|
Cheap Tricks for computer success
Check out our computer books! | Back to Cheap Tricks Main Menu
The cure for wandering hands or, more accurately, a jumpy mouse pointer that is too hard to control.You click on the Start Menu, maybe the Programs menu, then an application group and then another cascading menu with the specific program you want and then, before you've had a chance to pick the item you want, you let your mouse hand wander a little and the next thing you know a completely different submenu pops open and you select the wrong item. Arrgh! Sometimes, Windows is just too accommodating in grabbing menus your cursor meanders near. But you can tame this tendency:
Now when you click on a menu, it stays open, even if you accidentally wander near another one. Actually what you have done is changed how long it takes before a menu is activated without being clicked on; you've made it take over a minute (65,534 milliseconds), which is much longer than you are likely to idle in any one place. A downside to this is that none of the menus you do want will open automatically, now. You have to click on each one. But for those of us with wandering hands, the trade-off is worth it. Free *Cheap Trick* of the Week: September 11, 2000 |
| Here's some related informtion. Generally, working the mouse with your left hand (not normal, but highly recommended to adopt this practice) and the 10-key pad with your right avoids fatigue and maximizes efficiency. But then, there are all those other keys. If you're a touch typist, it can be annoying to have to go on and off the keyboard. If you're not a touch typist, you are really lacking a key skill in today's world. You can use a typing tutorial program to pick up that skill. Once you've accomplished this, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. So using menus without a mouse may be a good option for you. It's also worth learning a few keyboard short cuts. Don't waste time trying to learn every possible combination. The most commonly-used, and thus typically most useful, ones are:
Another reason menus without a mouse may be good for you is the dreaded laptop mouse problem. Dell has done a pretty good job with its mouse function, but most laptop makers have really dropped the ball on this one. Even Dell's approach leaves something to be desired, so it's not as if Dell's mouse implementation makes it THE laptop brand to go with. Those mouseless menus can save you some frustration. As can those keyboard shortcuts. What about the mouse itself? Computer mice have come a long way. At one time, the trackball was a much better solution. The reason the trackball beat the mouse at the time was the rubber ball in the mouse had to be removed and cleaned frequently or you had mouse accuracy problems. Then came the optical mouse. Much better, because there was no ball to get gunked up. However, the mouse was still a problem because the cord created resistance. The wireless mouse solved that problem. There is still the issue of keeping the mousepad clean, but if you're not a slob that's not much of an issue. The new problem is the battery. Some mice have a single AA battery, some have two. The solution to the battery problem, and this goes for all of your AA battery devices (and you may have plenty of them, including remote controls, body fat scale, camera, and various gadgets) is to pick up a rechargeable battery charger and some rechargeable batteries. Just make a point of keeping a full complement of batteries charged up and waiting. This would be two batteries for a dual battery charger, but four batteries for the quad charger. Don't use the charger unless it's full, and don't try to charge alkaline batteries with it. As for your keyboard, clean it once a week. Turn it upside down
over a sink or wastebasket, and work the keys (with it unplugged, of
course). Wipe it with a dry cloth to remove finger oils, then a damp
cloth to remove anything else. |
|