Sarasota PC Monitor
Practicing the Black Art (04/02)
Performance issues in Windows
by Vinny La Bash, vlabash@comcast.net
Member of the Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc.Pointing out that adding memory to your computer will improve performance has become almost like pointing out that the sun rises in the east. Of course it does! Now will somebody please tell me how to improve performance?
Performance means different things to different people. Does it mean how fast a file will open after you select it, or how fast you can scroll through a list of items in a window? Some measure performance by how quickly images appear on the screen during a 3D game and the geeks, propeller heads, and bit-twiddlers use something called benchmarks, which sometimes have a connection to the real world. We are not talking about raw speed type performance, but making Windows work reliably and predictably in everyday situations.
A very realistic measure of performance could be how easy is it to use your system and accomplish the things you want to do without annoying frustrations grinding you to a halt. There are things you can do to enhance your computing experience without having to fracture your wallet or plough through arcane manuals that may as well be written in ancient Sumerian.
The following tips and suggestions are in no particular order of importance or relevance. They cost nothing to implement except a modest investment in time. Some involve Anon-recurring@ labor. Do it once and forget it. Use them and if you like them pass them on to friends.
Instant Desktop access
Here's a way to get to the desktop quickly if you have several windows open with most of them maximized. You can minimize all open windows at once. Just right-mouse-click any free space on the Taskbar and select Minimize All Windows. Instantly, you'll have complete access to your desktop. To get back to what you were doing, repeat the procedure but select Undo Minimize All.
Instant Desktop access 2
If you have the Quick Launch Bar active on your task bar, you will see a "Show Desktop" icon. Left click this icon at any time and your Desktop will instantly appear.
Instant Desktop access 3
Keyboard commands work under any conditions. Press Ctrl-Esc, then Alt-M. This is equivalent to right clicking the Taskbar and selecting Minimize All Windows.
Instant floppy access
If you would like an alternative to opening an Explorer or My Computer window every time you want to see the contents of a floppy disk, add a floppy drive shortcut to the Quick Launch bar on your Taskbar.
Double-click My Computer, then right-mouse-click and drag your floppy drive icon to the Quick Launch bar. When the vertical line appears, release the mouse button and select Create Shortcut(s) Here. The next time you pop a floppy into the drive, just select this icon to view its contents in one quick step.
Move your Taskbar
By default, the Windows Taskbar sits along the bottom of your screen. When you feel like doing a little desktop reorganization, move it around. For example, left click a blank area of the Taskbar and drag the Taskbar to the right of your screen. When a fuzzy gray line eventually appears, release the mouse and the Taskbar will reposition itself.
Auto hide the Taskbar
Right-mouse-click a blank area of the Taskbar and select Properties. On the Taskbar Options tab, select Auto Hide, then click OK. From now on, the Taskbar will shrink off the screen when you aren't using it. When you want the Taskbar back, move your mouse pointer over its visible edge, and it will slide back into view.
You found a great Web page
Internet Explorer makes it easy for you to send Web pages by email. Go to the Menu Bar and choose File, then Send, then Page by E-Mail. When Outlook Express opens, enter the email address and click Send. That's all there is to it.
Recovering errant windows
Sometimes you inadvertently move a window to a point where it has become all but inaccessible. When this happens to you, right-click a blank area of the Taskbar and select one of the available Window rearranging options: Tile Windows Horizontally, Tile Windows Vertically or Cascade Windows. Every open window falls right into place. A single open window may not respond. If this is your situation, open another window and they will fall into place.
True folder size
If you ever need to know the true size of a folder, including all the subfolders and files within them, simply locate the folder in any Explorer window, then right-mouse-click the folder and select Properties from the shortcut menu that appears. In the resulting dialog box, you'll find the number you're looking for next to Size. It's a lot easier than adding all those files up manually.
Top to bottom
Here's a way to move quickly through Web pages: Press Ctrl-End to move to the end of the document. Press Ctrl-Home to return to the top. This technique works for any word processing document also.
Flat panel vs CRT
The average 17-inch flat panel display now sells for around $1,000, sometimes less. Not long ago, you would have spent over $3,500 for a flat panel monitor that size. A flat panel makes each and every computing session more comfortable. If you're shopping for upgrades, seriously consider one of these.
For your eyes only
Have you ever wanted to send a message to a group of people, but don't want each recipient to see who else received it? Easy! Create the message as usual, and enter just your own name in the To field. In the Bcc field, enter the names of all the other recipients. When each recipient gets the message, he or she sees only your name and his or her own in the To field.
Send a picture quick
If you come across a graphic on a Website that you must email to a friend immediately, just do the following: Right click on the graphic and select Copy from the popup menu. Switch over to Outlook Express and type Ctrl+N to start a new email message. Fill in the To: and the Subject: boxes. When you get to the message area, type Ctrl+V to copy the image into the body of the message and off you go.
Quick rename
The next time you need to rename a file, folder or shortcut, don't waste all that energy right-clicking the file and selecting Rename. Assuming the item is already selected, simply press F2 on your keyboard. It's the same thing and much easier on the wrist.
Copying numbers from the calculator
When you use Calculator and need to copy a figure to another location, let Windows do the copying for you. Assuming you've just used the Calculator to come up with a figure, press Ctrl-C to copy that number to the Clipboard. Switch to the destination, press Ctrl-V, and without fail you'll see the same number you started with. You can also use this technique to copy numbers from a spreadsheet to a word processor table.
Summary
Obviously, the above do not constitute the usual performance suggestions. Nevertheless, these common sense techniques can greatly decrease any frustration factors while making your computer experience both productive and fun. :
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Copyright 2002. This article is from the April 2002 issue of the Sarasota PC Monitor, the official monthly publication of the Sarasota Personal Computer Users Group, Inc., P.O. Box 15889, Sarasota, FL 34277-1889. Permission to reprint is granted only to other non-profit computer user groups, provided proper credit is given to the author and our publication. We would appreciate receiving a copy of the publication the reprint appears in, please send to above address, Attn: Editor. For further information about our group, email: admin@spcug.org/ Web: http://www.spcug.org/
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