WINDOWS 8 Need some Windows 8 tips? Here's some of the best
Windows 8 has been with us for over half a year now, and if you're used to previous versions of Windows then you're going to notice that quite a bit has changed. In fact, Windows 8 has seen the biggest change since the jump from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95.
Out goes the Start menu, in comes the new touch-oriented Start screen with new Windows 8-style apps and new interface conventions. Even experienced PC users may be left feeling a little lost.
Don't despair, though, help is at hand. We've poked around every part of Windows 8, uncovering many of its most important tips and tricks, so read our guide and you'll soon be equipped to get the most out of Microsoft's latest release.
Windows 8 opens on its lock screen, which looks pretty but unfortunately displays no clues about what to do next.
It's all very straightforward, though. Just tap the space bar, spin the mouse wheel or swipe upwards on a touch screen to reveal a regular login screen with the user name you created during installation. Enter your password to begin.
2. Handle basic navigation
Windows 8's interface is all colourful tiles and touch-friendly apps. And if you're using a tablet then it'll all be very straightforward: just swipe left or right to scroll the screen, and tap any tile of interest.
On a regular desktop, though, you might alternatively spin the mouse wheel to scroll backwards and forwards.
And you can also use the keyboard. Press the Home or End keys to jump from one end of your Start screen to the other, for instance, then use the cursor keys to select a particular tile, tapping Enter to select it. Press the Windows key to return to the Start screen; right-click (or swipe down on) apps you don't need and select Unpin to remove them; and drag and drop the other tiles around to organise them as you like.
3. Group apps
The Start screen apps are initially displayed in a fairly random order, but if you'd prefer a more organised life then it's easy to sort them into custom groups.
You might drag People, Mail, Messaging and Calendar over to the left-hand side, for instance, to form a separate 'People' group. Click the 'minus' icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to zoom out and you'll now find you can drag and drop the new group (or any of the others) around as a block.
Right-click within the block (while still zoomed out) and you'll also be able to give the group a name, which - if you go on to add another 20 or 30 apps to your Start screen - will make it much easier to find the tools you need.
4. Use the quick access menu
Right-click in the bottom-left corner (or hold down the Windows key and press X) for a text-based menu that provides easy access to lots of useful applets and features: Device Manager, Control Panel, Explorer, the Search dialog and more. Download the Win+X Menu Editor and you'll be able to further customise the list with programs of your own.
5. Find your applications
The Win+X menu is useful, but no substitute for the old Start menu as it doesn't provide access to your applications. To find this, hold down the Windows key and press Q or either right-click an empty part of the Start screen or swipe your finger up from the bottom of the screen and select 'All Apps' to reveal a scrolling list of all your installed applications. Browse the various tiles to find what you need and click the relevant app to launch it.
If there's an application you use all the time then you don't have to access it via the search system. Pin it to the Start screen and it'll be available at a click.
Start by typing part of the name of your application. To access Control Panel, for instance, type 'Control'. Right-click the 'Control Panel' tile on the Apps Search screen, and click 'Pin to Start'. If you're using a touchscreen, press and hold the icon, then flick down and select 'Pin to Start'.
Now press the Windows key, scroll to the right and you'll see the Control Panel tile at the far end. Drag and drop this over to the left somewhere if you'd like it more easily accessible, then click the tile to open the desktop along with the Control Panel window, and press the Windows key to return you to the Start screen when you're done.
7. Shut down
To shut Windows 8 down, just move the mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of the screen, click the Settings icon - or just hold down the Windows key and press I - and you'll see a power button. Click this and choose 'Shut Down' or 'Restart'.
Some of the tricks available in previous versions of Windows still apply. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, for instance, click the power button in the bottom right-hand corner and you'll be presented with the same 'Shut Down' and 'Restart' options.
And if you're on the desktop, press Alt+F4 and you'll be able to choose 'Shut Down', 'Restart', 'Sign Out' or 'Switch User' options.
8. Use the app bar
Windows 8 apps aim to be simpler than old-style Windows applets, which means it's goodbye to menus, complex toolbars and many interface standards. There will usually be a few options available on the App bar, though, so if you're unsure what to do then either right-click an empty part of the screen, press Windows+Z or flick your finger up from the bottom of the screen to take a closer look.
9. Launch apps from the desktop
Windows 8 doesn't provide any obvious way to launch apps straight from the desktop, but this is actually surprisingly easy to set up.
Right-click on an empty part of your desktop, select New > Shortcut, and type Explorer Shell:AppsFolder in the "Location" box. Click Next, enter a name - "All Programs", for instance - and click Finish. Double-clicking that shortcut will open a folder listing all your installed programs, including the apps, and you can launch whatever you like.
10. See what's running
If you launch a Windows 8 app, play with it for a while, then press the Windows key you'll switch back to the Start screen. Your app will remaining running, but as there's no taskbar then you might be wondering how you'd ever find that out.
You could just press Alt+Tab, which shows you what's running just as it always has.
Holding down the Windows key and pressing Tab displays a pane on the left-hand side of the screen with your running apps. (To see this with the mouse, move your cursor to the top left corner of the screen, wait until the thumbnail of one app appears, then drag down.)
And of course you can always press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to see all your running apps in the Task Manager, if you don't mind (or actually need) the extra technical detail.
Windows 8 apps don't have close buttons, but this isn't the issue you might think. Apps are suspended when you switch to something else so they're only a very minimal drain on your system, and if you need the system resources then they'll automatically be shut down. (Their context will be saved, of course, so on relaunching they'll carry on where you left off.)
If you want to close down an app anyway, though, move the mouse cursor up to the top of the screen. When it turns from the regular mouse pointer to the icon of a hand, hold down the left mouse button and drag it down the screen. Your app should shrink to a thumbnail which you can drag off the screen to close it.
If that's too much hassle, then simply pressing Alt+F4 still works.
And when all else fails then press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to launch Task Manager, right-click something in the Apps list and select End Task. Beware, though, close something you shouldn't and it's easy to crash or lock up your PC.
12. Hide the taskbar
If you run Windows 8 on a tablet then it makes sense to keep your taskbar on the left, where it takes minimal space and is best placed for easy thumb access. Switch your tablet to portrait orientation, though, and you'll suddenly find the taskbar grabs much more valuable screen real estate.
It doesn't have to be this way, however - not if you install Surface Taskbar Helper. This neat tool enables you to set the taskbar to "auto hide" based on its current orientation, so for instance you can always show it in landscape view, but hide it in portrait, which is a very flexible way to get the most out of your display space.
13. Master Internet Explorer in Windows 8
Click the Internet Explorer tile from the Start menu and you'll launch a full-screen version without toolbars, menus or sidebars, which like so much of Windows 8 may leave you initially feeling lost.
Right-click an empty part of the page or flick your finger down from the top of the screen, though, and you'll find options to create and switch between tabs, as well as a Refresh button, a 'Find' tool and the ability to pin an Internet shortcut to the Start page. Click the spanner icon and select 'View on the desktop' to open the full desktop version of Internet Explorer.
14. Spell check
Windows 8 apps all have spellcheck where relevant, which looks and works much as it does in Microsoft Office. Make a mistake and a wavy red line will appear below the offending word; tap or right-click this to see suggested alternative words, or add the word to your own dictionary if you prefer.
15. Run two apps side by side
Windows 8 apps are what Microsoft calls "immersive" applications, which basically means they run full-screen - but there is a way to view two at once. Swipe from the left and the last app you were using will turn into a thumbnail; drop this and one app displays in a sidebar pane while your current app takes the rest of the screen. And you can then swap these by swiping again.
16. Run as Administrator
Some programs need you to run them with Administrator rights before they'll work properly. The old context menu isn't available for a pinned Start screen app, but right-click one, and if it's appropriate for this app then you'll see a Run As Administrator option.
17. Make a large app tile smaller
You'll notice that some Windows 8 apps have small live tiles, while others have larger tiles that take up the space of two tiles. Right-clicking on a Windows 8 app's Start screen tile will display a few relevant options. If this is one of the larger tiles, choosing 'Smaller' will cut it down to half the size, freeing up some valuable Start screen real estate.
18. Uninstall easily
If you want to hide an unused app for now, select 'Unpin from Start'. The tile will disappear, but if you change your mind then you can always add it again later. (Search for the app, right-click it, select 'Pin to Start'.)
And, if you're sure you'll never want to use an app again, choose 'Uninstall' will remove it entirely.
Of course, if you like to try out lots of apps then uninstalling them one at a time can get a little tedious. If that becomes a problem, give Windows App Boss a try - it enables you to select multiple apps and remove them all at once.
19. Customise app privacy
It is worth keeping in mind that by default Windows 8 apps can use your name, location and account picture. If you're not happy with that, it's easily changed. Press Win+I, click More PC Settings, select Privacy and click the relevant buttons to disable any details you'd rather not share.
The new Task Manager also includes a History feature that tracks the CPU time used by every application. If you're wondering what someone's doing most of the time on their Windows 8 system, launching Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and clicking the App History tab will give you an idea. But if you don't want someone doing the same to you, clicking App History > Delete Usage History will clear all the figures.
20. Show administrative tools
Experienced Windows users who spend much of their time in one advanced applet or another are often a little annoyed to see their favourite tools buried by Windows 8. Microsoft has paid at least some attention, though, and there is a way to bring some of them back.
Open the Charm bar by flicking your finger from the right-hand side of the screen and select 'Settings' then 'Tiles'. Change 'Show administrative tools' to 'Yes' and click back on an empty part of the Start screen. And it's as simple as that. Scroll to the right and you'll find a host of new tiles for various key applets - Performance Monitor, Event Viewer, Task Scheduler, Resource Monitor and more - ready to be accessed at a click.
21. Disable the lock screen
If you like your PC to boot just as fast as possible then the new Windows 8 lock screen may not appeal. Don't worry, though, if you'd like to ditch this then it only takes a moment.
Launch REGEDIT, and browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization (create the Personalization key if it doesn't exist).
Click Personalization in the left-hand pane. Right-click in the right-hand pane, select New > DWORD Value, and give it the name NoLockScreen.
Double-click your new NoLockScreen value, set it to 1, click OK, and when you next reboot it the lock screen will have gone. If you decide to restore it for some reason, set NoLockScreen to 0 or delete it entirely.
22. Install anything
Most mobile platforms recommend you only install apps from approved sources to protect your security, and Windows 8 is the same: it'll only allow you to install trusted (that is, digitally signed) apps from the Windows store.
If this proves a problem, though, and you're willing to take the security risk (because this isn't something to try unless you're entirely sure it's safe), then the system can be configured to run trusted apps from any source.
It's all done via a single Registry key, too. Just launch REGEDIT and set the value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx\AllowAllTrustedApps key to 1.
23. Pin app contents to the Start screen
It's easy to pin apps to the Start screen (right-click, select "Pin"), but you don't have to stop there. Many apps also enable you to pin particular content for easy access later.
If you want more ideas for your upcoming holiday in Rome, for instance, you could open the Travel app, right-click, select "Destinations" and choose the "Rome" tile. And then repeat those steps every single time you revisit the page. Or, alternatively, right-click your preferred Destination tile, select "Pin...", and you'll be able to access it directly from the Start screen.
Similarly, if you use the Mail app with multiple accounts then just open these, and you can right-click to select separate live tiles for each one - much more useful.
24. Log in automatically
WARNING: Your account will lose admin privileges as a result of this step
Of course even if you remove the lock screen, you'll still be forced to manually log in every time your system starts. This can also be resolved at speed, though, using much the same technique as in previous versions of Windows.
Hold down the Windows key, press R, type 'netplwiz' and press Enter to launch the User Accounts dialog.
Clear the "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer" box and click OK.
Enter the user name and password of the account that you'd like to be logged in automatically, click OK, restart your system and this time it should boot directly to the Start screen.
25. Use six apps at once
Launch a Windows 8 app and it appears full-screen, which is fine on a small tablet but not so impressive when you've got a 27-inch widescreen monitor to fill.
Toolbox for Windows 8 helps out, though, by bundling 12 common apps in a single package. You get a Facebook client, browser, calculator, weather app, clock and more. And instead of always appearing full-screen, you can run and interact with two, three, four, even six of these tools, all at the same time.
26. Replace the Start menu
If Windows 8's search and navigation tools still leave you pining for the regular Start menu, installing the free Classic Shell will replace it with something very similar.
Install it and you get the standard menu of your installed programs, for instance, along with Search and Run boxes, the Recent Items menu, and Windows 7-type shutdown options. And it can make Windows 8 boot directly to the desktop, too.
Classic Shell doesn't entirely ignore the modern UI world, though. A menu of installed apps enables you to launch them from the desktop, and you can alternatively switch to the Start screen with a click.
27. Learn Windows key shortcuts
Win : switch between the Start screen and the last-running Windows 8 app
Win + C : displays the Charms: the Settings, Devices, Share and Search options
Win + D : launches the desktop
Win + E : launches Explorer
Win + F : opens the File Search pane
Win + H : opens the Share pane
Win + I : opens Settings
Win + K : opens the Devices pane
Win + L : locks your PC
Win + M : minimises the current Explorer or Internet Explorer window (works in the full-screen IE, too)
Win + O : toggles device orientation lock on and off
Win + P : switch your display to a second display or projector
Win + Q : open the App Search pane
Win + R : opens the Run box
Win + U : open the Ease of Access Centre
Win + V : cycle through toasts (notifications)
Win + W : search your system settings (type POWER for links to all power-related options, say)
Win + X : displays a text menu of useful Windows tools and applets
Win + Z : displays the right-click context menu when in a full-screen app
Win + + : launch Magnifier and zoom in
Win + - : zoom out
Win + , : Aero peek at the desktop
Win + Enter : launch Narrator
Win + PgUp : move the current screen to the left-hand monitor
Win + PgDn : move the current screen to the right-hand monitor
Win + PrtSc : capture the current screen and save it to your Pictures folder
Win + Tab : switch between running apps
28. Boot desktop apps faster
While you can still set up desktop apps to load when Windows 8 starts, they don't have the priority they once did. Quite the opposite, in fact - Windows 8 delays their launch to ensure everything else starts more quickly. This can make the system more responsive as your system boots, but if you're switching straight to the desktop then it may slow you down, so it may be worth turning off the delay, just to see if you can spot any improvement.
Launch REGEDIT and browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Serialize.
Create the Serialize key if it doesn't exist, and select it in the left-hand pane.
Right-click in the right-hand pane, create a new DWORD value called StartupDelayInMSec, and leave it set at zero (or, if a value is already there, set it to zero).
Restart and the desktop apps will now launch more quickly. Try three or four test boots to see if there's any improvement, and if not, delete the StartupDelayInMSec value to restore the default settings.
If you're a fan of keyboard shortcuts and don't like the idea of scrolling through app tiles to find the program you need, don't worry, Windows 8 still supports a useful old shortcut. Which is perfect if, say, you're looking to be able to shut down your PC with a click.
Launch the desktop app, right-click an empty part of the desktop and click New > Shortcut.
Browse to the application you'd like to launch here. Or for the sake of this example, enter
shutdown.exe -s -t 00
to shut down your PC, or
shutdown.exe -h -t 00
to hibernate it, and click Next. Type a shortcut name - 'Hibernate', say - and click Finish.
Right-click the shortcut, select Pin to Start and it should appear on the far right of the Start screen - just drag the tile wherever you like.
30. Take intelligent screengrabs
If a Windows 8 application is showing something interesting and you'd like to record it for posterity, then hold down the Windows key, press PrtSc, and the image won't just go to the clipboard: it'll also be automatically saved to your My Pictures folder with the name Screenshot.png (and then Screenshot(1).png, Screenshot(2).png and so on).
You might hope that pressing Win+Alt+PrtSc would similarly save an image of the active window, but no, sadly not. Maybe next time.
31. Default to Photo Viewer
Double-click an image file within Explorer and it won't open in a Photo Viewer window any more, at least not by default. Instead you'll be switched to the full-screen Windows 8 Photos app - bad news if you thought you'd escaped such hassles by using the desktop.
If you'd like to fix this, go to Control Panel > Programs > Default Programs and select Set your default programs.
Scroll down and click Windows Photo Viewer in the Programs list.
Finally, click 'Set this program as default' if you'd like the Viewer to open all the file types it can handle, or select the 'Choose default' options if you prefer to specify which file types it should open. Click OK when you're done.
Use the below Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts to make the most of your Windows 7 experience.
Windows key and the arrow keys
Pressing the Windows key and Left or Right arrow keys will dock the window your viewing to the left or right-hand side of the screen. Pressing the Windows key and the Up arrow will maximize a window and pressing the Windows key and the Down arrow will resize and then minimize the window.
Use Shift: To stretch a window vertically, press the Windows key + Shift + the Up arrow. If you have multiple monitors use the Windows key + Shift + the Left or Right arrow keys to move the window to another monitor.
Windows key and plus and minus keys
If you ever need to zoom in or out of what is being displayed on your screen press the Windows key and the + (plus) or - (minus) keys. Pressing the plus zooms in and once zoomed in the minus will zoom out.
Clear all background programs
If you are not viewing a window in full screen and have other windows open in the background clear all background open windows by pressing the Windows key + the Home key.
Find and run anything in Windows by using the Windows 7 search box. Click the Start orb or press then Windows key and type the name of the program you wish to run or file you wish to edit. Windows 7 will usually do a good job at finding an exact match and simply pressing enter will execute that program or open that file. If more than one match is found, use the up and down arrow keys to select the file you wish to open and then press Enter.Use the Windows 7 search
Running as administrator: Some programs may require administrator mode in order to function properly. You can run any program as administrator from the search box by typing the name of the program you want to run and then instead of pressing Enter to run the program press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to run as administrator. If you want to click and run a program as administrator hold down the Ctrl+Shift and then click the icon.
Take full advantage of the Taskbar
Pin programs to the Taskbar
All programs can be pinned to the Taskbar and allow easy access to your favorite programs without having to use the Start Menu. To Pin a program to the Taskbar right-clickon the program or shortcut to the program and in the menu choose the Pin to Taskbar option. Alternatively you can also drag the icon to the Taskbar.
If you want to remove a pinned program, right-click on the Taskbar icon and click Unpin this program from the Taskbar. Alternatively you can also drag the icon off of the task bar and then click Unpin this program from the Taskbar.
Move the icons and pinned programs
Any pinned or opened program on the Taskbar can be moved and arranged. Left-click on any icon on the Taskbar and drag it to the location you want it to remain.
Windows key and a number
Pressing the Windows key and a number on the top row of your keyboard will open the Window corresponding to the open program on your Taskbar. For example, in the below picture of the Windows 7 Taskbar, Firefox i the first icon, Control panel is the second icon, and Adobe Photoshop is the third icon. If the Windows key + 3 was pressed, Adobe Photoshop would become the active window. To make it even easier arrange your icons (as mentioned above) from left to right by most frequently opened.
Pin your favorite folder
If you frequently access the same folder (e.g. your favorites, my documents, Dropbox, etc.) pin the folder to the Windows Explorer icon on the Taskbar. To do this drag your favorite folder to the Taskbar until you see Pin to Windows Explorer. Once pinned, right-click the Explorer icon to access that folder under the Pinned section.
Open a second instance
If you want to open a second instance or window of a program that is already open, press and hold the Shift key and then click the program icon on the Taskbar.
Get to the Desktop
Click the Desktop button on the far right edge of the Taskbar to get to the Desktop.
Customize the Notification area
Windows Vista and Windows 7 allow the Windows Notification area (aka Systray) to be modified. By default, many of the icons shown in the past are now hidden and give Windows a much cleaner look. Customize this area to make icons show or not show by clicking on the up arrow next to the icons and selecting Customize, as shown in the picture to the right. Once in Customize you can choose what programs show, don't show, or only show notifications.
Improve the quality of your text
Use the Windows ClearType Text Tuner to improve the overall quality of all text you read on your screen. To start the ClearType Text Tuner click the Start Orb and type cttune.exe and press Enter.
Enable and disable Windows 7 features
Turn on and off Windows features by clicking Start, typing features and press enter. In the Programs and Features window on the left-hand column click Turn Windows features on or off and in the Windows Features box check or uncheck the features you want enabled or disabled.
Use the Reliability and Performance Monitor
View the reliability history of your computer by using the Reliability Monitor. Click the Start orb and type reliability and press enter for View Reliability History. In the Reliability Monitor, you'll be able to view the overall reliability of your computer and be able to identify any past problems your computer has had.
If you want to view the performance of your computer in real time use the Performance Monitor. Click the Start orb and type performance and press enter for the Performance Monitor. In the Performance Monitor, you can view your computers performance in real time or view a log of your systems performance.
Re-enable underlined keyboard shortcuts
By default, Windows 7 has the underlines for keyboard shortcuts like those shown in the picture to the right disabled. To re-enable these underlines in all Windows programs follow the below steps.
In Ease of Access click Change how your keyboard works
Finally, check the Underline keyboard shortcuts and access keys and then click Ok.
Rename multiple files at once
To change the name of multiple files at once highlight all the files you wish to rename in Windows Explorer and press the F2 key. Type in the new name you wish to use for all files and press enter. Once done all files will be renamed to the name entered followed by a unique number.
Install Windows Essentials
Install missing Windows software by installing the free Windows Essentials software package that includes: Windows Live Family Safety, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger, SkyDrive for Windows, Windows Movie Maker, Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Live Writer, and Microsoft Outlook Hotmail Connector.
Official Windows Essentials web page and download.
Make the most of your Windows Start screen tiles by adjusting the sizes, where they are located, and what is listed.
Move any tile by clicking and dragging the tile. While moving a tile, if you need a larger view of the Start screen move the tile towards the top or bottom of the screen to zoom out.
Use your mouse wheel to scroll left-to-right through your tiles.
Any Desktop shortcut or program can be pinned to the Start screen by right-clicking the icon and choosing Pin to Start.
In the bottom right-hand corner of the start screen is a magnifying glass with tiles, click this icon to get a zoomed out view of your Start screen. In this view, if you right-click on a group of tiles you'll be given the option to name group, which can be useful if you have a group of related tiles (e.g. games). In this view, you can also click and drag a group to organize your tile groups.
Create a new speed bump between tile groups by moving a tile to a speed bump.
Resize any User tile or Live tile by right-clicking the tile and choosing resize.
If there is a tile you want on your Taskbar, right-click the tile and choose Pin to taskbar.
Show admin applications on the Start screen by clicking Settings in Charms, click Settings, and change the Show administrative tools from No to Yes.
In Internet Explorer 10, you can also pin any of your favorite web pages to your Start Screen.
Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts
Knowing at least some of the Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts will make your Windows 8 experience much more enjoyable. Try to memorize these top Windows 8 shortcut keys.
Press the Windows key to open the Start screen or switch to the Desktop (if open).
Press the Windows key + D will open the Windows Desktop.
Press the Windows key + . to pin and unpin Windows apps on the side of the screen.
Press the Windows key + X to open the power user menu, which gives you access to many of the features most power users would want (e.g. Device Manager and Command Prompt).
The corners on your screen are hot corners and give you access to different Windows features. Below, is a brief explanation of each of these corners.
Bottom Left-hand corner
The bottom left-hand hot corner of the screen will allow you to access the Start screen, if you're in the Start screen and have the Desktop open, this corner will open the Desktop from the Start screen.
Tip: Right-clicking in the left hand corner will open the power user menu.
Top-left corner of the screen
Moving the mouse to the top-left corner and then down will display all the apps running on the computer. Clicking and dragging any of these apps to the left or right-hand side of the screen will snap that app to that side of the screen. Each of these open app icons can also be right-clicked to close or snap.
Right-hand side of the screen
On the full right-hand side of the screen will be given access to the Windows Charms.
Taking advantage of search
The Search in Windows 8 has been significantly improved when compared to all previous versions of Windows. To search for a file or run a program in Windows 8 from the Start screen just start typing what you're trying to find or want to run.
As you begin typing, the results will start appearing on the left-hand side. In addition to being able to search for files and run programs, the Search also supports limiting the search to apps such as Finance, People, Maps, Photos, Mail, Music, Videos, Weather, and much more. If what you are searching for is not a file or program, click on the app you wish to use as the search. For example, if you were searching for "New York" and selected the Weather App you would be shown the weather in New York, NY.
By default, Search organizes the available Apps by how frequently they are used and then in alphabetical order. If you want to keep your favorite app at the top of the Search list, right-click the app and choose Pin. Pinning the app will lock it in place regardless of how often it is used. If there is an app you don't want (e.g. Finance) you can turn on and off any of the search apps through the PC settings, which is found under the Settings in the Charms.
Bonus tip: The Search is also found through Charms and can also be opened by pressing Windows key + F.
Running two apps side by side
Any app can be pinned to the left or right-hand side of the screen. For example, open the People app and then press the Windows Key + . (period) to move that app to the right-hand side of the screen, pressing the same keys again will move it to the left-hand side, and pressing the same keys again will make it full screen. While an app is pinned, any other app or program can be opened and loaded into the available space on the screen. For example, in the below picture, we've opened a browser window and have the People app running to monitor our social networks.
Any open app can also be pinned using your mouse by clicking at the top of the tile and dragging it to the left or right-hand side of the screen.
Bonus tip: The Desktop can also be pinned to the left or right-hand side of the screen.
Note: In order for snap to work properly your resolution must be at least 1,366 x 768.
Windows 8 Task Manager
The Windows 8 Task Manager has been significantly improved over previous versions of Windows. Some of the new changes include showing a total percent usage at the top of your Processes, which makes it easier to determine total memory and CPU usage, improved Performance graphs, a Startup tab to see startup processes and their impact to system performance, and the App history tab (as shown below) that gives you the total resources an app has used over a period of time. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to start exploring the new Task Manager.
Use a picture password to log into your computer
Windows 8 includes a new feature called Picture password, which allows you to authenticate with the computer using a series of gestures that include circles, straight lines, and taps. Enable this feature if you want a new way to access your computer or have a hard time with passwords.
In the PC settings window click Users and then select Create a picture password
Bonus tip: A four digit pin password can also be created and used to access your computer.
Take advantage of Windows 8 apps
Windows 8 comes included with several apps to help you get the most from your computer. Below are just a few of the included apps.
People
Microsoft touts the People feature in Windows 8 because they understand how many people are using social networks today. In the People feature you'll be able to connect your Windows computer to all the major social networks including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Once connected, you can pin the people app and monitor your social network (as shown below), use People in Search to find people, and get an overview of what is happening in all your social networks.
Reader
The Reader app will give you PDF support right out of the box.
SkyDrive
The SkyDrive app will give you access to the Microsoft cloud service SkyDrive, which allows you to store your photos, documents, and other files in the cloud and access or share those files with any computer with Internet access.
Store
Take advantage of the Windows Store and install one or more of the thousands of available apps designed for Windows 8. The Store is found in the Start screen, or use Search to search the Store app for any apps that you are trying to find.
Know the answers to common questions
Windows 8 is the biggest change to Microsoft Windows since the introduction of Windows 95, which was released all the way back in 1995. Since so many people have grown up with Windows, it can be difficult to transition to a new way of doing things. Below, is a short list of the most common questions previous Windows users will have.
Knowing all the new jargon introduced with Windows 8 will help improve your familiarity with Windows 8 and make it a more enjoyable experience. Below, are just a few links to the most commonly used Windows 8 terms.
PART-A 1. How platform independence is achieved in JAVA ? Ans.:- Java is known as platform-neutral language because Java's byte codes are designed to be read, interpreted, and executed in exactly the same manner on any computer hardware or operating system that supports a Java run-time. 2. List any three features of JAVA. Ans.:- The Features of JAVA 1) Simple 2) Object-Oriented 3) Distributed 3. What is Java C, Javadoc and Jdbc? Ans. :- Java C – JavaC is a compiler translates java source code to byte code. Javadoc – Javadoc is used for creates html format documentation from java source file. Jdbc - A programming interface that lets Java applications access a database via the SQL language. Since Java interpreters (Java Virtual Machines) are available for all major client platforms, this allows a platform-independent database application to be written. 4. List different features of OOP. Ans :- The features of OOP. 1) Objects and classes 2) Abstraction 3) Encapsulation 4) Information hiding 5) Inheritance 6) Polymorphism 5. Name different types of Java tokens. Ans. :- The different types of Java tokens are :- 1) Reserved Keywords 2) Identifiers 3) Literals 4) Operators
6. What is the task of the main method in Java program ? Ans.:- After we specify the keywords for declaring the main() method, you specify a String array as parameter of the main() method. The String array represents command line arguments. It is compulsory for a user to specify the parameter to the main() method in all Java programs unlike in C and C++. For example, Class class1 { public static void main (String args[]) { System.out.println ("Hello") } } 7. Why can‟t we use a keyword as a variable name ? Ans.:- Keywords are an essential part of a language definition. They implement specific features of the language. Java language has reserved 60 words as keywords. These keywords have specific meaning in Java, so you cannot use them as names for variables. 8. Why main method in Java is declared as static ? Ans.:- The keyword static helps to specify that the main() method can be called without instantiating an object of a class. This is necessary because the main() method is called by the Java interpreter before any objects are created. public static void main (String args[]) {//code} After specifying the keyword static, you specify the void keyword. This keyword indicates to the compiler that, the main() method does not return a value. 9. Write an equivalence of switch statement and if statement. Ans.:-equivalence of switch statement is if and the equivalence of if statement is if else. 10. Constructor is_____________. Ans.:- used to initialize the objects of the class and has the same name as that of its class.PART - B 1. a) What is inheritance and how one can achieve code reusability? Explain with an example. Ans.:-Inheritance in object oriented programming means that a class of objects can inherit properties from another class of objects. When Inheritance occurs, one class is then referred to as the „parent class‟ or super class‟ or „base class‟. Inheritance is an important concept since it allows reuse of class definition without requiring major code changes, inheritance can mean just reusing code , or can mean that you have used a whole class of object with all its variables and functions For ex, the bike is a part of the class two wheelers, which is again a part of the vehicle as: Vehicle Attributes: Model: Make Two Wheeler Attributes: No. of wheels Four Wheeler Attributes: No. of wheels Bike Attributes: Scooter Attributes: Car Attributes Van Attributes b) What is a class? How does it accomplish data hiding? Explain with example. Ans.:- Class is a template that defines a particular type of object. Classes contain all the features of a particular set of objects. We can use the class definition to create objects of that of class type, that is, to create objects that incorporate all the features belonging to that class. Each object of the class will have its own copy of each of the instance variables that appear in the class definition. Each object will have its own values for each instance variable. The name 'instance variable' originates from the fact that an object is an 'instance' or an occurrence of a class and the values stored in the instance variables for the object differentiate the object from others of the same class type. An instance variable is declared within the class definition in the usual way, with a type name and a variable name, and can have an initial value specified. A given class will only have one copy of each of its class variables, and these will be shared between all the objects of the class. The class variables exist even if no objects of the class have been created. They belong to the class, and they can be referenced by any object or class, and not just instances of that class. Ex:- we might define a motorcycle class that describes the features of all motorcycles . the motorcycle class serves as an abstract model for the concept of a motorcycle-to interact with each type of motorcycle,we should have a concrete instance of that motorcycle. 2. a) Compare in terms of their functions and semantics the following pairs of statements: i) do while and while Ans.:- The difference between the do-while statement and the while statement is that in the while statement, the loop body is executed only when the condition stated in the statement is true. In the do-while loop, the loop body is executed at least once, regardless of the condition evaluating to true or false. The while loop is also called the top tested loop whereas the do-while loop is also called the bottom tested loop. ii) while and for Ans.:- In the for loop, three sections, initialization, test condition and increment/decrement are placed in the same line whereas in the while loop, all three sections are placed in three different places in a program. In the for loop, more than one variable can be initialized, tested and incremented at a time. iii) nested if and switch Ans.:-The difference between nested if and switch statement is if allows complex expressions in the condition while switch wants a constant we can't accidentally forget the break between ifs but you can forget the else (especially during cut'n'paste) switch is usually more compact than lots of nested if else and therefore, more readable If you omit the break between two switch cases, you can fall through to the next case in many C-like languages. With if else you'd need a go to (which is not very nice to your readers ... if the language supports go to at all. iv) break and continue. Ans.:- The continue statement stops the current iteration of a loop and immediately starts the next iteration of the same loop. When the current iteration of a loop stops, the statements after the continue statement in the loop are not executed. The break statement immediately terminates the loop, bypassing the conditional expression and any remaining code in the body of the loop. When a break statement is encountered inside the loop, the loop is terminated and program control resumes the next statement following the loop. b) Write a program to find sum of the following harmonic series for a given value of n 1+ 1/2 + 1/3 + . . . .+ 1/n. Ans.:- public class Series { double total; public void calculate(int n) { for(double ctr=1;ctr<=n;ctr++) { total=total+1/ctr; } System.out.println("Sum of harmonic series: "+total); } public static void main(String a[]) { Series object=new Series(); int num=Integer.parseInt(a[0]); object.calculate(num); } } 3. a) Explain different data types in Java with example. Ans.:- DATA TYPES IN JAVA byte: It is the smallest integer type. This is a signed 8-bit type and has a range from -128 to 127. For example, the following declaration declares two variables B and C of type byte. byte b,c; b =2; c = -114; short: It is a signed 16-bit type and has a range from -32,768 to 32,767. For example, the following declaration declares variable K of type short. short k; k = 2; int: It is a signed 32-bit type and has a range from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647. For example, int x = 10; int j = 98; long: This is signed 64-bit type and has a range from -263 to 263 -1. For example, long ds = 1000; long se; se =ds * 24 * 60 * 60; double: It uses 64 bits to store a value. For example, double P, R; P = 10.8; R =3.14215; float: It uses 32 bits to store a value. For example, float x; x = -1111; int : It uses 32 bits to store a value. For example, Int score; Score=90; char: this data type is used to store characters. It is 16-bit type and has a range from 0 to 65,536. For example, char c1,c2; c1 =84; c2 ='g'; boolean: it can have only one of two possible values, true or false. For example, boolean flag; flag= false; b) Describe the structure of a typical Java program. Ans. :- :- A Java program may contain many classes of which only one class defines a main method. Classes contain data members and methods. Methods of a class operate on the data members of the class. Methods may contain data type declarations and executable statements. To write a Java program, we first define classes and then put them together. A Java program may contain one or more sections as shown in the following figure: Documentation Section Suggested Package Statement Optional Import Statements Optional Interface Statements Optional Class Definitions Essential Main Method class { Main Method Definition } Essential General Structure Of a Java program Documentation Section The documentation section comprises a set of comment lines giving the name of the program, the author and other details. Java also uses the comment /**...*/ known as documentation comment. Package Statement The first statement allowed in a Java file is a package statement. This statement declares a package name and informs the compiler that the classes defined here belong to this package. Example: package student; Import Statement The next thing after a package statement (but before any class definitions) may be a number of import statements. This is similar to the #include statement in C++. Example: import student.test; This statement instructs the interpreter to load the test class contained in the package student. Interface Statements An interface is like a class but includes a group of method declarations. This is also an optional section and is used only when we wish to implement the multiple inheritance feature in the program. Class Definitions A Java program may contain multiple class definitions. Classes are the primary and essential elements of a Java program. 4. a) What is JVM ? How does it help to achieve platform independence? If JVM is available for windows then can we run program written on Unix platform ? Comment. Ans.:-Java compiler produces an intermediate code known as byte code for a machine that does not exist . this machine is called JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE (JVM). . Java is known as platform-neutral language because Java's byte codes are designed to be read, interpreted, and executed in exactly the same manner on any computer hardware or operating system that supports a Java run-time. Yes. One of the fundamental principles of Java is "write once, run anywhere." This means that Java source code can run on any platform for which a JVM exists, regardless of where the original code was developed b) How are data and method organized in an object oriented program ? Illustrate the same for car object. Ans.:- In an object-oriented program, a set of variables and functions used to describe an object constitutes a "class". A class defines the structure and behavior (data and method) that will be shared by a set of objects. Each object of a given class contains the structure and behavior defined by the class, as if it were stamped out of a mould in the shape of a class. A class is a logical construct. An object has physical reality. When we create a class, you will specify the code and data that will constitute that class. Collectively, these elements are called the members of the class. Specifically, the data defined by the class are referred to as member variables or instance variables. The code that operates on that data is referred to as member methods or just methods, which define the use of the member variables. 5. a) Distinguish between the following terms: i) Dynamic binding and message passing. Ans.:- Dynamic binding in java is the mechanism by which compiler cannot determine which method implementation to use in advance. Based on the class of the object, the runtime system selects the appropriate method at runtime. Dynamic binding is also needed when the compiler determines that there is more than one possible method that can be executed by a particular call. Java's program units, classes, are loaded dynamically (when needed) by the Java run-time system. Loaded classes are then dynamically linked with existing classes to form an integrated unit. The lengthy link-and-load step required by third-generation programming languages is eliminated. Message Passing: In an object based world the only way for anything to happen is by objects communicating with each other and acting on the results. This communication is called message passing and involves one object sending a message to another and (possibly) receiving a result. ii) Inheritance and polymorphism. Ans.:- Inheritance in object-oriented programming means that a class of objects can inherit properties from another class of objects. When inheritance occurs, one class is then referred as the 'parent class' or 'super class' or 'base class'. In turn, these serve as a pattern for a 'derived class' or 'subclass'. Inheritance is an important concept since it allows reuse of class definition without requiring major code changes. Inheritance can mean just reusing code, or can mean that you have used a whole class of object with all its variables and functions. Polymorphism: It is a key concept in object-oriented programming. Poly means many, morph means change (or 'form'). Polymorphism is simply a name given to an action that is performed by similar objects. Polymorphism allows a common data-gathering message to be sent to each class and allows each subclass object to respond to a message format in an appropriate manner to its own properties. Polymorphism encourages something we call 'extendibility'. In other words, an object or a class can have its uses extended. b) What are the difference between C and Java ?How Java and C++ are similar? Ans.:- 6. a) Define programming. What are the types of programming? Explain. Ans.:- Programming:- a programming is a specific set of ordered operations for a computer to perform . UNSTRUCTURED PROGRAMMING In an unstructured programming the main program directly operates on global data. PROCEDURAL PROGRAMMING With procedural programming we are able to combine returning sequence of statements into one single place . a procedure call is used to invoke the procedure. MODULAR PROGRAMMING With modular programming procedures of a common functionality are grouped together into separate modules. A program therefore no longer consists of only one single part. OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING In object oriented programming, a complex system is decomposed in accordance to the key abstractions of the problem. It is a method of implementation in which programs are organized as co-operative collection of objects, each of which representation an instance of some class and whose classes all members of a hierarchy of classes united in inheritance relationships. b) Explain bitwise operators in Java with example. Ans.:- BITWISE OPERATORS SHIFT AND LOGICAL OPERATORS A shift operator allows you to perform bit manipulation on data. OPERATOR USE OPERATION >> Op1 >> op2 Shift bits of op1 right by distance op2 << Op1 << op2 Shift bits of op1 left by distance op2 >>> Op1>>> op2 Shift bits of op1 right by distance op2 Each shift operator shifts the bits of the left-hand operand over by the number of positions indicated by the right- hand operand. Ex. – 13 >> 1 The binary representation of the number 13 is 1101. The result of the shift operations is 1101 shifted to the right by one position -1106 or 6 in decimal. The java programming language also provides these four operators that perform logical functions on their operands :- OPERATOR USE OPERATION & Op1 & op2 Bitwise and | Op1 | op2 Bitwise or ^ Op1 ^ op2 Bitwise x or ~ Op1 ~ op2 Bitwise complement The & operation performs the logical “and” function on each parallel pair of bits in each operand . the “and” function sets the resulting bit of 1 if both operands are 1 . Op1 Op2 RESULT 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 Suppose we were to “and” the values 12 and 13 12 & 13 The result of this operation is 12. Because the binary representation of 13 is 1101. The “and” function sets the resulting bit to 1 if both to 1 if both operand bits are 1, otherwise, the resulting bit is 0. 7. a) List and explain different types of loops in Java. Ans. :- Loops in java While loop· Do loop· For loop , continue and break statement· THE WHILE LOOP The while statement contains a condition and a loop body. the condition is enclosed within parentheses. All the variables used in the condition of the while statement must be initialized before the while loop. The values of the variables used in the condition must be changed in the loop body. Otherwise, the condition may always remain true and the loop may never terminate. Syntax: While (test condition) { Body of the loop True }; Condition Statement Ex.- Class numbers { Public state void main(String args[]) { Int n = 0 ; Int num = 5; While (n <= num) { System.out.println(n); N++ } } } DO STATEMENT Similar to the while statement, the do-while statement is a lopp statement provided by java. The statement helps to perform certain repetitive actions depending on a condition. The major difference between the do-while statement and the while statement is that in the while statement, the loop body is executed only when the condition stated in the statement is true. We can use the do-while loop in situations where an action must be performed at least once without evaluating the condition. Program to print the numbers from 1 to 5 Class numbers { Public static void main (string args[]) { Syntax: While (test condition) { do Body of the loop }; False True While Condition Statement Int n=0; Int num = 5; Do { System.out.println(n); N++; } While(n<=5); } } FOR STATEMENTS To manage iterative actions, java provides the for statement as an efficient alternative to the while statement. The statement creates to loop in which a set of statements is repeatedly executed until the specified condition becomes false. The syntax of the for statement is For(initialization expression; test condition; update expressions) { Statement1; Statement2; } The for statement starts with the for keyword. b) What is polymorphism? Explain method overriding with example and prove that it is a polymorphism. Ans.:- :- Polymorphism (from the Greek, meaning "many forms") is a feature that allows one interface to be used for a general class of actions. The specific action is determined by the exact nature of the situation. Ex.- a stack (which is a last-in, first-out list). You might have a program that requires three types of stacks. One stack is used for integer values, one for floating-point values, and one for characters. METHOD OVERRIDING In the class hierarchy, when a method in a subclass has the same name and type signature as method in the superclass, then the method in the subclass is said to override the method in superclass. class Book { //super class defined String name = “JAVA PROGRAMMING” ; int id = “34567”; void show ( ) { System.out.println( “Book name is “ +name); System.out.println( “Book id is “ +id); } } Save this file as book.java and compile. This is our Base Class class Book1 extends Book { // This is the subclass String author = “micheal janson”; void show ( ) { System.out.println( “Book name is “ +name); System.out.println( “Book id is “ +id); System.out.println( “The author name is “ +author); } public static void main(String args[ ] ) { Book1 x = new Book1( ); x.show(); } } 8. a) What is a parameterized constructor? Explain its usage with an example. Ans:- A parameterized constructor in java is just a constructor which take some kind of parameter (variable) when is invoked. For example. class MyClass { //this is a normal constructor public MyClass(){ //do something } //this is a parameterized constructor public MyClass(int var){ //do something } //this is another parameterized constructor public MyClass(String var, Integer var2){ //do something } } b) Explain the methods (i) Trim Ans. :- The trim method returns a copy of the invoking string from which any leading and trailing white space has been removed. It has the general form String trim ( ); class altStr{ public static void main (String args[ ]) { String str = "Hello"; String str2 = "Java"; str = str.toUpperCase(); str2 = str2.toLowerCase(); System.out.println (str); // HELLO System.out.println (str2);// java str = str.concat(str2); // str now equals "HELLO java" System.out.println (str); str = str.trim(); // str now equals "HELLOjava" System.out.println (str); str = str.substring (5,str.length()); // str = "java" System.out.println (str); str = str.replace ('a', 'i'); // str = "jivi" System.out.println (str); } } ii) substring The subString method is used to create new instances of the class String from existing instances. The new string is specified by giving the required index range within the existing string. String substring(int startIndex) This returns the sub string that starts at startIndex and runs to the end of the invoking string. String substring(int start Index, int endIndex) This returns the substring that starts at startindex and runs through endIndex-1; iii) length The length of a string is the number of characters that it contains. To obtain this value call a length method. int length(); class strCmp { public static void main (String args[ ]) { String str = "Hello"; String str2 = "Java"; System.out.println (str.equals(str2)); // false System.out.println (str.compareTo(str2)); // a negative number, i.e. str is less than str2 System.out.println (str.charAt(0)); // H, i.e. char is position 0 System.out.println (str.length() + str2.length()); // 5 + 4 = 9 } } Windows 7 & 8 Tips
Customize the Notification area
By default, Windows 7 has the underlines for keyboard shortcuts like those shown in the picture to the right disabled. To re-enable these underlines in all Windows programs follow the below steps.
