Stubborn Software: Learn The Secrets
To Making Software Behave

Contributed by Sheri Graves

Nothing is more frustrating for a writer than having to contend with software that simply doesn’t do what you want it to do. It’s particularly annoying when moving blocks of information from one document to another.

All of a sudden, every paragraph you write starts out with a bullet, and you can’t get out of that format no matter what you do. Or, you find yourself in a different font and can’t change back to what you want. Or, line spacing is suddenly out of whack.

Any number of such glitches can interrupt your thought process and ultimately slow your progress. It can be such a maddening experience that you throw up your hands and start cursing at your computer.

Fear not. The problem lies not with your computer but with yourself. You didn’t do your homework. You didn’t bother to read the instruction manual when you loaded your software program in the first place, or you neglected to complete a computer software tutorial that would have allowed you to use the software efficiently.

Perhaps you tried to read the manual and quickly realized you couldn’t understand a word of it. Perhaps you tried to do the tutorial that came with the software and gave up after reaching a confusing point in the lesson.

Unfortunately, many people regard their computers as little more than glorified typewriters. All they want to do is word processing and a little Internet surfing with e-mail capabilities. For that, they figure, it isn’t necessary to learn all the details of how a software program works.

Wrong. A computer is much more than a typewriter, and all writing software programs have many more uses than simply writing articles or letters.

It makes very little sense to spend $1,000 or more on computer equipment and then not learn how to use it.

Free software training is available from a wide range of sources, not the least of which is the manufacturer of the software itself. Additionally, you can get free online training for just about every software program on the market.

The premiere word processing program these days seems to be Microsoft® Word. You can get free Microsoft Word training online or by ordering easy-to-understand tutorials from companies such as Video Professor (www.videoprofessor.com).

But, to get you through your current crisis, try these simple steps to change your document so that all elements have the same format:

• Select the document (using CTRL+A) so that the entire document is highlighted.
• Click on “Format” in your toolbar.
• Click on “Paragraph” in the Format menu.
• Set the alignment, indentations and line spacing as desired.
• Click “OK.”
• Select the document again.
• Click on the font selection drop-down box on the toolbar and select the font you want for the entire document.
• Click on the type size desired.

• Undo the changes you have made by pressing CTRL+Z (the control key plus the letter Z).
• Undo some of the formatting by pressing CTRL+A and then clicking “Normal” on the Style drop-down box located on the toolbar.

You’ve heard of “Microsoft Word for Dummies®,” haven’t you? Well, you may not be a dummy, but just about everybody needs crib sheet to troubleshoot formatting problems that arise while writing a document and moving information around from one document to another.

Sometimes you can find the solution to your problem by clicking on “Help” in the toolbar or F1 on the keyboard. Here it pays to think creatively. You’ll want to type in a keyword, such as “bullet” or “line spacing” to bring up the information on how to resolve your problem.

In the long run, however, there is no substitute for learning how to use the software before actually using it. Often, there are classes available in your community, either at your local junior college or through employment development agencies that assist people in upgrading job skills. Free word processing training is available online.

Once you’ve mastered Microsoft Word, you’ll be more eager to tackle tutorials on other software programs. You can learn computer basics. You can learn computer programming. You can learn everything about computers by using tutorials that are easy and often enjoyable.

The only thing you have to fear is fear itself. The keyboard won’t bite you. And, it will do what you want it to do once you learn its secrets.

Microsoft is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation, registered in the U.S. and other countries for Dummies is a trademark of Wiley Publishing, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

About the Author:
Sheri Graves is a freelance writer living in Santa Rosa, California.

This article is intended for general informational purposes and does not provide legal or other professional advice. All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Please read our disclaimer for additional terms and conditions governing access to and use of this article.