Operating Systems Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-08-2023

Whether you’ve purchased a new Mac with macOS Ventura pre-installed or you’ve upgraded from a previous version of macOS, you’ll find that Ventura makes your computer easier to use and offers myriad improvements to make you more productive. This Cheat Sheet includes information on things you should never do to your Mac; a compendium of useful and timesaving keyboard shortcuts; recommendations for backing up data; and website recommendations for smart Ventura users.

Step by Step / Updated 05-03-2023

Setting up a firewall is an effective way to protect your computer from outside cyber attackers and malicious software. But keep in mind that by setting up a firewall, you are changing the way your computer communicates with other computers on the Internet. The firewall blocks all incoming communications unless you set up a specific inbound exception in the Windows firewall to let a program in. Some of your programs won’t respond until they receive a signal via the Internet. If you have a program that doesn’t poke its own hole through the Windows Firewall, you can tell the firewall to allow packets destined for that specific program — and only that program — in through the firewall.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-15-2022

Whether you’ve purchased a new Mac with macOS Monterey pre-installed or you’ve upgraded from a previous version of macOS, you’ll find that Monterey makes your Mac easier to use and offers myriad improvements to make you more productive. This Cheat Sheet includes information on things you should never do to your Mac; a compendium of useful and timesaving keyboard shortcuts; a discussion of when folders are too full and when (and when not) to create subfolders; recommendations for backing up data; and a short discussion of iDevices and Continuity.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-01-2022

Linux can fulfill almost any need you have for the operating system on a desktop computer, but you must be able to tell it what you want to do in a way that it understands. You need to know common commands and how to access the help pages.

Step by Step / Updated 08-02-2022

When you use a firewall — and you should — you change the way your computer communicates with other computers on the Internet. The firewall blocks all incoming communications unless you open a port in the Windows firewall to let a specific IP communicate with your computer. For example, if you want to play many online games. Most first-time firewallers are overwhelmed by the idea of opening a port. Although open ports are a security threat, sometimes you truly need to open one. Still, you may need to open a port to enable a specific application. For example, when you select the check box to allow Remote Desktop, you’re opening port 3389. That’s the security price you pay for enabling programs to talk to each other.In general, if you need to open a specific port, the documentation for the program (game, torrent downloader, file sharer) will tell you . . . assuming you read the program’s manual.

Article / Updated 07-15-2022

You might think that simply moving a file or folder to the \Public folder in Windows 10 would make it, well, public. At least to a first approximation, that’s exactly how things work. But, there’s a little more to making files “public” in Windows 10. Any file or folder you put in the Windows 10 \Public folder, or any folder inside the \Public folder, can be viewed, changed, or deleted by all the people who are using your computer, regardless of which kind of account they may have and whether they’re required to log in to your computer. In addition, anybody who can get into your Windows 10 computer through the network will have unlimited access. The \Public folder is (if you’ll pardon a rather stretched analogy) a big cookie jar, open to everybody who is in the kitchen. (For more details, and important information about Public networks and big-company domains, check out Networking All-in-One For Dummies, 7th Edition, by Doug Lowe [Wiley].) Follow these easy steps to move a file or folder from one of the built-in personal folders (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, or Videos) into its corresponding location in one of the \Public folders: Tap or click the File Explorer icon in the taskbar. Navigate to the file or folder that you want to move into the \Public folder. Here, the Quick Access Pictures folder was double-clicked to get to Pictures. Right-click the folder or file you want to move in Windows 10, and choose Cut. In this case, the user wanted to move the Thailand folder, so the user cut it. Navigate to the \Public folder where you want to move the folder or file.This is more difficult than you might think. In general, on the left of File Explorer, double-click This PC (scroll down on your Windows 10 computer if necessary to see it), then scroll way down and double-click or tap Local Disk (C:). Then double-click Users, then Public. You see the list of Public folders. Double-click the \Public folder you want to use. Then right-click inside the folder, and choose Paste.In this case, the user double-clicked Public Pictures and pasted the Thailand folder into the Public Pictures folder. From that point on, the photos are available to anybody who uses the Windows 10 computer and to people who connect to that computer. (It may also be available to other computers connected to your network, workgroup, or domain, depending on various network settings.)

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-25-2022

To get Ubuntu Linux up and running, get help provided in the Boot Prompt Function Keys section and take advantage of the straightforward, helpful commands.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-05-2022

Windows 10 comes jam-packed with features. Here are shortcuts and tips for using the keyboard, mouse, and Ribbon to get fast access to the most commonly used commands. You'll be commanding Windows 10 in no time!

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-05-2022

Whether you've purchased a new Mac with macOS High Sierra preinstalled or you've upgraded from a previous version of macOS, you'll find that macOS High Sierra makes your Mac easier to use and offers myriad improvements to make you more productive. Get additional information on things you should never do to your Mac, a compendium of useful and timesaving keyboard shortcuts, a discussion of when folders are too full and when (and when not) to create subfolders, recommendations for backing up data, and a short discussion of iDevices and Continuity.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-15-2022

PowerShell 5.1 is the current released version of Windows PowerShell and is the version that ships with Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019. It is installed by default on these newer operating systems, but it’s also available for install on Windows Server 2008 R2 with Service Pack1, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2012 R2. The last three operating systems must have Windows Management Framework 5.1 installed to support PowerShell 5.1.