Today’s subject is, by popular demand, a continuation of last week’s introduction to the command line.
The conversation that I’m calling “popular demand” went something like this:
Mom: You left me hanging! That’s the first time I’ve ever brought the command post up in my life, and now I don’t know what to do with it!
Me: …do you mean the command prompt?
Mom: Yes! That’s what I mean!
So now that you have your command line open (or know how to re-open it), let’s make use of it.
Open the command prompt.
Many times, when a computer-literate person is trying to help with a computer problem, they’ll throw this instruction out there like it’s no big deal.
But, if you don’t know what a command prompt is — much less how to open one — then it’s a big deal.
It is now officially the last week of spring — until next year. Have you finished your spring cleaning yet?
More specifically, have you cleaned your PC yet, or did you just clean around it, not entirely sure how to go about cleaning its various surfaces safely?
It turns out that computers are not quite as easy to break as one might initially believe, so pull out your dust blaster, clean cloths and a paintbrush; let’s get to work.
As time goes by and bigger and better comes along, we have a habit of leaving behind the old… and forgetting about it as we welcome the new.
It’s not that we mean to, but it usually ends up happening, and technology is the best example that I know of.
This phenomenon (which can hardly be called a phenomenon, because it is neither new nor remarkable) is very noticeable in regards to electronic hardware (especially phones).
It is not so noticeable as it pertains to software, and that’s why we’re going to discuss it today.
In the process of obtaining new Windows software, you’re often confronted with two daunting options: 32-bit and 64-bit.
Ultimately, only one option or the other may actually work on your computer, as the version of Windows itself is either 32-bit or 64-bit.
Determining which Windows version that you have installed is a simple matter.
Determining which Windows version that you can install is another matter entirely.
Oftentimes, while in the middle of a conversation, there will be a word that I want to use because it fits the context perfectly, and yet I am unable to remember the word.
It hovers there, right on the edge of my consciousness, taunting me. Usually it comes to me a few minutes — or hours — later when I no longer need it.
It would be nice to have a dictionary in my head, but the next best option is to have one on my computer. For this I use Artha.
One of the best time-savers that I have run across, is the ability to create shortcuts to the programs that you use most often.
These shortcuts, when strategically placed (and/or placed in multiple locations!) quickly become hard to live without.
It’s driving me nuts.
Don’t get me wrong; I like having my most-often-used programs clearly visible on my Taskbar, where they are always just a single click away from deployment.
It’s the after-deployment part that’s the problem.
It’s the part where the open programs look identical to the closed programs, and multiple instances of the same program get collapsed under one icon, and I can’t tell what’s going on!
It must be stopped.
Thankfully (for the sake of my sanity), the fix is very simple.
Maybe you like the default Window 7 desktop background.
It is pretty… For a day or two. After that, I’m ready for a change.
I like to entertain myself by putting puppy photos on my desktop, since I’m not allowed to have a real puppy. (My brother’s dog would object. I still wonder why she has any say in the matter.)
The ability to change the desktop background, window colors, sounds, icons, pointers, screen savers, and more, are all parts of the personalization experience.
Operating systems allow you to create multiple user accounts where files, settings, customizations, and more, are all unique.
I like to think of a user account as a room in my house (the operating system).
Each room has standard furniture (programs), with it’s own cupboards (folders), full of nick-knacks (files), and decorations (settings/customizations).
Some rooms are shared (no password, anyone with access to my computer can enter), and others are private.
I can, for example, lock my door (password protect my account) to keep out nosy siblings.
Multiple user accounts are not only useful in the case of multiple people using the same computer, but also for anyone who wants access to different settings/setups/files/etc. based on the job they are doing at the time.