Windows 95 For Dummies #5




*1. EVEN EASIER SETTINGS          
          
June 18th, 1999          
          
Last time, we showed you how to add more color to your display by choosing
a richer color palette. You can make switching among color palettes a tad
easier by putting the Display Settings icon on your taskbar: 

1. Right-click any blank area of the desktop and choose Properties from
	the shortcut menu. 
2. Click the Settings tab. 
3. Select Show Settings Icon on Taskbar. 
4. Click OK. 

An icon depicting a tiny little computer monitor appears on your taskbar;
click this icon to choose from a menu of color palettes AND
screen resolutions.


*2. GOT PLUS!? GET STRETCHED          
          
June 21st, 1999          
          
If you have installed the Windows 95 Plus! pack, you have a desktop
wallpaper option that others DON'T. Not only can you tile your wallpaper
(repeating the pattern so that it covers the entire screen) and center your
wallpaper (placing one copy of the image in the center of your desktop,
whether it covers the entire desktop or not)--now you can also STRETCH your
wallpaper so that a single copy of your wallpaper image covers the entire
screen. (Note: The Stretch option works best with larger wallpaper images
that almost cover the screen before you stretch them.) 

To stretch your image: 

1. Right-click any blank area of the desktop and choose Properties from
	the shortcut menu. 
2. Click the Plus! tab. 
3. Select Stretch Desktop Wallpaper to Fit the Entire Screen. 
4. Click OK. 

You're covered.


*3. YOU SAY YOU'RE NONPLUSSED?          
          
June 22nd, 1999          
          
Last time, we told you how to use Windows 95 Plus!, if you have it, to
stretch your wallpaper across your entire desktop. Today, helpful bunch
that we are, we tell you how to GET Plus! if you DON'T have it!  

1. Point your Web browser to  

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/grayscal/smoother  

Doing so takes you to the Windows 95 Font Smoother page, which contains
the Wallpaper Stretcher and several other Plus! features.  

2. Follow the instructions there for downloading and installing the
	Font Smoother.  

Happy stretching!


*4. EXTEND YOUR FILE DISPLAY          
          
June 23rd, 1999          
          
Mention the term "file extension" to newer PC users, and they think you're
talking about something that lets them sand their fingernails without
leaning forward. But PC old-timers (folks who used a PC as far back as five
years ago) know that a file extension is that three-character identifier
that comes after the dot in a filename--as in ".exe"--which tells you what
kind of file you're dealing with. 

If you know what we're talking about, you may even MISS those file
extensions, which Windows 95 hides by default. So have an emotional reunion
with them as follows: 

1. From the menu of ANY folder window or Explorer window,
	choose View + Options. 
2. In the Options dialog box, click the View tab. 
3. Deselect Hide MS-DOS File Extensions for File Types that are Registered. 
4. Click OK. 

They're back. Who knows? Maybe they missed you, too.


*5. ONE FOLDER IS ENOUGH, THANKS--PART 1 OF 3          
          
June 24th, 1999          
          
Having trouble finding your data files (your word processing documents,
spreadsheets, and so on)? One reason is that each of your programs likes to
put its files in a different folder--a classic example of over-organization.
Sure, every type of file has its own place, but when you want to find a file
of a particular type, you have to REMEMBER where it is. 

Our recommendation: Save ALL of your data files--no matter which program you
used to create them--in the My Documents folder. Because all your files will
be in one place and because Windows 95 clearly identifies which files come
from what programs, you can find your files much faster. 

Over the next few days, we show you how to make sure that your programs
save your files in the My Documents folder.


*6. ONE FOLDER IS ENOUGH, THANKS--PART 2 OF 3          
          
June 25th, 1999          
          
Last time, we recommended that you save all your data files in the My
Documents folder. Microsoft Word 97 does so by default, but for some
reason, Microsoft Excel (which comes installed on many new computers) does
NOT. Here's how to set up Excel to save files to the My Documents folder: 

1. In Excel, choose Tools + Options. 
2. Click the General tab. 
3. In the Default File Location text box, type "C:\My Documents" (without
	the quotation marks). 
4. Click OK. 

-From now on, Excel saves your new spreadsheet files to the My Documents
folder. Next time, we tell you how to set OTHER programs to save to the
My Documents directory.


*7. ONE FOLDER--PART 3 OF 3          
          
June 28th, 1999          
          
Last time, we told you how to set Microsoft Excel to save files in the My
Documents folder by default. Many other programs also enable you to change
the default save folder (usually through their Tools + Options or File +
User Setup commands). But what if you don't want to have to change the
setting in each program individually? No problem: Windows 95 gives you a
way to set ANY program's default save folder without opening the program! 

1. Do one of the following, depending on how you start the program: 

* IF YOU START THE PROGRAM FROM A DESKTOP ICON, right-click the icon and
	choose Properties from the shortcut menu. 
* IF YOU START THE PROGRAM FROM THE START BUTTON, right-click the Start
	button, choose Explore from the menu; find the shortcut from which
	you start the program, right-click it, and choose Properties from
	the shortcut menu.
2. Click the Shortcut tab. 
3. In the Start In text box, type "C:\My Documents" (without the
	quotation marks). 
4. Click OK. 

Test your new setting out. From now on, the program saves newly created
files in your My Documents folder.


*8. WINDOWS PAINT MAKES YOU A CALLIGRAPHER          
          
June 29th, 1999          
          
Everyone has at least one friend who "knows calligraphy"--and continually
lords this fact over his/her friends by sending out many invitations,
notes, and what-have-you adorned with fancy letters. 

Big deal. We here at Dummies Daily believe it's time to knock these folks
off their high horses. With Windows Paint--the drawing program included
with Windows 95--ANYONE can create calligraphy, including you. 

1. Click the Start button and choose Programs + Accessories + Paint to
	open Windows Paint. 
2. In the Paint toolbar, click the Brush tool. 
3. In the Brush palette that appears below the toolbar, select one of the
	diagonal line brush shapes that slants up to the right. 
4. Start writing in the drawing space. 

Ta-da! Enjoy--and don't forget to have a chuckle or two while imagining
your calligraphy-expert friend struggling to keep his/her pen at the
correct angle.


*9. PUT A DRUM-BEATING BUNNY IN YOUR LAPTOP          
          
June 30th, 1999          
          
Everything in life is a tradeoff. Take, for example, the tradeoff between
laptop performance and laptop battery life. If you want the longest
possible battery life, you may have to make some sacrifices in performance.
If you're comfortable with that tradeoff, follow these steps to extend your
laptop's battery life: 

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. 
2. Select Properties from the shortcut menu. 
3. Click the Performance tab. 
4. Click the File System button. 
5. In the Typical Role of This Machine drop-down list, select Mobile or
	Docking System. 
6. Click OK; then click OK again. 

With this setting, your laptop doesn't run quite as fast is it used to,
but you last longer between battery charges.


*10. LOSE 7MB, GAIN 7MB          
          
July 1st, 1999          
          
Looking to win back some disk space? Here's a tip: Windows 95's built-in
tutorial contains 7MB of .AVI video files. If you don't think you'll use
this tutorial (and because you're getting all your vital help from us here
at Dummies Daily), why not remove these videos and use the space for your
own files? 

1. Click Start and choose Find + Files and Folders. 
2. In the Named box, type "*.avi" (without the quotation marks). 
3. Click the Browse button and navigate to the C:\Windows\Help folder;
	then click OK to return to the Find dialog box. 
4. Click Find Now. The dialog box expands to include a list of all .AVI
	files in the folder. 
5. Choose Edit + Select All; then choose File + Delete. 

The files are gone. (Actually, the space won't be fully yours until you
next empty your Recycle Bin.)
