Change Desktop Icon size in Windows Vista

Here we go with our first windows Vista Tip!

I recently upgraded my work PC to windows Vista from Windows XP. This opens a whole new realm of possibilities for topics.

For my first tip and suggestion, it's changing the icon size on the desktop. Anyone who has switched like I have may notice that by default, the icons are freakishly huge at any resolution. This may be some people's cup of tea, it's not mine however. I like to use as few icons as possible and make the ones I do use a discrete as possible.

The simple way to handle this, assuming you have a mouse with a wheel, is to first click the desktop, then hold "Control" or "CTRL" and then scroll the wheel. Scrolling up will make the icons even more freakishly huge. Scrolling down will make them ridiculously tiny.3

If you don't have a scroll wheel you can get a more comfortable size by right clicking on the desktop, then selecting View->Classic Icons. It's not as fun or dynamic however.

More Advice for Cleaner Excel Files

Another quick tip for Microsoft Excel. This one is especially good for files that you might be sending to other folk.

Excel will remember where you leave your selection box when you save a file. For example, if you make a series of formulas, then copy them down a column, then save the file as pictured below; the next time you open the file that same selection will be selected.


But if you select a blank cell off int he corner, you can get a much cleaner file next time you or someone else opens the file. (As shown below)



Just a quick bit of advice.

Google Chrome

Google has released a new web browser today called Google Chrome.  I've posted a few links to some articles on the subject over on my normal blog here.

A web browser is what you use to get on the internet with.  There are a few variations on the web browser already.  Internet Explorer is what's included with Windows, Safari is the default for the Mac.  Firefox is a common replacement for both due to the popular plug in ability.

You can download this new web browser here if you'd like to experience the web in a new way.

Know Your Hardware - The Mouse

The mouse is one of two primary interfaces for the computer, the other being the keyboard. While a keyboard has more buttons, they are pretty standard in layout and design.

The mouse is a bit more complicated, though not much. They generally look like the one pictured to the right. The design is made to fit in the grip of a person's hand and dragged across a flat surface. When gripped properly, the fingers landing on the head of the mouse (where the cord is on the one pictured) will fall on top of one or two or more buttons. Generally only Macintosh mice have one button though as Windows and Linux both heavily use two buttons. Your mouse might also have a scroll wheel like the one pictured here in between the buttons. The scroll wheel can usually be programmed to do various tasks but in most cases it's used to move the contents of a window or document up and down. The scroll wheel will also often double as a third button.

Some more elaborate mice will have additional buttons on them, usually situated along the left surface of the mouse and meant to be pressed with the thumb. These buttons are generally programmable as well to do special functions. The two main buttons almost always serve the same functions. The left button is the main "action button" and will generally activate whatever the courser is set to activate on the screen. The right button will generally open some sort of menu. This menu will vary depending on which program is currently in focus on the computer.

For example, if you're using a word processor such as Microsoft Word, the right click will open a menu for things such as cut and past and formatting. You would then select one of these items by pressing the left "action" button.

The mouse is by default configured to work right a person's right hand and sits on the right side of the keyboard. You can reconfigure this in the system menu for use with the left hand on the left side of the menu. The commands discussed in this article will end up being reversed if you use this set up. You can access this setting in Windows by pressing Start -> Control Panel -> Printers and Other Hardware -> Mouse. The first option is to "switch Primary and Secondary buttons". This is also where you can adjust other properties of the moue such as sensitivity and the pointer though I'll not be covering that type of detail today.

If you're choosing a moue to use, there are several things to consider. The first would be the type of interface with the computer. Unless you're using a very old machine, the mouse will interact with the computer through one of two methods, there is the older style PS/2 Ports or the newer USB ports. If you're buying a mouse you should check to see if you PC has a PS/2 port since many newer PCs to not have these anymore (though many do have them). It's not an obsolete interface but it is being phased out. The PS/2 port is a round port about a half inch in diameter that looks similar to an S-Video port. Often it is color coded, Purple for Keyboard and Green for the mouse.

You might also want to get a Wireless mouse, though the wireless mouse will still require a dongle of some sort to recieve the signal. This dongle will generally be USB based. The benefit of wireless si that you're not restricted by an ugly cable that runs across your desk. The downside is, you'll need to replace the batteries in the mouse fairly frequently.

There are also three basic types of mice. Ball Mice, Optical Mice, and the Trackball. Technically the trackball is a while differnt beast but it serves the same purpose as the mouse.

Ball mice are quicly becomming obsolete. A Ball Mouse uses a ball with several rollers internally to detect motion. If you turn your mouse over and it looks like th eone pictured, it's a ball mouse. These are prone to collecting dist whichinterferes with the sensors on the rollers. They are still reasonably common because they are cheaper to produce and buy.

Optical Mice use light to track movements. They also give off a "cool" glow effect. If you turn your mouse over and it looks like the one pictured here, it's an optical mouse. These are not prone to the same dust problem but they tend to be more expensive. Also in my experience they tend to last a shorter period of time than a Ball Mouse, though mice are cheap enough that replacing them isn't really an issue. An optical mouse is more costly than a ball mouse but you can still find one for $20 bucks or less.

Finally there is the Trackball. The Trackball is a special kind of mouse that provides a bit more precision in movement. They differ from normal mice in that the ball that interfaces movement is on top of the unit. Instead of sliding the mouse around, you roll the ball. These are often used by people who do editing for precision and are good for people who don't have the dexterity or mobility to slide the mouse around. The main drawback is that they tend to be pricey and take some getting used to, especially for people used to a normal mouse.

That pretty much concludes the basics behind the mouse interface. The best all around option is a USB Optical mouse with a scroll wheel. It's simple to use and provides the most versatility.

Clean up Excel Files with Single Sheets

Here's a quick tip for anyone who uses Microsoft Excel a lot. By default when installed, Excel files have 3 sheets in a workbook. Chances are, unless you're a power user of Excel, you never use these extra pages, heck you probably didn't even know they were there.

Go to Tools -> Options -> Then the General tab.



About halfway down is a box for default number of sheets. This will cut out the useless extra pages and help make your sheets feel and be a bit more streamlined. You might also save a few KBs in the process.

Three OSes in a Tub

Today I'd like to do a brief overview of different Operating Systems, or "OS"es. Which Computer and OS you use can be very important depending on what you want to do with your machine. There are three primary players in this field, though on of these three is kind of like a whole bunch of sort of mostly similar OSes.

Windows

We'll start with the obvious, most prolific, and most generic, Windows. Chances are, if you're reading this, you're running Windows. Windows is made of course by Microsoft and has something like 90% market share. That means that roughly 9 out of every 10 computers you see will be running Windows. It's certainly most dominant in office environments.

For what it's worth, Windows is my primary OS of choice and it's the OS I'll cover the most on this blog. It's not necessarily better than the other OSes in all aspects but it's the most versatile an compatible of the OSes. If you want software from a store, chances are there is a Windows compatible version available. Most games and hardware are also designed with Windows in mind making it the OS of choice for today's "hardcore PC gamer".

With hardware compatibility comes a whole slew of different PCs capable of running Windows. There is no standard design for a Windows machine. There is no way to tell if a PC runs Windows when you see one but chances are it does or can. Even newer Apple systems can run Windows.

Apple OSX

Apple used to be a fairly dominant player in the computer market. They were especially popular in schools during the early 90s. Somewhere along the way they lost market share but they are still the number two player in the OS market.

The main thing to consider about OSX, the current generation Apple operating system is that it will only run on Apple computers. Ok, technically with some hacker style ingenuity you can make it run on other systems but it's only DESIGNED to run on Apple computers, generally refereed to as "Macs". Mac being short for Macintosh.

Apple computers tend to be pretty distinctive and there are only a dozen or so different designs (though color may vary). They generally all have the large Apple logo emblazoned on the side or top and follow Apple's design philosophy of a very clean rounded sleek style. This is most obvious with their recently released ultra thin "Macbook Air" that will fit inside of a Manila envelope. Also in Apple's popular iPhone and iPod devices.

Like it's physical encasement, OSX also follows a very smooth sleek style in it's interface. The default set up is sort of an upside down version of Windows, the equivalent for the Windows "start" menu is on the top side of the desktop. OSX also uses the bottom of the screen for an animated quick launch style bar with a list of programs one can use on the Mac.

Apples' major downfall next to Windows is also it's best feature. It's very inward centric when it comes to compatibility. OSX generally requires special versions of software. It only runs on Apple hardware. This means your selection of software is limited but it also means more stability overall in performance. Unfortunately it also means a higher cost. Apple tends to charge about twice the cost of an equivalent PC running Windows.

What's it good for then with limited software and high cost? Well, it's stable. It's less prone to viruses. It's possibly a bit easier to use than Windows. Macs are also the system of choice for music and video editors. A Mac, especially one of their popular laptops, are great for people who like to blog or surf the net or in general, do things that "aren't gaming". While Mac has "limited software" the only real pitfall in that is the lack of games support, and even that is growing.

Linux

Linux is the smallest of the "big three". Ok, technically that's not "big three" that's "one huge giant, one mostly visible and one pinhead". Linux is excessively niche and last I checked they might have made 1% market share.

Linux is heavily based on Unix which is something like the "grandaddy of all Operating systems". Ok, that's probably not technically correct as I'm sure someone who knows more than me will point out but it paints the proper picture.

Linux is a very odd beast to describe. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, one of these OSes is sort of like a lot of smaller similar OSes. you can't go out and get "Linux", what you can do is go out and get Ubuntu, or Fedora or Debian or Knoppix or any one of hundreds of different "builds". There are flavors of Linux built especially for turning your PC into a fax machine or a media center or an alarm clock for your toaster but there are even more flavors designed to mimic Windows and OSX and create a normal usable PC.

Linux seems t fluctuate a bit on which build is it's current "mascot". Several years ago when I first started using Linux Red Hat seemed to be the version to use. These day's it's Ubuntu. Unlike Windows and OSX, Linux is free. It's build on the idea of "Open Source" which is basically a term for "free to modify and distribute (for free). While you can "buy" some versions of Linux, doing so more or less amounts to buying a support package for a certain build of Linux.

If it's free, why doesn't everyone use it? People love things that are free. The major shortcoming with Linux is that it can be confusing and difficult to use. This isn't helped by a literal split in it's core users.

There are huge sections of Linux advocates that will tell you that the Graphical User Interface is overrated and everything should be done with a command line. Suggesting to them that remembering hundreds of cryptic and archaic terms is an extremely stupid and inefficient way to run a computer will get you yelled at.

Still, there seem to be a large section of people coming around which is really helping Linux to gain momentum. Ubuntu helps this a lot. Ubuntu is extremely easy to use.

Another problem however with Linux gaining a foothold is that most computers come with some sort of operating system pre-installed. Setting up Linux can be more difficult than actually using it. The first time I installed Linux I ended up getting a stream of 1s across my screen when I rebooted it. I was locked out of my own PC. Still, this is becoming easier as well.

The final shortcoming is the software. If Mac has a shortage o software and game compatibility, Linux has already died of famine. While there is a massive amount of free open source software available for Linux, many of the programs are far disparaged from their primary market equivalents. Open Office isn't nearly as good as Microsoft Office. The Gimp has a clunky user interface next to Photoshop. The inconsistency in design philosophy of interface hurts things as well.

Linux advocates will tell you that you can run any Windows program using WINE or some other Windows Emulator but the set up process for WINE can be tricky and emulation tends to reduce performance.

Linux is really good at one thing however, servers. A server is a specialized type of computer that I'll cover in more detail in another post but Linux is definitely king of servers. Many websites run on Linux based servers. Linux servers are extremely stable and secure from outside attacks or software failure.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is there is no bottom line. I'm not going to recommend an operating system to you, that's not the purpose of this post, this is an informative post so that you the reader can have a better idea of potential unfamiliar concepts and terms I'll get into later.

A Return Post

I just wanted to say that I've gotten my server running again after several much needed upgrades.