New Tips
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Is spam getting you down, bunky?
After reading our own '5 things' tips check out Issue 43 of Mike's List http://www.mikeslist.com/43.htm for some tips to stem the flow into your inbox but also be sure to read this exerpt from the Langalist http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2002/2002-09-12.htm#5 to see the downside of thoughtless spam blocking. -
Keyboard shortcuts for your Outlook Inbox
If your inboxes are anything like ours, reading your email can take all day, here are some shortcuts to help:
Switch to the Inbox folder -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]I
Check for new mail -- Press [F5]
Create a new message -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]M
Delete the selected message -- Press [Ctrl]D
Mark a message as read -- Press [Ctrl]Q
Open the Address Book -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]B
Select all messages -- Press [Ctrl]A
Select the next message -- Press [Down Arrow]
Select the previous message -- Press [Up Arrow]
Open the selected message -- Press [Enter]
To close an open message -- Press [Esc]
To reply to a selected message -- Press [Ctrl]R
Create a Reply To All message -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]R
To flag a message for follow-up -- Press [Ctrl][Shift]G
With a message open, to open the next message -- Press [Ctrl]+. ([Ctrl], plus, period)
Windows 98 Tips
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Add to your Start Menu
One of the easier ways to add a program to your Windows98 start list is to simply browse in Windows Explorer to the program. Then, drag the program's icon over to the Start button and release it. Point at the program in the Explorer list, hold down the mouse key and point at the Start button. When the icon hovers over the Start button, release the mouse key and the program will be listed in the Start list. Rearrange the order of the listing by dragging and dropping the entries as you wish.
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Need to save an error message?
When the error pops up use the ALT Key and the PrtScrn Key to copy the window to the clipboard then paste it into your favourite graphics program, Windows Paint will do if you've nothing better.
Try MS Windows Error Message Utility! MS Windows Error Messages is a small utility that will allow you to look up MS Windows error code numbers and display a descriptive message explaining what the numeric code actually means. If you have software programs that produce numeric error codes now you can find out what they really mean.
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Fast Path to Your Icons.
Call up all your desktop icons without leaving whatever applications you have currently open. Just click on Start|Run and enter a period using your keyboard, then hit the Enter Key. or to be mouseless, use the CTRL key with the ESC key, then the letter R, then a period, and hit the Enter key.
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Faster Restart
If you want to quickly restart Windows 98 from the Shut Down Windows dialog box, select the Restart the computer radio button and hold down the [Shift] key while you c lick Yes. When you do, Windows 98 will restart without rebooting the computer.
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Adjusting Column Widths in Explorer
As you probably know, you can adjust the width of the Name, Size, Type and Modified columns in Explorers detail window by positioning the mouse on the column header border and dragging once the cursor turns into a doubled-headed arrow.
To quickly set the optimal column width, when the mouse pointer turns into a doubled-headed arrow, double-click the column border. When you do, the column width will be set to suit the content.
Remember too that you can sort the detail window by name, size, type and date by clicking on the appropriate header. The first click sorts in ascending order, the next in descending.
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An faster way to create new folders
One way to create a new folder in Windows Explorer or My Computer, requires that you pull down the File menu and select the New | Folder command. Here's another technique that allows you to quickly create a new folder.
When you're ready to create a new folder in Windows Explorer or My Computer, right-click anywhere inside the folder to open the shortcut menu and press N and F on the keyboard. Doing so quickly creates a new folder. All you need to do is type the name of the folder and press [Enter].
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Close all your applications at once
Wouldn't you like to close all your open applications at the same time at the end of the day? There's a hidden technique that will allow you to do so.
To begin, hold down the [Ctrl] key and click on each application button on your taskbar. When you do, you'll notice that each button remains selected. Once you've selected all the application buttons on the taskbar, right-click on any one of them and select the Close command from the shortcut menu. When you do, all your applications will close. If you have any application in which an open file hasn't yet been saved, that application will prompt you to save the file.
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Having trouble double-clicking?
You can adjust your mouse's double-click speed to your personal taste. The setting is found under the Mouse applet in Control Panel. Here'show you change it.
First, click the Start button and select Settings, then click Control Panel. In the resulting window, double-click the Mouse icon to bring up the Mouse Properties window. Now, just click and drag the pointer on the Double-click speed slider bar, as shown below, to adjust the double-click speed to suit you. You can test your changes before you exit by clicking on the animated icon in the Test area. When you're satisfied with the double-click speed setting, click the OK button to exit the Mouse Properties dialog box, then close Control Panel.