- THE NAME GAME: If you have Windows95, naming a file
is no longer constrained by length like Win3.x and DOS files. The aim is
to make file names descriptive of the contents regardless of the constraints. Naming E-mail [both incoming and outgoing] that you want to save serves as a good example. A straight forward practice is to name e-mail
by correspondent and date, then send it off to a floppy disk where you can
bundle up a month's worth of e-mail into a zip file. Adding a code letter to the file name such as "i" for incoming and "o" for outgoing will futher help describe the contents. For instance if you receive an e-mail from "Sender@xyz.com" on 12-07-97, name your file "sender12-07i.txt". If you send an answer on the same day, name your file "sender12-07o.txt". Now if you have multiple e-mails back and forth on the same day with the same correspondent, add a little more detail such as "ai", "bi", "ci", etc. for successive e-mails received on the same day. For instance if you received and sent 3 e-mails on the same day with "Sender@xyz.com" your floppy disk directory would look like this:
To complete the storage of your e-mail, create a new "zip" file on your floppy disk with the name "Dec97-email.zip". Periodically, drag your saved e-mail files into the zip file and delete the uncompressed files:
Also file attachments which came with the e-mail can be stored on the same floppy in zip format. |
| 3 CLIPBOARD TIMES MORE: Window's clipboard is a handy utility but limited - have you ever overwritten its contents with something you copied subsequently and then had to go back to re-copy the original contents? Sometimes there are several different items you might want to save when creating a document or browsing the web and must work back and forth because the clipboard only holds one item at a time. Now there are several freeware/shareware multi-clipboard programs which can hold many items at the same time. |
| INSTALL TARGET: If your system is configured to run both Internet Explorer 3.x and 4.x [as outlined in items #39 and #40], when you install new software to the hard-drive, selecting the proper location can save disk space and preclude a dual-install. Since the IE3.x and IE4.x maintain separate "Program Files" and "Windows" folders, do not install the new software to these locations unless they are specifically for a certain version of Internet Explorer. Some software will install or update some files [usually "dll" files or "ini"] in your Windows folder. If you want to have the newly installed software work in both the IE3.x and IE4.x modes, you may have to install the program twice or at least copy the "ini" file from one Windows folder to the other. To update the dll files in the Windows/System folder, delete the installed files [but not the folder] for the new software. Then re-install the software in the same folder. Some program authors will indicate if the Windows/System folder is modified when the program is installed; you can also monitor the installation to see whether any files are landing in the Windows/System folder. |
| 6 DOWNLOAD SPEED: So you have a fast modem and your system is tweaked for speed. Then when you download software off the net, the bytes seem to be dribbling in. Take a look at the File Download box and check the Transfer Rate of the incoming bytes; if the speed is down to a few hundred bytes per second, cancel the download. Look for another download site or get into the FTP location as outlined in Item #37. You can probably get a dramatic increase in speed. |
|
| B GET THE FREE STUFF: You want more software - Don't run off to the store just yet. There's loads of new software on the web and it's free. But where is it and who has it? There are freeware and shareware web-sites; locate them through the search engines. The big services like PCWorld and ZDNet have large software libraries with hundreds of programs. To find the latest offerings, sign up for free e-mail newsletters. You will get a description of the software and the URL to its location. Unless you like to walk the wild side, stay away from BETA software; the bugs can bring your system down. And if you are looking for a specific type of program such as icon extractors or multi-clipboards, try out several programs with an eye to ease of use, features and size. |
| OPEN A BLANK: To speed up the opening of your browser and to keep the cache folder small, open your browser on a blank page. Set the start-up preference to a Blank Page. This works for Netscape or Internet Explorer whether you open the browser online or offline. |
| SCAN NOT: If you scan the same type of document regularly [such as an electric bill or a mortgage payment receipt] and have OCR capability, you can make a template from the "RTF" document that resulted from a prior scan. Copy the "RTF" document's contents, such as a mortgage payment receipt: |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paste the copied document into a blank spreadsheet to make a fill-in-the-blanks template. Eliminate the non-recurring information; format the cells which are to be filled in with coloured backgrounds [or borders] and the appropriate "number" formatting such as fixed, currency, date, etc. Save the template as a spreadsheet file and use a copy of it to fill in the recurring data in the coloured cells instead of scanning and OCRing the document. By substituting templates, you will save time and disk space. |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Even if you do not have scan and OCR capability, you can make a spreadsheet template with fill-in the-blanks functionality which emulates the document. |
| MAKE A RECEIPT: If you regularly collect rent, utilities, loan installments, or payments of any kind, instead of purchasing a Receipt Book and handwriting receipts, make a receipt template in a fill-in-the-blanks format. On a spreadsheet template, fill in the cells with the permanent information. Format the cells to be filled in on receipt of payment with coloured backgrounds or borders and the "number" style of each cell such as date, text, fixed, currency, etc: |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After filling in the template, save the file with a descriptive name and date. When printing the receipt, specify "no gridlines". |
| EAZY CHECKING: There are many financial programs available such as Quicken and Microsoft Money with a myriad of features for tracking income and expenses. But these large programs aren't for everybody for any number of reasons. Many people have these programs and never progress further than the checking account feature. You can make your own checking account "program" on one spreadsheet and save megabytes of disk space. A spreadsheet with six fortmatted columns will serve as a template you can use year after year: |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| With a few modifications to the checking account template, it can be used as a credit card template to track charges, payments and the outstanding balance: |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After setting up the six columns, format each one appropriately. Column #1 should be formatted as a date; columns #2 and #3 as text; columns #4, #5 and #6 as currency. Then in Column #6, enter an equation which carries forward the prior balance, subtracts Column #4 values and adds Column #5 values. |
| DISASTER PROOF: Backup your files is a
common caveat and it's good advice, but it can be expanded to encompass more
than just computer files. When harm comes in the form of fire, theft or other
forms of natural and unnatural disasters, backup disks may fall victim as well
as other property. 1- Store a copy of your vital backups in a secure location; a safety deposit box is ideal. 2- Create files detailing the cost basis, age and description of your real and personal property that is subject to physical disaster. Insurance companies, police departments, the legal system and the taxing authorities may all require proof of loss. a- You can use a commercial asset program, construct your own files preferably in spreadsheet form or even create separate data sets using popular financial software for "asset information" about your property. b- If you have scanning capability, add scanned files of at least major purchases to your asset listings. c- Keep copies of these "asset information" files on portable disks in a secure location. Ideally your vital asset information is disaster proof and, in a disaster, you can prove the value of the assets you had. d- These "asset information" files can also be used as evidence if you are involved in an income tax or assessed valuation dispute. |