Change your POV

Microsoft takes one more shot at changing your mind about upgrading. Use Windows Libraries to change your point of view. Change your laptop’s situation to make it breathe easier.

One more upgrade notice

If you haven’t upgraded to Windows 10 and you haven’t installed GWX Control Panel, you’re going to get one more gigantic full screen reminder that the free upgrade offer ends July 29.

This time it’s relatively easy to decline. Look in the lower left hand corner of the notice, and click on Do not notify me again. They promise that will be the end of it.

Change the way you view your pictures library

Windows 7 introduced Libraries, but this totally great feature has been mostly unnoticed and misunderstood. Libraries are still with us in Windows 10, but by default they’re not displayed.

Libraries give you a way to group stuff that is actually spread over multiple folders.

For instance, if you have some pictures in your Pictures folder on your hard drive, other pictures in your OneDrive Pictures folder, and maybe another big whack of pictures on an external hard drive, you would have to navigate to each of those places to get to the pictures you need.

To simplify things, you could use the Pictures Library, and add the relevant folders. Everything is where it always was, but the Library just lets you view it as if it was in one spot. That’s what Picasa and Windows Live Photo Gallery do. They look all over your computer for pictures so you don’t have to.

I don’t know why I never knew this before, but I recently learned that you can change the way Pictures Library shows us pictures. They’re generally organized with Folders in alphabetical order, but holy smokes, you can organize them by date, too.

Begin by opening File Explorer and looking in the Navigation Pane on the left side of the window. If you don’t see Libraries, you can turn them on.

Click on View
Click on Navigation
Click on Show Libraries

(Microsoft made a little animation for you here:

Now you’ll see Libraries in the left pane. Expand them by clicking on the > next to the word Libraries, then click on Pictures. At the top of the window, click on the View tab, and pick the view you want.

I usually go with large icons, but it’s a personal choice. Do what makes you happy. You should see your picture folders arranged alphabetically.

Now, place your cursor anywhere in the Library (the right hand pane of the window) and right-click.
Click on Arrange by
Click on Month

If you have a lot of pictures, you’ll need to give it a minute or two, but eventually you’ll see the pictures arranged by month instead of alphabetically. You can toggle this view by going back to Arrange by and choosing Folder.

You can change the view in the other default Libraries, too. Right-click in the Documents Library to see the choices there.

Laptops need air flow

We had a couple weeks of summer weather recently, and that generated many service calls about laptops overheating or just shutting down.

Laptops need to breathe.

If you use your laptop flat on a wooden table or desk, a glass patio table or a stone kitchen counter — if you just have it flat on a flat surface — it’s going to overheat and eventually shut down in self defence.

Use a couple of rubber doorstops as wedges under the back of the laptop, or get the useful but unfortunately named Laptop Balls. Bonus: The tilting keyboard is easier on your hands and wrists.

Do you need help with your computer? I'm here to help you and your home or business computer get along!

Cate Eales runs Computer Care Kelowna, a mobile service helping home users and businesses get along with their computers. To arrange an appointment phone her at 250-764-7043. Cate also welcomes your comments and suggestions. Send email.

Links

GWX Control Panel 

Never 10 

Show Libraries in File Explorer 

 

 

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.