Tired of scrolling down to find the file you want? If you place an explaination point, '!', as the first character of the file name, it will appear at the beginning of any file list sorted by name.
The easiest way to setup an application is to allow the programs and user data to be stored in the same area. However, when you do a backup (you do backups, don't you?), you wind up backing up all these files, while only the data files are important to you. If you set aside either a folder, or a separate logical drive partition for your data, you need only backup this area on a routine basis. Then if disater strikes, just reload the applications from the distribution disks, and restore your data.
A reader asks, "How about a table (cheat sheet that I can print out and paste to the wall) that lists the keyboard shortcuts to replace mouse functions?"
Without further ado, here are some of the handier shortcuts (in no particular order):
Shift-F10: Right-mouse-click selected item
Ctrl-Esc: Display Start menu
Alt-[underlined letter]: Select menu command
Alt-Esc: Switch to Taskbar's "next" open window
Alt-Tab: Switch among open windows (hold Alt and continue to press Tab)
Alt-F4: Close active window
Alt-spacebar, N: Minimize active window
Alt-spacebar, X: Maximize active window
Alt-spacebar, R: Restore active window
Alt-spacebar, C: Close active window
Ctrl-F10: Switch focus to menu commands (in any Explorer window)
Ctrl-Tab: Rotate through dialog box tabs
Ctrl-Shift-Tab: Rotate through dialog box tabs in reverse
Ctrl-Alt-Del: Display Close Program dialog box
Ctrl-Esc, Esc, Shift-F10: Right-mouse-click Start button
Ctrl-Esc, Esc, Tab, Tab: Shift focus to desktop icons
Ctrl-Esc, Esc, Tab, Shift-F10, M: Minimize open windows
As you go about your Windows 95/98 business, there are many occasions for moving, copying, and creating shortcuts to file or folder icons. To ensure a move, you can always hold down the Shift key as you drag and drop an icon. Similarly, you can ensure a copy by holding down Ctrl during a drag and drop. But if you want choices up until the last second of any drag-and-drop operation, stick with the right-mouse button. Right-mouse-click and drag an icon or selection of icons to their destination, let go, and in the resulting menu, select your operation of choice: Copy Here, Move Here, Create Shortcut(s) Here, or Cancel.