Mousin' Around

Computer tips and tricks for beginning and intermediate computer users -- especially senior citizens! Learn new things that you can teach your kids and grandkids -- they really don't know it all!

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Shortcut Keys

$Account.OrganizationName
Greetings!
Shortcut Keys
Become a Keyboard Whiz

There's a whole list of keyboard shortcuts that can replace some of the functions you do on your computer. Let me tell you about a few of them.

Cut, copy and paste are often used to remove text from a document (cut), copy text in one document to use in another document (copy), and paste the text you have cut or copied into a new location or document. It's important to remember that before you perform these operations, you must first highlight the text you are going to use. (See page 64 of my book Taming Your Computer -- The Simple Basics, for instructions on highlighting text.)

  • Once you have highlighted the text, hold down the CTRL key on the bottom row of your keyboard and press the letter X to cut (remove) the text from the document.
  • To copy the highlighted text, hold down the CTRL key and press the letter C.
  • To paste the text into its new location, hold down the CTRL key and press the letter V (don't ask me, I didn't make these up!).

  • Write these shortcuts on a piece of paper and tape it beside your computer for easy reference. You'll be using them automatically in no time at all.

    Do you have friends or family who would find this tip helpful? Please click on the link below, Forward email to a friend!, and send it to them. They're also welcome to sign up for my monthly newsletter as well as the Tip of the Week. Thanks for sharing.

    Barb Walker
    Taming Your Computer Inc.

    phone: 303 752-2152

    Forward email to a friend!

    This email was sent to mycomputerlady.stuff@blogger.com, by mycomputerlady@aol.com
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    Taming Your Computer Inc. | 12768 E. Harvard Circle | Aurora | CO | 80014

    Sunday, June 18, 2006

    Special Keys on your Keyboard

    $Account.OrganizationName
    Greetings!
    Special Keys on your Keyboard
    Save time!

    There are many special keys on your keyboard you might not be familiar with. Let me introduce you to the Home and End keys. If you are using a standard desktop keyboard, they are located on the right side in a "cluster" of six keys.

    Let me show you how to use these keys. Just for fun, type a line of text. Your cursor should be at the right end of the text. Press the "Home" key. Your cursor will move to the beginning of the line. Now press the "End" key. The cursor moves to the end of the line. And if this isn't enough, when you are working on a long document and you want to go to the beginning of the document (picture a 500- page document here, just for emphasis), hold down the CTRL key (on the bottom row of your keyboard) and press "Home." This will take you to the beginning of your document. Now hold down CTRL and press the "End" key. It takes you to the end of the document. Now that's a time saver!

    Do you have friends or family who would find this tip helpful? Please click on the link below, Forward email to a friend!, and send it to them. They're also welcome to sign up for my monthly newsletter as well as the Tip of the Week. Thanks for sharing.

    Barb Walker
    Taming Your Computer Inc.

    phone: 303 752-2152

    Forward email to a friend!

    This email was sent to mycomputerlady.stuff@blogger.com, by mycomputerlady@aol.com
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    Taming Your Computer Inc. | 12768 E. Harvard Circle | Aurora | CO | 80014

    Sunday, June 11, 2006

    Alphabetize those programs

    $Account.OrganizationName
    Greetings!
    Alphabetize those programs
    Stop hunting for things

    When you click the Start button, and then All Programs, do you see a mish-mash of programs? When you install a new program it goes to the end of the program list and is sometimes difficult to find. I stumbled across a quick way to remedy this.

    Begin by LEFT clicking the Start button in the lower left corner of your screen. Then LEFT click All Programs. You will see a list of the programs on your computer. Now RIGHT click on a blank area of your program list and you will see a shortcut menu. (Remember, that's what happens when you RIGHT click something.) LEFT click Sort by Name and your programs will be listed alphabetically.

    I've noticed that some of the programs at the end of the list are in a separate alphabetical list. I haven't figured that one out yet, but when I do, you'll be the first to know. See, we're always learning!

    Do you have friends or family who would find this tip helpful? Please click on the link below, Forward email to a friend!, and send it to them. They're also welcome to sign up for my monthly newsletter as well as the Tip of the Week. Thanks for sharing.

    Barb Walker
    Taming Your Computer Inc.

    phone: 303 752-2152

    Forward email to a friend!

    This email was sent to mycomputerlady.stuff@blogger.com, by mycomputerlady@aol.com
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    Taming Your Computer Inc. | 12768 E. Harvard Circle | Aurora | CO | 80014

    Monday, June 05, 2006

    Lock that Taskbar

    $Account.OrganizationName
    Greetings!
    Lock that taskbar
    Don't let it jump around

    Do you ever have problems with your taskbar moving around your screen? You can lock it in place so that never happens again. The taskbar is that long bar that goes across the bottom (or top, if you've moved it) of your screen.

    To lock the taskbar in place, simply right click on a blank area of the taskbar. Then left click Lock the Taskbar. You've done it! It will never wander again.

    Do you have friends or family who would find this tip helpful? Please click on the link below, Forward email to a friend!, and send it to them. They're also welcome to sign up for my monthly newsletter as well as the Tip of the Week. Thanks for sharing.

    Barb Walker
    Taming Your Computer Inc.

    phone: 303 752-2152

    Forward email to a friend!

    This email was sent to mycomputerlady.stuff@blogger.com, by mycomputerlady@aol.com
    Powered by

    Taming Your Computer Inc. | 12768 E. Harvard Circle | Aurora | CO | 80014

    About Me

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    I love teaching senior citizens to use computers. I'm a senior myself, so I'm working with my peers. When I work with you in your home on your computer, I don't sit in front of your computer and TELL you want to do. You sit in front of your computer while I TEACH you what to do. I also write step-by-step instructions for you to follow when I'm not there.