How to...
This week's offering is a series of "How to..." questions and answers. Very often you will come across a tip or trick that make you think, "If only I'd known that!" Hopefully, here are some more!
How to use multiple applications
One of the great things about using Windows (you mean there ARE some great things ;-) is the ability to use more than one program at one time.
When writing web pages I often use a multitude of programs - all loaded. I then switch between programs as and when needed. For example - I will have the web editor itself loaded, the web manager (I use FrontPage), a graphics program or two (one for bitmap type graphics and the other for vector graphics / object oriented (where you can make a picture by using two or more objects)). A GIF animator, my scanner program and my picture browser - oh yes - and maybe the odd bit of clipart (and it's viewer program too.
In the olden days I would have to load each program individually, carry out whatever, and close the program and then load the next. You spent half your life waiting for programs to load and unload. With Windows this is not a problem as you can load the programs and switch between them, as you need them.
There are two ways of doing this - you can use the taskbar at the bottom of the screen (next to the Start button - some people have this at the top of the screen). The other way is to use ALT + TAB key combination. Sometimes, this method is preferable, as you can't always SEE the taskbar (especially true if you use any DOS programs). Switching using the keyboard means that you CAN access other programs, as you need to without unloading any programs.
A word of caution here - if you are working on one file in a program and want to use the file in another, you may need to save it first. Windows will usually lock files (prevent them from being edited) so that one program does not overwrite changes made by another.
How to use Help - In a way that works
Ever used or seen "computer reference manuals"? Mighty tomes that are a mandatory inch and half thick - at least! Ever try reading one from cover to cover? If you have then you know just how difficult it can be to actually "learn" anything from these books. Why is that? The reason is that most computer manuals are designed to use as reference rather than a learning tool. Yes - you can "learn" things from reference books as they are full of facts but really, the idea of them is to "look up" things as and when required.
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