high school just got simpler

Monday, January 10, 2011

Zen Computer Setup













When I get on my computer, I see my desktop background. That's it. I used to have a bunch of icons, gadgets, and the toolbar taking up space. I thought that since it was right there, it was simpler.

I was wrong.

Having everything right there is very distracting. When I want to go online to check the weather, I see everything but what I want. I see games, programs, and, well, everything! I would get sidetracked and end up doing something completely unrelated.


Now all I have is a nice set of pictures. I have a slide show that changes every couple days. Now it's a glacial lake. I like a new background every so often.

I hid my Windows toolbar by selecting "Properties" and "Auto Hide." I also got rid of all the menu buttons. It's so relieving knowing that I have everything in a place, but that place isn't glaring at me, saying "Click on me..."

Other things I have done:
  • I hid all my desktop icons instead of deleting all of them, in case I can't find something in the program search.
  • I have all of my most used programs and files pinned in the Start menu. They are hidden away, but I can get to them quickly, while still being on task.
  • I got rid of gadgets. I never really liked gadgets. They take up eye space, and are never incredibly useful.
Now, about the Internet. I don't know what sites you regularly visit (Hopefully this is one of them!), but I try to limit to a select few.

I am now using Google Chrome. I love how minimal it is. I just recently switched, and am regretting not making the switch earlier. Also, I like to use full screen a lot when I am online. I see what is important, and am not tempted to do any surfing, since the search box is hidden.

In short, my desktop is bare, and my Internet browsing is simple. Just how I like it.

1 comment:

Rob said...

I've done the same with my computer, and it's made such a difference to how much more smoothly I use everything now. No distractions. No clutter. Everything is simple and easy. Perfect! :)

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