BlogOffice

I just had a good reminder that when you've worked with technology for a long time, it's easy to overlook some of the basic techniques that can be really helpful in regular day-to-day work. A reader wrote this week, wanting to know how to change the default font in Word 2010. It was a good reminder to me that although it's important to explore exciting new features, I want to make sure I cover the tasks we do regularly as well. So here's how to change the default font in Word 2010...and I'll throw in the same technique for paragraph spacing, too:

Setting a new font is simple--just click the launcher in the lower right corner of the Font group on the Home tab. In the Fonts dialog box, set the font to the font you want--with the size and style you want to apply--and then click the Set As Default button in the lower left corner of the dialog box. Click OK.

To set the paragraph spacing to 0, click the Paragraph launcher to display the Paragraph dialog box. In the Indents and Spacing tab, set the Before and After values to 0 and make sure line spacing is set to Single. Then click Set As Default in the center bottom of the dialog box. Click OK.

Little things like that can drive you batty (my experience), but once you've got them, you've got them. If there are basics that baffle you, send them to me and I'll figure them out and post the answers--because you're not alone; if something is bugging you, it's bugging others too. :)

Labels: default fonts in Word 2010, paragraph spacing

Good morning! I have a new article out today in Windows Secrets: How to tell Windows Live from Office 365. I wrote this article in response to some reader questions about the overlap of online services, and as I say in the article, if you've been following the morphing of services (from MSN Spaces to Windows Live Writer, for example, or from OLSB to Office 365), you may be wondering whether the two products are the same tools in different wrappings. Well, the short answer is that they're not, but if you want more detail, take a look at the article.

I've also updated some resources, added an Office 365-specific blog (with a discussion board!), and I am gearing up for some video tips on the Office 365: Connect and Collaborate site. Thanks to all who have signed up for my newsletter (first one coming in September!) as well as the video tips.

If you haven't checked out Office 365 yet, take a look. We're just at the beginning of its development, but I think there's a LOT of potential here and some great applications are already popping up.

Labels: Office 365, Windows Live

If you were a former Office Live Small Business user, you are probably familiar with the webtools included with Office 365. It's a nice set of basic tools for creating pages, adding text and images, changing the format, applying themes, customizing the header, and adding webparts. But one important piece of the puzzle appears (at first glance) to be missing in Office 365: web analytics. How do you know how much traffic you're getting? Or who the referring sites are? Or what browser your visitors are using?

Luckily this is a simple--if not obvious--fix. Although the buzz was that this was just missing "in the beta," here we are in release with no webtools on the ribbon. One poster in the Office 365 community suggested to add the following to the basic URL of your live site (and it works):

/_layouts/usage.aspx

So this means if your site name is Applesauce, the URL would look like this:

http://applesauce.sharepoint.com/_layouts/usage.aspx

Remember also to enter the keywords and descriptions for your pages so the search engines are picking them up. You'll find the Search Engine Optimization tab (where these options are found) in the Choose Page Properties dialog box. Just click the page you want to optimize and click Properties; click the Search Engine Optimization tab, enter your keywords and description, and click OK.

PS> If you're curious about Office 365. you can sign up for Office 365 video tips I'll begin posting in September.

Labels: Office 365, SEO, web stats

This is exciting. :) In keeping with the green practices encouraged by cloud computing, Microsoft Press has decided to offer Microsoft Office 365: Connect and Collaborate Virtually Anywhere, Anytime as a free ebook! This will extend the book's reach, save quite a few trees, offer readers a more sustainable option for learning about Microsoft's cloud approach, and much more! And we'll be able to update easily as new features get added to the cloud. It's a win-win-win. :)

Labels: cloud computing, Office 365

This morning I'm sitting in my sunroom writing a new batch of articles for CNET's TechRepublic (hi, Jody) and wanted to use a cool Excel worksheet I'd created a while back for one of the examples. The trouble is that the file is upstairs in my office on my beta machine, and I am feeling very relaxed and in-the-zone writing with the sounds of crickets and locusts and cardinals surrounding me. But wait! I forgot that I created a homegroup as part of writing My Windows 7 PC for Que. I opened Windows Explorer, clicked my beta machine in the Homegroup category, navigated to my Documents folder, and located and opened the worksheet. All without getting up off the loveseat. Now that's something to love about Homegroups--a significant contribution to your peace of mind. (But don't forget to get your exercise later.) :)

Labels: Homegroups, Windows 7

Well! This new design is certainly light and clear. :) I'm working on a relaunch of BlogOffice that will better accomodate my recent slate of projects (including Office 365, which I love) as well as new media bits and presentations. I hope you're having a great summer and looking forward to a fascinating fall. (How can it not be, with Mango right around the corner?)