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Tim's Tidbits: Ease and ComfortJul 25 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Sometimes the only way to learn to use a computer is to read an interesting tidbit and connect the dots.
Today's topic: functions to make your computing more comfortable.
This series of articles will present several tidbits of information that both novice and advanced computer users can put to good use. Sometimes getting a small blurb of information from time to time is the only way to truly learn to effectively use a computer. These articles are aimed at PC users. It is quite often the case with novice users to stick to the "sand box" as I like to call it. Simply put, novices will stick closely to the programs they use and not dabble with the window system's settings out of fear of messing something up. If you spend long hours in front of the computer screen, though, Window's default settings could become a nuisance (especially if you are not physically comfortable while computing). Here are a few gems to help you break out of the default settings mayhem. Tidbit #201: Adjusting the mouse Most mice are annoying, especially when they are straight out of the box. If you go under the start menu and click settings, then control panel, you will see a panel specifically for the mouse. Double-clicking the mouse icon will present you with several options: Pointer Speed: This slider sets how fast the mouse cursor moves across the screen in relation to your hand movements. Often, the slider's default position is set to quite a slow speed which means you must move your hand much farther along the mouse pad to go from one side of the screen to another. The key is this: make the pointer speed too slow and your hand motions increase, too fast and it becomes very easy to constantly loose sight of the pointer. Usually moving this pointer about 2/3 of the way towards the fast side will provide a nice speed. (For all the DOS programmers out there, you will recall that pointer speed is a ratio between how many pixels the cursor moves on the screen and how many centimeters you move the mouse on the mouse pad. The measurement unit: mickeys -- as in Mickey mouse) Double-Click Speed: This slider sets how long Windows will wait for a second click to arrive after a first click, thus counting it as a double-click. Setting this slider too fast and it will be difficult to double-click icons, set it too slow and Windows will be slightly sluggish when you are dragging icons around. Left and Right mouse buttons: The mouse can be adjusted to accommodate both right-handed (default) and left-handed users. If you select a left-handed orientation, Windows will swap the left and right mouse buttons. Tidbit #194: Is that an 's' or an 'i' Finding the text on your desktop icons hard to read? Here's a tip: go under the start menu, settings, control panel, and double-click the display icon. Under the settings tab there is a drop-down menu that specifies whether you want large fonts or small fonts. Tidbit #306: I know that guy, his name is 'adjustable' Remember that your keyboard and monitor are both adjustable items. It is best to be at eye level with the center of your monitor and to invest in a comfortable chair. Also, remember to take breaks and walk around every few hours. Remember: 4 out of 5 contortionists recommend "a good stretch" every few hours! Advanced Tidbit #910: Pixels, Pixels everywhere As you become more comfortable with your computer, the first "major" changes you will make to your desktop will be adding a wallpaper and increasing the screen size to say 800x600. There are two things to note here: 1) The higher you set your screen resolution, the more text/images you will see without having to scroll around. However, as the resolution increases, the monitor's refresh rate decreases. The refresh rate is a measure of how many cycles (read: times per second) it takes for the electron gun inside the monitor to move from the very top of the screen to the very bottom (typically 60-70 Hz). Much like a TV, a computer screen is not a static image it must be "burned" into the inside of the screen (since the filaments only glow for a split second) at least 60 times a second to prevent flickering. When you start to increase the screen resolution to 1024x768 or higher, it will take longer for the monitor to draw the screen thus causing the refresh rate to drop (usually to 56 Hz). The lower the refresh rate, the more perceived flickering occurs, the larger the headache you get (literally -- since your eyes are being strained). NOTE to all webpage designers, it is never a good idea to create a web page when your monitor's screen resolution is set higher then 640x480 -- unless you are encompassing your page in one large HTML form or generally like to PO people. 2) While it's nice to have a "flashy" desktop wallpaper, the better wallpapers have much more subdued colors. The reason for this: staring at the screen. Imagine staring for hours on end at a desktop with a black and white checkerboard pattern. Not an appealing idea. When selecting a desktop wallpaper, specifically look for ones with subdued blue hues, blacks, and light oranges. If your really in a pinch try: http://www.startrek.com/homedesktops.asp, even if you're not a fan there are some desktops here that are quite good. Tim Connolly is a full-time Computer Science student and a part-time webmaster. When he's not thinking of tidbits he's, er, talking about himself in the third person. technogeeks.epinions.com  |
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