Wow, thanks Unca Loathar! I just learnt something that will help my tired eyes.
Hi again...haven't been able to come in here for awhile...noticed my nickname as the subject of a thread I'd never seen (nor gotten an email alerting me about.)
I have a feeling there are LOTS of nice little tricks one can play, using a computer. I had a kid show up from the retail store where I bought a "router" so my wife could use a second computer elsewhere in the house, rather than whine about how I'm ALWAYS on this one.
I tried to watch everything he did, sitting at my throne, while I watched over his shoulder. Unfortunately, his fingers moved so fast at times, I didn't catch what all he was up to...but noticed that quite often he'd hit one of the keys on the top row of the keyboard, labelled F1 thru F12.
I have used the F12 key often, as someone kindly showed me a VERY USEFUL trick you can play, involving what is called a "SCREEN SHOT." You may have noticed that at times, when you right-clik on a photo you like, to send it to your "my pictures" area, you do NOT get the option of "save to" pop up...that's because the party posting the photo, doesn't WANT you snatching his photograph, from that site.
Here's all you need to do: find a site called "Howie's Quick Screen Capture" and download the small program it offers, for no charge. I think it suggests using the F12 key, as what you hit, once you have the program on your computer, in the area for setting the thing up.
I don't SELL or even forward anyone's photos I grab that way...I'm too busy for such nonsense...its just for ME. Another use is something like taking a "picture" of your screen, when you've done something like paid a bill on your banking site...instead of PRINTING it, you just get a "photo" to look back at, then delete, once that transaction is proved by your mailed statement, or whatever. Could save a lot of trees.
I bet I use that at LEAST once a day.
OK, here's another tip. If you want to go to Central Valleys web site. Their address is
http://CVMW.com All you need to do is clear your IE address bar, type in CVMW and hit Ctrl/enter. It automatically adds the http// and .com and takes your directly to their site.(I think it works the same for FireFox.)
You don't actually need to download a program to take screenshots. All keyboards have a button labeled either "Prnt Scrn" or Print Screen" that you can use.
Once on the screen you want to save to your computer, Hold Ctrl and press Prnt Scrn/Print Screen. Then open up the start menu (unless it's a Mac) and go to "All Programs" then "Accesories", where there will be an icon for a program called "Paint" often reffered to as MS Paint. Open it and hold Ctrl and press V. The screen as it was when you pressed Prnt Scrn will show up. You can then save it from MS Paint.
This seems like a complicated process, but you'll get much faster the more you do it.
TrainManTy wrote:You don't actually need to download a program to take screenshots. All keyboards have a button labeled either "Prnt Scrn" or Print Screen" that you can use. ...This seems like a complicated process, but you'll get much faster the more you do it.
...
You can also paste into photoshop or almost any other image editing program as well as MS word. Printscreen copies the entire screen to the clipboard, CTRL-printscreen copies the active window to the clipboard (as images) and paste (or CTRL-V) pastes it into an application.
Karl
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
UH-OH: here I was, poised to do something huge, once retirement sets in (OTHER than finally getting some MOVEMENT into my railroading hobby, its been "static" since I started in 1959)....
I mentioned in here that I thought I could do a way better job of writing a "how to" on computer use...all the manuals and "for Dumbells" stuff I've seen, start off on the first page with something terrible like:
Before you turn your computer on, you must first defrag your hard drive and then check for viruses...
(Which has me tossing it over my shoulder in disgust--it seems once someone does "get it" they then lose all ability to speak real ENGLISH after that.)
So, the PLAN was to write...in plain English we all use when we speak to one another...a manual on computer use, that could actually help people take full advantage of all the cool things a computer lets you do.
BIG PROBLEM-O: hardly any two computers are alike enough, to allow being "general" in describing how to make them work.
F'rinstance, I tried the suggestions above, in this thread, pushing CTRL and PRINT SCREEN at the same time, and my computer went: "HUH?"
I thought I had the most generic computer around...but I bet each and every one of us thinks that. I suspect that there are so many programs, many of which are not on every computer (such as the "PAINT" one I searched in vain for)--that you'd need a distinct HOW TO manual for every single computer, modified to just that one machine.
I'd AT LEAST hoped to be able to help others (mostly the ones my age who do not exit the womb knowing how to use a computer, like the current generation appears to) -- to learn how to wrangle PHOTOGRAPHS with their computers. The fact that so many people go to forums like this, and don't even know how to put up their picture, is pathetic. And its SO much fun doing all the things you can do with a cheap digital camera, and free programs to alter the results it gets.
EVEN THAT is not going to fly: I bought my wife a laptop, noticing it has the new version of an operating system (VISTA)...which for some reason, Bill's Gang thought it would be wise to alter pretty well everything in terms of how to get from here to there. It doesn't even have a "MY PICTURES" place set up to receive your photographs.
So, the heck with it...I've got about thirty years of other projects lined up to do, once I reach that point where I no longer have to spend most waking hours WORKING.
Possibly part of the EXPERIENCE each of us is to have, is the JOURNEY to a stage where we know how to manipulate our own computers--and having a shortcut provided, robs us of the sense of accomplishment, that comes from figuring it out, on our own.