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Sunday, May 06, 2018 – Permalink –

Alphabetize Your Keyboard

Eat your heart out Dvorak

The Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator

Ever wanted to quickly and easily define your own keyboard layout for a language Microsoft doesn't support? Or define your own keyboard layout so you can quickly and easily enter your favorite symbols with a simple keystroke? Well, want no more: the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator is here!

The Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator (MSKLC) extends the international functionality of Windows 2000+, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 or Windows Vista (MSKLC will not run on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME or Windows NT4) by allowing users to:

Create new keyboard layouts from scratch

Base a new layout on an existing one

Modify an existing keyboard layout and build a new layout from it

Multilingual input locales within edit control fields.

Package the resulting keyboard layouts for subsequent delivery and installation.

Global Development and Computing Portal:
Windows Keyboard Layouts
(many different language keyboards)

Belarusian keyboard

Also see: Dvorak anyone?

See all Topics windows
Labels: Customize, Desktop, General, Hardware, Reference, Tips, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 8:13 AM

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Monday, February 26, 2018 – Permalink –

Task Manager

When your machine has the snivels

There's a lot of stuff going on in the background that you might want to know about.

That's where the Task Manager comes in.

"There are a couple of ways to show the Windows Task Manager: hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys and press the Delete key - Task Manager will then open some versions of Windows, in others you will be presented with a small dialog box that has a button you can click to open the Task Manager; alternatively you can right-click on empty space on the Taskbar and select Task Manager from the menu."

Here's the Vista/Windows 7 version:

From the BloodyComputer:

Task Manager 1

Task Manager 2

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Labels: Desktop, General, Reference, Shortcuts, Tips, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 3:24 AM

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Sunday, January 21, 2018 – Permalink –

Onscreen Keyboard

Tap or Click?

If you would like to have a keyboard on your screen that can be activated with your mouse you're in luck

Type osk in Start Run

See all Topics windows
Labels: Customize, Desktop, General, Reference, Shortcuts, Tips, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 3:00 AM

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Saturday, December 30, 2017 – Permalink –

High Res Wallpaper

Details apparent

Choose from a broad selection of free pictures to use for wallpaper.

Download sizes from 1920x1200 to 320x240.

Free High-Resolution Widescreen Wallpaper

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Labels: Desktop, General, Reference, Tips

<Doug Klippert@ 3:49 AM

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Monday, October 09, 2017 – Permalink –

Clippy and Friends

Office Assistants

They were in the background, waiting to pounce.

Chris Pratley was there in the beginning:
Clippy and User Experiences

Stanford University:
Bob and the assistants
Social science research influences computer product design

..."They have found that to a very considerable extent people treat their computers and other computer-driven technology in the same ways that they treat people - as if the computer possessed reason, feelings, etc. People also treat pictures on screens as real objects, rather than as representations of real objects. This is relevant to anyone who wants to design technology or content that is as effective as it can be ..."

Also see:
Microsoft Bob
Clippy's Revenge

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Labels: Desktop, General, History, Reference

<Doug Klippert@ 3:18 AM

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Sunday, September 24, 2017 – Permalink –

Put IE Back on the Desktop

Regedit ahead

Click Start, Run.

Type "regedit.exe" (Without quotes).

Navigate to the following registry key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel

In the right hand pane, double-click {871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D} key.

Enter dword value as 0 to enable the Internet Explorer icon on the Desktop.

Internet Explorer Desktop icon missing

See all Topics windows
Labels: Desktop, Explorer, General, Reference, Shortcuts, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 3:26 AM

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Wednesday, August 09, 2017 – Permalink –

Icon Tile Opacity

See through

To make the background of desktop icons transparent, go to:

Control Panel > System > Advanced

Click Settings in the Performance section.

On the Visual Effects tab, check "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop".

See all Topics windows
Labels: Customize, Desktop, General, Reference, Tips, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 3:38 AM

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Thursday, May 18, 2017 – Permalink –

Wallpaper

Just some

There is a ton of free wallpaper out there. Here are some you might have missed.

Art. Lebedev Posters

Digital Blasphemy

Hubble Wallpaper

Visual Paradox

Prinz Online

See all Topics windows
Labels: Desktop, General, Reference

<Doug Klippert@ 3:37 AM

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Saturday, February 04, 2017 – Permalink –

Cut the Shortcut Arrow

Clean icons
If little things bother you, try this suggestion to remove the arrow that appears on shortcut icons.

HowToGeek.com

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Labels: Customize, Desktop, General, Reference, Shortcuts, Tips, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 3:28 AM

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Thursday, November 24, 2016 – Permalink –

Cap On

A note
Here's how to have Windows notify you if the Cap Lock key is struck.
HowtoGeek.com

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Labels: Customize, Desktop, General, Reference, Shortcuts, Tips, Tricks, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 3:35 AM

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Monday, October 10, 2016 – Permalink –

Onscreen Keyboard

Tap or Click?

If you would like to have a keyboard on your screen that can be activated with your mouse you're in luck

Type osk in Start Run

See all Topics
Labels: Desktop, General, Reference, Tips, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 3:00 AM

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Monday, October 03, 2016 – Permalink –

Context Clutter

Registry mop

When you Right-click the desktop, a “Context” menu appears. Some programs like to sneak in and add shortcuts to their very important applications.
If your context menu has been cluttered up, here are some instructions and tips to clean it up.

HowToGeek.com

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Labels: Customize, Desktop, General, Reference, Shortcuts, Tips, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 3:41 AM

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Wednesday, April 27, 2016 – Permalink –

Change the View

Adjust how it looks

Sometimes the performance of Windows XP can be tweaked by adjustinga few settings.

Right Click the My Computer Icon (This PC)

Choose Properties

Go to Advanced>Performance>Settings>Advanced

Pick one of these options:

Let Windows choose what's best for my computer

Restore settings to Windows choice.

Adjust for best appearance

Turn on all visual effects

Adjust for best performance

Turn off all visual effects
Or uncheck these settings:

Fade or slide menus into view

Fade or slide ToolTips into view

Fade out menu items after clicking

Show Shadows under menus

Slide open combo boxes

Slide taskbar buttons

Use a background image for each folder type

Use common tasks in folders

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Labels: Customize, Desktop, General, Reference, Tips, Tutorials

<Doug Klippert@ 3:28 AM

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Wednesday, December 09, 2015 – Permalink –

Stars on Your Desktop

Space image wallpaper

NASA is wandering around space snapping photos with an advanced form of a Brownie SureShot.

Here is a collection of interstellar portraits and space art the can be used as wallpaper to be viewed as you warp thought the Internet.

Veil nebula

SpaceWallpapers.net

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Labels: Desktop, General, Reference

<Doug Klippert@ 3:04 AM

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