Search

The article looks at the ten best Windows freebies of 2005. They include the StripFile program from Nuetools, the Picasa image service from Google, Nikolay Avrionov's ExplorerXP program, the CutePDF Writer from Acro Software, the ObjectDock utility from Stardock, FileWare's LastChance utility, Tim Taylor's Icon Restore utility, the TaskArrange program from Elias Fotinis, the Tray Pilot Lite utility from Two Pilots, and the ClocX alarm program.

This article presents information on how to operate an application each time the Windows operating system starts. Right-drag its .exe file, or a shortcut to that file, to the Startup folder and choose Create Shorts Here. The next time the user Starts Windows, the program will load automatically. The Scheduled Tasks feature in Windows can operate activities such as scanning for viruses, making backups, defragmenting the hard drive and doing regular maintenance tasks, while the user is away from the system. One handy use for a shutdown folder is to clear persistent folderol from your Registry. Many applications try to keep themselves or one of their modules running in the system tray even if they are not being used. Most of these startup items are placed here when the user first installs the program. Unfortunately, some applications restore their startup commands everytime the user upgrades or even just run the application. Before one can clean them out automatically, one needs to edit the Registry key in question. choose Start-Run, type regedit, and press Enter. Navigate to the folder containing the command to start the application. With the key selected in the tree pane on the left, choose Registry-Export or File-Export. Navigate to the backup folder, give the export file a name and click Save. INSET: Turn Off Your PC Your Way With ShutDown Plus.

This article presents tips on the use of Magnifier accessibility tool in the Windows operating system. Magnifier does exactly what its title suggests. It is valuable for classroom instruction, product demos or almost any kind of presentation. It is also useful for software engineers, interface designers and anyone else who needs to zoom in on a piece of work. In Windows, one many have to install the utility from the Windows compact disc (CD): Insert the CD, click Start-Settings-Control Panel, and double click Add/Remove Programs. Users then click the Windows Setup tab and confirm that accessibility is selected in the components list. Then users click details, check the box for accessibility tools and clock OK twice. To start Magnifier, users choose Start-Programs-Accessories-Accessibility-Magnifier. In most versions of Windows, Magnifier starts by displaying an explanatory message box. By default, the Magnifier window appears at the top of the screen, enlarging whatever is under the mouse printer. If one does not like the size, he can position the pointer at the edge of the window and drag to make it larger or smaller. He repositions the magnifier by placing the pointer inside the window and dragging it to any screen edge.

Provides tips to using the Windows computer operating system. Way of accessing system files; Creation of toolbars; Relocation of My Documents folder. INSET: MinMaxExtender: New Ways to Tame Your Windows.

Presents tips on booting the Windows XP computer operating system. INSET: TEACH SOME XP PATIENCE.

This article focuses on the benefits of Microsoft's MSN Toolbar Suite product for users of Windows operating systems. In addition to its useful features, the suite aims to make finding files on hard disks as fast, easy and accurate as Web searches. The toolbars for Internet Explorer, Outlook , Outlook Express, Windows Explorer and folder windows are free. The three programs that comprise the MSN Toolbar Suite search disks and provide the same results based on a single shared index of email and local files. MSN Desktop Search is a stand-alone search application; the MSN Toolbar appears in the folder and Explorer windows; and the Deskbar resides in the taskbar. They search Outlook and Outlook Express email and attachments as well as Word, Excel and other Office files. They also index PDF-format files, text files and HTML-format files.

This article focuses on the benefits of the Copernic Desktop Search software for users of Windows operating systems. The features of the product include the ability to search local hard disks, the Web, and email on Outlook and Outlook Express software. Copernic also allows users to conduct searches using either an application window or a taskbar toolbar, choose the folders they want to have indexed, set indexing to occur in the background, and use Boolean operators to refine the search. Copernic allows users to filter search results based on such attitudes as file size and date; and it provides a preview pane for seeing a file's contents without launching a separate application to open it. In addition, users can store the index file in the folder of their choice; set the time and interval for index updating; and search Outlook contacts, as well as bookmarks and browser history in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla and Netscape software.