The Hidden Shortcuts; Windows Productivity

Anyone who has ever managed a bank can tell you that the speed at which employees can perform everyday tasks is directly correlated to their use of the keyboard for commands. This compared to the tedious search and click that accompanies the use of a mouse. If we all took a closer look at how we use our keyboard, we could all benefit from the same efficiencies. Luckily, one of the most overlooked benefits to a windows operating system is it vast array of shortcut keystrokes. Think about all the time you hunt through the “programs” menu; in Windows 7,  just press the windows logo (WL), and start typing the program you want to open. Press WL, release, and then type “out” for outlook, or “calc” for calculator.  I have compiled a short list of underused shortcuts that will certainly bring a smile to anyone as impatient as me.

Windows Logo (WL)    WL + D (or WL+M) WL + L WL + R    ALT+TAB CTRL +/- WL + Home WL + Up/Down CTRL +Z  F5  WL + C WL + Space Shift + Delete WL + Shift + Right/Left

Opens the start menu. This is great in Windows 7 and Vista, because your cursor immediately goes to a search box. Type in whatever you want to open. Minimize all windows and show the desktop Lock the computer (require password) Run dialog box Switches to the last window open. Very useful when navigating between a web page and a word document Zoom in and out Clear all windows except the active window Maximize/Minimize Current window Undo the last thing you did Refresh Opens the control panel Make all windows transparent (Windows 7) Delete file permanently (don’t put in  recycle bin) Move windows to your other monitor (dual monitors required)

Ted Hughes
Managing Director
OCC Service Incorporated
tedhughes@occaustin.com
www.occaustin.com
CTRL + S

Windows XP won't die, still the leader

According to CNET research, the 10 year old leader in operating systems has held its place, much to the dismay of its designers, Microsoft. Hitting the shelves and OEM’s on Oct 25^th 2001, XP was heralded as a critical victory for Microsoft, who found themselves newly vulnerable to a resurgent Apple (under recently rehired Steve Jobs). XP was a major improvement over the disappointing Windows 98, and the abject failure of Windows ME. Its stability, speed, and broad esthetic appeal launched it to the #1 ranking in just 4 years.  With Windows 7’s launch already two years in the past, and critical acclaim its credit, the new OS still has some ground to make up before overtaking XP as the dominant OS of business and home users. From its peak in ’09 at 72% share, to its current position at 48%, Microsoft has been pushing hard to move users to the fledgling, if soon to be replaced Windows 7. 

Why are so few users willing to part with the OS of the 2000s?

 

The economic downturn certainly has some effect. While not having the impact on overall IT spending as might have been expected, some cosmetic changes such as desktop OS upgrades may have been shelved in order to invest more in infrastructure.

 The second reason for the delay was angst over the flop that was Windows Vista. A much awaited jump to prettier navigation and intuitive design fell flat when device compatibility and security flaws emerged with the short lived OS. Microsoft was eventually cowed by OEMs to continue to install XP on new devices until the release of 7 in ’09. It might be reasonable to expect that the bad press made XP users reluctant even after its latest product launch.

The final reason of the continued use of XP today, is probably the most important. The increased stability and user-friendly additions to Windows 7 have been balanced with the higher demands for hardware and resources required to run a larger OS. This calculation, or at least intuition, has left many IT departments waiting for a downside to complacency. 

 That downside will at long last come in 2014, when Microsoft finally stops supporting XP, leaving it vulnerable to new security threats left unpatched. By that date, Windows 8 (no release date yet) will almost certainly be available in stores and on new PCs.

 Ted Hughes
 Managing Director
 OCC Service Incorporated
 tedhughes@occaustin.com