How to Remove a Computer Virus

If your computer has been hit with a virus, don't give up. There's still hope!
We all know malware is out there. Malware includes applications that spy on you, corrupt your data, destroy your hard drive or give control of your machine to someone thousands of miles away. No matter what form it takes, it's bad business. And since there are a lot of examples of malware in the wild, it may only be a matter of time before you become the victim of a malware attack.
The most important advice we can give anyone who believes he or she has a computer with malware on it is this: Don't panic. Also, don't assume that you need to wipe your computer clean and start from scratch. Often you can remove malware without having to erase everything else. You may lose some data in the process, but you probably won't lose everything.
First you need to determine if your computer has a virus at all. You might suspect your computer of having a virus if it seems to be sluggish. If your Web browser suddenly looks different or automatically goes to a site you don't recognize, that's a good indication that you've got some malware. If your computer is unstable and crashes fairly often, you may have a problem. And if you try to access files but receive a message saying they're corrupted, that's another sign.
If you do think your computer has a virus, you need to run antivirus software to weed it out. Some viruses disable antivirus software -- they're clever that way. If you don't have any antivirus software, now's a good time to purchase or download an application. A few malware variants will try to block you from downloading antivirus software. If that's the case, you may need to download the software on another computer and transfer it to disk or a flash drive.

 

Detecting and Removing a Computer Virus

Antivirus software is practically a requirement for anyone using the Windows operating system. While it's true you can avoid computer viruses if you practice safe habits, the truth is that the people who write computer viruses are always looking for new ways to infect machines. There are several different antivirus programs on the market -- some are free and some you have to purchase. Keep in mind that free versions often lack some of the nicer features you'll find in commercial products.

Two's a Crowd

If one antivirus program is good, two is better, right? Wrong. Antivirus software tends to use up a large percentage of your computer's processing power. Running more than one antivirus program will slow your computer to a crawl and possibly cause it to crash. And not all antivirus programs are compatible with one another, which can make your computer even more unstable.

Let's start with the assumption that you're able to run antivirus software -- we'll look into what to do if this isn't the case a little later. Assuming your antivirus software is up to date, it should detect malware on your machine. Most antivirus programs have an alert page that will list each and every virus or other piece of malware it finds. You should write down the names of each malware application your software discovers.
Many antivirus programs will attempt to remove or isolate malware for you. You may have to select an option and confirm that you want the antivirus software to tackle the malware. For most users, this is the best option -- it can be tricky removing malware on your own.
If the antivirus software says it has removed the malware successfully, you should shut down your computer, reboot and run the antivirus software again. This time, if the software comes back with a clean sweep, you're good to go. If the antivirus software finds different malware, you may need to repeat the previous steps. If it finds the same malware as before, you might have to try something else.


Advanced Computer Virus Removal Tips



  Give Viruses the Boot (Disk)

Some antivirus software will let you create a special boot disk. After creating a boot disk, you should reboot your computer with the disk in the drive. Your computer will read from the disk and load a limited OS and run a virus scan. With luck, this method will allow you to bypass the malware's code and disable it.

If you can't access your antivirus software or you keep seeing the same malware pop up scan after scan, you may need to try and start your computer in Safe Mode. Many computer viruses will store files in your Windows registry folder. This folder acts like a database of instructions and tells your operating system important information about the programs you have on your computer. It can also tell viruses to activate as soon as the operating system loads. Starting your computer in Safe mode allows you to work with your machine using only the core elements of the Windows OS.

Try running your antivirus software in this mode. If you see new malware pop up, you may have hit upon your solution. Some malware exists only to download other kinds of malware and install them on your machine. If you can remove all of these applications, you'll be in good shape.

If for some reason your antivirus software can't remove the virus on its own, it's time to do a little more research. Remember when we said you should write down the names of all the malware applications that your software discovered? Here's where that comes into play. You'll need to research each of those files online using the appropriate Internet security firm. Make sure to use the same firm that produces the antivirus software you're using. That's because different firms sometimes give the same virus different names. Not all firms will refer to the same virus the same way.

Most Internet security firms will list all the files associated with a particular virus and tell you where you can expect to find those files. You may have to do some digging to find each file. Before you delete any files, you should save a backup copy of your Registry folder. If you accidentally delete the wrong file, you may make it difficult or impossible to run your computer properly.

Delete all the files associated with the malware on your list. Once that's done, you'll need to reboot your computer and run your antivirus software again. Hopefully nothing else will pop up.

You may want to update your login information for your various accounts online. Some malware has keylogging software that can send your passwords and information to a remote user. It's better to be safe than sorry.




Computer Virus Protection

Worst-case Scenario

There are some simple rules you can follow that will help you avoid computer viruses. Most of these fall under the category of common sense.


Don't open strange e-mail attachments or click on hyperlinks in e-mail. Virus programmers love to trick people into clicking on links that will lead them to malicious software. Let people know that you don't click on hyperlinks in e-mail unless the sender includes a description of the link and what it leads to. If your e-mail client supports autolaunch, turn it off. Otherwise you might automatically activate a computer virus just by opening the e-mail.


The same applies to other messages you might encounter. Hyperlinks in message boards, Facebook messages or instant messages can sometimes lead to malware. Pay attention to the source of the message. Look for any unusual signs like misspellings or odd sentence structure, particularly if the person who sent you the message normally avoids errors. If you do see an odd link, you may want to let the sender know -- he or she might be the victim of a hacked account.


Don't visit questionable Web sites. This includes everything from software, music and video piracy sites to porn pages. Many current Web browsers will alert you if you try to go to a site that is known for hosting malware. Pay attention to these warnings and stay away from those sites.

Pay close attention to any windows that pop up while you surf the Web. If you see a notification claiming that you need to download the latest video driver to watch something, use caution. This is a common tactic used to distribute malware.


Run your antivirus software at least once a week. You should also make sure your antivirus software and OS remain current by downloading updates and patches on a regular basis. Most antivirus software updates at least once a week as security firms add more virus information to their databases.

Avoiding viruses might sound like a lot of work but keep in mind it's easier than fixing a computer that's been hit with a virus. Learn more about computer viruses and safe computing on the next page.

If you can't seem to delete the viruses no matter which method you try, it may be time to bite the bullet and perform a complete system wipe. This involves formatting your hard drive and reloading the operating system. This will delete all of your information -- be sure to save backups of any important, virus-free files before you start.

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2010 top ten trends in academic libraries

The ACRL Research, Planning and Review Committee, a component of the Research Coordinating Committee, is responsible for creating and updating a continuous and dynamic environmental scan for the association that encompasses trends in academic librarianship, higher education, and the broader environment. As a part of this effort, the committee develops a list of the top ten trends that are affecting academic libraries now and in the near future. This list was compiled based on an extensive review of current literature (see selected bibliography at the end of this article). The committee also developed an e-mail survey that was sent to 9,812 ACRL members in February 2010. Although the response rate was small (about five percent), it helped to clarify the trends.

The trends are listed in alphabetical order.

 

• Academic library collection growth is driven by patron demand and will include new resource types. Budget reductions, user preferences for electronic access to materials, limited physical space, and the inability to financially sustain comprehensive collections have led many academic libraries to shift from a "just-in-case" to a "just-in-time" philosophy. This change has been facilitated by customized patron-driven acquisitions programs from some major library book distributors, improved print-on-demand options for monographs, patron desire for new resource types, and resource sharing systems, such as RapidILL, offering 24-hour turnaround time for article requests. Still to be determined are the long-term effects of this change on the ability of academic libraries to meet their clientele's information needs, the stability of some of the new access methods, and implications for future scholarship. Increasingly, libraries are acquiring local collections and unique materials and, when possible, digitizing them to provide immediate, full-text online access to increase visibility and use. Access to full-text sources, not the discovery of the sources, is a major issue for scholars.1

 

These materials may include special collections, university archives, and/or the scholarly output of faculty and students. Libraries also recognize the need to collect, preserve, and provide access to digital datasets.

 

According to a 2009 OCLC report, datasets are beginning to be made available online for "collecting," but libraries still need to learn how to support discovery.2 The 2010 Horizon Report identified visual data analysis tools as one of the emerging technologies most likely to enter mainstream use on campuses within the next four-to-five years.3Additional collection development trends noted by survey respondents include the effect of Google Books on library collections, the monopolization of content resulting from consolidation in the publishing industry and the demise of a number of smaller publishers and publications, and a growth in shared collection development.

 

 

• Budget challenges will continue and libraries will evolve as a result. This is a trend no one wants to see continue, but one that is real for many postsecondary institutions. Many libraries faced stagnant or reduced operating and materials budgets for the 2009–10 fiscal year, and the near future will likely bring additional budget pressures.

 

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the average return for college and university endowments in the 2009 fiscal year was −18.7 percent, the worst since 1974. In addition, federal stimulus dollars for education are running out, with only 14.2 percent of the stimulus money set aside for states' education budget remaining for the 2011 fiscal year and 20 states with nothing left to spend; the proportion of state budgets spent on public colleges and the proportion of college budgets that come from the state were already declining, with the recession exacerbating a trend whereby state spending on higher education failed to keep up with enrollment growth and inflation; even when the economy improves, state revenues typically lag in their recovery by at least two years.4Survey respondents are concerned about the effect of budget pressures on their ability to attract and retain staff, build collections, provide access to resources and services, and develop and implement innovative services.

 

 

• Changes in higher education will require that librarians possess diverse skill sets. As technological changes continue to impact not only the way libraries are used but also the nature of collections, librarians need to broaden their portfolio of skills to provide services to users. Academic librarians will need ongoing formal training to continue in the profession. We may see an increasing number of non-MLS professionals in academic libraries with the skills needed to work in this changing environment. Graduate LIS programs and professional organizations will be challenged to provide new and relevant professional development while individual librarians and their institutions will struggle to fund such development. The profession may need to consider whether the terminal degree required for librarians should be changed or broadened.

 

A recent OCLC report calls for academic libraries to "reassess all library job descriptions and qualifications to ensure that training and hiring encompass the skills, education, and experience needed to support new modes of research."5 The impending retirement of many library directors will also create changes. Are associate deans/directors ready for new roles? What about the middle managers who might step into higher-level administrative roles? Leadership training and mentoring, both formal and informal, are critical to a smooth transition. Survey respondents fear that positions will be eliminated as individuals retire and that widespread retirements will result in a leadership gap and loss of institutional memory. They also worry that older librarians are delaying retirement for economic reasons, thereby reducing opportunities for newer librarians.

 

 

• Demands for accountability and assessment will increase. Increasingly, academic libraries are required to demonstrate the value they provide to their clientele and institutions. This trend is part of a broader accountability movement within higher education, resulting from demands from federal and state governments, accrediting bodies, employers, parents, and taxpayers for institutions to show the value of a college education and results of student learning outcomes.

 

In the current economic climate, competition for limited funds has intensified with some institutions revisiting funding formulas for libraries. It is increasingly important to demonstrate the library's impact on student learning outcomes, student engagement, student recruitment and retention, successful grant applications, and faculty research productivity. Several studies are underway that will help academic libraries document the value of their services and collections, using both qualitative and quantitative data. Of particular interest are ACRL's value of academic libraries research project and "Value, Outcomes, and Return on Investment of Academic Libraries (Lib-Value)," a three-year grant-funded study led by researchers at the University of Tennessee, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the Association of Research Libraries.6

 

 

• Digitization of unique library collections will increase and require a larger share of resources. Digitization projects make hidden and underused special collections available to researchers worldwide. As Clifford Lynch (Coalition for Networked Information) has said, "special collections are a nexus where technology and content are meeting to advance scholarship in extraordinary new ways."7

 

Many digital projects have been funded in part by grants from sources such as the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Mellon Foundation, while others are supported in total by institutional funds. Collaborative digitization opportunities abound: member libraries of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries are creating a digital shared collection of 5,000 items from their rare and special collections that will help explain the intellectual underpinnings of the American Civil War. The University of California Digital Library used IMLS funds for the California Local History Digital Resources Project, to which more than 65 institutions contributed. Because of the staffing, equipment, and storage costs associated with digital projects, libraries often must reallocate fiscal resources to support these projects. Like other library collections and services, digitization efforts may be affected by stagnant or reduced budgets.

 

 

• Explosive growth of mobile devices and applications will drive new services. Smart phones, e-book readers, iPads, and other handheld devices will drive user demands and expectations. The 2009 ECAR study of undergraduate students and information technology found that 51.2 percent of respondents owned an Internet-capable handheld device and another 11.8 percent planned to purchase one within the next 12 months.8 Students indicated that they most wanted to use their institution's e-mail service, administrative services, and course management system from their handheld devices. While only 14.8 percent of respondents indicated that they wanted to use library services, this percentage is likely to grow quickly, as vendors offer mobile interfaces to electronic resources, mobile applications for OPACs increase, and more libraries offer reference services via text messaging and mobile interfaces to their own digital collections.

 

Librarians will need to think creatively about developing services for users of mobile devices and take into account both user needs and preferences and the relationship of services to the academic program of their institution.9Regardless of the services a library chooses to offer, there will be staffing, training, budgeting, marketing, and instruction implications.

 

 

• Increased collaboration will expand the role of the library within the institution and beyond. Collaboration efforts will continue to diversify: collaborating with faculty to integrate library resources into the curriculum and to seek out information literacy instruction, and as an embedded librarian; working with scholars to provide access to their data sets, project notes, papers, etc. in virtual research environments and digital repositories; collaborating with information technology experts to develop online tutorials and user-friendly interfaces to local digital collections; collaborating with student support services to provide integrated services to students; and collaborating with librarians at other institutions to improve open source software, share resources, purchase materials, and preserve collections.

 

The HathiTrust shared digital repository and 2CUL are two examples of recent, large-scale collaborations.10Partnership in HathiTrust is open to research institutions worldwide who share its vision of collecting, organizing, preserving, communicating, and sharing the record of human knowledge. The Cornell and Columbia University Libraries have formed an innovative partnership called 2CUL that will result in a pooling of resources and broad integration on a number of fronts, such as cataloging, e-resource management, collaborative collection development, and digital preservation. Collaboration epitomizes the service orientation of librarianship and will continue to help maximize the efficient use of resources. Librarians are making use of Google Docs, Doodle, wikis, and other tools that facilitate collaboration regardless of physical proximity.

 

 

• Libraries will continue to lead efforts to develop scholarly communication and intellectual property services.Academic libraries have recognized the importance of scholarly communication and intellectual property issues for many years. Recent developments illustrate a trend toward proactive efforts to educate faculty and students about authors' rights and open access publishing options and to recruit content for institutional repositories (IRs). Digital repository project managers report that scholars "lacked an understanding of copyright and the issues of copyright compliance"11 and that many of them "did not understand or could not remember or retrieve the agreements that were signed with publishers for the publication and dissemination of their work".12 Interest in these issues is illustrated by the growth in SPARC membership: more than 200 North American research and academic libraries belong to SPARC; about the same number participated in the Open Access Week in 2009.13

Recruiting content for IRs provides a natural entrée for conversations about scholarly communication issues. This also illustrates the need for libraries to provide guidance and user education on copyright law, and, in particular, the need to obtain permission to use copyrighted material in one's work if the use is not covered by the fair use exception. Libraries are addressing the need to provide value-added scholarly communication services in a variety of ways. Some libraries have created scholarly communication librarian or copyright officer positions. Others have taken a more distributed approach. The University of Minnesota, for example, has included scholarly communication responsibilities in the position descriptions of all of its liaison librarians.

 

Other trends, including growing use of open source products, creation of more locally created digital collections, the increasing complexity of licensing issues, and litigation involving the use of materials in course e-reserves andcourse management systems, reinforce the need for academic libraries to provide value-added intellectual property services.

 

 

• Technology will continue to change services and required skills. Cloud computing, augmented and virtual reality, discovery tools, open content, open source software, and new social networking tools are some of the most important technological changes affecting academic libraries. As with mobile applications, these developments will affect nearly all library operations. Two exciting developments are OCLC's new cooperative Web-scale library management services and discovery tools, which provide a single interface to multiple resources using a centralized consolidated index that promises faster and better search results than federated searching.

 

While social networking tools can help libraries go where their users are, many librarians see challenges in determining which tools to use, how many resources to devote, and how to assess effectiveness. Librarians also will be monitoring the success of open source integrated library systems software and the RDA: Resource Description and Access standard.

 

 

• The definition of the library will change as physical space is repurposed and virtual space expands. Most academic libraries provide access to a more resources than ever before. However, the number of physical items in many libraries is declining, as libraries withdraw journal runs to which they have permanent online archival access and/or move lesser-used materials to off-site or shared storage facilities, thus freeing up areas that are repurposed to provide space for individual student and collaborative work. Libraries are expanding their virtual space, reducing space within the library facility for collections, and re-purposing it for student use. The concept of "Library as Place" is still important to students, researchers, and many faculty members. Some libraries have added writing, tutoring, and media centers to provide multiple academic support services in one convenient location.

 

Finding a balance that serves all clientele continues to be a challenge. These changes are coming at the same time that in-person reference desk statistics are declining at many academic libraries, while online reference statistics are increasing. In some instances, this is tied to a growth in distance or online courses offered by the institution; in others, it may simply be due to user preference and convenience: "It is clear that regardless of age or experience, academic discipline, or context of the information need, speed and convenience are important to users and are factors when selecting discovery tools and resources."14

 

Librarians are also expanding the library's virtual presence through involvement in course management systemsand online social networking sites, the creation of online tutorials and other instruction aids, and more vibrant and interactive Web sites. How to convey the value of the complementary nature of the physical and online services to support the teaching and instruction mission of the university to campus administrators presents an ongoing challenge.

There were a number of other trends that the committee considered but that did not yet rise to this level.Sustainability, in particular, was an issue that the committee sees as a growing trend that will probably be included is this list in coming years.

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Useful Tips regarding NET/ SET

Here I am giving some tips that may be a very useful to you for passing the NET/ SET exams.


* No one specific book is sufficient for preparing the NET/ SET exams.


  
1. Refer the basic books of B.Lib/ M.Lib. for making the perfect foundation of every concept includes in the area of Library Science.


 
2. Refer the recent Journals regularly in the field of LIS. e.g. IASLIC Newsletter, DESIDOC Bulletin of Information & technology..


  
 
3. Frequently browsing of the websites of various Organisations, Forums, Blogs is the good activity for getting the recent information, trends that are ongoing in the LIS field as well as you can register for various e- newsletters available on the web. They simply push updates to your e-mail accounts.


  
 
4. Keep some Box Files. Organise your all information by section wise in the paper form in these files.


  
 
5. At the same time you can organise your all information by topic wise in the Computer Folders. e.g. in the folder named of UNESCO, you can dump all MS Word, PDF, PPT files at here related to UNESCO.


  
 
6. Make your notes with the help of various diagrams such as Circles, Arrows, Tree chart & keep out your own Keywords/ Acronyms for memorising the particular paragraphs. e.g. for 6' Sigma, use DMAIC (D= define, M= measure, A= analysis, I= improve, C= control)


 
7. Keep some logic to prepare the notes. e.g. in context of Library Organisations make a chart & firstly start from the USA, UK, Indian & then regional organisations. After of that if needed firstly take General org & then Special Organisations.


 

 
8. Discuss the various LIS issues & news with your LIS colleagues. This will help you sharpen the latest knowledge. Recall the information again & again that you have studied before.


  
 
9. Imagine the psychology of the 'Paper Setters' that they are highly qualified professionals in the LIS field so don't write irrelevant information. Just give pin- pointed information in the paper. Mention the recent information by giving the * (Star sign) in your answer.


  
 
10. If possible, always attend the various seminars, workshops, discussion programmes.


  
 
11.Your answer should includes Basic + Specific + Update information. Always give latest references in answer.


 
12. Time Management is depends person to person so don't follow to others. Identify your own writing speed & try to increase it.


  
13. Be creative & always seek the new information/ Concepts in LIS. By noting of this information in your answer you can get maximum marks than others.


  
 
14. Strictly avoid the negative thinking people. These are the major barriers that always stop to you to achieve the targets.


 
Wish You Best of Luck ! (that is never exists without honest & systematic efforts)


Hopes, these tips will be helpful to you !

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HTML5 may intrude into your privacy

 
 

Worries over Internet privacy have spurred lawsuits and consumer anxiety as marketers invent new ways to track computer users on the Internet. But the alarmists have not seen anything yet. But in the next few years, a powerful new suite of capabilities will become available to web developers that could give marketers access to many more details about computer users' online activities.

 

The new code, the fifth version of Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML5) used to create web pages, is already in limited use, and it promises to usher in a new era of Internet browsing in the next few years.

 

It will make it easier for users to view multimedia content without downloading extra software; check e-mail offline; or find a favo-urite restaurant. Most users will clearly welcome these features. But others are cautious as the new web code uses a process in which large amounts of data can be collected and stored on the user's hard drive while online. Because of this, ad-vertisers could, experts say, see weeks of personal data including shopping details and e-mails.

 

Source: Asian Age, 12 October 2010

URL: http://www.asianage.com/business/html5-may-intrude-your-privacy-764

  

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Google’s URL Shortener Is Here, And I Like It

 

Google just lowered its hammer on another web segment: URL shorteners. And as usual, they hammered it hard, because the new product works like a charm and will probably become the market leader soon.

It's called Goo.gl, and according to Google it has several advantages over competing services. Here is a quote from the announcement post:

There are many shorteners out there with great features, so some people may wonder whether the world really needs yet another. As we said late last year, we built goo.gl with a focus on quality. With goo.gl, every time you shorten a URL, you know it will work, it will work fast, and it will keep working. You also know that when you click a goo.gl shortened URL, you're protected against malware, phishing and spam using the same industry-leading technology we use in search and other products.

I tested it briefly and I must say I really like it. The security aspect alone would be enough to make me switch, but the redirect also worked much faster when compared to other URL shorteners, and Goo.gl is connected to your Google account, so it will track clicks for you automatically.

Check it out if you haven't yet.

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Best Firefox Add-ons: Screengrab

If you are tired of using the old Print Screen command to capture screenshots you should check this extension out. Called Screengrab, it allows you to take screenshots with much more flexibility.

First of all you'll be able to take a screenshot of the entire page you are visiting. That is, the screenshot will contain even the parts that were below the fold.

Second, you can also manually choose a section for the screenshot, which is useful if you just want a small picture of the website to use in a blog post, for instance.

Finally, you can choose if you want to save the screenshots to the clipboard or as a file.

Recommended for any blogger and webmaster.

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What is XTF?

The eXtensible Text Framework (XTF) is a powerful open source platform for providing access to digital content. Developed and maintained by the California Digital Library (CDL), XTF functions as the primary access technology for the CDL's digital collections and other digital projects worldwide.



Download

Latest Release

• New implementations: xtf-2.2.war
  
  Download the full release
  
• Existing implementations: xtf-core-2.2.zip.
  Download the core updates to keep your customizations
  
• Documentation only: xtf_2_2_documentation.zip
  

Tutorial Package

The tutorial package includes the latest release of XTF along with a copy of the "Getting Started" tutorial and an example collection to use for the exercises in the tutorial.

• Windows: xtfWorkshop.zip
  
• Mac/Linux: xtfWorkshop.tar.gz
  

Source Code: Build XTF Yourself!

Mercurial Repository

Our code is now being maintained in a mercurial repository on sourceforge.

• Clone the tree: http://xtf.hg.sourceforge.net:8000/hgroot/xtf/xtf (read-only)
  
• Browse the tree: http://xtf.hg.sourceforge.net/hgweb/xtf/xtf
  
• Build instructions: see Building XTF from the Source Code in Tips & Tips.
  

Change Log

Information about bug fixes, new features and other changes across releases.


 

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ICT Transforming Education

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New Twitter: Features and Functionality

Do you have New Twitter?  I don't, but I can't wait to get my hands on it! So what is it? Twitter says that they've learned that "life doesn't always fit into 140 characters or less" – so they're rolling out new features.

Here they are:

• 
  
  Site restructure.
  
  
  On the left hand side of the screen: Find @mentions, retweets, searches, and lists just above your timeline – creating a single, streamlined view on the left of the screen.
  On the right hand side of the screen: See the features you're familiar with, including whom you recently followed and who recently followed you, favorites, and Trending Topics. You can also see embedded photos and videos directly on Twitter (from partners like YouTube, Etsy, Flickr, TwitPic, USTREAM, and more).
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  Related content.
  When you click a Tweet, the details pane will display additional information related to the author or subject. Depending on the Tweet's content, you may see: @replies, other Tweets by that same user, a map of where a geotagged Tweet was sent from, and more.
  
  
  
  
• Mini profiles.
  When you click a @username you'll now view a mini profile without navigating from your current page.
  

If you're like me (and not a New Twitter user yet) don't fret. It seems they're taking a couple weeks to roll out the changes.

Until then, they've put together a video to entertain us!


 

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5 productivity tips for Windows

Print more easily, find files faster, and send email right from your desktop.
1. Print from Windows Explorer

If you need to print a document, let's say a Microsoft Word document, there's no need to launch Word first. Browse your hard drive for the file that you want to print, right-click its icon, and then click Print. This will automatically send the document to your printer without launching Word.

Windows 7 Print command on the shortcut menu.

Windows Vista Print command on the shortcut menu.

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2. Pin programs to the Start menu

Want to add your favorite programs to the Start menu? From the Start menu, click All Programs. Locate a favorite program, right-click the program's icon, and then click Pin to Start menu. That's it.

You can also pin an application by dragging and dropping its icon from All Programs to the Start menu. The program is now "pinned" to your Start menu. To remove it, right-click the program icon on the Start menu and then click Unpin from Start menu or click Remove from this list.

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3. Use small icons on your Start menu

After you install a few dozen applications, your Start menu can become very crowded. One way to reduce the clutter is to use small icons.

1. To switch to small icons, click the Start button, right-click in the Start menu, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Start Menu tab, and then click Customize.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista users: Scroll to the bottom of the list, clear the Use large icons check box, and then click OK twice.

Windows XP users: Select Small icons, and then click OK twice.

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4. Search a folder

When I've misplaced a file, I almost always know which folder it's in, but it's usually lost in a maze of documents or buried in a subfolder. I just can't remember which subfolder. This is a great way to search a folder quickly.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista users: Locate the folder where you think the file is located. Use the Search box at the top of the open window to search the contents for the selected folder. Type part or all of the name of the file or folder, or type a word or phrase that is in the file. The results list will be updated as you type.

Windows XP users: Locate the folder where you think the file's located, right-click the folder, and then click Search. A Search window will open, ready to search for the selected folder and only that folder. Type part or all of the name of the file or folder, or type a word or phrase that is in the file. This is much quicker than launching Search and navigating your hard drive to the folder.

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5. Send an email attachment from anywhere on the desktop

Here's a really handy tip.

1.Locate a file anywhere on your hard drive that you want to email, right-click the file's icon, click Send To, and then click Mail Recipient. A new mail message will open with the file attached and ready to send. But what's really speedy about this tip is that your mail program doesn't open. This action creates only a single new mail message.

2.To send your attachment, type the recipient's email address in the To text field, add any accompanying message, and then click the Send icon. The subject and attachment fields are already set.

In Windows Vista, you can send an email attachment directly from the desktop.

In Windows XP, you can send a file by email directly from desktop.

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