I know that several old codgers visit this blog. Not all of them are as adept at computer usage as young whippersnappers like me. In an effort to boost computer literacy in the blogosphere, I am considering producing a series of instructional articles. This post is designed to simply test the market as it were. A feasibility study.
Okay. Now my computer platform was kindly designed by dwarves and nerds under the kindly guidance of billionaire William Gates in Seattle USA. Currently, I use Windows 10 but what I am about to tell you is also relevant to earlier versions of Windows. My apologies to members of the mysterious Apple Clan who may wish to exit this post immediately. Perhaps go and cut your toenails instead or bake an apple pie. It's likely that Apple have a similar facility.
Look to the top righthand corner of your Windows page. Go to the end of the top bar just below the little cross. You should see this or something like it:-
Now those three dots are not decorative. Click on them and a dropdown menu will appear. It should look like this:-
Halfway down the list you will see the word "Find..". Click on it and a little search box should appear. It's like this:-
I typed in the word "banana". Afterwards, quite faintly you can see this written - "0 of 0". That means that on the page of writing I had open at the time, the word "banana" was not present.
Then I accessed a BBC News article about the Duke of Edinburgh's most recent hospital visit. This time I put the word "hospital" in the search box:-
Now in the bat of an eyelid, the search box is telling me that the word "hospital" is used seven times in the article. Here's the beginning of the news item. Helpfully, the computer has highlighted all occurrences of the word "hospital":-
Do you get it?
This "Find" facility can be very useful in lots of situations. An example might be when you have accessed a long page of writing on the internet and you are looking for someone's name in the text. Another example might be that you yourself have produced a lengthy document and you are looking for a reference to say "2014" or "accident". You don't have to plough through the whole document as "Find" will do that for you.
Here endeth the lesson. You can take the teacher out of the classroom but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher... err, something like that anyway.
Some of us use Apple computers you know :-)
ReplyDeleteBe just the same as it's the browser he's referring to and not the operating system.
DeleteI don't use or even have Windows installed Adrian.
DeleteI think Adrian's point is tat YP has called it a Windows page when I think ('though I'm open to correction of course) that it's a browser page that is open. I'm an Apple user but the principle is the same in Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Epic browsers.
DeleteYou sound like a young whippersnapper too Graham!
DeleteSeeing I've not yet matured, I guess I'm not yet an old codger! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I will take no backchat from you, young fella!!!
No comment.
DeleteThis is most helpful, and I'm assuming it is but the first of 717,643 more helpful articles you plan to write on the remaining features of Windows 10. This endeavor you have voluntarily undertaken will ensure you an OBE from the queen on behalf of a grateful nation.
ReplyDeleteDon't get too excited Bob. This was just a feasibility study you know.
DeleteI'm not excited. I always talk this way when speaking tongue-in-cheek.
DeleteAnd an excellent teacher you are. I can think of a few times I could have used this, and no doubt they will come again, so - thank you.
ReplyDeletePlease note I'd prefer to be called a young codger in future, though.
The fact that you will use this facility in the future makes my effort to produce this instructional blogpost worthwhile. Thank you you young filly! Yee-hah!
DeleteYes, there has to be a good reason to teach something. I'm sure there are many simple things I don't know about computers. I'll be watching for the young whipper snappers next lesson.
ReplyDeleteThe young whippersnapper may return to his kennel.
DeleteWhy so complicated? (And why do you call your browser page a "Windows page"?)
ReplyDeleteSimply hit STRG and f on your keyboard at the same time (no matter which browser you are using), and the little search box appears - some browsers show it at the top, others at the bottom of the page.
I should have read all the comments before I commented above. Thank you Meike.
DeleteHow do I hit all of those keys at the same time?
DeleteStrg is German for Ctrl in English.
DeleteSTRG? Oh - thank you Adrian and thank you to Computer Whizzkid Meike too! Perhaps I am also an old codger.
DeleteLibby - spread your fingers and push down simultaneously.
DeleteDon't be vulgar Heron!
DeleteYP: Strunk and White's The Elements of Style famously tells us to "Omit needless words!"
DeleteIn your case, the needless word in your last reply is PERHAPS.
Next to last reply.
DeletePERHAPS you are also an old codger Mr Brague. In fact I'd notch it up higher than just PERHAPS.
DeleteOops, sorry for having used the German STRG instead of the English CTRL, and thank you, Adrian, for clarifying this!
DeleteMany old codgers who visit this blog had palpitations about the STRG button and one aged fellow even took his new laptop back to the shop to complain yelling "Where's my STRG button you muppet!?"
Deletelol, lol, lol
DeleteOh my. And now you have some helper elves. And elvesses. I read the comments (I did read the post first) and could not help but be reminded about my English Lit class yesterday where one of the students, who told us he was very knowledgeable, hotly debated a point the teacher was attempting to make. In the classroom he would not let the idea go and kept coming back to tell the teacher she was wrong.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, as I fit into the category of old codgeress and certainly do not know everything about computers, I am willing to read and learn
Alphie
Certainly my helpful post seems to have sparked more controversy and argument than I anticipated. All I know is that I stumbled across the "Find" facility some years ago but I know that many computer users are unaware of it.
DeleteWell, you learn something new every day !
ReplyDeleteMeike's suggestion is even better. Press Control and "f" at the same time and the little search box will appear.
DeleteA great feasibility study, and certainly helpful to everyone. Thanks for sharing, its a great idea to offer tips. Greetings!
ReplyDeleteAt your service Mr B. Please note - my German friend Meike has gone one better. Press Control and F to get to the same Search facility.
DeleteI have windows 10 but don't know how to find the windows page. Signed Old Codger (cheeky so and so).
ReplyDeleteSeriously though - using "Find" can be a useful aid.
DeleteIt really can be very helpful, I use it all the time at work when I have to search through lengthy texts written by lawyers etc. and I just need the one information about the one point.
DeleteYes I can see how useful it must be in that situation.
DeleteI have windows 7 and do not have the three dots you refer to at the start of your post, so all else is null and void. I do have three lines and "find" is in there! My cross is also on a red background, so again all very different.
ReplyDeleteYes - but you have now found the magic "Find" facility ADDY. Have fun!
DeleteThis works for the Apple OS too -- at least when you're using the Chrome browser. I don't see it on Safari. (Someone probably already said this up above, but just in case. :) )
ReplyDeleteWhat? You're on Safari? Are you in Tanzania or perhaps Namibia?
Delete