Computer Geek Keyboard Tips

I still don’t consider myself a true computer geek, but I have hung around some over the past few years, and here’s a few tips to start you on your way to true geekdom.

• Copy and Paste is your friend.  learn the shortcuts.  Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V, Ctrl-X.  I use these two hundred times a day.  Even true programmers use it all the time, they’re just faster.  Hitting many keys really fast and avoiding your mouse is a good way to intimidate non-geek people.
• when in doubt, Right Click.  I never used it before I went to geek school, now I do it a hundred times a day.  Very useful in Microsoft Office.  It’s one of the things I still find annoying about my Mac – that the right-click menu is kind of hidden and less useful.
• Double click to select a word.  I only figured this one out when I was 3/4 done school unfortunately.  Very useful along with copy and paste!
• There are very few mistakes that can’t be fixed.  This is huge for non-computer people I’ve helped through work – they are scared to wreck something.  I’ve noticed that computer guys never worry about it.  As long as your important data is saved – almost anything can be fixed.  It might take a while, but in the end you can always reinstall it all.

Yeah, I know – not that amazing, but try ’em out – I bet they are useful – and that’s all I got.

Dead PC

I woke up yesterday morning to a laptop that wouldn’t start up Windows, might have something to do with the Windows updates I installed the night before? Oh well, one other thing to do rather than study C#! Do you sense a theme?

Exams = Blogging

It’s exam time, therefore I am inspired again to blog (and do anything else that doesn’t involve studying).

Trying to learn

A school update:

• Current assignments due in the next two weeks: 6
• Current assignments complete: 1
• Languages: Javascript, SQL, Perl, Java, C#, Bash Script (is that officially a language? I can’t remember), HTML/XHTML/DHTML(whatever the right acronym is these days), and Flex (no wonder I’m forgetting where to put the brackets and semicolons!)
• Some tough topics: everything in computational math class(every time she says “you should remember this from Grade 12 math class” I cringe); binary search trees; perl;
• Overall it’s going okay – I’m surviving and May 29 is getting closer.

Google Browser

Once again, if you’re into this kind of thing you’ve likely already seen it, but Google just put out a browser(Chrome), a competitor for Firefox or Internet Explorer – it looks pretty good.  You can download it here.  If you want to read up more about it, check out the comic they put out as an introduction, some interesting stuff in there.

Touch apps

Touch apps so far:

• Bejeweled 2 (the only one I paid for)
• Bible – from YouVersion, has lots of different versions but you have to have Wifi to access them, so it’s usefulness is limited.
• Facebook – in case Tara ever needs to use the touch.
• GFlash+ – linux flash cards
• Google Mobile App
• Last.FM
• Remote – cool, but I’d rather have the opposite, so I could control my touch from my computer – while the touch was in my speaker dock.
• TimmyMe – find the closest Tim Horton’s.
• WordPress – for blogging, but ironically I’m not doing this post on the touch.

Ewaste

I was dealing with some e-waste at work today, got me thinking about how big of a problem it is.  In school someone had done a presentation about it and talked about the city of Guiyu – where a whole lot of our old computers and tech stuff goes to die – and kill.  I found this picture that is heart wrenching – didn’t want to steal it from the lady who took it (Natalie Behring) so you’ll have to go to her flickr site (go to the “ewaste” set) – looks like she’s got lots of good stuff to look at anyway, including some really nice shots from the Olympics.  There is much to consider the next time you throw your electronics in the trash…

Old Comp

Anyone have an old computer they want to give away for a good cause?

Gcal/Gmail Redesigned

Want your gmail and gcal to look a whole lot different (and I think cooler)?  Try adding Stylish to your Firefox and get Redesigned.  More info at Lifehacker – you could also get their better Gmail extension and the Redesigned skin is included.  There are other options in Stylish for changing the look of Firefox and other apps.

Dell Drivers

One other note about rebuilding my Dell – I had some trouble with a few other drivers, including my sound card, and finally did what I should have done in the first place.  I just went to the Dell website, entered my service tag from the back of my machine, and they have a long list of drivers needed specifically for my model ready to download.  Heather, next time you rebuild a computer, remember this tip.