Rename Recycle Bin

Recycle Bin is a folder on Windows desktop where the files you delete are stored until you do not empty the Recycle Bin. The benefit of the Recycle Bin folder is you can restore the files that you might have accidentally deleted. Various computer users use different name for Recycle Bin. Few of the common names that have been using to refer Recycle Bin are garbage collector, garbage box, trash box, e-waste box, etc. Apart from this, some witty computer users also refer the Recycle Bin with humorous names like Kachre-Ka-Dibba, Software-Disposal, etc. Using different slangs for referring Recycle Bin in daily jargon is quite easy and soothing; but changing the name of Recycle Bin to the name you use for it in your daily jargon is not that easy. To change the name of Recycle Bin, you have to modify some Registry entries, which is the work of experts. But, after executing the following steps, you can also modify its name to a different name:

1. Click Start > Run.
2. Type Regedit in the Run window and press the OK button.
3. In Registry window expand the HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows >ShellNoRoam.
4. Click the MUICache option. A list of the available registry entries appears on the right side of Registry window.
5. Now, locate the @C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll,-8964 key in that list.
6. After you have located the key, double-click the key. The Edit String window opens.

7. Now, replace the text “Recycle Bin” with the name that you want for it and Click the OK button.
8. Restart the computer.

In this way, you can modify the name of Recycle Bin. However, while modifying the name of Recycle Bin, if you modify any wrong registry entry then the function related to that registry key can be affected. Therefore, be careful while playing with registry entries.

What is Document Develpoment Life Cycle (DDLC)

The Document Development Life Cycle (DDLC) is a sequential collection of various phases that are used by a technical writer to create a well structured and information rich technical document. To achieve success in the field of technical writing, a technical writer should have conceptual knowledge of DDLC. Various phases of DDLC are:



Project Analysis
It is the first phase of DDLC in which a technical writer analyze the project requirement, audience level, and tools that will be used in the project. The project requirement helps a technical writer to know about the type and use of the technical document. The audience level informs a technical writer about the reader level i.e. who will be the reader of the document. On the basis of the reader level complexity of the document is decided. For example, if the reader level is beginner or beginner to intermediate then the document will be scripted in a very simple language including lots of illustrations. But if the audience level is intermediate, intermediate to advance, or advance then the language can be flowery. The tools are decided on the basis of the project type. For example, if the document is an online user guide then RoboHelp should be used while in case of user manual MS-Word is used.



Project Designing
This phase includes the content collection and content representation that is how the content should be represented, what should be the format to represent the content, what should be page numbers for the required document, projects completion date, and so on. A technical writer has many sources to collect the content, such as his/her knowledge about the technology, audience research, Subject Matter Expert (SME), and Internet. The best source for a technical writer to collect the information is Internet and SME. Therefore, a technical writer must have good idea about the project requirement to use these resources. A good bunch of information helps a technical writer to prepare good, concise, and information rich document on the projected time.



Developing the Content
In this phase of DDLC, the actual content is scripted on the basis of the project design, which has been created in the preceding phase. The required illustrations and graphics are also prepared and inserted in the document.



Editing the Content
This phase of DDLC includes the document’s editing, which is done on the basis of the format designed/selected in the project designing phase.



Proof-Reading the Content
In this phase of DDLC, a technical writer reads the scripted document to find and correct the spelling errors and maintain the data consistency.



Content Maintenance
In this phase, a backup of the document is taken for future use.

7 Ways to Increase Computer Performance

High performance of a computer system is the factor that every computer user looks for. Here, from the phrase high performance of a computer system, I mean the speed of a computer that is how fast a computer responses you. For example, you are trying to open a document but your computer takes more time to open the document then the usual time required to open the document. This means your computer’s performance is low. There can be many reasons for a system’s low performance, such as hardware configuration, temporary files, and startup programs. If your computer is showing low performance, you need to consider following tasks:

• Checking the hardware configuration
• Executing the disk cleanup
• Performing the virus scan
• Uninstalling the unused programs
• Customizing the startup programs
• Cleaning your desktop
• Using a pen drive

Checking the Hardware Configuration

A system with good hardware configuration provides good performance. If your system is giving low performance then first check its hardware configurations. To get a better performance from Windows Vista, your system’s hardware configuration should be as follows:
• Pentium IV processor with 3.00 GHZ speed or Core 2 Duo
• 1 GB RAM
If your system’s hardware configuration is less than the aforementioned configuration, you need to upgrade your system. You can know the hardware configuration of your system by executing the following step:

Select Start -> Control Panel -> System.

Executing the Disk Cleanup

When you work on a computer, Windows creates some temporary files that may reduce your computer’s performance. Therefore, you should continuously remove those temporary files. Apart from this, a computer contains a large number of files and folders among which some are not of your use. You should compress those files and folders. Compressing old files and folders increases the hard disk space while reduces the space for operating system to search for files and folders. This also increases your computer’s performance. You should also empty Recycle Bin folder because the files and folders present in this folder also consume disk space. You can perform these entire tasks by executing the Windows disk cleanup utility. Let’s now perform the following steps to execute the Windows disk cleanup utility:

1. Select Start -> All Programs -> Accessories –> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup. The Disk Cleanup dialog box appears.

2. Select the system drive you want to clean and click the Ok button. Now, the system starts searching for the files and folders to free the disk space.

3. After the searching of files and folders completes, the Disk Cleanup dialog box appears again. This time it shows the space that can be cleaned. System segregates the searched files and folders in to various categories, such as temporary files and files and folders present into Recycle bin.

4. Select the check boxes besides various categories in the Disk Cleanup dialog box.

5. Click the Ok button after selecting the check boxes. The Disk Cleanup dialog box appears again to confirm the disk cleanup process.

6. Click the Delete Files button to confirm and continue the disk cleanup process. The disk cleanup process starts. After the disk cleanup process completes, the Disk Cleanup dialog box disappears.

Performing Virus Scan

A virus is a program that harms your computer and reduces computer’s performance. The most common reason for a computer to come in contact of viruses is Internet surfing. When you surf Internet then many viruses may attack your computer and slow down your computer’s performance. To get rid of viruses, you should execute an antivirus installed on your computer on regular time intervals.

Uninstalling the Unused Programs

An operating system contains many programs installed in it. Those programs use the computer’s memory even when you do not use them. Therefore, you should uninstall the programs that are not of your use. You can uninstall the programs on Windows Vista by performing the following steps:

1. Click Start -> Control Panel. The Control Panel window appears.

2. Select the Classic View on the left pane and then double-click the Programs and Features option. A list of the programs installed on your system appears.

3. Select the program that you want to uninstall.

4. Right-click the mouse and select the Uninstall option.

A wizard to uninstall the selected program opens. Follow that wizard to uninstall the selected program.

Customizing the Startup Programs

Many programs load into computer memory on its startup along with the programs that are required to run the operating system. You may not need to use all of the programs that automatically start on computer startup. However, you are not using these programs; they utilize computer’s memory and therefore, reduce the performance of your computer. Some of the programs, such as Yahoo messenger, MSN messenger, Google talk, Google updates, Winamp, Adobe updates, and so on start automatically on computer startup. You should change these programs’ settings so that they will not start automatically. In Windows Vista, you can manage startup programs by performing the following steps:

1. Select Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt. The command prompt appears.

2. Type msconfig in windows command prompt. The System Configuration dialog box appears.

3. Select the Startup tab. It displays the list of the programs that startup automatically on computer startup.

4. Uncheck the programs that you do not want to start automatically on computer startup and click the Apply button.

5. Click the Ok button. Now restart the system to make the changes effective.

Cleaning your Desktop

When you start a computer, operating system loads the desktop items. Therefore, if your desktop contains more items, computer takes more time to boot and affects the system performance. You should not place heavy files and folders on desktop rather you should create shortcut of files and folders on desktop for their easy access. Shortcuts consume less computer memory than complete files and folders. A computer, which only contains shortcuts on desktop perform much better than a computer that contains heavy files and folders on desktop. You should take care about cleaning your desktop for better computer performance.

Using a Flash Drive

Yes, it is possible to get better speed in Windows Vista and Windows 7 without upgrading Random Access Memory (RAM). In Windows Vista and Windows 7 it has become possible with the help of ReadyBoost feature. The ReadyBoost helps you use a pen drive or any other flash drive as cache memory in addition with the available RAM in your computer system. The ReadyBoost feature saves your cost to upgrade RAM. It only utilizes the space available in a flash drive to use that as the RAM; therefore, you also do not need to remove available content from your flash drive. The ReadyBoost feature increases your computer's speed by utilizing the space available in your flash drive. Let's now perform the following steps to enable the ReadyBoost feature:

1. Attach a flash drive in the USB port of your CPU.
2. Select Start -> Computer in Windows start program menu. The Computer window appears.
3. Right-click the drive and select the Properties option. The Properties dialog box appears.
4. Now, select the ReadyBoost tab. It displays the following two radio buttons:

• Do not use this device: This radio button is selected by default. Enabling this radio button means you cannot use a drive to add additional memory in your computer.
• Use this device: This radio button allows you to use a flash drive as additional memory.

5. Select the Use this device radio button. Now, you need to reserve the drive space to be used as the cache memory. The space you reserve to use as the cache memory cannot be used to store items in the attched drive.
6. Move the slider on left or right side to specify the drive space that you want to reserve as cache memory.
7. Click the Apply button.
8. Click the Ok button.

A ReadyBoost Cache file will be created in your pen drive that Windows Vista uses as the additional cache memory. This file does not harm any other files on your computer. When you remove the pen drive from your computer and again attach, Windows Vista automatically uses it as additional cache memory. If you do not want to use the pen drive as cache memory for more, enable the Do not use this device radio button before removing the pen drive.

Increase Internet Speed by 20%

Every Internet user wants higher speed even when s/he has low bandwidth Internet connection. Whatever the Internet speed you have been leveraged, you only use the 80% of that speed. This is because the Windows operating system reserves the 20% of the Internet speed for automatic Windows updates. Whenever you connect with Internet, your operating system starts searching for Windows updates. After finding the updates, it starts updating the Windows. This reduces your Internet speed by 20%. You can use this 20% of the reserved Internet speed to surf Internet much faster than earlier. Windows provides you an editor called Group Policy Object editor (gpedit.msc) to set the reserved Internet speed to 0%. Perform the following steps to utilize 100% of the Internet speed you have been paying for:

1. Select Start –> All Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt. The Command Prompt window appears.

2. Type gpedit.msc and press the ENTER key. The Group Policy Object editor window appears.

3. Double-click the Local Computer Policy object in the left pane. It displays a hierarchy.

4. Expand the Computer Configuration branch.

5. Expand the Administrative Templates branch.

6. Expand the Network branch and select the QoS Packet Scheduler branch. It displays the various QoS Packet Scheduler items in the right pane of the Group Policy Object editor window.

7. Double-click the Limit reservable bandwidth option. The Limit reservable bandwidth Properties dialog box appears.

8. Select the Enabled radio button and sets the Bandwidth limit (%) to 0%.

9. Click the Apply button.

10. Click the Ok button.

Now, you can utilize the 100% of the Internet speed.

Skills of a Technical Writer

Technical writer is a person who develops the technical documents. Various organizations assign different titles to such candidates who develop technical documents, such as document developer, instructional designer, or technical content developer. There is no specific education required for a person to be a technical writer. However, the minimum requirement is graduation in any stream. You don't need to have any technical degree in your hand. However, many organizations, especially software organizations seek candidates with degrees, such as BCA, MCA, BE, and B.Tech. The basic skills required to come in this profession are:

Writing Ability: It is not required for a candidate be an expert in any technology but s/he must have flair of writing simple, customized, concise, and error free documents. Candidate must be grammatically well sound. If you are not grammatically sound then you cannot join this emerging field of writing. Capability to write on diverse topics is an essential requirement and advantage for those who want to join this filed.

Analytical Nature: The candidate must have the capability to analyze the available content/information and to create good technical documents on that analysis.

Information Gathering: The information gathering skills of a candidate makes him/her successful in his/her the field of technical writing. If you have flair of writing but don't have the capability to gather the relevant information for a technical document then you are considered as a waste for an organization. Technical writing revolves around the information gathering. A technical writer can gather information from various sources, such as Internet, books, and pre-written documents. Whatever be the source you use to gather the information, be ensure that the gathered information must be represented in simple and understandable form. A technical writer may need to interview Subject Matter Expert (SME) to gather information. It is not an easy task to collect the relevant information from SME because SME is a very busy person and might not give you the sufficient time to grab the information. Therefore, you must have the impressive communication skills to interview the SME and gather as much as the information you can from SME in a short period of time.

Quick Learning and Adaptive Capability: You must have to be a quick learner with the capability to grab the new concepts in a short time period. With the growth of economy, various new products are being launched in the market. Before creating any document related to those products, you have to learn them and grab their concepts. Therefore, quick learning becomes a vital requirement for a technical writer.

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