Basic computer tricks everyone should know

I'll be the first to admit that I have been using computers for way too long. I can remember when I was first starting to fiddle and felt like everything was a tad overwhelming, or seemed too complicated.

After much trial and error, plus searching, I found out some tricks to help make things easier and would love to pass them on for you.

Below are some basic computer tips and tricks everyone should know. Trust me, they help make things go a lot smoother:

• You can double-click a word to highlight it in any document, e-mail or Web page. ° When you get an e-mail message from an on-line retailer or a bank, claiming that you have an account problem, it’s probably a “phishing scam” intended to trick you into typing your password. Don’t click the link in the message. If in doubt, go into your browser and type web address to that company in manually.
• If you find you screen cluttered with windows, you can see what is on your desktop with one keystroke. In Windows hit the Windows key and “D” simultaneously, on A Mac press F11 or Command+F3. The Command key is the one with the cloverleaf logo on it.
• You can also switch from one open program to the next by pressing Alt+Tab (Windows) or Command-Tab (Mac). This makes it easier to navigate a clutter screen.
• Having a hard time reading the text on a certain webpage? You can enlarge the text with shortcut. In Windows, press Ctrl and the plus or minus keys (for bigger or smaller fonts); on the Mac, it’s the Command key and plus or minus. You can also enlarge the entire Web page or document by pressing the Control key as you turn the wheel on top of your mouse. On the Mac, this enlarges the entire screen image.
• You can tap the Space bar to scroll down on a Web page one screenful. Add the Shift key to scroll back up.
• When you’re filling in the boxes on a Web page (like City, State, Zip), you can press the Tab key to jump from box to box, rather than clicking. Add the Shift key to jump through the boxes backwards.
• If someone sends you an e-mail with some shocking revelation or deal, before you send it on make sure to check it's authenticity. You can confirm its truth at Snopes.com, the Internet’s authority on e-mailed myths. This website is a haven for all that is true and fiction on the web.
• You don’t have to type “http://www” into your Web browser. Just type the rest of the address: “google.com” or “dayoldstubble.com,” for example. Your browser will automatically add the "http://www" for you.
• When you’re searching for something on the Web, remember to put quotes around phrases that must be searched together. Searching for "running shoes" will give you links to sites about running shoes in stead of links to sites about running and shoes.
• If your desk is cluttered and you need a calculator quick, head to Google.com in your web browser. You can use Google to do math or conversions for you. Just type it in, like 23*7+15/3=, “cups in 1.3 gallons,” or “euros in 21 dollars.” Click Search to see the answer.
• You can adjust the size and position of any window on your computer. Drag the top strip to move it; drag the lower-right corner (Mac) or any edge (Windows) to resize it.
• This is an important tip to remember. Simply putting something into the Trash or the Recycle Bin doesn’t actually delete it. You then have to *empty* the Trash or Recycle Bin. Think of it as a temporary storage for things you might delete. It is a two step process so you don't accidentally delete a file you didn't mean to.
• If you’re having a hard time finding where the command/button is to do something, i.e. Delete in a photo program, try clicking the right mouse button in Windows or Control-click on a Mac. The menu that pops up normally has the basic functions you can preform on that one file or item.

Technology tips.

• On most cellphones, pressing the Send key opens up a list of recent calls. Instead of manually punching in the number, you can return a call by highlighting the correct number and pressing Send again.

• On any Smartphone when texting or emailing, hit the Space bar twice at the end of a sentence to get a period, a space, and a capitalized letter at the beginning of the next word.

There is a famous saving that a computer is only as smart as the person who is using it. As you can see with some of the tips this can definitely be true. The smarter you are at using the computer the easier it will become. If you know any other time saving tips let us know and share them below.