File Saving Locations

Every now and then, the IT folks have to get a bit surgical on computers. We...

The problem is this: some people misplace their brains. That is to say, they choose non-standard locations to save their documents. This is a serious problem for us, and it leaves users with the very real risk of losing their documents. Permanently.

It takes about an hour to move files from one computer to another. If we have to search through your computer to find out all the places that you stored your files... well, we simply can't afford to do that; it could take hours. That means your files are safe if they are within...

1. your 'My Documents' folder, your 'My Photos' folder, etc.
   OR
2. the Shared Documents folder

Please do not, not, NOT store your documents in a folder you've created on the C drive or the D drive. It's nearly certain that you'll lose those documents when we update your computer.

Thanks for helping us to help you!!

P.S.: of course, this does not apply to files on servers. THAT's another discussion for another day!

Teachers: Copy to PDF

How much content do you re-use from one year to another?

It's funny, but schools are among the worst organisations in terms of valuing their own knowledge. To improve your re-use of content, you can start with materials that you photocopy.

In some cases, you photocopy material that will only be used once by you and your students. However, it there's a chance that you'll use that content again, why not save it as a PDF and re-PRINT it instead of re-copying it?

In a later tip, we'll deal with saving collections of documents for next year's classes!

To Scan to A USB Stick

You may expect scans to take up about 1/2 megabyte each, so you'll be able to fit 4000 pages of scans onto a typical 2 gigabyte thumb drive.

1. Place and align your originals face down on the glass of the scanner.
2. Press the 'Scan' key on the left side of the display.
3. Insert your USB stick into the USB port on the left side of the copier.
4. Above the display, press the key for 'to USB stick'.
5. Press the big green 'start' button to scan your document.
6. You can remove the USB stick when scanning is finished.

Speed: Depending on how fast your hands are, you may be able to copy up to 10 pages per minute.

If you'd like a hands-on demonstration of how to do this, please contact the IT department for help!