Saving menu space

You can reduce the amount of space that the Windows Start menu uses by reducing the size of the icons displayed. Right-click on a blank area of the Windows Taskbar and choose Properties from the pop-up menu. Click the Start Menu option button.Click Customise,and then scroll down and click the Small Icons option button,Click OK until you exit back to the Start menu.

Save time with Ctrl+Enter

To save time when entering "dotcom" URLs in Internet Explorer,use the "Ctrl+Enter" shortcut. Just type in a word or company name in the address bar then press Ctrl+Enter.
IE will automatically fill in the "www" and "com" parts in for you.For example,if you type "Google"in the address bar and press Ctrl+Enter,IE will fill in www.google.com for you.

Explore the taskbar

You don't have to settle for the standard look of the Windows XP taskbar.
The taskbar itself, which appears along the bottom edge of your screen,is highly configurable.
To see how you can customise it for your needs,right-click any blank space on the taskbar,and from the pop-up menu that appears,click Toolbars to see some additional features that you can add into your taskbar.

A better reflex

In our quest for a better task switcher than the basic Windows "Alt+Tab"we came across Reflex Vision.www.reflexvision.net, a tiny application that mimics Apple's MacOS X expose almost exactly.It automatically tiles your windows when you hit the Windows key+W so you can see all of them at once and then switch to the one you want by clicking on it.
Reflex Vision isn't free,but it only costs US$9.99(RM35)and there is a demo available that is limits you to 100 application invocations.

Sorting by name

Windows XP has an annoying habit of refusing to alphabetise the items in your Start menu. Luckily, there's a way around. Open the Start menu and click Programs.Use your mouse cursor to point to any entry in the Programs menu,and click the right mouse button. From the context-sensitive menu,select Sort By Name.In the blink of an eye,Windows will alphabetically reorder the items listed.Unfortunately, you'll have to repeat the procedure after you install new programs.

Use the arrow keys

When you need to edit an Internet address in the Address bar of the Internet Explorer or Firefox,there's a quick way of getting through the address. Instead of holding down the arrow keys,press and hold down the Ctrl key and tap the left or the right arrow keys. Doing so will quickly move the cursor to the next period or forward slash(/).
You'll save some time in getting to just the right place within the address.

Keep Windows XP stable

Before making any significant changes,including installing new software,open System Restore and create a new restore point.Access the System Restore utility from the System Tool submenu on the Start menu.Follow System Restore's on-screen instruction to create a restore point.Once a restore point is created,if your changes go awry, you quickly access System Restore and quickly return your PC to its prior state.

Refresh your browser

If your browser had been displaying the same page for some time,you can display the latest content simply by pressing F5.To refresh all of the infomation on a webpage-including caches graphics and other elements that normally don't change-press Ctrl-F5.That's called a "hard refresh".These tips work in most major browser today.

Unfreeze your PC

If your PC freeze or stop responding,press and hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys and Delete key.Click Task Manager if the task manager window does not appear by default,and then inspect the list of running applications.If any is indicated as "not responding",highlight it and then click the End Task button.If this doesn't unfreeze your PC,press Ctrl and Esc before you reach for the on/off switch.Sometimes this key combination will activate the Start menu,from which you can safely shut down.

Acess the desktop quickly

Need to get your Windows desktop in a hurry?You can quickly minimise all open application and windows by holding down the Windows key(the key with a Windows logo imprinted on it) and tapping the letter D,for the desktop.Doing so not only minimises all open windows but also puts the focus on the icons on your desktop,allowing you to use the cursor keys to move among them.To get your windows back the way they were,simply hit the same keys again.

Incredible Bandwidth

It was the 2nd day of Penang State Assembly live streaming. http://dunpenang.ipglobal.tv/,What I noticed is that there is no lag in the transmission,and it goes on for a few hours.Then I decide to take a peep into Streamyx bandwith test and was suprise to see an increased in downloading as well as upload speed.(see below)Normally in my area,I would get an average of slightly above 1000 Kbits per second.Nothing to complain for this speed I subscribe because elsewhere they are getting less and hardly touching 800Kbits/sec for the same fees.
This time credit must be given to TM Streamyx for being able to meet the expectations for a town labeled as future Cyber city.Unless there is a power outage,I am not going to turn off the modem to keep this IP.
I hope they will maintain and further improve its bandwith for this locality and expand them to other locations.And hope its not an co-incident due to State Assembly live streaming.

Chris Pirillo's Live Video Feed

Taking care of personal information

The reason why social networking sites are so popular is because they make it easy to share information with so many people: it’s easy, for example, to let your friends see your holiday photos before you even get back home, or, when you do get home, you can instantly look up the profiles of the people you met on holiday and send them a message. But it’s important to remember that any information you post on a site could be public and may be seen by lots of people.
This means you have to be careful about what you reveal about yourself to other users. If information you post is seen by more people than you expect, this could pose a risk to your privacy or even your personal safety. Once information is ‘out there’ you might not be able to control what happens to it: your profile may be seen by thousands of strangers, parts of a website may be ‘public spaces’ so what you say on them is also public, and not everyone will agree with what you write. Also, it can be easy for others to copy your pictures, even alter them, and send them to people you don’t know.
So, before you create a profile, post a picture or tell the online world what you got up to today, have a think about the following and consider whether you are being as safe in the online world as you would be in the offline world.

Many uses for F4

The F4 key on your keyboard has many uses across all Windows applications.
Hit F4 alone in your Internet Explorer web browser,and it pull down a list of recently visited sites,
Press Alt-F4 in any Windows application to close the program.When all the programs are closed,pressing Alt-F4 will bring up the "Turn off computer" dialogue box,allowing you to shut down your PC.Pressing Ctrl-F4 closes the current document,and repeatedly pressing Ctrl-F4 closes all open documents in the current application

Don't reply to spam

Everyone gets spam (junk e-mail)these days and its a real nusiance.But at least it's easier to get rid of than the paper kind - you just need to hit the Delete key in your e-mail program.Some spam message senders claim that you can be remove from their mailing list(unsubscribed)if you just send them a request.Don;t be fooled - if you reply to a spam message,it just confirms that your address is valid.You will soon get even more spam,and your email address could be sold to other spammers

For a strong password

Stuck trying to create a new password for your new email account? Try out Strong Password Generator.
Withjust a click of a button, you can generate passwords ranging from five to 21 characters. In addition to creating hard-to-crack passwords,the program also provides a mnemonic feature to assist you in remembering the given password.
You can download Strong Password Generator at: strongpasswordgenerator.com

Shift to Delete

Ever want to totally remove a file from your computer? In Windows,when you delete a file by pressing the Delete key,a copy of the file is moved to the Recycle Bin.
Anyone who opens your Recycle Bin can easily see the files that you have deleted recently.To prevent files from deleted to the Recycle Bin,select the file you wish to delete,hold down the Shift key,and then press Delete.Remember that when you use this method to delete files, you will not be able to retrieve them from the Recycle Bin.

When Flash cards die

You're on holiday and you've taken hundreds of photographs with your digital camera.Suddenly,it freezes an error-message appears on screen:Your memory card is corrupted.
Don't panic.Immediately remove your memory card from the camera(don't even think of formatting it) and keep it in a safe place.
While your PC may not be able to read data from your card,data-recovery software can, (try Google or go to: www.datarescue.com/photorescue
In most cases,you can actually recover up to 90% of the photos on your dead memory card.

Don't slouch!

Find yourself getting tired easily when using your PC? It might be that you're in an uncomfortable environment.Make sure that you use a chair with good lumbar support,that you have sufficient place to rest your palms and that your eyes are aligned to the top of your monitor and at least 45cm away - these tips allow you to sit comfortably with reduced strain on your back,arms and neck.Oh,and make sure your room is brightly lit and that you're not sitting with your back to a window - this reduces glare and keeps your eyes happy.

Nurse your batteries

If you are using AA or AAA sized rechargeable Ni-MH batteries with your electronic devices,there is a temptation to recharge them even before they run out of power.Do not do it.Ni-MH batteries have what people call the "memory effect".This means that the battery eventually remembers how much charge it used and will only provide that same amount the next time you use it(i.e their battery life decreases).Instead,always keep two sets of batteries - only recharge the first set when it runs dry,replacing them with the second set to keep your devices running.Alternate between the two sets.(Note:this doesn't apply to lithium-ion batteries.

Turn off your LCD screen

Should you leave your LCD monitor on all the time? Definitely not,experts say.
Although not as susceptible to image "burn-in" as traditional cathode ray tube-based(CRT)monitors,LCDs can suffer from permanent ghost image of a screen that has been displayed for long periods of time.
so turn the monitor off when it's not in use.Doing so will also save electricity than CRT monitors but they still consume as much or more than a couple of standard light bulbs.

Revise autoplay option

By default,Windows XP works with the autoplay option turned on.That means the computer springs into action as soon as a digital camera is connected to the computer or a CD is inserted.
If the autoplay window no longer opens on its own,but a CD nevertheless starts playing,or saved images on the digital camera are displayed automatically,then in all likelihood the selection on the AutoPlay tab labelled "Prompt me each time to choose an action" is not selected.
To change the autoplay settings for a specific device,right click on the device in question in My Computer.The setting can then be adjusted under Properties.

Watch your posture

Ergonomics experts recommend that you maintain a relaxed but upright posture,without excessive bowing of your back,and without leaning your neck forward unnaturally to view your monitor.Your shoulders should be relaxed,and your arms forearms should extend straight out from your elbow,forming a 90 degree angle at the elbow.The same goes for your knees.Good posture can go some way toward preventing musculoskeletal disorders that arise from extended sitting at the computer.

Backdoor for forgotten passwords

You don't have to panic if you forget the password for your home Windows XP computer. The operating system contains a backdoor:Pressing the F8 key immediately after the computer is started lets users boot in the "safe mode".The users can then create a new password for themselves.

To save or Not to save

Think carefully before you save money in this way.Manufacturers will generally refuse to service a printer in which third-party ink has been used,regardless of whether the ink is the cause of the problem.Ink does,in fact,cause many of the problems encountered by inkjet users.

Practical Tips

Watch this post, am toying with the idea of sharing with you the tips that I come across. You see,I have these useful informations stored and they're taking up space, and if I continue to store them, I may have to trash them one day,and all these good tips would have been lost forever.
I have been thinking it would be a good idea to achieve them here for future reference.