Desktop Shortcut for New Mail Message

 I think a convenient shortcut to have on your desktop is one that will create a blank e-mail message. I have put a copy of this shortcut on our network in the SharedDocuments folder. You can drag it from there onto your desktop. Or you can just create a new shortcut yourself if you know how to do that.

 Another cool trick is to create a shortcut for someone to whom you regularly send e-mail. Just go into the properties of the shortcut and add the e-mail address after the word “mailto:”

[See Tech-tip 10 from last year for how to also add a button for new-mail-message to your Outlook toolbars.]

Sort Your Programs Menu

Sorting the Programs listing on the Start menu alphabetically is something that keeps me sane. Click on the Start menu, then on Programs, then right-click anywhere in the programs listing and choose “Sort by name.”

This can also be done to for your Favorites menu in Internet Explorer.

I also recommend turning off personalized menus. [Personalized menu means that you only see some items on the menu, and certain items get highlighted. I find it confusing.] You can turn off start menu personalization by doing the following:  right-click the start button and choose properties, then click the “Customize” button, then scroll down in the list and uncheck the box for “Use personalized menus.”

Pre-field tripping

In preparation for any field trip, I think it's neat to show the children the web site for the museum or destination to which you will be going. Many popular destinations offer virtual reality tours of their facilities, or at the very least, choices you might want to consider making in advance for things to view.  You could show it to the children using one of the projectors on the big screen, or the children could explore the site with their own computers.

Turning Off Auto-Correct Options

Many people do not like the way Microsoft Word automatically tries to fix spellings, capitalize letters, and create bullets for lists. The good news is that you can turn this option off if you don't like it. To do so in Microsoft Word, go to the tools menu and choose “auto correct options” and uncheck the boxes for the items which you don't want Word to fix.

Control-Backspace Deletes Word by Word

It is possible to delete word by word either forwards or backwards by holding down the control key in conjunction with either the delete or backspace key.

[The control key is labeled as “Ctrl” on your keyboard. The backspace key deletes going backwards.  The delete key deletes going forwards.]

For example, if you need to delete three words that you just typed, is much easier to press control - backspace - backspace - backspace, than to delete each character individually with the backspace key.

Tip Tip: Using the control key also works with the arrow keys, allowing you to move the cursor around in the document word by word, or paragraph by paragraph!!!

Dishes Go Back to Kitchen

If you get a Ridgewells lunch and eat it in the faculty room, please bring your dishes and silverware back to the Ridgewells kitchen, as opposed to leaving them in the faculty room sink or dishwasher.

Humor… the best medicine

The following were all email-forwards from colleagues: Click here.
 

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Email Demetri.

Shift-Click to open link in new window

When browsing the Internet it is often convenient to be able to open a link in a new window so that you can still have the original window when you're done. Many people know you can right-click on an Internet link and choose “open in new window,” but another way to do this is to just hold down your shift key when clicking (left-clicking) on the link. This is called “shift-clicking.”