The Raging Tech

Add iGoogle Widgets to Active Desktop

Website ThirdError.com has a great post on how to add widgets from Google Homepage, or iGoogle, onto your Windows XP desktop using oft-forgotten Windows feature Active Desktop. Active Desktop is the feature in Windows that lets you put offline web pages embedded into your desktop wallpaper.

Some people found the item useful, but for the most part it was just a dud. Most web pages you’d use with it would end up launching an Internet Explorer window anyway, so interacting with a web site on your desktop was impractical.

Now with iGoogle Widgets able to keep you abreast of practical information, combining this idea with Active Desktop is genius. In the example on the link above, Third Error uses to-do list web app Remember The Milk, and imbeds the iGoogle Widget for RTM on a Windows XP desktop.

Crashes Happen at the Worst Time

It happens to all of us - you’re in the middle of an important PowerPoint presentation for a huge client, or an important executive at work, you are just about to hit save on an important project for school, or your soon-to-be-published memoirs due at the publisher in less than an hour.

At some time or another, Windows will crash on you and ruin your day (and maybe even your work!). What will you do?

As an IT support person, I’ve heard hundreds of sob stories where students have worked for months and months on their Master’s Degree thesis paper, and they only had it saved in one place, and their computer crashes.

In the past, you pretty much had two options: scream like a little girl and scramble to re-build your work as quickly as possible and cover it with a thick layer of B.S., or hire a specialist to rush over at exhorbitant fees and do an emergency help session.

Now, Microsoft has an option for small business owners that have made the switch to the new operating system, Windows Vista. According to the web site, “When you buy a new PC with Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate, you’ll receive free support, compatibility assistance, and one-on-one coaching from Microsoft to help ensure a smooth transition.” This is all part of Microsoft’s new Small Business Assurance program.

Microsoft has already acknowledged that the initial release of Vista wasn’t the smoothest, but says that in 18 months, they’ve “come a long way.” It sounds like now Microsoft wants to turn over a new leaf and show customers that business isn’t just a transaction, it’s a relationship.

Get the Menu Back in Internet Explorer 7

I know this is a completely dumb Windows tip, and most of you have probably already figured this out. I was helping a lady today who was not familiar with Windows because she normally uses a Mac. She had accidentally hidden the menu bar (File, Edit, Tools, etc.) in Internet Explorer 7.

It’s really quite simple: Just right-click on the open space beside your open web page title, and select “Menu Bar” from the pop-up menu.

You should now have your menu back that you’re used to from IE 6 and previous versions. Also note that the only menu I ever use is “Tools,” which is now located on the right even if the Menu Bar is disabled.

Grand Theft Button: Windows Tips

Those of you who have not yet upgraded to Vista, or are like me and dwindle between XP and Vista lands, you probably encounter this problem whenever you copy files: if you’re copying files into a folder where those files already exist, you get a dialog box.

This box usually says something along the lines of “Are you sure you want to copy this file? It’s going to overwrite an existing file. Are you sure?” followed by “Yes,” “Yes to All,” and “No.” But what if you want to say “No” to all of the files you are copying? There’s no “No to All” button. If you’re in Vista, this has been taken care of with a redesigned and more specific and helpful dialog box.

On XP, you can simply hold down the “Shift” key while clicking on “No,” and it magically knows you mean “No to All” and will take action accordingly. I ran into this tip on Lifehacker today, and it struck me as useful.

Also, my friend has an article over on his blog about using CTRL+ALT+END during a remote desktop session since CTRL+ALT+DEL will bring up the task manager on the local machine instead of the remote session. Alternatively, you can load up the “Run” dialog from the start menu and type in “taskmgr” and get the same thing. Check out that post for more windows tips.