Fastest way to create a shortcut to any folder in Windows

I like to keep a shortcut to the project I am currently working on, on my desktop so that it is easily accessible.

One major problem with keeping the related folder for the project on the desktop is that it slows the loading of the desktop at windows start up since usually files related to a project get quite big in size.

What I used to do was create a shortcut to a windows folder (in my d:\ drive) on my desktop. Once the project is completed I go and delete the shortcut from my desktop while still keeping the project file safe in the d:\ drive.

I was playing in Windows and I discovered a super simple way to create shortcuts to any folder. Here's how:

1. Open the windows folder that you want to create a shortcut to in Windows Explorer
2. Using the Mouse, Left Click on the folder icon on the Top Left of the open folder
3. While holding down the left mouse button drag the folder icon onto the desktop until the icon changes to a shortcut like icon
4. Release the mouse button
   

A shortcut to the folder will be created on your desktop as easily as this.

Next time you need to create a shortcut to a folder, you can easily drag and drop the folder onto the desktop as outlined above to create a shortcut.

I usually also create a keyboard shortcut to the shortcut that allows me much easier access. You can read on how to do this here.

Sharing a single keyboard and mouse across multiple computers the Free and Easy way

Although keyboard's and mouse are relatively cheap, i decided to make it a little interesting for me by sharing a keyboard and mouse across two computers.

I have one keyboard and one mouse which is connected to my desktop pc. I use the same keyboard on my laptop and desktop (something went wrong on my laptop keyboard that I am yet to fix, software problem the a much needed reformat will fix). This became irritating for me to swap the keyboard especially when i am programming on my desktop pc and need some code snippets from my laptop.

After a brief Internet search I came across two software that claimed to allow me to share a single keyboard and mouse across multiple computers over a network Synergy and Input Director.

Some more research led me to believe that Input Director was a better choice so I decided to try out Input Director first.

First I had to put my desktop computer and my laptop on a network.

Next I installed Input Director on my desktop and my laptop and run Input Director on both. Since the keyboard and mouse are connected to the desktop computer I had to tell Input Director that the desktop computer was the master and entered the IP address of the laptop indicating that it was the slave.

Input Director enabled a connection between the two machines and walla I could move my mouse from one screen to the another and I could type in both using a keyboard connected on the desktop machine without having to physically move it.

Another very useful feature of Input Director is the ability to share the Clipboard between the computers. I am able to copy code snippets on my laptop and paste these into the desktop machine.

Input Director was extremely easy to configure for me and has the following screen that allows you to control all its features:



Best of all Input Director is free and with a promise by the author to be always free.

2008 Compact Calendar - Fiji Version

I found a calendar design by David Seah which I am finding very useful.

According to me the calendar design is to keep your projects in view according to dates and easily track your times using space beside the calendar to jot down notes.

How am I using this calendar?
I am finding this calendar very useful for jotting down my to do's by date. If I have something that needs to be done (more specifically remembered) at a particular date I jot it down on the calendar with a circle to the date. At this moment I have a personal list only but I am thinking of printing out one for work purposes also.

I carry this list with me so that I can note important things that I need to do by a particular date.

I have made a copy of the Calendar for Fiji which includes holidays in Fiji.
To download the Fiji version Click Here.

To read more on this calendar and on printing out this calendar view David Seah's website:
http://davidseah.com/page/compact-calendar

Fun With Fireworks

New Zealand Beauty

I am in New Zealand on a holiday and over the weekend I went to Mt. Taupo or Snow Mountains as people call it here.

Yes, it was my first time seeing snow and it was awesome playing in it. We were sliding down the mountain slopes on a slide and the feeling was just awesome. I enjoyed every moment of it and am enjoying every moment here in New Zealand.

I had to share some beautiful photos I took on this trip, so here it is.

This is a photo of snow mountains from a distance.

This photo I took at Huka Falls. The water at Huka Falls goes at a very rapid speed and you are left wondering how can water be so fiery and fast?

Need to explore the connections between realated sites - Do it the TouchGraph way

TouchGraph is a web based utility that allows you to see the connections to and from any website.

You simply type in the web sites URL in the TouchGraph box and Click Graph it!

TouchGraph will display a network of the connections to and from the URL you typed in.

Try it now you will be amazed with the results:
http://www.touchgraph.com/TGGoogleBrowser.html

Microsofts Experimental Search

Heard of Tafiti Search? What is this you ask?

According to Microsoft ...
"Tafiti, which means "do research" in Swahili, is an experimental search front-end from Microsoft, designed to help people use the Web for research projects ..."

This search site is built in the Microsoft Silver Light platform ... a much proclaimed competition for Flash (a Google search will tell you much about Silver Light)

This project demonstrates what applications can be brought to life using the Silver Light platform.

Although still in beta Tafiti features some real nice eye candy and features.

To see Tafiti Search in action and to find out the power behind this search interface look at this video:
http://www.tafiti.com/walkthru.html

To get started using this cool new interface and get addicted to another piece of the web:
http://www.tafiti.com/

What is it to work for Microsoft?

Ever wondered what it felt like to work for Microsoft?

This site gives all of us an in site into what its like to be a techie at Microsoft.

I must say the look and feel of the site is great and makes you feel right at home besides the awesome contents of the site itself.

Check out the site for yourself, you will definitely be impressed by the first view:
http://www.viewmyworld.com/

Stumbling, stumbling and more stumbling

Recently, one of my friends introduced me to a site/program that is quite addictive and I am sure that you will enjoy what you see and get with this site as much as I do.

This site currently boasts 3,506,854 users and it is growing day by day. The site is Stumble Upon

What is this site all about?
The idea behind this site is to discover Cool and Interesting websites depending on what your interests are. There is definitely something interesting for everyone.You customize your preferences and tell Stumble Upon that you like for example Art, Technology etc. (There are many more categories that you can choose from)

Next, you download and install their add-on/plug-in for Internet Explorer or FireFox. This add-on/plug-in will add a Stumble Upon toolbar to Internet Explorer or FireFox.Open FireFox and start Stumbling simply by clicking on the Stumble Upon Button on the toolbar.

When you click on the Stumble button, a site will be displayed in the window. The site will be one from your interest category.

You will find some really interesting sites on this network that you may have never known existed. I definitely have found some. So start stumbling today to see how addictive it really is …

WARNING: You will get addicted to this site and you will waste quite a lot of precious time once you join this network :-)

After having been using Stumble Upon, although it is great I think there is still room for improvement for their toolbar.

You can recommend to your friends the sites that you have found interesting. What currently happens is that I have to select each friend from the Stumble Upon toolbar and send the site to each friend individually. This is a tad bit irritating. I think it would be easier to select a group of Friends and recommend the site at one go to all. Maybe further allowing me to make friends groups.

Another, thing I found a wee bit irritating is I open FireFox and log on to Stumble Upon and start Stumbling. A friend recommends to me a site he or she found interesting. As soon as the site comes to me it opens in the current tab that I am viewing and I have to go back to the site that I was currently viewing. This gets me a bit irritated.

Stumble Upon makes me wonder that with Stumble Upon boasting such a large user base in such a short time, it would be a great place for marketers, wouldn’t it.

Probably a good place for getting an huge increase in traffic if your site is not getting much traffic.

A new idea to research on … How do I get listed on Stumble Upon? I will leave this for a future article. This will definitely be a boost in my traffic and something I should research as soon as I can.

Some cool graphics I made ... at least I think so

If you want any of the following grahics with your own custom text ... send me an e-mail and I will make it for you ... enjoy ...

Copywriting tips for online marketing success from Copyblogger

Ever wondered what it takes to be a copy writer and how to sell your self ... well not really your self but your products or others products ...

Copyblogger has some excellent tutorials, articles on what make's or breaks a copy writer  and what all you can do to become a good copy writer ...

From what I have read so far, there tips can be applied to blogging as much as to any other copy writing.

Visit Copy Blogger at:
Copywriting tips for online marketing success from Copyblogger

The Enormous Gmail Productivity List | Free Geekery

Due to its large storage space Gmail was able to pull quite a lot of users when it started while still being in its beta.

Now, a long way off from beta, and allowing new users to sign up with out an invitation required, Gmail is being used by lots of users a lot, including me.

For those productivity geek's, Free Geekery has some time back produced an extravagant list of Gmail productivity add-ons, scripts and more for you to check out.

Included in this list are applications or extensions to allow you to better manage your labels and those practicing GTD (Getting Things Done) there are lots of goodies for you to.

So be sure to check out the list ... I am sure you will be able to find some useful and surprising things in that list that you did not know existed as I did ... why didn't I find this list before :-) 

The Enormous Gmail Productivity List | Free Geekery

Working on your blog articles offline...

Up till now I have been writing blog articles online through the Blogger Interface ...

Now, for this I require Internet access all the time ...

Recently, I found Microsoft's Windows Live Writer.

This lets me type in all articles offline on my computer and upload these when I am done.

Windows Live Writer is compatible with Blogger service and also with a lot of other blogging services.

Best of all, I can also preview how my posts will appear after I post them on my local computer before actually posting it.

Windows Live Writer configures itself during installation with the theme of your blog so previewing articles is made easy.

After previewing the Post offline I can then Click one Publish button to actually Post any article that I am working on ... cool ...

In fact I have made this post using Windows Live Writer.

Windows Live Writer has loads of features to help me spell check, format text, create hyperlinks that open in new windows easily. With the blogger interface I had to manually modify the HTML to make this happen :-) ... too much pain for any novice user ...

It also allows me to easily edit posts locally and re-publish them.

For more information on Windows Live Writer Click Here...

Easily open any Windows folder, program or file using your custom keyboard shortcuts

Wouldn't it be easy to press a key combination on your keyboard and open any file that you frequently use in Windows?

Last night, I was looking for a way to do just this and found a way.

Here is a step by step instructions on how you can achieve this:

1. Right Click any Program, Folder or File on your Desktop (or any other location) and Click Create Shortcut. A shortcut to the file will be created in the folder the Program is located.


2. Right Click the shortcut just created and Click Properties


3. Select the Shortcuts tab on the Properties screen.


4. Move the Mouse Cursor to the Shortcut key box and Press the “Ctrl” or “Alt” key on your keyboard. You will see the text inside the box will change to Ctrl + Alt + as soon as you press the Ctrl/Alt key as below:
   
   


5. Keeping the Ctrl or Alt key pressed type in any letter on your keyboard to act as a Shortcut that you want. If you type in C, then your keyboard shortcut will be Ctrl+Alt+C key combination.


6. Now, Click Apply and close this screen.
   

Press Ctrl+Alt+Your KeyLetter combination to open this Program, Folder or File easily.

New things I figured out with Fireworks ...

now i can say my feet are truely wet with fireworks ... its a great software and I love it ...

If anyone out there wants any of these images customized with their own text, drop me an e-mail or post in a comment and I will provide it to you ...