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Dear PC Doctor,
What are keyboard shortcuts? I usually only use the keyboard when I need to type something, but I've heard that you can use the keyboard to do things faster than when using just the mouse. How do I set up my keyboard to do use keyboard shortcuts?
Monique
Dear Monique,
Keyboard shortcuts are one of the best time-savers you can employ when using a computer. Combine keyboard shortcuts with your mouse and you'll be a formidable PC user! While it is possible to create and customize your own keyboard shortcuts, no setup is required. Copy and paste is the easiest way to take text from one place and enter it somewhere else. See a word online that you don't know what it means? You can then copy and paste it into an online dictionary to discover the definition!
The keyboard shortcut for copying is Ctrl+C. First, you need to select the text with your mouse, then hold down the “Ctrl” key while pressing the letter “C”. (It makes sense to use your left hand's pinky to hold down the left Ctrl key while using your index finger to press “C”). This will save the selection to your Clipboard. Navigate to where you would like to paste the text, and then press Ctrl+V to paste the text.
With constant use, you'll be using keyboards shortcuts to copy and paste with ease! Here are a few more keyboard shortcuts that I use often. Want to select the whole body of text without having to highlight it all with your mouse? Use Ctrl+A to select all the body text, then use your keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste it. Did you make a mistake by deleting what you typed in your email or Microsoft Word? Press Ctrl+Z until it's back to where you want it! Ctrl+Y does the reverse; it will redo. Ctrl+X will delete the currently highlighted text.
These are only a few keyboard shortcuts that are out there! Go to www.goo.gl/HkME to find out more!
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor,
The sound on my computer isn't working! I have the sound on my speakers turned up all the way up and I don't have any headphones plugged in but I still can't hear my music playing. Are my speakers broken?
Alison
Dear Alison,
While it could be something as serious as missing the drivers for your sound card, I doubt that is the case, especially if your computer was playing sound previously. I have accidentally muted the sound on my computer before. Look down in the right bottom corner of your computer screen. Next to the time, you see should see a series of icons. This is your system tray, where you can check and see what your computer is up to. The little "speaker-with-sound-waves" icon is your Volume Mixer. Check to see if there is a circle/backslash symbol over the icon. If there is, right click on the icon and select “Unmute”. If this isn't the case, click on the icon to change the volume of your PC system.
PC Doctor
Until next time… happy computing!
Posted: to Athol Library News on Thu, Jan 13, 2011
Updated: Thu, Jan 13, 2011