Sometimes, I feel like a real geek because I always get excited when a new application or new version for one of my installed application comes out. The first question I ask myself: does this new application or version improve and/or increase my productivity when performing certain tasks? What features have been added, removed or modified and how can I take advantage of these features?
Many people download a new software application or install an upgraded version and start using it, just out of the box. What they don’t realize, is the fact that most software makers have only the basic features enabled. Software makers try to make the product attractive and user friendly for as many users as possible and know that the average person is computer illiterate and have difficulties with adapting change.
Take advantage of advanced features
Take time to look at advanced and additional features that an application can offer you. Study at least the preferences or options menus that can be found in many applications under the Edit or Tools button in your standard toolbar.
Just take a look at all tabs and buttons available under these menus and ask yourself the question: “What can this option do for me? Will it improve or increase my productivity?†I am sure you find a few options that you want to enable in every application that are normally in standard installation not available.
Let me give you an example. I view old news articles that are scanned and sent to me in PDF format. This format is being used with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader application. Sometimes I want to have a close up look of the photo in the news article so I have to zoom in.
By enabling the feature: “Make Hand Tool use mouse-wheel zooming†I can zoom in and out of the page by the scrolling the wheel in the middle of my mouse. This is quick, easy and convenient.
Some preference or option settings are obvious; the name of the setting provides you an explanation. If a particular option is not clear in what it can mean for you, don’t hesitate the help file.
Click on image to enlarge
Adding and changing toolbars
Another critical element of every application is the toolbar. Again, often, only the standard toolbar is displayed when you start the application for the first time. Take advantage to add and modify toolbars in all your applications so you don’t have to go into all the menus to select a tool. You will be surprised how many opportunities you have missed in the past and much time this will save you.
I take modification of the toolbar a step further. After I have added a toolbar, I modify the toolbar by removing and adding feature buttons. Many applications allow you to right mouse click on the toolbar and have a “customize†or “more tools†button that you can use to your advantage.
From now on, when you have to go into a certain menu a lot to perform an action, add the button for that action on the toolbar.
Conclusion
Take time to learn the advanced features of your application. Invest some time to get to know the options and features that are available well. It will save you time in the long run. You also will have a laugh when you see family, friends and colleges fumbling around in the application that you are so familiar with. A geek like me, also checks the “What has changed since the previous version log†or simply named but that is a subject for another article..
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