Technically Easy

Tag: Microsoft Windows

  • Fix: My Keyboard Keys are Messed Up

    Fix: My Keyboard Keys are Messed Up

    Occasionally, I have been having a problem with my keyboard when in some applications. Sometimes as I am working in Firefox when I try to insert a punctuation symbol such as a double quote (“) another character – È – would be displayed on the screen. When I switched to another application the double quote would appear properly.

    As this would happen on a frequent basis at times, I would get frustrated as I would need to restart Firefox to have the keys return to normal. I figured that this was a Firefox issue, so I didn’t look it up, but just restarted Firefox each time. When I finally researched the problem I found that it was related to Windows and the language settings within Windows.

    Correcting the Messed Up Keys

    If you have found a similar problem of punctuation keys not displaying the correct symbol on the screen, you have probably pressed the shortcut keys to switch between input languages or keyboard layout. This is easy to do as the shortcut keys are close to each other on the keyboard:

    Switch Input Language: CTRL + SHIFT

    Switch Keyboard Layout: LEFT ALT + SHIFT

    If you don’t want to use either a different input keyboard or keyboard layout you can disable the shortcuts by using the following steps:

    Note:

    The steps below are for Windows 7. While I haven’t tried the steps on Windows Vista or Windows 8, they may be the same, if applicable, for those versions, as well.

    1. Click the Windows orb in the lower-left corner to display the menu and the select “Control Panel” from the menu.
    2. In the “Control Panel”, click the “Change keyboards or other input methods” option under the “Clock, Language, and Region” section.
      3. Windows 7 - Change keyboards or other input methods
    3. Under the “Keyboards and Languages” tab, click the “Change keyboards…” button.
      4. Windows 7 - Change Keyboards
    4. Select the “Between input languages” option in the “Hot keys for input languages” list and then click the “Change Key Sequence…” button.
      5. Advanced Key Settings - Change Key Sequence
    5. For both “Switch Input Language” and “Switch Keyboard Layout” select the “Not Assigned” option. Click the “OK” button to save your choice.
      6. Change Key Sequence
    6. The value “(None)” should be displayed under “Key sequence” beside the “Between input languages” option. Click “OK” again to save your choice and close the window.

    Once you have performed the above steps you should no longer be able to switch languages or keyboard layouts accidentally within an application.

  • Windows 8 Will Make or Break Microsoft

    Windows 8 Will Make or Break Microsoft

    Microsoft has long dominated the desktop platform. No other company was even close. They enjoyed a dominance unlike anything we had seen before. Then the early part of the last decade saw a revived Apple begin to chip away at Microsoft dominance. Apple would go on to release devices that would change the way we worked, learned, and communicated.

    Apple’s rise lead to many seeing Microsoft as the old technology company that just didn’t ‘get it.’ Microsoft would continue to release newer versions of Windows, some good and some really bad, and newer version of their office suite – Microsoft Office. While doing so, one thing became apparent – it just didn’t seem they could innovate anymore.

    With Apple continuing to be the darling of the technology world, and Google entering the mobile device world with their Android operating system, Microsoft was beginning to be left behind. One thing started to become clear: they needed to reinvent what they have or disappear from the technology world.

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  • Repair and Recovery for Windows 7 If You Have No CD

    Repair and Recovery for Windows 7 If You Have No CD

    So there you are happily browsing a site about Web Design or working on a blog post when your computer stops working. It could be that you got a virus or another problem that has messed up your Windows 7 installation or you want to reinstall it for some other reason.

    If you have a Toshiba laptop or bought Windows 7 as a digital download this isn’t so easy.

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  • How Much RAM Should Be Installed in Your Windows Computer?

    How Much RAM Should Be Installed in Your Windows Computer?

    One of the main considerations that is taken when purchasing a new Windows computer is how much RAM should the computer contain? As with everything else in technology the answer is usually “it depends.” Most computers sold today seem to have at least 4GB of RAM, which is more than enough for most people. For those that are into video or photo editing, then having more will definitely help.

    When it comes to gaming, which seems to be pushing the graphics technology, it may not matter if you have 4 GB of RAM or 12 GB. The reason comes down to how the actual game is developed and the operating system. As with many things in life, there are limits that will have an effect on how much RAM you may actually need, and be using.

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  • Microsoft Partners With Barnes & Noble

    Microsoft Partners With Barnes & Noble

    Both Microsoft and Barnes & Noble announced a strategic partnerships in a new subsidiary of Barnes & Noble called Newco. If you own a Nook, Barnes & Noble’s e-reader, or an e-reader in general, then this partnership may interest you. This partnership is looking to accelerate the transition from print media to e-readers, especially for Windows users.

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