Happy belated fourth of July! I trust everyone was safe, sound and had enormous amounts of fun! In this post, I am sharing a few tips for those of you that happen to have Windows 7. I hope they enlighten those of you that do. Happy reading!
Shuffling Through Program Windows.
If you’re running a number of files from the same program, such as multiple documents in Microsoft Word,
Windows 7 allows you to switch through these windows with ease.
Simply press down on the Ctrl key while clicking the icon from the taskbar.
Each click will change the window to the next in the sequence, in the order that
you opened them.
Managing Your Windows.
Windows 7 simplifies document and program
management by allowing you to “dock” a window or manipulate its size with
one mouse maneuver or a simple keystroke. To dock your window on one half
of the screen, drag it to the left or right and it will change its size to fit that half
of the screen. To manipulate the vertical size of a window, drag the window to the
top to maximize it, or double-click the window’s top or bottom border to maximize
it vertically while keeping the same width. You can also perform all of these functions with keystrokes:
+Left Arrow and +Right Arrow dock to half the screen
+Up Arrow and + Down Arrow maximize and minimize
+Shift+Up Arrow and +Shift+Down Arrow maximize
and restore vertical size.
Project Your Display With Ease.
Plugging in a projector and projecting your display is a snap with the Windows 7 driver display utility, displayswitch.exe. Simply hit +P to display the following easy-to-navigate pop-up window:
By hitting your arrow keys (or +P) you can switch through multiple display
settings, such as “clone”, “extend” or “external only.”
Live Clutter-Free.
We live with enough clutter in our lives. Windows 7 gets rid of all the superfluous windows behind your active window. Just hit +Home to minimize all inactive windows. To restore the windows when you’d like them, just press +Home again.
Help the Help Desk Help You.
Solving problems unique to a machine can be an arduous task for both the end-user and the help desk. That’s why Windows 7 introduces the Problem Steps Recorder, a screen-capture tool that allows the
end-user to record the problems they’re having step-by-step. It’s as simple as hitting “record” then adding in comments as needed. A HTML-based file is converted to a .ZIP folder, which is easily passed on to the help desk. The program is accessible from the Control Panel under “Record steps to reproduce a problem” or run psr.exe from Explorer.
Put a “Pin Up” of the Folders You Use Most .
Windows® 7 allows you to “pin up” the folders you use most on your taskbar. Simply hold your mouse over the favorite folder, right click, and drag it onto the taskbar. Windows 7 automatically pins itself to the Explorer Jump List. To open the folder, right click on the Explorer icon and select the folder you want.
Double-Up Your Windows.
When working within an application, sometimes you just want more of a good thing. To open another window of the same application (assuming the app can run more than one instance), simply hold Shift and click the taskbar icon. You can also middle-click your third mouse button for the same result.
Clear, Crisp Display—It’s In Your Control.
Windows 7 makes it easy for you to adjust your display settings, making text and images easier to view in all the various locations where you work on your computer. Your laptop display may look fine at work but a little dark at home. Adjust the text and image settings easily with two snappy applets: ClearType Text Tuning and Display Color Calibration. Run cttune.exe and dccw.exe, or look them up in the Control Panel.
BitLocker To Go Protection.
BitLocker® has become a saving grace when it comes to increased laptop security. Windows 7 has taken security even farther with its BitLocker To GoTM feature, which allows you to encrypt removable USB
devices and external disks. To enable BitLocker or BitLocker To Go, right click the drive in Windows Explorer and select “Turn on BitLocker…” This can also be managed centrally via Group Policy, so IT administrators can require the USB drive be encrypted before files can be written to it.
Change the Scenery.
Windows 7 allows you to personalize your desktop background to suit your many moods with a new shuffle feature for your desktop. You can program your desktop background to shuffle through your favorite images
and get a change of scenery as often as you like. To enable the shuffle feature, rightclick on your Desktop and select “Personalize,” then “Desktop Background.” Choose the folder where your favorite images or photos are stored and select as many as you like. Make sure you check the “Shuffle” box, and choose how often you’d like your images to shuffle. It’s a simple way to keep your desktop looking fresh and fun.
I'll be adding more tips at random, so be sure to check back frequently!
No comments:
Post a Comment