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Computer shortcut heaven

October 10, 2009 in software, training | Permalink

In trying to come up with my top ten keyboard shortcuts, the ones where people say, “Wait, what did you just do?” I have come up with the following 13. But, in my defense, I could say that cut, copy, and paste may not count, as many people may have already learned those keyboard shortcuts. So, here is a list of my top 10+3

The whole point of using the keyboard for what otherwise would involve the mouse is to cut down on moving your hand from the keyboard while you are typing, to the mouse to find and click on a menu command, and then back to the keyboard to continue typing. These shortcuts are usually a mix of two or more keys pressed at the same time. So, below is my list of what I most frequently use to avoid that keyboard to mouse and back routine. Ctrl c means hold down the “Ctrl” key and press the “c” key.

Windows Mac Action
Ctrl c Cmd c Copy what is highlighted
Ctrl v Cmd v Paste
Ctrl x Cmd x Cut what is highlighted
Alt tab Cmd tab Rotate to next running program
Ctrl s Cmd s Save file and keep it open for further work
Ctrl z Cmd z Undo last command or action
Click the right mouse button Click the right mouse button, or Ctrl click left button Open contextual menu,
Alt F4 or Ctrl q Cmd q Close, quit the current program
Ctrl p Cmd p Open print window
Ctrl n Cmd n Open new document, web page, email message …
Ctrl a Cmd a Select all in document or window
Tab Tab Move to next typing field in web page or database window or table
Ctrl click Cmd click Lets you pick and choose among the list of file names or email messages

How to find other shortcuts

When you are looking at a menu again and again, to do the same thing over and over, look to the right of the command and notice there may be something like Ctrl O (File, Open)

Or, google something like “Word keyboard shortcuts,” replacing Word with the name of the program that you want shortcuts for.

Write down a list of ten that you frequently use, ones that otherwise you are always getting to through the menus, and put them next to your computer. Practice them.

As nothing is consistent across all computer programs, focus on the shortcuts that will help you with your most frequent mouse actions.

Ed U online

May 18, 2009 in training | Permalink

Although it is the end of the school year, graduation has come and gone, many of us still like to learn year round from the comfort and privacy of our own homes. There are many options on the Web that let you “sit in” on classes that ten years ago you would have had to pay for. So long as you don’t need the actual diploma, many colleges now have put their courses online. Sites like MIT’s and Tuft’s OpenCourseWare projects (http://ocw.mit.edu/ and http://ocw.tufts.edu/) and Standford University’s association with iTunes U. (http://itunes.stanford.edu/) let you find classes by school or topic. You can attend these classes at your leisure and you don’t have to do the homework. More class ideas can be found at “Universities With the Best Free Online Courses” at Education Portal,
(http://education-portal.com/articles/Universities_with_the_Best_Free_Online_Courses.html)

With travel season coming up, it may be time to learn a new language or brush up on an old one. Again, iTunes can help you gain access to many podcasts ranging from beginner to staying current with regional news in the language of your choice (or at least many of the major languages in the world.) If you have iTunes installed on your computer, you can go to the iTunes store and browse or search through the Podcasts link which usually is in the upper left hand box/corner of the iTunes store. Also, many resources are listed at Open Culture in an article titled “Free Foreign Language Lessons”
(http://www.openculture.com/2006/10/foreign_languag.html) linking even to a set of podcasts on how to teach yourself a foreign language (http://podlearner.podomatic.com/)

As YouTube becomes THE place we all go to for video clips, they have assembled videos from many partners at http://www.youtube.com/edu Browse through their directory of schools (http://www.youtube.com/edu?action_directory) or try searching for a topic of interest.

And, don’t forget that you can always search for more online educational options using a search engine like google.com.

Keeping up with the Jones “The enemy adapts: the state of spam, malware, and phishing scams”

June 27, 2007 in arrgghh, software, training | Permalink

Just as we are supposed to keep our consumer society healthy and flourishing it seems that computer bad stuff is making plenty of money, for someone. And, thinking that a Mac will keep you safe is only going to cover part of staying safe on the Internet, it seems that phishing schemes, those things that look like you have to reconfirm some financial information, are really taking off. And, how do they make money? Well, the costs are so low that if only 1 in 10,000 were to fall for it, that would be enough.