November
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
Q I use memory sticks frequently because they’re so handy for quick backups and copying or moving files to another computer. Also, I have a remote hard drive for regular backups that is designated my F drive. The memory sticks and the remote drive connect to the computer via USB plugs.
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November
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
Q My two partners and I use the same make and style of computer, the same XP operating system and pretty much the same application software, plus we maintain the computers with the same antivirus, junkcleaning and performanceenhancing software. Yet one partner’s computer runs significantly faster than the other two.
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November
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
EXCEL To add a line break inside an individual cell, position your cursor at the place you want the break and press AltEnter. To synchronize data from one cell to another (even in another worksheet), go to the source cell, press , then go to the target cell, and press Enter.
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November
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
If you have a file or folder that you use fairly often but you do not want to clutter your desktop or your Start menu with shortcut icons, consider this method suggested by Paul McClain, controller at the Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla. In Office 2003’s Word or Excel, go to the toolbar and click on File and Open.
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October
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
Q I get loads of emails, and while I appreciate your suggestions, I’m just a lowtech guy and would like to remain lowtech—if you get my meaning. So, is there some easy way to bring more order to my inflow of emails without making my life more complicated by loading thirdparty software? A Yes, I get your meaning, and I’ll refrain from lecturing you about the cost of falling behind the technology curve.
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October
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
Q What’s your take on Microsoft’s new search site, Bing? A I found Bing to be very good. In some ways it’s better than Google, but in some ways it’s not as good—or at least no better. The bottom line I like them enough that I decided to keep both in my Bookmarks Toolbar—right next to each other.
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October
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
Q When I’m working in an Excel spreadsheet, sometimes I need to do some quick calculations, and the Calculator that comes with Office would be the perfect tool—except it’s only accessible when I switch out of the Excel window. It should be right where I need it—on top of the spreadsheet—so I can tap in the numbers as needed and not have to bounce from one window to another.
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October
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
Q My partner says there’s an F4 shortcut to creating absolute cell references in Excel formulas, but for the life of me I can’t make it work. What am I doing wrong? A Your partner is right, but while I can’t tell you what you’re doing wrong, I can tell you how to do it right.
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October
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
Q I just got a new ultralight notebook for when I travel. It has one of those superfast solidstate drives. My maintenance program for my regular harddrive computers in the office includes regularly running a defragmentation program. That way, I can be assured that they will always be able to operate at top speed.
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October
2009
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BY
STANLEY ZAROWIN
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Article
Q To make an Excel table fit better on a page when I print it, I frequently have to transpose it—that is, move all the data from, say, rows 1, 2 and 3 and put them into columns A, B and C. To do that I have to move each segment—one at a time.
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