simplehelp.com has a short post about the 22 ways to use the Windows key. Here are 2 Windows key shortcuts that I use often.

• Windows Key + D: Minimize or restore all windows

usually used when there is a need to drag an item from the desktop to another window such as :

• dragging an mp3 file to Winamp
• dragging a file to store in another folder
• Windows Key + E: Launch Windows Explorer

running the explorer without using the mouse to click on ‘My Computer’

• Windows Key + L: Locks the workstation

used often to prevent people living in th same house to meddle with my pc, expecially my younger brother.

Thanks to simplehelp.com, I’m gonna start using

• Windows Key + R: Launch the Run dialog box

I use Run often when I want to open up the dos window (type in cmd.exe) and to modify the registry.

Simple Help
Common questions, simple answers.

freepctech.com has an interesting list of 189(if my countings are right) tips and tricks on how to further improve Windows XP for a better enjoyable time. It covers almost everything from meddling with the programs to modifying the registry files for better start up. Here are 3 tips I learned, taken from the website :

• Advantages of NTFS compared to FAT32

There was a post and I traced it back to an original article written by Charlie Russel for Microsoft back in 2001.

” provides for greatly increased security, file–by–file compression, quotas, and even encryption. It is the default file system for new installations of Windows XP, and if you’re doing an upgrade from a previous version of Windows, you’ll be asked if you want to convert your existing file systems to NTFS. Don’t worry. If you’ve already upgraded to Windows XP and didn’t do the conversion then, it’s not a problem. You can convert FAT16 or FAT32 volumes to NTFS at any point. ”

• Create a Password Reset Disk

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
2. Click your account name.
3. Under Related Tasks, click Prevent a forgotten password.
4. Follow the directions in the Forgotten Password Wizard to create a password reset disk.
5. Store the disk in a secure location, because anyone using it can access your local user account.

• Rename a Series of Files

1. Open the My Pictures folder. (Click Start, and then click My Pictures.) Or open another folder containing files that you want to rename.
2. Select the files you want to rename. If the files you want are not adjacent in the file list, press and hold CTRL, and then click each item to select it.
3. On the File menu, click Rename.
4. Type the new name, and then press ENTER.

Seriously, these are only 3 out of 189 tips and tricks on freepctech.com. GO ahead and check it out. =)

Free PC Tech
tips and tricks on how to further improve Windows XP

Leave a comment on every visited website. Give an opinion. Leave a trail. Download the extension to use it. Once installed, 2 buttons and a menu item will appear. The buttons are used to show / hide the sidebar and to add a trail mark to a page. Once a website is marked for trailing, A popup will appear for the user to key in the trail name, title and remarks. Websites of the same trail name will be grouped together. From the menu item, an user can choose to see one’s own marks, other user’s marks or both. A plus point for trailfire is given when users without the extension are also able to view remarks that are shared.

Here’s an example of trailfire in use.

Trailfire
Leave a comment everywhere.