Stuck with IE? - customise the toolbars

Tip of the day - 3

IE toolbars - 1

Stuck with Internet Explorer as your browser at work? Make its toolbars work for you.
Right click in the blank grey space below the web address (URL) or Choose View - Toolbars

Make sure Lock the Toolbars is turned off i.e. it does not have a tick next to it.
Now you can drag the favicon for any site (the little symbol at the beginning of the URL) on to your toolbar for quick access. Left click and drag to the “grey space.”

Help desk could be useful!

The shortcut to your library is indispensable of course!

Right click on any favicon you now have on your toolbar and rename it to suit your needs.
Now you have instant access to oft visited sites without cluttering your desktop, trawling through your Favorites folders or finding them in your online bookmarks.

Here’s a section of my Toolbar

Free libraries on demand - Australia

Tip of the Day - 2

This is the second in a series of tips for the staff at school but you will find your local libraries provide similar services. Pop in today and ask your librarian.

• Get your free Library card from the State Library of NSW to access all their databases from home
• The National Library of Australia also provides this service.  Register for your free card here

The National Library of Australia eResources

The state libraries in each Australian jurisdiction have similar arrangements. If you are a resident of another state find the details here.
State Library of Victoria
State Library of South Australia
State Library of Western Australia
State Library of Tasmania
State Library of Queensland
Northern Territory Library

Passing on learning

In a few weeks I will be retiring from paid work in school and moving to a quieter life. In a concentrated effort to share some things I've learnt from a variety of places over the years, I'm sending a Tip of the Day to staff at school via email, as it is still the preferred method of communication within many schools. I'll credit ideas where I can find them, but some lessons have been absorbed from many sites, apologies in advance to those not cited.
Here's today's offering.

Passwords

If you are not using a random password generator here’s a quick tip for generating your own unique password.

1. Take a phrase unique to you e.g. I’ve worked at Trinity Grammar School for eleven years!
2. Take first letter of each word, turn one word into numbers, add some capitals and that becomes - IwaTGSf11y!
3. Now use that with first and last letters of site you are logging in to

Examples:

for Google - IwaTGSf11y!ge OR gIwaTGSf11y!e OR geIwaTGSf11y!
Repeat one of those patterns: for Facebook - IwaTGSf11y!fk for Twitter - IwaTGSf11y!tr

Easily remembered by you, change the pattern and/or phrase every 6 months – Stay safe online!
Within minutes of sending the email I'd had half a dozen positive acknowledgements. Lesson of the day for me, remember to keep sharing, what you think is obvious may be new information for others.

Useful sites about passwords

Common Craft Secure passwords
The Mozilla Channel How to choose strong passwords
Keepass KeePass Password Safe