Cheap Screamin' PC?

[FG Lurker]

Thanks for the shortcuts. I am a Mac freak, but do have to use win doze under duress at work. So every little trick helps as I refuse to study!

No problem! I was a Mac user quite long ago but have been a Windows user since about Win 3.1. Once I experienced stability with a properly set up NT4 system there wasn't much chance of going back to the Crashintosh. OS X is very tempting though, and very stable.

BTW Lurk did you get my PM?

Arg! Yes, I did... In my mental fog last week I never replied to it. Coming soon!!

[mr. sparkle]

You can also pick and choose by right-clicking on the desktop and then choosing Properties. Go to the Desktop tab, and click on the "Customize Desktop" button near the bottom of that tab.

OK, cool. Now I have "My Computer" on my desktop. I can also put my docs folder on the desktop. Any way to change those icons or the names of the "My Docs" or "My Computer" folder/HD names?

Just use the delete key on your keyboard....

Not bad, but you DO have to type return to get rid of that "are you sure" dialog box.

Along those lines, any way to be able to move from icon to icon on the desktop without mouse clicking? I do like the ALT+TAB shortcut, which I found tabs from page to page in the task bar. Any shortcut where you can tab to any open app in the same way?

I connect through a router I've never used this in WinXP... If you have more than one machine now you will probably find using a cheap router a good solution too.

I have an Airport Extreme, and that'll work if I can get a wireless card that works in here. Maybe you're right though, a hardwired router might be better for my G3 and cheap PC which sit side by side. I'll leave the wireless for running around my apato (which is long and narrow)k with my laptop.

You'll find lots of good shortcuts in Windows. The Windows Key (WK) has quite a few good ones -- WK+M will minimize everything. Or you can use WK+D to minimize everything and then hit it again to bring it all back just like it was.

Although they are finger twisters, those are pretty cool.

WK+E opens Windows Explorer.

Won't be needing that one. I like FireFox.

Know of a place to find all these cool keyboard shortcuts?

[FG Lurker]

You can also pick and choose by right-clicking on the desktop and then choosing Properties. Go to the Desktop tab, and click on the "Customize Desktop" button near the bottom of that tab.

OK, cool. Now I have "My Computer" on my desktop. I can also put my docs folder on the desktop. Any way to change those icons or the names of the "My Docs" or "My Computer" folder/HD names?

You can rename them the same way you would rename a file. You can change the icons in the tab I mentioned above.

Just use the delete key on your keyboard....

Not bad, but you DO have to type return to get rid of that "are you sure" dialog box.

Considering how close Del and Return are on the keyboard... I use my middle finger to hit Del and then hit return with my index finger. ]Along those lines, any way to be able to move from icon to icon on the desktop without mouse clicking?[/quote]
Yes actually. This is a difference between WK+M and WK+D that I forgot to mention. M is of minimize, but D is for desktop. If you hit WK+D it minimizes everything and activates your desktop. You can then use your cursor keys to move around on the desktop icons, along with Home and End as you would expect. Enter works like a double-click would. You can use the other Windows-specific key on your keyboard (near the right-side control key) to bring up the right-click context menu.

I do like the ALT+TAB shortcut, which I found tabs from page to page in the task bar. Any shortcut where you can tab to any open app in the same way?

Alt+Tab is great for switching back and forth between two apps quickly as it moves to your most recently used apps first. If you have lots of apps open though Alt+Tab can get tedious for sure. I think there are 3rd party task switchers out there but I've not used any of them...usually I just work with Alt+Tab and 25 windows.

You'll find lots of good shortcuts in Windows. The Windows Key (WK) has quite a few good ones -- WK+M will minimize everything. Or you can use WK+D to minimize everything and then hit it again to bring it all back just like it was.

Although they are finger twisters, those are pretty cool.

One of the things I quickly grew to like about Windows is that you can do most anything via keyboard. I hear the Mac has gotten better about this but I haven't used one much recently. For menu access, use the Alt key. You can then use the cursor keys, or you can use the shortcut keys that are underlined with each menu. Each menu choice will also have a short cut key assigned to it. You quickly remember the ones you use all the time.

WK+E opens Windows Explorer.

Won't be needing that one. I like FireFox.

This is Windows Explorer, not Internet Explorer. File manager sorta thing. I also use Firefox and really like it -- I only wish there was a way to automate Firefox installs... Maybe with 1.5!!! (As a Firefox keyboard note, you can use Ctrl+PageUp and PageDown to move forward and backwards through your Firefox tabs. This works for different sheets in an Excel workbook too.)

Know of a place to find all these cool keyboard shortcuts?

Hmm, I just know them from lots of experience. I guess a Google Search would bring up lots though. Yep, try here. I learnt a few too actually. Like you can use WK+Tab to move through the open windows on the task bar. Just hit enter when you get to the one you want to bring its window to the foreground.

[IkemenTommy]

Can someone rename the topic to "Everything Windows"

[mr. sparkle]

Can someone rename the topic to "Everything Windows"

True, I'm SUCH a newb!
It feels weird on my PC, like "the undiscovered country" so I do appreciate yer patience big guy. I'm sure that the PC thang seems like old hat to most, but to me it is a very alien environment.

[Greji]

Can someone rename the topic to "Everything Windows"

True, I'm SUCH a newb!
It feels weird on my PC, like "the undiscovered country" so I do appreciate yer patience big guy. I'm sure that the PC thang seems like old hat to most, but to me it is a very alien environment.

Hear hear! I'm lurking on this also as I too only speak Mac-go!

[mr. sparkle]

You can rename them the same way you would rename a file. You can change the icons in the tab I mentioned above.

Cool. "Sparkle-PC"

Considering how close Del and Return are on the keyboard... I use my middle finger to hit Del and then hit return with my index finger. ]
Bang then BANG!

Yes actually. This is a difference between WK+M and WK+D that I forgot to mention. M is of minimize, but D is for desktop. If you hit WK+D it minimizes everything and activates your desktop. You can then use your cursor keys to move around on the desktop icons, along with Home and End as you would expect. Enter works like a double-click would. You can use the other Windows-specific key on your keyboard (near the right-side control key) to bring up the right-click context menu.

Very helpful, thanks.

Alt+Tab is great for switching back and forth between two apps quickly as it moves to your most recently used apps first. If you have lots of apps open though Alt+Tab can get tedious for sure. I think there are 3rd party task switchers out there but I've not used any of them...usually I just work with Alt+Tab and 25 windows.

Carpal tunnel alert! I'll check into a task switcher.

For menu access, use the Alt key. You can then use the cursor keys, or you can use the shortcut keys that are underlined with each menu. Each menu choice will also have a short cut key assigned to it. You quickly remember the ones you use all the time.

Great, thanks.

This is Windows Explorer, not Internet Explorer. File manager sorta thing.

Ah! It's "The Finder" as they call it in Mac Lingo.

I also use Firefox and really like it -- I only wish there was a way to automate Firefox installs... Maybe with 1.5!!! (As a Firefox keyboard note, you can use Ctrl+PageUp and PageDown to move forward and backwards through your Firefox tabs. This works for different sheets in an Excel workbook too.)

Choice.

Hmm, I just know them from lots of experience. I guess a Google Search would bring up lots though. Yep, try here

I'll check it out. Thanks.

I learnt a few too actually. Like you can use WK+Tab to move through the open windows on the task bar.

Just hit enter when you get to the one you want to bring its window to the foreground.

Right-o. As you can see, I've been plunking around.

Cheers and thanks.

[mr. sparkle]

I think Avid will refuse to load on that POS just out of principle alone.

Oh yeah smart guy?
I just loaded Avid Free DV and it actually RUNS.

Not to say that any other Avid version would load, but
I've been playing around and can even get some RT
effects with the free version. I like Free DV and as
much as I've heard it slagged versus, say, iMovie -
it's got almost exactly the same interface of its bigger
brother. Folks that learn on iMovie prob'ly have a more
difficult time shifting to FCP rather than Free DV users'
move to Xpress or Composer. The cool thing is that
it FORCES you to use trim mode which most lazy editors
don't use.

Check it out PC Dudes: http://www.avid.com/freedv/index.asp

I've been forcing myself to use the PC a bit more so I can get
used to it. I must say, for such a POS this little guy can surf
the web faster than my G4 believe it or not.

[emperor]

A nice range of configurations:

http://www.mouse-jp.co.jp

[IkemenTommy]

Yeah, I keep seeing those Mouse comps in those PC mags and they are pretty damn cheap. Epson is pretty cheap too but there is no guarantee on the quality.