Monday, November 15, 2010

Kindle Skills - Keep your Desktop Clean

Your Desktop is where you do most of the staring at your computer screen. How it looks is a direct reflection of the personality of the owner of the computer. If it is neat and tidy, and easy to find stuff, you can be sure the owner is the same. If there are icons all over the place, and downloaded software installation files (no longer needed because the software was installed long ago)... well you get the picture.

On a PC, many times when you install something new, the installation software also installs what the designers of the software think is a handy dandy little shortcut icon to that software right on your main screen (desktop). You can tell a shortcut by the little arrow on the icon. These shortcuts for the most part are totally useless and can be deleted. My favorite useless icons are for your antivirus software and the Acrobat Reader. Your antivirus software is designed to work in the background and pull your bacon out of the fire whenever a cootie is sensed. Having that icon on the desktop isn't going to keep you any more protected. If you delete it, you can always open the software by clicking the icon down in the system tray (bottom right of your main screen), or click the Start button, then click where it says All Programs, and navigate to the program folder.

The same thing applies to the Acrobat Reader icon that loves to situate itself on your main screen after installing this FREE software. You don't need to open the software from your desktop. If someone sends you a .pdf file, just clicking it will cause your Acrobat Reader software to open right up.

So here's your homework assignment kiddies... Get rid of those useless shortcuts on your Desktop. Right  click on each one and choose Delete. If you aren't sure what it is first, make sure there is a little arrow on it (indicating it is a shortcut). Then click on it to open it and see. Then click the Start button on the bottom left of your Desktop, then All Programs and browse around to satisfy yourself it is well represented on that list. Then just delete the thing.

Have fun! You ought to enjoy your Desktop wallpaper more now.
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