Tidying Up

Things I learned this week:

Windows

  1. Open Settings > System > Storage, and then click on Apps & Features.
  2. Under the Sort By dropdown, select Install Date.
  3. Go through and remove anything you don’t need. If an app is unfamiliar, search for it online to see if it’s something you need or if you can safely get rid of it. You can also search for it on Should I Remove It? (though we recommend skipping the Should I Remove It? application and just searching for the software’s name on the site).

This originated from Wirecutter’s post on 7 Steps to Tidying Your Digital Life

My favorite advice is to do one step and see what happens when you move forward.

Disclaimer: I did a couple of items.

Where did the Tidy Up vector lead? I learned how to actually delete other temp files on the same Storage Settings page and that would have been enough except that led me to notice an unchecked box labeled “Downloads Folder” and I wondered, when do I ever clean that out, and so I did a pretty good chunk and it reminded me that this process is one I used to do more frequently and like writing, just escaped me and now I turn back to it :)

Using Dual Monitors with Dual Computers

I have setup a nice working dual monitor setup on the basement workbench.  The key to this one is I am using Dual Computers and Dual Operating systems and yet only one keyboard and mouse.  Using the latest release of Synergy stimulated by this recent article from LifeHacker I went back and setup Synergy.  The last time I used it was when I didn’t have this setup on the bench and although it worked fine I simply couldn’t see my way to using it.  Now with copy and paste across systems as well as the need to put both operating systems into play, often at the same time, I am finding it much more useful and productive.  I am already relocating the positions to fully dual instead of simply using one as primary and secondary.  I am already saving time with it.  Now all I have to decide is which one is going to stream audio.