Microsoft | WindowsTalk.org

Nov

Microsoft Word Defects & Shortcomings Every User Should Know

by Contributed

Microsoft Word is the most popular and widely-used word processing program. It is used by individuals and companies for creating a wide range of documents, from personal musings to letters to essays to reports to novels. In addition to putting words together, you can add images, graphs, and more. There are so many features and capabilities in Word that it’s hard to imagine needing any other processing program. In fact it may be the only program from the Microsoft Office Suite that many people ever use.

All the great features of Microsoft Word and the ease of using them are what make it so loved by all. It is an incredibly user-friendly program. While there are so many advantages to using Word, it’s worth it to consider the disadvantages, too. Even the most popular program will have some negative aspects about it. To many people, these cons won’t make a difference. They’ll still use and enjoy Microsoft Word. But if you’re interested, here are some of the disadvantages to Word to think about.

Formatting

Auto-formatting on Word can be incredibly difficult to deal with sometimes. It is very inflexible and will hold your document to all the rigid rules of the format you select or create. If you are auto-formatting it can sometimes seem impossible to alter your document the way you want it, and it can be maddeningly frustrating to even make a minor tweak. If you’re very particular about how your document looks and want the ability to change it as needed, avoid using auto-format.

Cost and Capabilities

If you need to purchase a word processor, Microsoft Word is comparatively very expensive. Because wide-spread use makes it almost essential to have, and because it has an incredible range of capabilities, Word justifies charging a lot. If you only need to do some simple typing, you could easily go with a simpler, less expensive word processing program.

Compatibility

Unfortunately, there are a lot of different versions of Microsoft Word, and they aren’t very compatible with each other. Mainly the problem lies in that documents created in the newest version of Word may not open properly in older versions, especially if you are using a format only available in the newer version. Your document might look differently than you intend it to, and this could pose a problem for something like sending your resume to a potential employer who uses a different version of Word or a different word processor altogether.

Big Files

Microsoft Word has a lot of hidden coding that inflates the size of your documents to much larger than they really need to be. Your documents will take up more space than necessary on your computer and in your emails.

Grammar Checker and Thesaurus

The Microsoft Word grammar checker is not extremely good at its job. It will often flag sentences that are perfectly fine, or miss other glaring and obvious mistakes completely. While it can sometimes helpfully catch an error, you absolutely cannot rely on Word to proofread your grammar. In addition, the thesaurus is limited, and it doesn’t always offer you the best suggestions for synonyms.

Grammarly invites you to enhance your grammar knowledge by adding our grammar rules handbook to your favorites.

Categories General, Microsoft, Software
Comments (5)

Nov

Can Windows 8 Deliver for Microsoft?

by Contributed

With smartphones and tablets taking up more and more of our browsing time, people have forgotten about the operating system monopoly that Microsoft still has with their Windows software. Sure, Google and Apple are taking more innovations, leaps, and bounds when it comes to exploring new ways to access information, but nearly every home with a computer in America is running on a Windows platform. While the platform is tried and tested, Microsoft is planning to revamp its image with their next installment of the software, Windows 8.
The biggest noticeable change to Windows is the new metro style browser they have put in place. Instead of the traditional format of different applications located on a standard bar on the bottom of the screen, the desktop will be much more interactive with different applications being featured on a touch style interface. This will make it easier to perform functions like reverse phone lookup and other Internet browsing tasks by making the desktop more like a smartphone instead of the traditionally clunky Windows interface.
If anyone decides to upgrade to Windows 8 and doesn’t like the metro style interface, they can always change back to an older style. This has been a feature that Windows has included in pretty much every one of their incarnations. But when quoted in an article at PC World, the Chicago Sun-Times reporter Andy Inhatko says that the old Windows interface looks like a drunken uncle at a fancy wedding when compared to the new Metro design.
One of the developers currently working on Windows 8 content is the struggling computer and tablet manufacturer HP. According to a report on Fox News, developers at HP are busy conducting proof of concept work with Windows 8. When HP tried to launch their line of tablets using the WebOS platform, they failed miserably. Now their products are being offered at slashed prices in order to get them off of shelves. By teaming up with a giant like Windows, HP can sell more of their products and not rely on such a shoddy operating system.
Microsoft’s primary objective with their new software is to impact the smartphone and tablet market and carve out a place for themselves. Android, Apple, and even Blackberry all have a stronger presence in the market than any Microsoft product. Brands like Nokia and HTC are all trying to find the best ways to utilize the Windows operating system onto their phones. Android and iOS 5 are currently dominating the market, but Windows wants to rely on its brand name in order to succeed.
Microsoft may be an afterthought when it comes to cutting edge technology these days. Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Google are dominating the headlines, while Bill Gates’ company silently lingers in the background like a slumbering giant. With the Windows 8 operating system soon launching, we may awaken the Microsoft beast.

Categories General, Microsoft, Software
Comments (45)

Nov

Syncing Backup Files To External Hard Drives

by Mitz

Nowadays there are many different kinds of computer backup storage, however if you choose to use external hard drives for your backup process, syncing backup files with your computer is highly recommended. This might sound extremely difficult but it syncing backup files to external hard drives is probably one of the easiest and most cost-effective backup method available.

External hard drives are so cheap at the moment, that it is almost a crime. Therefore if you are strapped for cash then this could be an affordable backup method to you.

Syncing backup files by copy and paste

this is by far the easiest way to sync backup files to external hard drives. We all basically know how to copy and paste files from one location to the next. All you have to do is buy an external hard drive, connect it to your computer via the USB port, and start copying and pasting.

If you are truly a beginner then here is an example for you:

Connect your external hard drive to your computer. You will see an icon for the external hard drive show up in the “my computer” section for Windows XP, or “computer”, for Windows Vista and Windows 7.
browse through your computer to find the files that you want to copy.
You can select these files by making them blue.
Right click on the blue area and a menu will come up. Choose copy from the menu. You can also press CTRL and C on the keyboard.
After copying your backup files, go to your external hard drive and find the location of where you want to store the files.
Right click in the area and choose paste from the menu. You can also use the keyboard shortcut for pasting which is CRTL and V.

This method of syncing backup files to external hard drives is both time-consuming and dangerous as it relies on you not to make mistakes. It also relies on you remembering to backup. Of course it is the cheapest and most affordable way and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Syncing backup files to external hard drives using Windows

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if you are using Windows as your operating system, especially the latest versions of Windows Vista or Windows 7, this includes a backup wizard that makes syncing your backup files to external hard drives very easy. This is one of the most obvious backup methods that you can use, however many people often overlooked this option. They simply do not realize that Windows includes a decent backup program within its operating system.

If you would like to check out the Windows backup wizard, simply visit your Control Panel and look for the backup and restore Wizard icon.

Securing your backup files on your external hard drives

Having an external hard drive to use to backup your files is fantastic, but there are a few risks that you need to take care of. One of the major risks is that external hard drives at easy to pick up and steel compare it to a desktop computer or a laptop. Especially the smaller external hard drives. You can simply placed them in your pocket and no one would be the wiser. Making sure that your external hard drive with all your precious files on it, is safe and secure, you will need to take proper precautions and be aware that this small device holds important files on it.

Another risk that people forget about is that if the external hard drive is stolen, the files are extremely easy to access. This can be taking care of by the some versions of the Windows backup wizard. It supports encryption and is password-based, therefore requiring you to remember the password.

Best Way To Backup Files To External Hard Drives

I am a total computer freak and if I was relying on external hard drives only as my backup method, I would probably have the following rules:

I would use to external hard drives. All password protected.
I would create an automated backup through the windows backup wizard, each hard drive having alternate dates.
For permanent backup files such as templates and legal documents, I would store on an encrypted hard drive and hide that in a safe place away from my computer. Possibly a safety deposit box at an external address.

What are the chances of lightning striking and frying my computer, and both external hard drives? That would be a very rare..

I have written many more articles you might be interested in about this subject with step by step instructions, screen shots and even computer video tutorials.

My name is Mitz Pantic and I’ve been working with computers for over 25 years and love to teach people how to use their computers. Be sure to visit me at my computer tips website and say hello in the comments section. Also do not forget to sign-up for my free computer tips newsletter and receive a free 59 page Computer Terms Dictionary!

If you have any tips for syncing backup files to external hard drives please share them with us by leaving your comment below.

Categories Hardware, Microsoft, The Desktop Experience
Comments (31)

Oct

Evaluating Microsoft Office 365 and Google Apps

by Contributed

Teams that are working in the Clouds need the best collaboration tools of the day to effectively create and manage their projects. The seamless integration of each team member’s component software and hardware must be assured in order to facilitate the optimum communication that is required to effectively work together in this way.

Therefore each team needs to first coordinate the pieces of each member’s Cloud presence. A good first step is to determine the hardware used by each and every team member. Make a list and see how everyone stacks up. If some members are using older smart phones, notebook or desktop computers, tablets or mainframes then this should be noted. The first weak links in your chain have thus been identified.

All or Nothing

Realistically speaking, it is a bad idea to try to incorporate different software structures into any team. The nature of the competition between Google and Microsoft dictates the need for a team to go full force with either one or the other. Either your team uses Google Docs or it uses Microsoft Office 365. There really should be no in-between here.

Furthermore, though the software for both impressive applications can be configured to operate together, it is just an inherently poor choice to try to mix any of the two company’s software in any way that can be avoided. This is because at some point an incompatibility will surface. If a team or member thereof absolutely needs to use some features in Microsoft Office, have them do what they need to do on the desktop and paste it into Google Docs if that is your platform of choice. Or better yet, kick them off of the team for not going with the flow. The purity of your software configurations is that important.

Vanilla or Chocolate?

OK, say that you choose Google Docs. Then your team should all be using it. Even go so far as to delete as much as possible Microsoft software from your hard drives and other memory systems. The deleted apps can always be reinstalled later, after the successful completion of the project. That is to say, use Google Chrome for all team browsing, Google for the searching.

If your team chooses Microsoft Office 365 then likewise, remove as many references to Google from your team as is possible. Use only Bing for searches, Explorer for browsing and in no way use any other Google Doc app or permit them to be on any team members computing device.

When You See the Fork in the Road, Take it

In the realm of human society, discrimination must be abhorred and eradicated. Unfortunately, in the world of Cloud computing as pertains to coordinating seamless integration of a team to achieve optimum productivity, discrimination is highly called for.

Both applications are of excellent quality and Microsoft Office 365 has the edge in many areas such as familiarity and wider overall compatibility. Google Docs is close enough and better in some aspects of its online ease of use but isn’t really designed to work as a standalone desktop application.

Whichever path your team may take, try to avoid working at cross-purposes and working across multiple software and hardware platforms if possible.

Guest post brought by idaconcpts.com, Ideas and Concepts from Damian Davila. Follow Damian on Twitter at @idaconcpts.

Categories General, Microsoft, The Desktop Experience
Comments (18)

Oct

A Guide on How to Convert Word to PDF

by Roger Corwin

Word documents and PDF files can be converted back and forth without too much difficulty. If you don’t know how to do it, use this as a guide.

How to Convert Word to PDF

Requirements:

Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Word
Internet access

Step 1

Go online and download the Save as PDF add-on. This file can be downloaded from the Microsoft website. Follow the instructions on how to download the add-on. Install the file.

Step 2

Launch Word after the file has been installed. Click File. Choose Open from the pull down menu. Choose the document you want to save as PDF.

Step 3

After the document has been opened, click the Save icon or File, Save. A new window will pop up.

Step 4

Enter a name for the PDF file. Select a folder to save the file in. The format pull down menu will be visible. Choose PDF from the formats. Click Save. And that is how you convert Word to PDF.

How to Convert PDF to Word

In some instances, you may want to save your PDF file as a Word document. To do so, follow these steps.

Requirements:

Microsoft Word
Adobe Acrobat Professional

Step 1

Open Microsoft Word. Make a new, blank document. This will be used to hold the PDF file.

Step 2

Open Adobe Acrobat and the PDF file.

Step 3

On the “Select & Zoom” toolbar, click the “Select” tool. This will enable you to select all the text in the file.

Step 4

Click anywhere in the text. To select all the text, press Ctrl + A. All the document text will be highlighted.

Step 5

Press Ctrl + C. This copies the text to the Windows Clipboard.

Step 6

Go back to Word. Press Ctrl + V. This will paste the PDF text you copied in the previous step.

Step 7

Close Adobe Acrobat. Go back to Microsoft Word. You can now edit and save the file as you would any Word document.

Tips and Warnings

Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat are always being upgraded. Go online and download the latest patches to make sure they work properly. If you are using another version of Word, check online for any add-ons that can save Word as a PDF.

The same can be said for Adobe Acrobat. You should visit the developer’s site to check for updates. There are also some independent vendors that produce various converters.

The add-ons are pretty small, so you don’t have to worry about meeting the system requirements. However you need to ensure the add-on is appropriate for the Word version you are using.

As the facts show, it isn’t that difficult to convert Word to PDF and back. You just need to have the right files.

Categories Microsoft, Software
Comments (20)

Oct

Celebrate my Microsoft MVP Award with Me!

by James M. Fisher

I am happy to announce that Microsoft has again recognized my contributions to the online Windows community with their “MVP” (Most Valuable Professional) Award for 2011. The MVP award is given out on an annual basis, based on one’s contributions in the preceding year. I have been a Windows Expert – Consumer MVP since October 2003. How time flies!

Congratulations to all my fellow MVP awardees, too. There are now well over 4,000 MVPs worldwide!

To learn more about the Microsoft MVP award, please visit this site: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
To celebrate the award, PC Pitstophas generously donated 5 (five) licences for thier flagship product, PC Matic, the collection of all of PC Pitstop’s technologies under one hood and one integrated architecture. It’s a great tool to have on your Windows PC, and it normally sells for $49,99, but you can get it for free by simply posting a comment below naming one feature of PC Matic that you like. Also, if you could Tweet/Like this post by using the Share This buttons below, I would really appreciate it

Winners will be selected randomly by Randomizer.org and the contest closes Sunday October 16th at midnite (Atlantic TZ).

Categories Microsoft
Comments (26)

Oct

Customize Windows 7 After the First Installation

by Mitz

So, now you are done with the installation of windows 7. Your desktop is in front of you. But the classical, old, formal look does not suit you; it gives a kind of boring impression. Do you want to change it? So let’s do a bit of tweaking with your OS to make it little better, stylish, secure and furnished with the essentials. Lets’ perform the operation of making your OS a happening one, step by step.

De-crapification

The windows you just installed may be loaded with lots of already installed programs. Most of these are unnecessary, slow, ineffective and distended. Freeware alternatives for these are a better option. You need to spend some time and uninstall all these unessential, useless software. Be careful that you don’t uninstall any software that may be required, or you will have to either reinstall it after downloading or may have to completely reinstall the windows. Even after clearing all this, a lot of garbage is there in program files directory, windows registry, etc that is cleared using CCleaner.

Install Security Software

Before you connect to internet, you should have a firewall. In Windows 7, firewall is by default turned on. If you are using a modern router, you have a hardware firewall too. When you connect to internet, there are many free virus protection applications or you can opt to protect and maintain your computer with paid software. You should install a good one and keep it updated always. In addition to it, you should also install an anti-spyware.

Install Windows Updates

In start menu, under all programs, click windows update and install all recommended and required updates.

Installing More Software

Without the applications you run on your computer, it is of no use. So, to make the system useful, you need to install many other types of software which are not in-built in windows. Some widely used software include- torrent, adobe reader, adobe flash player, ccleaner, Google chrome, safari (browser), Google Picasa, PC suite, yahoo messenger, video convertor, Nitro pdf reader, Microsoft Office Enterprise edition2007/ 2010, VLC player, skype, etc. Remember not to go overboard and undo all you formatting Windows work..

Setting up Browser and Mail

From the installed web browsers, set one as default web browser. Open your mail account and copy the required contacts to your system, and mails and Google calendar into outlook. This is up to you what you want to do with this.

Arranging Data, Pictures, Videos and Other Stuff

Take your external hard drive or the media where your data backup is saved and start copying it to your system. You can arrange the music, videos, movies, pictures, and other data the way you want to.

Changing Appearance of Desktop

Now is the time to move the magic wand of windows 7 features and change the looks of your desktop with a few clicks. First of all, you should change your theme. It is very easy; go to control panel, in the appearance and personalization option change the theme by selecting the theme you like. You can download a new theme or even create one using pictures in your system which keep on changing periodically. This option has been introduced by Windows 7. This new theme can be saved too for future use.

You can easily change the user picture too. In the User Accounts and family safety option of Control Panel, go to user accounts and then go for change picture. You can either select a picture from the list or use one of your own.

You can also change the username and even set or change the login password from user accounts.

Choose a Backup Option

Now you have customized your Windows and it is now required that you create a backup. Out of many available options, you should better use built in Windows Back up.

It not only backs up all files and folders, but also creates an entire disk image that you can use for restoration if everything is lost. For this, Go to system and security option of control panel and select backup and restore. This process can take several hours, depending on how much data you are backing up.

The other thing you will need to do is decide what type of computer backup storage you prefer.

Thus, customization of windows for the first time after installation of Windows 7 is done. As you use it, you will get familiar to the features and can add more twists and turns and effects to your windows. You can customize the taskbar, icons, add software like Google docs etc. the process of customization never ends…..

My name is Mitz Pantic and I’ve been working with computers for over 25 years and love to teach people how to use their computers. Be sure to visit me at my computer tips website and say hello in the comments section. Also do not forget to sign-up for my free computer tips newsletter and receive a free 59 page Computer Terms Dictionary!

Categories Microsoft, The Desktop Experience
Comments (29)

Sep

Windows 8: Cool New Features

by Contributed

Microsoft’s Windows releases are increasing in frequency. It took close to six years for Vista to come along and try to replace XP and two more for Windows 7 to finish the job. Now Windows 8 approaches with an expected release in late 2012. Windows 8 looks to be the most ambitious release yet, with a total UI overhaul and lots of new features:

New file system: Under the hood, Microsoft is replacing to old NTFS file system that’s been around since the old days of Windows NT 3.1. Not much is known about this new way Windows will handle organization and manipulation of data except for its name, “Protogon.”

Desktop: Windows 8 will include a new desktop design concept called “Metro.” This interface is optimized for desktops and tablets and features stylized, blocky tiles of various sizes. These tiles correspond with applications, widgets, feeds, web shortcuts and more.

Screen real estate: This new version of Windows is optimized for widescreen displays with resolution settings of 1366×768 or greater. Applications can be “snapped” in place to run side by side in the same way users have utilized dual monitors in the past.

Windows App Store: Similar to its Apple counterpart, Windows 8 will feature a Microsoft application store so developers can publish Metro applications for download. Licensing, revenue sharing and application approval will likely work in a similar fashion to those of the Mac App Store.

Return of the Ribbon: Microsoft product users are already familiar with the “Ribbon” menu interface from Microsoft Office and Windows Live Essentials. The Ribbon will be integrated into Windows 8’s version of Windows Explorer, offering fast, optimized browsing of files, folders and documents.

Built in ISO mounting: Windows XP had a downloadable but unsupported application for mounting ISO files – downloadable disc images – in the OS. This is very helpful, since the alternative is using a third party app or burning an ISO to a CD or DVD before use. Windows 7 had no such feature, leaving ISO users in the cold. Windows 8 will bring this feature back, promising an easy-to-use method of mounting ISO files.

Windows to Go: Another feature of Windows 8 that could be very popular is Windows to Go. Users will be able to create a USB flash drive with their copy of Windows 8, files, apps and settings. This drive will be bootable for portable Windows use.

Bio: Richard is intrigued by computers, and often uses them at his work. He stays up to date with technology because he simply has a passion for it. When he’s not blogging about technology you can find him helping people obtain money for cars.

Categories Microsoft, Technology
Comments (11)

Sep

Throwback: Computer Maintenance Guide for Windows Vista

by Rob Boirun

With all the talk with Windows 8 and many not jumping on the Windows 7 bandwagon there is not that much talk going on with Vista it seems. But many of us use it still have want to find specific answers to Vista related problems. Note that most Windows 7 answers will work with Vista. This article is a throwback to the Vista days (2009) and for those that still call Windows Vista.

Just like all other windows operating systems Windows Vista computers are also prone to most of the common computer problems. Some of the tasks that you can perform to prevent and repair Windows Vista errors are:

Maintain an error-free and small Windows Vista registry. The registry controls the way software and hardware behaves on your computer because it contains all your display preferences, system settings, application configuration and other operating system configuration information. This is the reason why any problems or erroneous information in the registry has a direct effect on the behavior of your PC. Registry problems usually occur due to the accumulation of unwanted, obsolete, and invalid entries in the registry that cause it to grow to a very large size. A large registry easily gets damaged and fragmented and eventually starts generating errors on your Vista computer. One of the best and easiest ways to prevent and repair registry problems is to use a Windows Vista compatible registry cleaner tool. Using a reliable and efficient registry cleaner tool, you can automatically scan and repair registry errors, make regular registry backups, and defrag the registry to compress it, and re-index its files.

Ensure that your Windows Vista computer is free from malware problems. Malware programs such as spyware, adware, virus, Trojans, worms, and backdoors may infiltrate your PC through open Internet connections, infected external media such as Floppy disks, CDs, and zip drivers, and open network shares. The two most important tools that help you protect your PC from these threats are antivirus and antispyware tools. These tools are a must-have for all PC users. It is also recommended that you keep the tools updated with the latest definitions, and schedule them to perform full system scans at regular intervals, so that your PC is always protected against, and is free of malware information.

Keep the system up-to-date with the latest service packs, security releases, and patches. To counter the security lapses and to include performance enhancements in their software products, manufacturers release regular updates from time-to-time. To ensure that your Windows Vista stays protected against the latest threats and stays at its best performance, you must keep your PC up-to-date with these security releases and service packs.

Ensure that your hard disk is free of errors and unwanted files. The hard disk plays an important role in the functioning of your PC because all data and program files are stored on it. If your hard disk is full of junk information and fragmented files, it not only slows down your system, but can also cause irreversible harm that may result in data loss. This is the reason why you must use tools such as the Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter that are shipped with your Windows Vista operating system to cleanup unwanted information from the hard disk and to consolidate its files. This helps you maintain your hard disk and keep your system at optimal performance.

Use the Windows Vista System Restore utility to revert your malfunctioning PC to the last known working state. The System Restore utility takes periodic snapshots of your computer’s configuration information and registry settings. In case an error or a problem occurs due to tasks such as incorrect system configuration, registry failure, and so on, then you can use the System Restore utility to restore your Windows Vista computer back to the time when it was in an error-free, working condition.

Rob Boirun is the author of www.burnworld.com which is an industry site around DVD and Blu Ray burning technologies.

Categories Microsoft, Technology
Comments (11)

Sep

Do you want to try Windows 8?

by James M. Fisher

Microsoft has made Windows 8 Developer Preview available to those wishing to download it and install it on their PCs. Note that this is a Developer Preview (the key word being ‘developer‘) and as such is probably pretty unstable and rough around the edges. This is not even beta software, so a lot will likely change from this version to the next public release; indeed new builds are released internally each day at Microsoft, so this one is out of date (so to speak) already.