Share a tech tip with the person before you.

Basic idea. Share a little tech tip with the person before you, preferably something not completely obscure and more general or related to what we do around here. Even if it is somewhat obvious to you it might not be to others, many of us around here are self taught which can lead to some interesting gaps.


Notepad++ (the code it comes from is also used in Geany in linux and co). Arguably the premier open source windows text editor replacement (it is available as an option on https://ninite.com/ ).
The tip
Column select.
Hold alt and click and drag.
When combined with fixed width text it is so useful for a lot of things, especially ones where you have to do repeated actions, basic database ish work (trim columns from data, add things in the middle) and can not be bothered to fiddle with regular expressions.
 

nero99

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Never power on two high end computers on the same outlet that has a weak curcit. That's how to you break your pcie slots. Also, if you overclock your gpu with msi afterburner, hit the little button that says "apply on start up" to use your overclock at all times.
 

Darth Meteos

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A fat PS2 is much more valuable than a slim one, but they are priced very cheaply. If you're interested in a minimally expensive softmod, it's a good investment. HD loading really cuts down on the wait times, too, so games like Gran Turismo 3 run like you've never seen before.
 
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Alti

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Don't use a paperclip as a jig for your Switch, it has increased chance of damaging the contacts and your JoyCon won't be so Joyful about that.
 

RattletraPM

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Here's a few that should be a given but some people still ignore:
  • Did you buy an used/refurb PC? Did it come with a preinstalled OS? If so, it's a good idea to format the drive and reinstall everything from scratch - the computer may be infected with malware either purposely or unwillingly. Get a copy of your OS of choice from a trusted source and make a fresh install, remembering to back up any licences if needed. Better safe and sorry, especially considering it doesn't take a whole lot to do so.

  • If you're selling, giving away or throwing out a PC then always, always, always secure erase your drive(s). Most modern drives support an ATA command that can wipe off all the data in a very secure and relatively fast way, you can read about it here. If you can't do that or prefer an easier solution, Windows and macOS both have simple GUIs that can easily do it for you and Linux has a plethora of options, starting with the basic dd. Giving away your drive without doing so is like hiding your house's key under the doormat: maybe your average joe won't notice or care, but someone even with a basic IT knowledge and malicious intentions will have access to some if not all your private data left there.

  • Do you want to help reduce Wi-Fi interference while also making your hotspot more secure? If you get good signal reception all around your house, check if your router is broadcasting at full power and if so, try setting it to medium or even low. By setting a lower broadcasting power you will help both yourself (by reducing interference inside your house - yes, Wi-Fi signals can interfere with other devices!) and your neighbors (by reducing channel interference if yours is overlapping with theirs) while also telling a potential script kiddie to bugger off by physically reducing the distance your AP can be picked on (and this last point is especially helpful if someone is able to connect from outside your house).
Another less-known one but still useful while I'm at it:
  • Do you have a laptop with a full-sized SD card reader? Put of those microSD to SD adapter into it and leave it in when you head out if it doesn't stick out too much. Not only it'll act as a dust protector for the slot but it may come in handy if you need to read a microSD on the fly.
 
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oji

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If you're on a current version of Windows 10 & need some Linux command-line tools, search for WSL (or exact distro name like Ubuntu, Kali, SUSE etc) in the store. For a GUI support, install Xming X or another X Window server, compatibility isn't best but should work for many apps.
 
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pasc

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If you use Windows, make sure to learn some Autohotkey.
Especiall it's more advanced features are immensly helpful.
(Linux apparantly has the AutoKey equivalent.)
 

Captain_N

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Do not use solid state storage for archival storage. NAND flash will loose the charge holding the bits eventually. that time is past the ten year mark.
 

AmandaRose

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In Windows10 should you ever want to see all the control panel options in one long running list. Then simply navigate anywhere on one of your hard drives in File Explorer, create a new folder by right-clicking an empty space and going to “New -> Folder,” then name your folder the following:

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C

You’ll see that the folder instantly turns into a Control Panel icon. Just double-click the icon, and you’ll see all your Control Panel options on display. You may want to change the view option to List or Details for maximum clarity.
 
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