In our fast-paced world, it is often easy to scoot through life without really looking at things. In the computer world, however, the habit of scrolling through things too quickly can be a detriment. So today's tip is a simple one..... look at the screen.

Yes. Look at the screen more carefully than you usually do. While this is most important when you are learning a new program or visiting a new website, it can also be beneficial for programs that you have used for years. Do you really know what options are available to you? Is there an easier way to do things? Go through the menus on the screen and see what options are available. You may be amazed to find that old program has some wonderful features just waiting for you to discover.

Have you ever seen a picture on top of a folder that indicates what’s inside? When you create a folder with pictures in it, Windows chooses a picture from the folder and puts in on the top of the folder. With these simple instructions, you can choose the picture and put any picture you like on any folder icon. It’s easy and it’s fun.

Today's tip for speeding up your computer startup has to do with fonts. As a preface for the uninitiated, a font is a collection of letters and numbers in a particular typeface. A typeface is a collection of letters, numbers and symbols that have the same distinctive appearance. Using different fonts in your documents is fun and they can help you create attractive and impressive documents.

Every computer comes with many fonts preinstalled. Some programs add more fonts. An average computer can easily have more than 200 or 300 different fonts installed. Each of these fonts loads on startup. Fonts can use a lot of system resources which slows your startup.

So an easy way to speed up your startup is to eliminate some of the fonts. I'll give you instructions, but you should only do this if you feel comfortable opening the Control Panel and moving files around. You should keep all the common fonts, including all versions of Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Tahoma, and Times New Roman. Also keep any that you know you have used or may need for a document. Don't delete the others; just move them to a different folder in case you need them later. Here's how to do it:

1. Open the Control Panel

2. Click on the Fonts folder

3. Highlight the fonts you don't need and move them to a folder that you create on your desktop or in a different directory.

4. Reboot your machine.

Are you tired of entering www and .com? This shortcut will let you cut down you typing time and still get you to the right address.