73. Word: Start a New Line without Starting a New Paragraph

When you’re typing into a Microsoft Word document and you press the Enter key, Word starts a new paragraph. In old versions (Word 2003 and 2002), it looks indistinguishable from a new line: the new paragraph appears immediately below the last one. In Word 2013, 2010 and 2007, however, some extra space is added between the two paragraphs. This can be altered of course by changing the format of your paragraphs but if you like the extra spaces, read on:

You might like the approach taken by these newer versions – it does make a document look a little neater – but it has a drawback. If you’re trying to type an address over several lines, you’d prefer it to look like a single block without gaps between each line. The same might apply if you’re typing list of items – you don’t really regard each item in the list as a separate paragraph, so you don’t want them all separated by white space.

What can you do about it? Well, the solution depends on whether or not you’ve already typed the text in question:

* If you’re just about to type the text – the address or the list – don’t press Enter at the end of each line. Instead, press Shift+Enter. That will give you a new line, but without starting a new paragraph, so you don’t get that enormous space between the lines.

* If you’ve already typed the text in question, begin by highlighting the entire address or list. Next, make sure the Home tab is selected on the Ribbon and move your mouse up to the ‘Styles’ section where you’ll see a wide white box containing items such as ‘Normal’, ‘No Spacing’ and ‘Heading 1’. In this box, click on No Spacing. This removes the extra space that was added between all those lines.

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72. How to "Zoom In" on a webpage

When you’re visiting a web page, it can sometimes be useful to zoom in and make everything on the page larger and easier to read. In Internet Explorer you should have a little ‘zoom’ button in the bottom-right corner of the window that makes this easy – each click on the button zooms the page to 125%, then 150%, then back to 100% (normal size) again. For more options, click the tiny arrow beside that button and choose a zoom setting ranging from 50% to 400%.

But what if you can’t see that zoom button? Here’s the solution:

1. Press the Alt key on your keyboard (to the left of the space bar) to make Internet Explorer’s menu bar appear.

2. Open the View menu and move the mouse down to Toolbars.

3. On the sub-menu that appears, click Status bar.

The status bar appears at the bottom of the window, with this zoom button at its right-hand end. (If you want to hide the status bar again, just repeat the same steps)

You don’t necessarily need this status bar in order to zoom in and out of the web page, there are other ways:

• Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and roll your mouse’s wheel away from you to make everything larger, or towards you to make it smaller.
• Hold down the Ctrl key and repeatedly tap the + key on the top row of your keyboard to make everything bigger, or the – key to reduce it.
• Click the cog icon in the top-right corner of the window, move the mouse to Zoom and click a zoom setting.

Happy viewing

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71. Keyboard shortcuts we should all learn.

Using keyboard shortcuts can greatly increase your productivity, reduce repetitive strain, and help keep you focused. For example, highlighting text with the keyboard and pressing Ctrl + C is much faster than taking your hand from the keyboard, highlighting the text using the mouse, clicking copy from the file menu, and then putting your hand back in place on the keyboard. Below are our top 10 keyboard shortcuts we recommend everyone memorize and use.



Ctrl + C or Ctrl + Insert
 
Both Ctrl + C and Ctrl + Insert will copy the highlighted text or selected item.



Ctrl + V or Shift + Insert
 
Both the Ctrl + V and Shift + Insert will paste the text or object that's in the clipboard.



Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Y
 
Undo any change. For example, if you cut text, pressing this will undo it. This can also often be pressed multiple times to undo multiple changes. Pressing Ctrl + Y would redo the undo.



Ctrl + F
 
Pressing Ctrl + F opens the Find in any program. This includes your Internet browser to find text on the current page.



Alt + Tab or Ctrl + Tab
 
Quickly switch between open programs moving forward.

Tip: Press Ctrl + Tab to switch between tabs in a program.

Tip: Adding the Shift key to Alt + Tab or Ctrl + Tab will move backwards. For example, if you are pressing Alt + Tab and pass the program you want to switch to, press Alt + Shift + Tab to move backwards to that program.

Tip: Windows Vista and 7 users can also press the Windows Key + Tab to switch through open programs in a full screenshot of the Window.



Ctrl + Back space and Ctrl + Left or Right arrow
 
Pressing Ctrl + Backspace will delete a full word at a time instead of a single character.

Holding down the Ctrl key while pressing the left or right arrow will move the cursor one word at a time instead of one character at a time. If you wanted to highlight one word at a time you can hold down Ctrl + Shift and then press the left or right arrow key to move one word at a time in that direction while highlighting each word.



Ctrl + S
 
While working on a document or other file in almost every program pressing Ctrl + S saves that file. This shortcut key should be used frequently anytime you're working on anything important.



Ctrl + Home or Ctrl + End
 
Ctrl + Home will move the cursor to the beginning of the document and Ctrl + End will move the cursor to the end of a document.



Ctrl + P
 
Open a print preview of the current page or document being viewed. For example, press Ctrl + P now to view a print preview of this page.



Page Up, Space bar, and Page Down
 
Pressing either the page up or page down key will move that page one page at a time in that direction. When browsing the Internet pressing the space bar also moves the page down one page at a time.

Tip: If you are using the space bar to go down one page at a time press the Shift key and space bar to go up one page at a time.

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70. Try “Dropbox” for easy online storage and backup

If you (like me) tend to be lazy about backing up those really essential files or photographs then Dropbox is an easy and free way to keep your files safe. It also helps if you have two or more PCs and you want to access the same files from each one.

OK so total storage is not massive but I am talking “essential files” here.

For instance if you keep records for an organisation in Excel files, or say you do a website and want to make sure you don’t lose your work then this solution is easy and needs no intervention from you once it is set up. You can even share your files with other people.

Go along to Dropbox.com and set yourself up with an account. You will automatically get 2GB of storage and extra chunks may be had by referring friends etc. (Details on Dropbox.com)

When you then allow Dropbox to set itself up on your PC it creates a Dropbox folder. Any files you then add to this folder are synchronised with your “cloud” folder on the Dropbox website. Cool. You now have your working file and a backup file without any effort.

Now when I work on important files (such as these web pages), I work on the ones in my Dropbox folder knowing that when I exit and save the files they are automatically backed up for me to the cloud storage folder. Additionally, by using the same Dropbox account on my laptop, the files are then synchronised downwards on to the laptop PC. So if I want to take my PC to another location to work on any files in Dropbox I know that they are automatically synchronised to the cloud and to my main PC. If I am working in a location without Internet connection then the files will be synchronised as soon as my PC connects to the Internet back at home.

The Dropbox website will provide details of how you can share your files and also allow others to download files from your personal Dropbox Cloud folder. The folders are private and perfectly safe unless of course you divulge your access credentials.

In order to get some Dropbox space you first need to sign up for it. Creating a free account will get you 2GB of space to start. Go to Dropbox.com

This is not an advert for Dropbox and there are others available but this is a free, quick, and easy way to get started. 

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69. Don’t be too quick to accept Friend requests

It’s exciting to see a Friend Request at the top of your Facebook page. You’re likely to accept Friend Requests without thinking twice, especially if it’s a friend or a name you recognize. You may even be thinking that there’s no real harm in accepting all Friend Requests that come your way. Having more friends means you’re more popular…right?

What you may not know is that with name, birth date, education, and work history available online, it’s relatively easy for anyone to create a duplicate of any existing user. Watch out, as cybercriminals could potentially be impersonating you or someone you know for the sole purpose of duping you and your friends!

Keep reading to learn what cybercriminals can do with phony accounts. We’ll share things to keep in mind as you decide whether or not to accept a Friend Request.


What Cybercriminals Do with Phony Accounts

Identity theft:
Facebook is a treasure chest of personal information. If you have a private account, when you accept a Friend Request, the information and pictures that were once restricted from public view become visible to your new “friend”. Because cybercriminals understand that a lot of people accept requests without thinking twice, the chances of someone accepting a request from a phony account is very high. Once cybercriminals have this bounty of information and pictures, it makes it all the easier for them to commit identity theft or other forms of crime.


Malicious Links:
Unless a user has set up their privacy setting, whenever they create a post on their own or a friend’s Timeline, it is made public on the News Feed. With a phony account, cybercriminals have the ability to spread malicious links to a substantial number of people. Once the malicious link is published onto a public News Feed, there is a high likelihood that someone will eventually click on the malicious link, where they will be directed to sites compromised by malware or phishing sites designed to trick users into revealing financial credentials.


Stalking:
In case identity theft and distributing malicious links weren’t bad enough, cybercriminals create phony accounts to stalk people. Phony accounts help cybercriminals stay under the radar, as the person they’re stalking are likely to accept the Friend Request without thinking twice.


Keep Your Eyes Open

Check your Friends List:
In the event you receive a Friend Request from someone you’re already friends with, take a few minutes to search for that person in your friends list. Also, sift through the profile to see if there are signs that the account isn’t legitimate. If the Friend Request is from someone you consider an acquaintance, it’s obviously more difficult to determine if the account is legitimate or not. But with a close friend, make sure to get in touch with them if you receive a second Friend request – if it’s a fake, the account needs to be reported to Facebook.


Reproduced from the Zone Alarm blog.

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68. Don't give your mobile batteries a "Memory"

When a notebook’s battery is in its first flush of youth, it should be good for between two and five hours’ use (depending on the notebook itself and how you’re using it). But the implication in the question above is that the questioner has always run the computer on mains power, and that makes a big difference.

Notebook batteries need exercise – they need to be made do some work. Otherwise they become lazy and dispirited, doing the battery equivalent of slumping in the sofa and watching TV all day. A battery that’s never called upon to do any work quickly forgets how to do it.

If your notebook is always run on mains power, that means its battery is kept fully-charged all the time and is never used. Over time, it gets ever more used to this lazy lifestyle until, when you do need it, it can’t muster the energy to do more than a few minutes’ work before giving up. Windows should give you a warning about low battery power a few minutes before the battery runs out, but if the battery is in such a sorry state that it can never manage more than a few minutes, you won’t get that warning: the PC simply switches off.

With a new notebook PC (or a new battery in your notebook), exercise the battery right at the beginning to maximise its lifespan. Charge it fully, then disconnect it from the mains and use it (or leave it sitting) until its battery runs down, then repeat the procedure, and repeat it again. In ideal circumstances, you’d use it on battery power whenever possible thereafter, but whether you do that or not, try to allow the battery to discharge itself fully every few weeks.

If you never use the notebook on battery power, and you sometimes run into the same problem as the questioner, a simple solution would be to remove its battery. This way, the notebook won’t switch on if you haven’t turned on the mains, so there’s no risk of it switching itself off after a few minutes. (It also makes your notebook a good deal lighter to carry around or to place on your lap!)

If you use your Notebook for long periods and wish to keep it on mains power then again, remove the battery until you have finished the extended use then replace the battery.

With replacement notebook batteries often costing upwards of £50, it’s well worth paying some attention to their well-being and eking out the maximum life from them.

That’s even more important for the batteries in tablet computers. Most tablets are not designed to have their batteries replaced – indeed, you’ll rarely see any sign of a battery compartment – so when a tablet’s battery bites the dust, the dust stays bitten!


With thanks to PC Tips for Seniors  

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67. How secure is your own wifi network?

Reproduced from the Zone Alarm blog

It’s easier than ever to set up a wireless network. Plop in a WiFi router and connect to a DSL or cable modem, or if you are one of the lucky ones, with a FiOS box. But before you start online banking, shopping, and surfing the Web, make sure your network is secure from intruders.

　

You may think that your neighbor hopping onto your wireless network to check email is harmless. Actually, there is more at stake than the fact that this unauthorized person may hog up the bandwidth by streaming HD videos. This person, once on your network, can intercept all the data you are sending, trick you into going to a malicious site, and break into computers and other devices you may have connected over the WiFi. Letting someone you don’t know on to your network is essentially letting that person see all the data flowing in and out.

If you have your own WiFi network, it’s important you secure it from unauthorized users and devices by configuring the wireless router appropriately. While specific steps in the management software vary from vendor to vendor, and from router to router, the options are fairly universal and shouldn’t be too hard to find.

Below are some tips on how to enhance your wireless network security.


1. Encrypt with WPA2
When you set up your wireless network, you had the option to turn on encryption. For home networking users, you should turn on encryption (as opposed to running an open network) and you should select WPA2 as the encryption method. WEP is not secure and some of the other methods are generally out of reach for most home users. Even if you didn’t enable WPA2 when you first set up the network, your management software should let you turn it on after the fact.

When you select WPA2, you will be prompted to create a passkey for users to enter when trying to connect to the network. It is important—no, critical—to make sure the password is unique and complex so that outsiders can’t just brute-force or guess a password and hop on to the network. Make sure to select a string of characters that is fairly long and a mix of both numbers and letters. If your passkey is flimsy, then determined attackers will be able to breach your network anyway.

Don’t turn on WPS (WiFi Protected Setup). It doesn’t always work consistently, and its nine-digit PIN is vulnerable to guessing attempts. Once the attacker figures out the PIN for WPS, there is nothing stopping the adversary from accessing any shared data that resides on your wireless network.


2. Change Default Passwords
Many of the routers ship with a default password for the administrator management software. It could be “admin,” or even a blank password, and is quite often printed somewhere in the documentation and available online. Users should immediately change the password for the management interface while setting up the wireless network so that outsiders can’t reach the management interface. If adversaries get access to the management interface, they have full control over your router and you would be in serious trouble.

While you are changing passwords, check to see if the router shipped with any pre-created SSIDs. SSIDs are the names of the wireless networks configured for the router. You should change the passwords for these SSIDs even if you aren’t using them, just in case.


3. Clean up the list of SSID names
Speaking of SSIDs, vendors tend to use very generic names for the SSIDs, such as ‘linksys’ or ‘netgear-wireless.’ Change them from the default to something unique. Attackers can launch man-in-the-middle attacks by using frequently used SSIDs for their rogue wireless hotspots which could be used to trick devices into connecting to that network. Having a different SSID name and password ensures that it will be harder for a person to guess and break in.

It may be just easier to delete all the SSIDs on the router (usually listed under “wireless” on the management software) other than the one you are using. Why increase the potential attack surface? After you have cleaned up your list of SSIDs, hide the name. Some vendors call this cloaking, but the idea is to prevent the SSID from broadcasting to all devices in the vicinity. You can connect by manually entering the name of your network, but other people won’t know that network is there.


4. Regularly Check Who Is Connected
The management software generally has a section called “Device List”, which shows the computer name of all the devices that are connected to the wireless network. It’s a good idea to periodically go in and check to make sure you recognize the names. To prevent unknown devices from ever being able to connect, you can enable Mac Address Filtering. This will require you to know how to get your device’s hardware address (MAC Address) so that you can enter it in the software. It can be a little manual and time-consuming, but it ensures no one will ever be able to get on the network without your knowing about it.

Your router has other advanced features, such as “guest networking”, which you should turn off, and a firewall, which you should turn on. If you aren’t already running a software firewall, turning on the router’s firewall is critical, but it’s not a bad idea to have both to boost your layers of security.

Regularly update your router firmware when they are available, and you’ll have a pretty secure wireless network. It’s worth the time to set it up properly as a closed network will save you tons of headaches down the road.

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