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Hardware Tips

Turn your camera flash on in the daytime and off at night

All digital cameras have an auto mode that handles everything. The user doesn’t even need to think about shutter speeds, aperture, or any other settings on the camera and that is the way the photographer often wants it.

This can also lead to problems though as certain light conditions can cause the camera to misread the lighting conditions.

Two examples of this are your local Christmas parade of lights and anytime you are taking someone’s picture in front of a sunlit window.

In the parade of lights, your camera will assume that you want to use the flash because it is so darn dark and with backlit subjects your camera will read plenty of light to shoot without a flash.

Tame that mouse!

The default settings for the mouse, are not necessarily the best settings for all users. You can control how fast the mouse moves and more importantly learn how to control the double-click speed so that it works for you every time.

1. Click on Start
2. Click on Settings
3. Click on Control Panel
4. Double-Click on Mouse

Depending on your mouse, you will see different screens and options in here, but you want to look for two things: pointer speed and double-click speed.

Adjust double-click behavior by sliding the double-click speed option all the way to the left (or double-click very slowly on the icon provided with some software).

Summer Waning, but Heat Still a Danger

Heat and computers can be a lethal combination. Even though the hot summer days continue to slide by, protect your system from heat related problems.

Keep your computer well ventilated. Because most new systems today are towers, many computer users place their systems on the floor. Normally this will not cause any problems, but make sure that you are minimizing disaster with these hints:

* Keep the system off of shag or long carpet.

If your floor meets the above description, put a piece of masonite or tile under the system (many computers have small vents at the bottom that need to be able to breathe)

Save Files to your ZIP, CDR/RW or other Removable Media Quickly

First, create a shortcut to your drive on the desktop following these steps:

1. Double-click on My Computer
2. Drag the icon of your removable disk to the desktop
3. When you let go of the mouse, the computer will inform you that you can’t move the item there, but would you like to create a shortcut…answer ‘yes’

Now that you have the icon for you drive in place, you can simply drag and drop files or folders right to this icon for quick and easy copying!

The new desktop drive icon is also a great way to read what’s on a zip or CD disk.

Although I keep referring to z

Recycling Your Old Computer

If you received or bought yourself a new computer during the holidays (or any time), many options are available for the use of your old computer. In addition to passing on a still useful machine, remember that in many cities throwing out old computers or monitors is illegal.

First and foremost BEFORE giving away your computer, make sure you purge it of any of your personal information. If your computer came with restore CD’s, use them to restore the computer back to its original state. If you don’t have restore CD’s , you will have to uninstall programs manually and delete your email, financial data, etc on your own.

Pull the Plug!!

One problem with technology is that sometimes we let it overshadow our problem solving skills. In particular, errors on our computer such as “lock ups”, illegal operations, erratic behavior, slow downs, and other computer anomalies can be corrected by simply restarting our computers.

The most common way to restart our computer involves clicking on Start–>Shut Down–> Restart. However, sometimes the mouse does not work so try this keyboard sequence: Push the Start key (between Ctrl & Alt), then U, then R, then Enter.

If this doesn’t work, try pushing Ctrl+Alt+Delete up to five times to try and restart.

Print your Digital Photos with a Developer

Digital camera owners typically take three to four times as many photos than their film counterparts. And why not…there are no developing or film costs. However, the printer industry would love for you to print out all those photos you are taking.

With digital, the potential savings can be huge IF you approach the printing process as I outline below:

  • Backup all your photos to a CD (preferably make at least two backups) as these files are your ‘digital negatives’
  • Not every photo needs to be printed
  • Only print the photos you will frame, scrapbook, hang on the fridge, or send to friends or family
  • Print them at the size appropriate for the occasion
  • Use your home printer to print just the fridge and occasional scrap book photos Yes, do not use your home printer to print the majority of your shots. Instead, carefully pick out the photos you want printed, copy them to a CD, and take them to a local film developer.

Most photo labs today will print your digital memories. Using a photo lab to print your digital pics offers many advantages: * Cheaper (less than 20 cents per photo vs. well over a dollar per photo for prints from your ink jet) 

Open Sesame — for your CD-ROM tray!

If your computer is in a precarious or tight position, opening the CD tray can be cumbersome. Use this tip to have your computer open the CD tray for you.

First, you need to create a shortcut on your desktop. Here’s how it is done:

1. Double-click on My Computer
2. Drag your CD-ROM icon to your desktop
3. Click on the Yes button from the resulting message box

Now, any time you need to open your CD-ROM tray, just RIGHT click on the shortcut you just created, and click on Eject from the menu.

For closing your CD tray (with some drives), just repeat the same process as opening. OR, if you just nudge (gently) the tray inward, the machine will pull the tray closed automatically.

Learn to Use Your Digital Camera’s EXIF Data

In the olden days of photography, a true student of the hobby would carry a note pad and write down the shutter and film speed as well as the lens setting and information such as whether or not a flash was used. The photographer would then use this information as a reference in becoming familiar with the camera.

Even with digital it is extremely important to learn how your camera reacts in various settings. Digital cameras often have very hot flashes that wash out a subject if it is too close. Other cameras may be picky about shooting strange lighting.

Whether a photo comes out perfect or awful, it is often useful to be able to go back and see how your camera was setup for the shot. Your digital camera automatically records such information but you have to know where to find it.

Keeping Track of Your Computer Storage

This week?s tip is a prelude to my tip for next week and a follow up from last week?s tip. Following these steps, you can easily keep track of how much space you have on your computer for new documents and programs.

1. Double-click on the ?My Computer? icon on your desktop
2. RIGHT click on your hard drive (labeled C)
3. Click on Properties
4. An easy to read pie chart informs you how much free space and how much empty space you have on your computer

# Hint: Your free space should be equal to or greater than twice the amount of RAM you have on your computer (exa