Guy's Best Practice & Litmus Tests Ezine #1
- System Icon
Best PracticeEveryone wants to know whether they are doing a job, any job, in the best
way possible. 'Best Practice' pages are worth skimming through because you will
always find at least one piece of useful advice.
Litmus TestsGuy's Litmus tests bring fun to learning. Each test asks a question about an
aspect of best practice. The answer indicates whether you are operating at
Professional or Amateur level. Most of my tests are based around computing.
However, you can have fun extending the Litmus test idea to include everyday
activities like going to hairdresser, entering a shop or buying a new car.
Contents for Ezine #1
Computing scenario: You need to configure settings in the System Icon.
Litmus test - How do you navigate to the System Icon?
Amateurs: Go the long way around via:
Start Menu, Programs, Control Panel, System Icon.
Professionals: Know the key combination, Windows
 Key + Pause/Break (Key)
Other useful key combinations:
Windows Key + D (Shows Desktop)
Windows Key + R (Launches the Run dialog box)
Windows Key + F (Still brings up search)
Old favourites
Windows Key + E (Opens explorer)
Windows Key + L (Lock your workstation)
Calculating IP Address
ranges is a black art, which many network managers solve by creating custom
Excel spreadsheets. IPAT cracks this problem of allocating IP addresses
in networks in two ways:
For Mr Organized there is a nifty subnet
calculator, you enter the network address and the subnet mask, then IPAT
works out the usable addresses and their ranges.
For Mr Lazy IPAT
discovers and then displays the IP addresses of existing computers.
Download the Free IP Address Tracker
The scenario: You have all your settings on a Windows 98 machine, and you
want them transferred to your XP Professional or XP Home machine.
Litmus test - How would you transfer user settings to a new XP machine?
Amateurs: Copy the files to a network share, and then copy them to the new
machine.
Professionals: Use the File and Transfer Settings Wizard. Pros realize it is
going to be difficult to copy all the files to the right place in the Documents
and Settings Folder without using the Wizard. Also the Wizard transfers settings
for email servers, proxy servers and Internet Explorer. This strategy is also
known as USMT (User Settings Migration Tool).
Those who like command line tools can use SCANSTATE and LOADSTATE as an
alternative to the File and Transfer Settings Wizard.
The scenario: You have just installed a new device to your computer, but it
does not work properly.
Litmus test - What do you if an XP machine keeps crashing
after you install a new scanner?
Amateurs: Just remove the scanner.
If it still does not work, they rebuild the machine.
Professionals: Boot into safe mode with F8 and use the Restore point to
return the operating system to how it was before the scanner's device drive was
installed.
While you can create Restore Points manually through the Accessories, System
Tools menu, the operating system creates them automatically before it installs
new drivers.
Note: Some Virus recovery procedures require you to turn off the System
Restore feature at least while you remove the infection. Remember to turn it
back on once the machine is disinfected.
Every day life scenario: You are deciding which restaurant to eat at.
You peek in through the dining room window, this is what you see:
Restaurant a)
Half the seats are full of customers.
Restaurant b) There is only one customer.
Litmus test - Which restaurant would you choose a) or b)?
I would choose restaurant a). Plenty of customers mean other people have
already checked it out and decided its good eating
Every day life scenario: How do you judge a reputable Ezine / Newsletters?
Amateur Ezines: Either have no unsubscribe link, or if they do they do not
honour it.
Professional Ezines: Have an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the page. The
better Ezines also have a link for you to change your preferences.
Lots of useful Windows shutdown and hibernate articles
• Windows 8 Files •
Windows 8 Tips •
Windows 8 •
Free Network Device
Manager
• E 97 Shutdown •
E 82 Shutdown •
E 67 Hibernate •
SolarWinds Wake-on-Lan Gadget
•
E 20 Taskmanager •
E 2 Hibernation •
E 1 System Icon • Ezine
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