the computer

Using your keyboard

For most people, the keyboard is the main way to enter information into and control their computer. But are you controlling your keyboard, or is your keyboard controlling you?

If you make typing mistakes or find your keyboard a bit uncomfortable, it’s not hard to correct those problems. Here’s how to quickly and easily change your keyboard settings and comfort options.

1. Get to know your keyboard

Even if you’ve been using a PC for a long time, there may be features on your keyboard you don’t know about. Take a moment to get to know your keyboard so you can be more efficient when you're working.

2. Change keyboard settings

Once you’ve gotten more familiar with your keyboard, there are a few settings you can change to help you work more smoothly.

You can alter:

•How long you need to press a key before the keyboard character starts repeating.

•The speed at which keyboard characters repeat, which helps you to avoid typing errors.

•The rate at which the mouse pointer blinks, which can help its visibility.

3. Take shortcuts

Even if you're a whiz with the mouse for Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP, keyboard shortcuts are typically a more efficient way to work. They're called shortcuts because they reduce multiple clicks into one quick press of keys, like hitting a chord on a piano.

Getting to know a few keyboard shortcuts for the things you do all the time, like saving or closing files, can make using your PC much easier and faster.

Here are just a few popular keyboard shortcuts that work for both versions of Windows:

Windows logo key - Open the Start menu

ALT+TAB - Switch between open programs or windows

CTRL+S - Save the current file or document (works in most programs)

CTRL+C - Copy the selected item

CTRL+Z - Undo an action

Windows logo key +F1 - Display Windows Help and Support
ESC - Cancel the current task

Application key - Open a menu of commands related to a selection in a program. Equivalent to right-clicking the selection.

4. Make it easier to press multiple keys

Do you find it difficult to press multiple keys at once? For example, if pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL is an acrobatic feat, you can set up Sticky Keys. With Sticky Keys you can hit one key at a time in a keyboard shortcut. You can even set it to make a noise so you know it's working.

You can set up Sticky Keys in Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP. (Hint: Press your “SHIFT” key 5 times in a row, then click on the link, to get going with Sticky Keys in Windows 7 or Windows Vista.)

5. Find a comfortable keyboard

It might also be time for you to evaluate the ergonomics of your desktop. Microsoft offers a full line of Natural and Comfort Curve ergonomic keyboards to ensure you're comfortable when you're working on your computer. Having the right keyboard can really make a difference!

Tips for using your keyboard properly

If a new keyboard isn’t in your future, be sure to use your current keyboard properly to avoid soreness or injury to your wrists, hands, and arms. This is particularly important if you use your computer for long periods of time.

Curious about how to create a more ergonomic work space for yourself? Check out these tips to help you work more comfortably and reduce your risk of painful injuries or disorders.

Here are some general tips to help you avoid problems:

•Place your keyboard at elbow level, with your upper arms relaxed at your sides.

•Center your keyboard in front of you. If your keyboard has a numeric keypad, you can use the spacebar as the centering point.

•While typing, use a light touch and keep your wrists straight.

•When you're not typing, relax your arms and hands.

•Take short breaks every 15 to 20 minutes.

•Type with your hands and wrists floating above the keyboard, so that you can use your whole arm to reach for distant keys instead of stretching your fingers.

•Avoid resting your palms or wrists on any type of surface while typing. If your keyboard has a palm rest, use it only during breaks from typing.

Laptop Security

Using your laptop to get work done away from your office or on the road is becoming widely accepted. But this rapid growth in laptop computing has made portable systems the target for theft around the world. If your laptop computer is stolen, company information can be exposed, as well as your personal and financial information.

Use these 9 tips to learn how you can keep your laptop more secure when you're on the road.

1. Avoid using computer bags

Computer bags can make it obvious that you're carrying a laptop. Instead, try toting your laptop in something more common like a padded briefcase or suitcase.

2. Never leave access numbers or passwords in your carrying case

Keeping your password with your laptop is like keeping the keys in the car. Without your password or important access numbers it will be more difficult for a thief to access your personal and corporate information.

3. Carry your laptop with you

Always take your laptop on the plane or train rather then checking it with your luggage. It's easy to lose luggage and it's just as easy to lose your laptop. If you're traveling by car, keep your laptop out of sight. For example, lock it in the trunk when you're not using it.

4. Encrypt your data

If someone should get your laptop and gain access to your files, encryption can give you another layer of protection. With Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 you can choose to encrypt files and folders. Then, even if someone gains access to an important file, they can't decrypt it and see your information. Learn more about how to encrypt your data with Windows XP, encrypt your data with Windows Vista, or encrypt your data with Windows 7.

5. Keep your eye on your laptop

When you go through airport security don't lose sight of your bag. Hold your bag until the person in front of you has gone through the metal detector. Many bags look alike and yours can easily be lost in the shuffle.

6. Avoid setting your laptop on the floor

Putting your laptop on the floor is an easy way to forget or lose track of it. If you have to set it down, try to place it between your feet or against your leg (so you're always aware it's there).

7. Buy a laptop security device

If you need to leave your laptop in a room or at your desk, use a laptop security cable to securely attach it to a heavy chair, table, or desk. The cable makes it more difficult for someone to take your laptop. There are also programs that will report the location of a stolen laptop. They work when the laptop connects to the Internet, and can report the laptop's exact physical location. One such tracing program is ComputracePlus.

8. Use a screen guard
These guards help prevent people from peeking over your shoulder as you work on sensitive information in a public place. This is especially helpful when you're traveling or need to work in a crowded area. This screen guard from Secure-It is just one example of a screen guard you could use.

9. Try not to leave your laptop in your hotel room or with the front desk

Too many things have been lost in hotel rooms and may not be completely secure. If you must leave your laptop in your room, put the "do not disturb" sign on the door.

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What to do if your laptop is stolen

•Change your network password to help secure access to corporate servers.

•Report the theft to local authorities (police, etc.) and to your company's IT department.

•If customer data was on the laptop, contact your account representative, legal representative, or appropriate person at your company so they can take the appropriate actions.

The 9th Fallacy of Distributed Computing by Harry J Foxwell, PhD

While working recently with colleagues and customers to define and architect public and private "cloud computing" systems and to explore the technical challenges of implementing such systems, I was reminded of Peter Deutsch's observation in 1994 of the Seven Fallacies of Distributed Computing along with the Eight Fallacy added in 1996 by James Gosling:

1. The network is reliable.
2. Latency is zero.
3. Bandwidth is infinite.
4. The network is secure.
5. Topology doesn't change.
6. There is one administrator.
7. Transport cost is zero.
8. The network is homogeneous.

Although others have suggested additional fallacies, I think a critical cloud computing issue clearly suggests what the ninth one should be:

* 9. Location is irrelevant.

By suggesting this fallacy I mean the assumption that where computing happens and data resides is not an issue in today's massively connected global Internet. With sufficient connectivity and bandwidth, you might assume that outsourcing your computing services, possibly even outside your home country, is simply a matter of economics. This is clearly false. While end users of public cloud based applications may not be aware that or even care that their computation is occurring on some randomly and dynamically assigned set of virtualized servers which may change even as they use them, nor be concerned about precisely what storage devices are dynamically assigned to host their data, nevertheless these resources do indeed have physical presences which tie them to specific locations that have geographic and jurisdictional characteristics.

The overall stability and reliability of a cloud provider data center depends in part on its geographic location - its proximity to sufficient power and cooling resources, and its safety from natural and man-made disasters. That's why Google has built data centers close to power generating facilities and why Switch Communications built its huge SuperNAP center in geologically stable and meteorologically quiet Las Vegas.

But even more critical than physical location is the legal jurisdiction in which your computation occurs and where your data resides. Laws governing privacy, data ownership, intellectual property, monitoring, and auditing vary from state to state in the US and globally from one country to another. And pinning down the exact location of a global distributed IT service is difficult. In the event of legal disputes over liability or disclosure issues, where will cases be tried? Many such jurisdictional questions remain unanswered, and some countries are reacting with understandable caution about sharing global computing resources. Canada, for example, has prohibited the use of US data centers for certain government projects due to concerns about the provisions of the US Patriot Act, and India is considering legislation requiring IT business services to originate within the country.

So, if you haven't already frightened yourself examining the myriad cloud security issues, google for "cloud computing" with "jurisdiction" for some additional reading material. You'll find that, as with real estate, location is anything but irrelevant.