Got a new PC or Mac? Here's how to set it up right
mohs...@gmail.com
Got a new PC or Mac? Here's how to set it up right
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Did you get a new computer over the holidays? If you did, set aside a
few minutes to finish the job the manufacturer started.
I'll show you how to set up your computer so its right for you.
Manufacturers always leave the final configuration to their customers,
but many computer users don't take advantage of the many configuration
options on new Windows PCs and new Apple Macintoshes.
Three options are especially important. They're the mouse setup, the
keyboard rate and the display adjustment. We'll start with them, then
cover a few minor options.
MOUSE: Don't accept the default tracking speed. Most of us need a
fairly slow mouse; otherwise, we waste time (and can cause repetitive
injury) jerking the mouse pointer back and forth to get it to stop at
the right spot. Use the Control Panel in Windows or the System
Preferences on a modern Mac to set the mouse tracking speed to the rate
that seems best for you. Tip: If your kids keep adjusting the mouse
rate too fast for you, create separate logon accounts for them (Windows
XP and Mac OS X only). That will keep them from messing up your
settings.
KEYBOARD: Typing should be a pleasant experience. If your new
computer seems to have molasses stuck between the keys, your keyboard
rate is too slow. It's the speed at which characters appear after you
press a key. (There's often a related setting for how fast characters
appear if you hold down a key.) Change how the keyboard responds in the
Control Panel in Windows or the System Preferences on a Mac.
DISPLAY: Most Windows PCs arrive from the factory with maladjusted
displays. Most Apple computers come with properly adjusted displays.
(Yes, Apple does this better, but the reason has less to do with
altruism and more to do with the fact that Apple makes both hardware
and software.)
The problem of badly adjusted Windows displays is a favorite topic
in these pages. I explained the problem and showed how to fix it in a
next article. If you want to skip the explanation and do a quick
adjustment, take these steps:
1. Adjust the contrast all the way up, then back off a small amount.
2. Adjust the brightness about half way down. Play with the control
until you can sense that black areas (use a good image) are truly
black.
When you get the time, read the detailed explanation at the Web
address listed above and do a complete adjustment. You'll also find
links to programs for Windows and Mac OS X that help you get the right
settings.
OTHER:
Tidy up: Take a vow to keep your Windows or Mac desktop clean and
neat. Don't put folders there unless they are for short-term items such
as pictures you are going to mail. Put folders inside your main folders
(such as in "My Documents" in Windows or in "Documents" in Mac OS X)
and then make shortcuts (or aliases) to them on your desktop. Make a
shortcut to a folder in Windows by dragging with the right mouse button
and choosing the shortcut option; make a shortcut (or alias) in Mac OS
X by dragging with Option and Cmd held down.
Cut to the chase: Programs get in the way when you need to see your
desktop. Expose the desktop in Windows by holding down the Windows key
and pressing M. (Reverse the action with Win-Shift-M.) Use a function
appropriately called "Expose" in the current Mac OS X to uncover the
desktop; just press F11. In older versions of Mac OS X, you can hide
windows by pressing Cmd-H.
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