| How to Change Mouse Settings Posted: 06 Jan 2021 12:00 AM PST Mice are one of the main ways we interact with our computers, so it's natural that people will have different preferences when it comes to using a mouse. If you are left-handed, switching your primary mouse button can make using the computer much easier. You can also change how fast the pointer moves, the speed with which you need to double-click, the color, and more. This wikiHow teaches you how to adjust your mouse settings. [Edit]Using Windows - Open the mouse settings. Use the following steps to open the mouse settings in Windows 10:
- Click the Windows Start menu in the lower-left corner.
- Click the Settings or icon that resembles a gear.
- Click Devices.
- Click Mouse in the panel to the left.
- Select the primary button. Use the drop-down menu at the top to select if you want to use the right or left button as the primary mouse button.
- Change the mouse wheel settings. Use the following options to change the mouse wheel settings:
- Use the drop-down menu next to "Roll mouse wheel to scroll" to select if the mouse wheel scrolls through lines or a full screen at a time.
- Use the slider below "Choose how many lines to scroll each time" to select how many lines will scroll when you roll the mouse wheel 1 interval.
- Click . It's below "Related settings" to the right. This displays options to adjust the mouse cursor size and color.
- Change the mouse cursor size. Use the slider below "Change pointer size" to adjust the size of the mouse cursor on the screen.
- Change the mouse cursor color. To change the mouse cursor color, you can click the icon with the white cursor or the black cursor. You can also click the option to change the mouse cursor from black to white, depending on the background. Finally, you can pick a custom mouse cursor color. Use the following steps to pick a custom mouse cursor color.
- Click the icon that resembles a green mouse cursor next to a color wheel.
- Click one of the suggested color swatches, or click the plus (+) icon to pick a custom color.
- Click a color in the color array (if picking a custom color).
- Use the slider bar below the array to adjust the color hue.
- Click Done.
- Change the text cursor thickness. Use the slider bar below "Change cursor thickness" to change the thickness of the text cursor in certain apps like Notepad.
- This does not work for all text apps.
- Click in the upper-left corner. When you are done adjusting the color and size of the mouse cursor, click the arrow pointing left in the upper-left corner to return to the previous screen.
- Click . It's below "Related settings" to the right. This opens the Mouse Properties window.
- Change your double-click speed. Use the slider bar below "Double-click speed" to adjust how fast you need to double-click an object for it to register as a double-click.
- Change your pointers. Click the Pointers tab to change the cursor's look and style. You can use the "Scheme" drop-down menu to choose from any of the pre-installed cursors. You can download custom cursors online and then load them by clicking Browse at the bottom, but always make sure you're downloading from a safe location. All the different cursors in the package are listed below "Customize."
- Additionally, you can click the checkbox next to "Enable pointer shadow" to add a drop shadow to your mouse cursor.
- Adjust the mouse movement. Click the Pointer Options tab to change how the mouse cursor moves around on the screen. Use the following options to adjust your mouse movement:
 - Use the slider below "Select a pointer speed" to adjust how quickly the mouse moves around the screen. You'll be able to test the effects as soon as you adjust the slider.
- Check the "Enhance pointer precision" box to turn on mouse acceleration. This helps make moving the mouse around more natural. If you play video games, however, this should be turned off. This is because mouse acceleration makes it more difficult to be perfectly precise when aiming.
- Check the "Snap To" box to automatically move the cursor to the default button on any windows that appear. If you are browsing the internet, this isn't recommended as it can lead to accidentally clicking malicious buttons.
- Check the "Display pointer trail" box to add a trail effect when you move your mouse cursor.
- Check the "Hide pointer while typing" to remove the cursor when you are typing. Again, this doesn't work for all text apps.
- Check the checkbox next to "Show location of pointer when I press CTRL key" to highlight the mouse cursor when you press the Ctrl key.
- Change how fast your wheel scrolls. The settings in the Wheel tab affect how fast you can scroll through documents and web pages.
- The "Vertical Scrolling" speed is dictated by lines-per-click. You can also set it to scroll a whole screen at a time. This is similar to the settings in the Mouse Settings menu.
- The "Horizontal Scrolling" speed is dictated by characters at a time. Not all mice support horizontal scrolling.
- Check the drivers for malfunctioning mice. The Hardware tab displays the mice that are currently installed, as well as their status. You can see more details as well as update or rollback the driver by selecting a mouse and clicking the Properties... button.
- Click . When you are finished changing your Mouse settings, click Apply in the lower-right corner to apply the changes you have made.
[Edit]Using a Mac - Open the Mouse settings app in System Preferences. The Mouse settings app will look different depending on if you are using a standard mouse, a Apple Magic Mouse, or a trackpad. Use the following steps to open the Mouse settings app:
- Click the Apple icon in the upper-left corner.
- Click System Preferences.
- Click Mouse.
- Adjust the settings for a standard mouse. If you have a standard mouse connected, there are a few options you can change. They are as follows:
- Check the checkbox next to "Scroll direction: Natural" to reverse the direction of the mouse wheel scrolling.
- Use the slider below "Tracking Speed" to adjust how fast the mouse cursor moves on screen.
- Use the slider below "Scrolling speed" to adjust how fast the mouse wheel scrolls.
- Use the slider below "Double-Click speed" to adjust how fast you need to double-click an object for it to register as a double-click.
- Click the radio option next to "Left" or "Right" to select which button you want to use as your primary mouse button.
- Adjust the Magic Mouse settings. If you have a Magic Mouse, you'll have two menus to choose when you open the Mouse menu in System Preferences: "Point & Click" and "More Gestures". Use the following steps to adjust the Magic Mouse settings:[1]
- Click the Point & Click tab to access the point and click menu.
- Check the checkbox next to "Scroll direction: Natural" to reverse the direction of the mouse scrolling.
- Check the checkbox next to "Secondary Click" to change the primary and secondary click buttons from right to left.
- Check the checkbox next to "Smart Zoom" to enable zoom by double-tapping with one finger.
- Use the slider below "Tracking Speed" to adjust how fast the mouse cursor moves on screen.
- Click the More Gestures to access the More Gestures menu.
- Check the checkbox next to "Swipe between pages" to enable swiping left and right on the mouse to swipe between pages.
- Check the checkbox next to "Swipe between full-screen apps" to enable swiping left and right with two fingers to swipe between different apps.
- Check the checkbox next to "Mission Control" to enable double-tapping with two fingers to open Mission Control.
- Adjust your trackpad settings. Like the Magic Mouse settings, you'll see a "Point & Click" section and a "More Gestures" section. There will also be a "Scroll & Zoom" section, which handles how the trackpad tracks your fingers to scroll and zoom content. Use the following options to change the Trackpad settings:[2]
 - Click the Point & Click tab to access the Point & Click menu.
- Check the checkbox next to "Look up & data detectors" to enable and choose a gesture to use to quickly lookup a word or quick task.
- Check the checkbox next to "Secondary click" to enable and select a gesture to use as a secondary (right) click.
- Check the checkbox next to "Tap to click" to enable tapping with one finger to click.
- Check the checkbox next to "Look up" to enabling looking up a word in the dictionary by double-tapping with three fingers.
- Use the slider below "Click" to change how hard you need to press the trackpad to click or take action.
- Use the slider below "Tracking Speed" to adjust how fast the mouse cursor moves on screen.
- Check the checkbox next to "Silent click" to turn off the clicking sound the computer makes when you click the trackpad.
- Click the checkbox next to "Force Click and haptic feedback" to enable hard-pressing the touchpad to take certain actions.
- Click the Scroll & Zoom tab to access the Scroll & Zoom menu.
- Check the checkbox next to "Scroll direction: Natural" to reverse the direction of scrolling.
- Check the checkbox next to "Zoom in or out" to use the finger pinching gesture on the trackpad to zoom in or out.
- Check the checkbox next to "Smart zoom" to zoom in or out by double-tapping with two fingers.
- Check the checkbox next to "Rotate" to enable rotating two fingers on the trackpad to rotate an object on the screen.
- Click the More Gestures to access more gesture options.
- Check the checkbox next to "Swipe between pages" to enable and select a gesture to use to swipe between pages.
- Check the checkbox next to "Swipe between full-screen apps" to enable and choose a gesture to use to swipe between apps.
- Check the checkbox next to "Notification Center" to enable and select a gesture to use to open the Notification Center.
- Check the checkbox next to "Mission Control" to enable and select a gesture to use to open the Mission Control.
- Check the checkbox next to "App Exposé" to enable and select a gesture to use to open Exposé.
- Check the checkbox next to "Launchpad" to enable pinching your thumb and three fingers to open Launchpad.
- Check the checkbox next to "Show Desktop" to enable spreading your thumb and three fingers apart to show the desktop.
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Save an Orchid from Root Rot Posted: 05 Jan 2021 04:00 PM PST If the leaves on your orchid are wilting and turning soft, chances are the problem is root rot. Root rot is usually caused by poor soil drainage or overwatering, although old or compacted potting medium can also be to blame. If you're just starting to notice the leaves wilting and turning yellow, you may be able to save your orchid by simply transferring it to another container. If the roots have rotted extensively, you'll need to trim away the damaged areas and change the potting medium altogether for the best chance of nurturing it back to health. [Edit]Drop-Potting for Minor Leaf Damage - Repot your orchid if the container doesn't have proper drainage. If your orchid is in a container that doesn't have drainage holes, excess water will cause the roots to rot. To fix that, transfer your orchid to a planter that does have them. This type of transfer is called drop-potting because you're literally just dropping the plant into a new pot.[1]
- In general, you should avoid repotting an orchid until after the blooms fall. However, if you suspect root rot, you must repot the plant right away in order to keep it alive.
- Sometimes orchids are potted in a thin plastic container that does have drainage holes, then this container is placed inside a decorative pot without drainage. In that case, you can just remove the plastic container and leave the orchid there until you'd normally repot it.
- If your orchid is already in a pot with good drainage and it's still developed root rot, you may be overwatering it. If that's not the problem, the potting medium may be too old. In that case, do a full re-potting with new soil.
- Select a clay pot that's about the same size as the old container. When you're choosing a new pot for your orchid, try not to get one that's much bigger than the one the plant is already in. Orchids typically bloom best when they're in a tight-fitting container. In addition, the more potting medium you use, the more water the plant will retain, increasing the risk of root rot.[2]
- Choosing a smaller container will also allow you to retain as much of the existing soil as possible, which will help avoid shocking the plant.
- Clay pots are ideal for orchids because they're porous. This helps the soil dry out faster, which can help prevent root rot.
- If you're re-using a container, soak it for about 2 hours in a mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. This will kill any bacteria or fungi that could contaminate your plant. Let the container dry for about 2 days before you use it so the chlorine can completely dissipate.
- Slide the entire plant gently out of the container. Turn the planter on its side and grasp the plant near the base of the stem. Then, carefully pull the plant, roots, and dirt out of the container. Try not to damage the roots any more than they already are, so don't pull sharply or try to force the orchid out of the planter.[3]
- If the plant won't come out of its container easily, try soaking the entire container in water for about 5 minutes to soften the roots. If you're still having trouble removing the orchid, you may need to break the pot.
- Transfer the orchid carefully into its new pot. Gently lower the roots—including as much of the original potting medium as possible—into the new planter. Don't pack the soil down firmly—the orchid needs plenty of airflow around the roots so they can dry out. However, if the plant is too loose in the new container, you can add more potting material around the sides of the pot.[4]
- If the new pot is deeper than the old one, add packing peanuts or a specialized orchid potting medium to the bottom of the pot before you transfer your plant.
- Wait a few days before you water the plant again. Since the whole point of drop-potting is to let the roots dry out, don't add any additional moisture to the plant right away. Give the plant 2-3 days to adjust to its new environment, then only water the plant when the top of the soil feels dry.[5]
- There's a chance that transferring your orchid will cause the existing blooms to fall off. It doesn't mean there's necessarily anything wrong if that happens—it's likely just the shock from being transferred. However, if the signs of root rot continue, you'll need to completely re-pot the plant.
- Orchids thrive best if their potting medium is changed about every 2 years. Even if you drop pot your plant, you should still re-pot it when you normally would.[6]
[Edit]Trimming Back Extensive Damage - Cut back any rotted leaves that you see. Wipe down a razor blade or sharp pruning shears with alcohol to sterilize the cutting edge. Then, carefully trim away any leaves that feel soft or that don't seem firmly connected to the stem. Make the cut as close to the stem as possible—try not to leave any rotted tissue attached to the plant. By cutting off any affected leaves, you may be able to prevent the damage from traveling up the rest of the plant.[7]
- Try to save any leaves that don't seem affected. Unfortunately, if all of the leaves have rotted or fallen off of your orchid, you may not be able to save the plant.
- If the majority of the roots are rotted, you may need to cut off the bloom, as well, since the plant won't be able to support the flower.[8]
- Remove the plant from its container. Turn the planter on its side, then grasp the orchid at the bottom of the base and carefully pull the whole plant—roots, soil, and all—out of the planter. Try not to damage the roots by pulling roughly, since the plant will need as much healthy tissue as possible in order to recover.[9]
- If the roots have outgrown the planter, it might be difficult to remove the plant. Try soaking the container in water for about 5 minutes to see if that helps loosen it. If it doesn't, you may have to break the planter to get the orchid out.
- Slice away any dead or damaged roots. Sterilize your razor blade or pruning shears again to kill any bacteria or fungi leftover from trimming the leaves. Brush away as much potting material as possible, then carefully cut away any dead or rotted places from the roots. If the entire root system is rotted, take off the whole thing.[10]
- You can tell a root is dead if it's mushy, wiry, or hollow. Live roots will be firm and white.
- If you have to cut away all of the roots from the plant, it may not survive. However, it definitely won't survive if you leave the rotted tissue, so this will give it the best chance of recovering.
- If you see any black mold on the healthy roots, wipe it away with a cotton swab.[11]
- Pour 3% hydrogen peroxide over any cuts you made. If any bacteria or fungus remains on the roots, it could continue spreading, infecting the healthy roots that are left after you trim the plant. To avoid that, pour a little hydrogen peroxide over the cuts you made on the leaves and roots, which will disinfect them. The peroxide will bubble up, which is normal.[12]
- Some gardeners prefer dipping the cut roots in cinnamon to disinfect them.[13]
- Repot the orchid in new potting medium. Once you've trimmed away the dead leaves and roots, put about of potting medium in the bottom of the new container. Lower the root ball into the pot, then loosely fill the rest of the planter with your potting soil.[14]
- Choose a potting medium designed for orchids, like a combination of bark, coconut husks, perlite, or sphagnum moss. These will allow for plenty of air flow around the roots, which will help prevent root rot in the future.[15]
- Opt for the smallest pot that your orchid will fit into, since orchids prefer to be somewhat constricted.
- It's best to use a new pot for this—the old one might have bacteria or fungus that could recontaminate the plant. You can disinfect the old planter with a mixture of 1 part bleach and 9 parts water, but it needs to air out for about 2 days before you can use it again.
- Don't water the plant for at least 2-3 days. Any remaining roots need to dry out as much as possible so they can start recovering from the root rot. Give the orchid a few days to adjust to its new container before you water it at all.[16]
- It may take a while before you see any signs of recovery in your plant. Just be patient and keep caring for it the way you normally would.
[Edit]Preventing Root Rot - Wait until the orchid is dry to water it. Your orchid doesn't need to be watered every day—in fact, overwatering is one of the main causes of root rot. Every 2-3 days or so, feel the surface of the potting medium. If it feels a little moist, wait another day or so. When it's completely dry, it's time to water your orchid.[17]
- You can also insert the tip of a sharpened pencil into the pot. If the potting medium is moist, the tip of the pencil will look dark when you pull it out.[18]
- Over time, you may be able to tell when it's time to water your orchid by how heavy the plant feels when you pick it up. The drier the soil, the lighter the container will be.
- Water the orchid in the morning, then let it drain. Place the orchid in a sink, then pour room-temperature water onto the soil for about 15 seconds, or until it freely runs out of the bottom of the container. Then, leave the plant in the sink for about 15 minutes.[19]
- If you water the plant first thing in the morning, it will have all day to dry out. If you water it at night, the moisture will stay in the plant overnight, making it more susceptible to root rot.[20]
- Avoid wetting the orchid's stem and leaves. Water can pool at the base of an orchid's leaves, which can lead to crown rot. Pour the water so it goes directly onto the potting medium to help prevent this.[21]
- Crown rot is basically the same thing as root rot, but it primarily affects the leaves and stem of the plant, rather than the roots.
- If water does get onto the leaves, gently blot them dry with a paper towel.[22]
- Some people mist their orchids to create a more humid environment. If you do this, mist the air around the orchid, but don't spray water directly onto the plant.[23]
- Don't let the orchid sit in standing water. Every time you water your orchid, let the excess water drain out completely. Don't leave the orchid sitting in a saucer where water is pooled—the roots will stay soaked, and they'll quickly start to suffocate and rot.[24]
- Water your plant in the sink or somewhere else the water can drain freely, like outdoors.
- Keep your orchid in a spot with good air flow. If your orchid stays in a place with good circulation, the roots will be less likely to stay saturated. If the air around the plant is stagnant and still, water won't be able to evaporate as quickly.[25]
- Your home's regular air conditioning may be plenty, but if you need to, you can open a window or place a fan near your orchid to keep the air circulating.
- Good circulation will help prevent crown rot, as well. This is similar to root rot, but it primarily affects the leaves and stem of the plant.[26]
- Repot the orchid in new potting mix about every 2 years. Old potting mix can become acidic over time, damaging your orchid's roots and making them susceptible to rot. In addition, the potting mix will become compacted over time, preventing proper airflow around the roots. To prevent this, completely repot your orchid at least every other year, after the blooms fall.[27]
- Typically, you'll know it's time to repot your orchid when it becomes crowded in the pot or when the potting medium starts to decompose. However, some people prefer to repot them every year after the blooms fall off.[28]
- Always choose a potting mix designed for orchids. These typically contain a mixture of sphagnum moss, perlite, coconut husks, or bark—the larger pieces allow plenty of air to circulate around the roots.
- Trim away any dead or damaged roots each time you repot your orchid.
- To avoid buying an orchid that already has root rot, gently tug on the leaves near the base of the plant. If the leaves are soft or pull away from the stem easily, pick another plant.[29]
[Edit]References |
| How to Make PowerPoint Presentations More Interesting Posted: 05 Jan 2021 08:00 AM PST If you've ever sat through a boring PowerPoint, you probably know exactly what not to do for your next presentation. PowerPoints are a great way to convey information and ideas, but if they're used incorrectly, they might not engage your audience very well. By keeping a few design and presentation tips in mind, you can make sure your PowerPoint is clear, concise, and above all, interesting. - Pick 3 ideas to talk about. Giving your audience too much information will be hard for them to absorb. Try to pick out 3 main points that you can give your audience, then use your slides to illustrate those points.[1]
- It might help to write out your speech first and then create your slides. That way, you can use your slides as a speaking aid, not as the main event.
- Try bullet points instead of walls of text. Too much text is hard for your audience to read, and it's not very engaging. Instead, stick to bullet points or small sentences so people can skim your slides quickly.[2]
- A good rule of thumb is 6 words per line, 6 lines per slide. However, you don't have to stick to that 100%.
- Use blank slides when you're speaking. It might seem counterintuitive, but adding in a few blank slides when you're talking will help the audience focus on what you're saying. Use a plain white or black slide to take a pause within your presentation.[3]
- You can also put a blank slide at the end of your presentation as you wait for questions.
- Add in a few metaphors to illustrate your point. Reading information over and over can get a little stale after a while. Instead, try putting some metaphors in your slides and then explaining them when you present.[4]
- For example, you could compare office teamwork to a beehive to illustrate the importance of working together.
- Or, you could compare learning in school to building a house to point out the need for a strong foundation.
- Include a few questions for the audience. If you gave an informational presentation, do a little pop quiz with a fun prize at the end. Or, ask the audience if they've had any experience with the topic of your presentation. If you can get them talking, they're more likely to be engaged.[5]
- If you do want to include a fun prize, it doesn't have to be anything big. A piece of candy or a nice pen are great gifts to give away.
[Edit]Presentation - Frame your presentation like a story. It should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. If you can stick to that theme, your audience will be more engaged since they'll want to know where it's going.[6]
- For example, if you were presenting about a new communication method at work, you could first talk about the problems employees are facing. Then you could talk about how you brainstormed together to find a solution, and finally, you could reveal your new online communication tool.
- Talk to the audience, not your PowerPoint. Stand on one side of the screen and face your audience as you talk. If you can, try to situate your computer in front of you so you can see what the PowerPoint looks like without turning around to stare at it.[7]
- It's really not fun to look at the back of someone's head for an entire presentation. Glance out into the audience and try to make eye contact with people periodically.
- If making eye contact feels a little intimidating, look at someone's forehead instead.
- Build off the text instead of reading it word-for-word. Your audience can see what's on the screen, so they don't need you to repeat it. Instead, use your text to illustrate key points as you explain more in-depth with your words.[8]
- For example, if you're giving a presentation about the Civil War, your bullet points could be "April 1861," "South Carolina," and "Confederate vs. Union." Then, you could talk more about when and where the Civil War started and who was fighting whom.
- Add in a few jokes. Humor can really add a little spice to your presentation. If you find a few spots to insert a joke, add one or two to keep your audience engaged.[9]
- Try to keep the jokes minimal—more than a couple could make your presentation feel less professional.
- Serious topics don't work well with humor. If you're giving a presentation about something that isn't funny, don't worry about adding jokes.
[Edit]PowerPoint Basics - Pick out a template and stick to it. Switching formats in between slides can be a little jarring, and it might make it hard for your audience to pay attention. Pick out a slide format that you like, then keep it that way throughout the entire presentation.[10]
- Simple, clear formats are always better than busy or cluttered ones.
- Stay away from animations. While animations can sound like a way to make your presentation more fun, they're actually more distracting than anything. Try not to insert any animations or motions unless they're strictly necessary.[11]
- Animations also slow down the pace of your presentation, and they can lead to a choppy or jumpy PowerPoint.
- Use high-quality pictures and videos instead of text. If you have a really good talking point that could use a photo or a video, put that on your slide! Make sure it's high quality so that it looks good up on the big screen.[12]
- For example, if you were giving a presentation about parks and recreation services, you could insert a photo of a family using an outdoor area as you talk about community wellness.
- Stick to about one slide per minute. Speeding through your slides is a bit jarring, but moving at a snail's pace can get boring. Try to move through your slides at about 1 per minute to keep a good pace.[13]
- You don't need to time this exactly, but your slides should be short enough that you only spend about 1 minute talking about them. If you need more time, split the slide up into 2 parts.
- Make a handout to give to the audience so they can follow along. If you want to really engage your audience, put together a one-page paper that compiles the most important text and visuals from your presentation. It shouldn't be a direct copy of your PowerPoint, but it should include the highlights from your speech.[14]
- This is a way for the audience to follow along or look back at your presentation later.
- You could also leave some room for notes at the bottom if the audience members want to jot something down.
[Edit]Sample PowerPoint Presentations - Practice your presentation at home to work out any kinks before you stand in front of your audience.
[Edit]References |
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