Unsung Heroes

Do you ever feel that you don't get all the credit you deserve just for showing up every day and quietly doing your job? There are several components of Windows that are like that, too. They just get on with it, and we take them for granted. Or maybe we don't even know they exist!

Here are a couple of Windows Unsung Heroes.

Clipboard - Clipboard has been around Windows forever. You probably use it every day, because Clipboard is what allows us to copy (or cut) text and images from one place and paste them someplace else. Where would we be without it?

There are several ways to use Clipboard. One way is the Edit menu.

Select the text or image you want to copy or move
Click on "Edit"
If you want to copy the item, click on "Copy"
If you want to move the item, click on "Cut"
Place your cursor where you want the item to end up
Click on "Edit"
Click on "Paste"

Another way to do this is using the keyboard shortcuts. To copy, use CTRL+C (That is, hold down the CTRL key and the C key at the same time.) To cut, use CTRL+X. Use CTRL+V to paste your item where you want it. What if you goof or change your mind? CTRL+Z is an "Undo" command.

You have another option, called the Context Menu.

Select the text or image you want to copy or move
Right-click on the item
If you want to copy the item, click on "Copy" from the Context Menu
If you want to move the item, click on "Cut" from the Context Menu
Place your cursor where you want the item to end up
Right-click
Click on "Paste"

Clipboard is a useful tool, but it has an important limitation: It will only remember the last thing you copied or cut. If you want a utility that will remember more than one thing, there are several good, free ones. Searching Google for "free clipboard replacement" gets you 1,070,000 results (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGGL,GGGL:2006-10,GGGL:en&q=free+clipboard+replacement ). But the one I really like, and use all the time called Yankee Clipper.

Zip/Unzip
Another overlooked utility in Windows XP is the ability to "unzip" and "zip" files. Since later versions of Windows 98, this is a built-in feature of Windows. It's especially easy to use in Windows XP.

A "zip" file is a file or folder that has been compressed to save space. Why would you need to know that? Well, if you have a lot of photos you want to send, you might "zip" them so that it's easier/faster to email them. If you download programs, they are probably compressed ("zipped") to save space and time, so you have to "unzip" them.

To extract the contents from a zip file ("unzip" it)

Right-click on the file
Select "Extract all" from the Context Menu
When the wizard opens, follow the prompts to extract the zip file contents

To create a zip file ("zip" it)

Right-click on a file or folder or...
CTRL+Click on a group of files or folders to select them, then right-click on the selected items and...
Click "Send To" from the Context Menu
Click on "Compressed (zipped) Folder"

There are other programs that will do this, and many of them have move features. The most popular one is called WinZip, available here. WinZip is not a free program, at least it's not supposed to be! If you are tired of WinZip nag screens popping up because your grandson installed WinZip last time he visited, you can just uninstall the program and let Windows XP handle the zip files. If you find that you need more than XP has to offer, I suggest IZArc, free and available here. 7-Zip is another popular alternative, available here.

Remember to Spring Forward

Thank you again for all your comments, suggestions, and questions. I am almost, but not quite, caught up on my email. If you haven't heard from me yet, you will very soon.

If you don't want to miss that Brier final on Sunday, remember to set your clocks ahead one hour (unless you are rooting for Simmons, I guess) and be sure to get the patches you need so your computer knows what time it is. Windows Vista doesn't need the patch. XP users should head over here. Microsoft no longer supports Windows 98, but users can check for a non-Microsoft fix here.

You don't have to patch your computer if you don't want to you can manually adjust the time. Keep in mind, though, that you will have to do that once in March, again in April, again in October and again in November to compensate for the non-patched rules. You will need to do that every year. It might just be simpler to apply the patches, especially if you sync a handheld device or smartphone with your PC. And while you're at it, please change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors!

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