Creating an Effective PowerPoint Presentation

Hints for a successful presentation:

• Plan carefully
• Do your research
• Know your audience
• Time your presentation
• Practice your presentation
• Speak comfortably and clearly

Effective PowerPoint Slides

• Use design templates
• Standardize position, colors and styles
• Include only necessary information
• Limit the information to essentials
• Content should be self-evident
• Use colors that contrast
• Be consistent with effects, transitions and animation
• Too many slides can lose your audience

Text guidelines

• Generally no more than 6 words a line
• Generally no more than 6 lines a slide
• Avoid long sentences
• Larger font indicates more important information
• Font size generally ranges from 18 to 48 point
• Be sure text contrasts with background
• Fancy fonts can be hard to read
• Words in all capital letters are hard to read
• Avoid abbreviations and acronyms
• Limit punctuation marks

Clip Art and Graphics

• Should balance the slide
• Should enhance and complement the text, not overwhelm
• No more than two graphics per slide

* PowerPoint presentations can also saved in HTML format and inserted in a Web page.

GMail Drive shell extension

GMail Drive is a Shell Namespace Extension that creates a virtual filesystem around your Google GMail account, allowing you to use GMail as a storage medium.

Requirement:

1. Gmail Account

2. Gmail Drive Software

Process:

1) Download Gmail Drive from (takes seconds to download)

http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/GMail-Drive-shell-extension-Download-15944.html

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/E-mail/Mail-Utilities/GMail-Drive-shell-extension.shtml

2) Install the software.

3) After installing, a drive named Gmail drive will be created in My Computer (just like C: D:).

4) Double click on this drive, login to Gmail Act. You will get a space of 2.61 GB.

4) Whatever content you copy to this drive will be sent to your mail Act to which you have logged in.

The copy is pretty fast. HATS OFF GOOGLE .

Reinstall Windows without losing important data

Once in a while, you might want to reinstall Windows, especially if your system starts to get bogged down, or if you’d had a catastrophic loss from a virus attack. The problem is that reinstalling Windows will delete personal files and data, so what do you do? Check out this article over at InformationWeek which offers a step by step on the process complete with videos of each step.

You could always do constant backups of your system (NOTE: if you have never performed a backup, start now!), and even if you are, this article is a fairly valuable resource in order to keep your data safe and secure.

GoogleTalk Gadget in Firefox Sidebar

The Google Talk Gadget is clearly more usable than the stand-alone GTalk desktop client or the floating AJAX version in GMail.

Here, each chat session opens up as a tab (like Firefox browser tabs), it can show previews of images or video and the chat client can easily be embedded inside webpages.

There's however a small problem - while we have browser windows in front of us all the time, the same may not hold true for the webpage (like the Google personalized page) where we have embedded the GTalk gadget.

So here's an alternate option - put the Google Talk client in the Firefox sidebar so it always stays in the foreground no matter what website you are on currently.

To add Google Talk to your Firefox sidebar, bookmark the following URL (right-click and choose Bookmark this link)

talkgadget.google.com/talkgadget/client

Now goto Bookmarks menu, navigate to the above bookmark, right click and choose Properties. Tick the checkbox that says Load this bookmark in the sidebar.

Update: An employee of an investment bank writes that their organization has banned Google talk in office but using the above method, he was able to circumvent the GTalk ban and could chat with friend out the firewalls of his office.

Google Talk gadget will always open in the Firefox Sidebar. Thanks

Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows XP

To	Press
Set focus on a notification.	Windows Key+B
View properties for the selected item.	ALT+ENTER
Displays the properties of the selected object.	ALT+Enter
Cycle through items in the order they were opened.	ALT+ESC
"Close the active item, or quit the active program.	ALT+F4
Opens the shortcut menu for the active window.	ALT+SPACEBAR
Display the System menu for the active window.	ALT+SPACEBAR
Switch between open items.	ALT+TAB
Carry out the corresponding command or select the corresponding option in a dialog box.	ALT+Underlined letter
Display the corresponding menu.	ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name
Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons in a dialog box.	Arrow keys
View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer.	BACKSPACE
Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box in a dialog box.	BACKSPACE
Copy selected item.	CTRL while dragging an item
Select all.	CTRL+A
Copy.	CTRL+C
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.	CTRL+DOWN ARROW
Display the Start menu.	CTRL+ESC
Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.	CTRL+F4
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.	CTRL+LEFT ARROW
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.	CTRL+RIGHT ARROW
Create shortcut to selected item.	CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item
Highlight a block of text.	CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys
Move backward through tabs in a dialog box.	CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
Move forward through tabs in a dialog box.	CTRL+TAB
Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.	CTRL+UP ARROW
Paste.	CTRL+V
Search for computers.	CTRL+Windows Key+F
Cut.	CTRL+X
Undo.	CTRL+Z
Delete.	DELETE
Display the bottom of the active window.	END
Carry out the command for the active option or button in a dialog box.	ENTER
Cancel the current task.	ESC
Display Help in a dialog box.	F1
Activate the menu bar in the active program.	F10
Rename selected item.	F2
Search for a file or folder.	F3
Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.	F4
Display the items in the active list in a dialog box.	F4
Refresh the active window.	F5
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.	F6
Display the top of the active window.	HOME
Switch MouseKeys on and off.	Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK
Switch High Contrast on and off.	Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.	LEFT ARROW
Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder.	LEFT ARROW
Display the items in the active list in a dialog box.	F4
Refresh the active window.	F5
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.	F6
Display the top of the active window.	HOME
Switch MouseKeys on and off.	Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK
Switch High Contrast on and off.	Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.	LEFT ARROW
Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder.	LEFT ARROW
Display the items in the active list in a dialog box.	F4
Refresh the active window.	F5
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.	F6
Display the top of the active window.	HOME
Switch MouseKeys on and off.	Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK
Switch High Contrast on and off.	Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.	LEFT ARROW
Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder.	LEFT ARROW
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.	Menu key
Switch ToggleKeys on and off.	NUM LOCK for five seconds
Display all subfolders under the selected folder.	NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*)
Collapse the selected folder.	NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-)
Display the contents of the selected folder.	NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+)
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.	RIGHT ARROW
Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder.	RIGHT ARROW
Switch FilterKeys on and off.	Right SHIFT for eight seconds
Display the items in the active list in a dialog box.	F4
Refresh the active window.	F5
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.	F6
Display the top of the active window.	HOME
Switch MouseKeys on and off.	Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK
Switch High Contrast on and off.	Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.	LEFT ARROW
Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder.	LEFT ARROW
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.	Menu key
Switch ToggleKeys on and off.	NUM LOCK for five seconds
Display all subfolders under the selected folder.	NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*)
Collapse the selected folder.	NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-)
Display the contents of the selected folder.	NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+)
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.	RIGHT ARROW
Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder.	RIGHT ARROW
Switch FilterKeys on and off.	Right SHIFT for eight seconds
Switch StickyKeys on and off.	SHIFT five times
Prevent the CD from automatically playing.	SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive
Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.	SHIFT with any of the arrow keys
Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.	SHIFT+DELETE
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.	SHIFT+F10
Move backward through options in a dialog box.	SHIFT+TAB
Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box in a dialog box.	SPACEBAR
Move forward through options in a dialog box.	TAB
Carry out the corresponding command.	Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu
Display or hide the Start menu.	Windows Key
Lock your computer if you are connected to a network domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain.	Windows Key+ L
Display the System Properties dialog box.	Windows Key+BREAK
Show the desktop.	Windows Key+D
Open My Computer.	Windows Key+E
Search for a file or folder.	Windows Key+F
Display Windows Help.	Windows Key+F1
Minimize all windows.	Windows Key+M
Open the Run dialog box.	Windows Key+R
Restores minimized windows.	Windows Key+Shift+M
Opens Utility Manager.	Windows Key+U

The beauty of being a dawoodi bohra

We crossed into the Israeli border, bound for Jerusalem , from the Jordanian side. It was a particularly tense day as there had been a recent firing incident. All five of us had different nationality passports. 1 Kenyan, 1 British, 1 Yemeni, 1 Indian passport issued in Egypt & another Indian passport issued in Nairobi . The Jordanian Immigration officer did not have to be explained why such a mixed group. He knew & he smilingly made a statement, that was actually a stunner. He jokingly said, "Why don't you have a Bohra Passport? It will make things so much more easier for you, & us too."

The Israeli side, the officer (suspicious by default) could not understand how such a group could get together. All dressed alike & identical mannerisms, and yet different passports. He called up his superiors, and what conversation transpired, we did not learn, but he stamped our paper visas & let us through. We have had similar experiences at many airports & checkpoints in the world. The followers of Sultan-al-Bohra can avail a special status at Cairo, or Karachi (if Maula is in Pakistan) or Damascus, Yemen , or East Africa, or UAE, the list goes on. Those who had their US Visa stamped during Ashara with a mention "Attending Ashara"! on the visa, can vouch for the response at the Houston airport immigration. The recent grant of visa-on-arrival exclusively for Bohras, at the Dubai airport was as unbelievable as, so many other episodes in our past travel experiences. We are a people who do not have a nation but are treated like a single nationality, do not have a kingdom, but are treated royally. From Japan in the East to he West Coast of USA, & from New Zealand in the south to Norway in the north, whether we reside in the snowy Alps in Switzerland, or on the golden Coast of Kenya, we have a common bond, a unique culture, a common language, a standard calendar, a uniform code of conduct that absolutely defines the rights & the wrongs, one goal, one platform & one base of knowledge. Our geographic existence might be checkered, but the entire mosaic of our community is a beautiful picture of harmony, painted by a divine hand. Our Tryst with destiny begins & ends in the same spiritual allegiance. We are taught to be absolutely loyal to the country we reside in contributing to the socio-economic progress and prosperity of the country, we are a peace loving community, that gives us a rare edge over all others, and yet in spite of all diversities, we are one. What really makes us tick? What gives us a place of great pride & what makes us so special? We have a Maula, who over the years, has given us an identity, that no other government in the world can provide.

That explains the one-voice "Ameen", whenever we pray that May Allah grant our beloved Maula, Syedna Burhanuddin Aqa a long long life. Ameen

Author: Unknown

Appearance Vs. Reality

To appear wise, one must talk;
To be wise, one must listen.

To appear to do good, one must be busy;
To do good, one must know when to stand aside.

To appear to lead, one must put oneself first;
To lead, one must put oneself last.

To appear caring, one must give advice;
To be caring, one must give space.

To appear to love, one must know how to give;
To love, one must know also how to receive.

To appear happy, one must smile;
To be happy, one must be free of fears.