you need to examine the programs on your computer critically. Do you have broadband? You don’t need AOL. You get all of your music from iTunes? You don’t need Napster. Know that you’re a safe internet browser and user? You don’t need Norton Antivirus. You can get rid of a lot of junk software this way, cleaning up your computer while making your way to becoming a smarter PC-user.

Or you could break down and get a Mac. That works too.

- Design: Design and the Elastic Mind
- Technology: NetNewsWire Desktop RSS Reader
- Technology: Electronic Dictionary

Google has just introduced a new theme option for your personalized Google homepage.

“So what,” you say? “MSN and Yahoo has been doing it for years,” you say?

Oh yeah? Are their themes as adorable as this (note cute widdle fox in bamboo hat)? Do they freakin’ change according to what time it is locally, like this (note said cute widdle fox picking fruit as the sun rises)?

For those who are in the dark about the Google personalized homepage (unfortunately Google doesn’t make it obvious that it’s available), anyone who has a gmail account automatically has their own personal homepage that they can customize. If you don’t have a gmail account (God forbid!), you can still set whatever your primary e-mail address is as a google account instead and still access these services.

When you sign in to your account and go to google.com, on the top right next to your e-mail address there will be a link to your “Personalized Home.” Click on this and you will be able to add nearly anything to it–RSS feeds, Google calendar, Gmail, etc. I also have the phases of moon for whatever reason (see screenshot above), Fandango movie info, Google maps, and so on. You can access the themes on the right–underneath the search bar and above your content.

Granted, I am a bit of a Google whore. I use Google mail, Google Docs & Spreadsheets (formerly Writely) for school and other projects, Google Calendar, and Google Reader nearly every day. Even though their personalized homepage was kind of blah, it was simple and I liked the interface. But now that they’ve added themes…! It will be a treat everytime I open my browser.

- Design: Design and the Elastic Mind
- Technology: NetNewsWire Desktop RSS Reader
- Technology: Electronic Dictionary

Talking with a good friend that works at the customer service at a large chain electronics store, I asked him what the top 10 most returned items are. Most of his answers are quite surprising–usually the customer has been misled by employees or don’t do their research in buying high-priced items. Take a look at what it’s like to be on the receiving end of returns. Read the rest of this entry »

- Japanese Hairstyles and the Economy
- Design: Design and the Elastic Mind
- Technology: NetNewsWire Desktop RSS Reader
- Money: Find Unclaimed Property
- Technology: Electronic Dictionary

Many iPod owners feel that the downside to the mp3 player is that you cannot transfer files back onto your computer. Fortunately, with the help of EphPod, Windows users can copy their files to their desktop with little hassle.

Why would you want to do this? Because although you should already have a copy of the mp3 in your computer (how else did it get into the iPod in the first place?), accidents and errors do happen and one can find themselves with data loss. It is very dangerous to rely on your iPod as the only place to store your mp3 files. As reliable as Apple products are, I have heard many horror stories about users who turned their iPod on only to find that all their files are gone.

My old computer had died and the only copy of the mp3s I had were on my iPod. Fortunately, after some searching I came across EphPod and was easily able to back up the mp3s safely off of the iPod and into my computer. EphPod is resource-light (which means it won’t bog down your computer), and while the interface is a little primitive, it gets the job done. Simply open EphPod, select your iPod, and it will load all the mp3s inside it. To transfer a copy of the mp3s to your computer, select whatever mp3s you need, right-click and select “Copy to Directory.” Choose which folder you want the mp3s to go into, and you’re all set! Now you can sleep at night knowing that, should the two-headed iPod troll give you a visit and eat all of your mp3s, you can easily replace them.

- Learn a Language Faster By Slowing Down
- Using Bilingual Dictionaries
- Learning a Foreign Language for Beginners pt. 3: Main Resources
- How To: Use Chopsticks
- Learn Foreign Languages with Free Online Courses