Share a random computer tip you know

[beren]

It can be basic, advanced, or esoteric. Here are two things I found out recently.

When you press the space bar in a browser, it scrolls down.

You can stop websites from resizing your windows in Firefox by doing this:

At top on the menu, choose Tools, then click Options. Go to the Content tab, and to the right of Enable Javascript is the Advanced button. Click that and uncheck the selection “Move or resize existing windows”.

Link

[Benton]

I don't have a tip myself but just read this over the weekend:

Remotely access your PC from any Internet connected PC
This tip will allow you to log on to and use your computer from any internet connected computer. First make sure that you have the Internet information services installed. To do that go to Control Panel>Add/remove programs and then click the windows components tab. When you select IIS go into the details and select World Wide Web server and look at its details. Also make sure the web server and the remote desktop web connection are both selected. Then install those components following the instructions. Next go to control panel> administrative tools> Internet Info Services. Expand the main tree and then expand the web sites and right click the properties of the default web site and make sure it is started. Following that go into your system properties (control panel>system or right click My Computer and hit Properties) and choose the remote tab. and enable the remote desktop. While there click the 'select remote users' button and type in the name of the user, and then check names and then add the name. Now you should be set.
Go to a different computer. To log on go to http:///tsweb. You will be prompted to install an ActiveX control so accept it. Now you are on the main page. The server is your computer's network name, choose your screen size and hit connect. You will be taken to your windows log in. Have fun.
-Brian Hill

Is this safe?

[jdp]

I have a silly one. But I know all sorts of people at all different levels of computer familiarity. I frequently see someone hitting the back button in a browser a bunch of times. I show them the little black arrow next to the back button so they can go back to where they want without so much clicking. Egads, that'd drive me nuts.

[hermione]

These shortcuts are really basic, but it is surprising how few people know about and use them and still go through the "file" menu every time they need them.

These work in most programs like Microsoft Office, Open Office, Photoshop, browsers, online forms where you type (like when writing in this forum), etc. and can save you a lot of mousing time:

• Select all: Ctrl + A
• Copy: Ctrl + C
• Cut: Ctrl + X
• Paste: Ctrl + V
• Undo: Ctrl + Z
• Redo: Ctrl + Y

• New document: Ctrl + N
• Save: Ctrl + S
• Save as: Ctrl + Shift + S
• Open: Ctrl + O
• Find: Ctrl + F
• Help: F1

In browsers:

• Bookmark: Ctrl + D
• Reload/Refresh: Ctrl + R or F5

with tabbed browsing: Firefox, IE 7, SeaMonkey/Mozilla, Opera

• New tab: Ctrl + T
• New window: Ctrl + N

And one of my favorites and handiest of all, if you have several programs open and want to change to another one:

• Alt + Tab
  Keep pressing Tab to move through the list and till you get to the one you want

[jkuo13]

Here are some of my favorite firefox keyboard shortcuts:

crtl+L = brings you straight to the URL box and selects all the text
ctrl+W = closes the current tab
ctrl+<number> = switches to tab <number> (i.e. ctrl+2 brings you to the second tab)

Oh, being a pc guy, my favorite trick for fixing a Mac whenever I get asked: reboot for automagic fixing.

[Solinvicta]

If you're not too afraid to mess with some very basic programming, I'd recommend trying AutoHotKey. It's a windows program that basically lets you program your own hotkeys. When you trigger them, they run your program, and can automate some things.

So, for example, at work, I've got it set up so that pressing "Windows-C" opens the calculator program, and "Windows-S" opens Firefox.

The other tip I'd recommend is to look into free, open source software before shelling out money for a commercial program. Many times, there are really great alternatives that you don't have to pay for.

One list that I found useful (it has a comparison of commercial software, and open source equivalents) is here: http://tinyurl.com/2xju2m

[USCGamecocks]

I use Readyboost to speed my computer up with a USB thumbdrive. You can also download a program for Windows XP and use this feature too if you don't have Vista, which it was first introduced on. Read More about ReadyBoost here for XP. For those of you who have Vista it should plug and play once you put in the USB with the proper requirements. Read Here about ReadyBoost.

Another Keyboard shortcut I don't think that was mentioned is the Windows Key + D for down and that will mimimize all windows on your computer and take it to your desktop. I use this a lot when I'm being shady at work on my computer.

I run msconfig to make sure I don't have any programs running that are hoarding my system resources.

[mbhunter]

My two favorites:

CTRL-Left Mouse Click when clicking on a hyperlink will open it in a new tab without removing focus from the tab you're on (or shouldn't at least).

CTRL-ENTER when typing a URL: Say you type "wisebread" in the bar, you hit CTRL-ENTER and it inserts the "http://www." and the ".com" for you. SHIFT-ENTER does the same thing for .net addresses.

[mbhunter]

Oh, one other one. If your CD drawer gets stuck, there's a little hole on the front panel that you can insert an unbent paper clip in that will push the CD tray out mechanically.

[Gootsy]

I like pressing f5 to refresh a page quickly.

Also alt + the <--- arrow pointer thing = going back.
alt + the ---> arrow thing = going forward. Kinda speads things up.

There was something I could press that'd automatically highlight he address so you could type up a new one without having to mouse over it, but I've forgotten it . I'll have to try and figure out what it was...

[edit: aha! It's f4 = highlighting address text so you can quickly go someplace else.]