Quick Productivity Tips

This section covers articles that provide quick tips as opposed to the longer tutorial section that mostly covers Microsoft and Google products.

This master list is presently comprised of 6 categories:

This section is several pages long so be sure to use the blue Next Page >> button at the bottom or the search box to the right.

Printing Text in Reverse

Sometimes it’s the little things that trip you up like figuring out how to print text in reverse. I’m not trying to imitate Da Vinci and his mirror fonts. Instead, I was trying to do a t-shirt transfer with a quote. It seems there are many ways to solve this problem. You could also use this technique to baffle your boss with backwards emails.
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Copy File Path and Name

This week I was working on a project where I needed to embed file names into a document. Typically, I open the File Properties dialog on Windows and grab the name. I couldn't see the whole file path and my mouse skills weren't up to the norm. It’s during these times that you look for Plan B. Sure enough, I had forgotten - copy as path.
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Easy Way to Find System Information

Are you or your customers using devices other than your PC to get things done online? The advantage is that you can use many services from any internet connected device. The downside is when you need help. Sometimes trying to figure out what your cell phone or tablet is running can be a challenge. Fortunately, there is an online tool from Imulus that can help find important support details and share them.
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Stop Being Lazy and Get a Password Manager

Before you get mad at me for the lazy reference, just know I've been called lazy too. Lazy people try to find systems so they don't have to do mundane stuff. This article is a remake of one I did over a decade ago about predictability and passwords. However, the password strategy I outlined years ago is no longer recommended.
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Browser Cookie Basics

There’s little question that a big drain on productivity is worry. Many of us tend to worry about things that are out of our control. One item that I think too many people worry about is browser cookies. Browser cookies are neither good nor bad. If you were to remove all cookies, you’d probably find your internet experiences to be less enjoyable.
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vCards -The Electronic Business Card

The easiest way to think of a vCard is as a “virtual” profile. According to the RFC spec, “the profile is defined for representing and exchanging a variety of information about an individual (e.g., formatted and structured name and delivery addresses, email address, multiple telephone numbers, photograph, logo, audio clips, etc.). “
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Find & Fix Error Messages

Ever feel like the error messages you see are in a different language than the one you speak? Even if
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Do Not Contact panel showing calls allowed from contacts.

Block Unwanted Calls on Your Smartphone

Cell phones are a fantastic convenience, but they come with unexpected surprises like unwanted phone calls. Maybe your cell phone number was recycled or your number appeared in some directory for a business. Regardless of the cause, solutions are popping up ranging from downloadable apps and 3^rd party services that can help manage the experience.
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How to Find Out More about Suspicious URLs

I’m sure this experience has happened to many of us. You see an email comes in from a friend, but
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Can Your Eyes Spot this Security Problem?

This is a time when people like to hunt for Easter eggs. Either the traditional ones or the clever ones that are hidden by software vendors. Both of these are fun. However, this one is more a rotten egg and it could cost us dearly if we don't pay attention. And it all starts with punycodes and fake domains. The good news is there are several workarounds.
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