In photoshop, the Extract and Liquify commands have been shifted from the image menu to the filter menu . The enhanced Liquify filter gives you greater control over warping with zoom,pan and multiple undo . You can also save your meshes , which return to an image after experimenting with Liquify tools and start where you left off .

You can even apply the same mesh to different images , or experiment on a low- resolution image before applying the mesh to high resolution version . You can also create effects such as smoke or fire with the new Turbulence brush . The new backdrop option let you view individual layers or a flattened version of the file, so that you can see your distortions in context as you create them .

In order to use the new pattern Maker option , highlight the portion of the images you want to use in the pattern, and click on the Generate button . A random pattern is made from your selection, which will be tiled to cover the whole canvas . Pattern Maker can hold upto 20 Patterns in its history , so you can always go back and play around with the controls . You can also control the size and layout of the pattern tiles . Finally , when you get the pattern that you want , Click the disc icon , to save it as a pattern preset .

Reducing file size foe web images :

Save images for the Web as transparent images, so that they take up less space. Go to the Layers palette and simply delete the Background layer . This leaves only transparent layers above it . Now when you click on ‘Save fro Web’ , the checkbox for Transparency is no longer greyed out .

Clean Type For the Web

A type size below 12 points becomes blurry, when used on the web. To maintain the visibility, try to keep the tracking between 20 to 50 points. This will not only keep the small, but will also maintain the visibility of the type . .

Trim For the Web

Another way to keep file sizes small is to use the Trim function from the Image menu . It will crop your web graphics as tightly as possible , for the smallest possible file size . It does this by looking at the pixel colour in the upper left corner of your images , and cropping down until it hits another colour .

Layer-based Slices

Photoshop can automatically flatten and slice an images an images meant for the Web, by using layer-based slices .
If you create a layer-based slice , when you move the layer, photoshop will automatically adjust all the slices to accommodate your move, and will also create a new slice layer . From the layer menu, choose New Layer Based Slice in case of changes in the layer . Also , if you let photoshop do the slicing, you don’t have to drug out slices – Photoshop does exact and automatic slicing .

The new slice options in Photoshop 7 allow you to link and unlink your slices . Linking the slices allow them to shares the same color palette and dithering options , which prevents visible seams that occur between the lines due to changes .

If you often work with shared folders on a networked machine, then accessing folders can be made easier . 

Goto network folders in Windows Explorer, by typing \\machine_name\share_folder . In the left pane of the window , you will find the folder name . Right clickon the folder and select Map Network Drive . Select ‘ Reconnect at Logon ‘ if you wish to automatically get connected to the network drive as soon as windows starts . From now onwards , you can access the network folder as if it were a local drive on your machine .

Understand Your Machine better : 

                  To get information about your machine , go to

 Start – > programs – > Accessories – > System tool – > System Information . This tool will provide you with information about the resources on your motherboard , the hardware components and drivers , and also about the software applications running on your machine .

Stopping MSN messenger From starting Automatically :

Navigate to User Configuration – > Administrative Templates -> Windows Components – > windows Messenger . In the right pane , you will find options to change the settings for this program . Click on ‘ Do not automatically start windows messenger initially ‘ and enable this rule to prevent starting MSN messenger when your start windows .

Disabling Windows Update :

If you wish to remove the windows Update option , Go to User configuration – > administrative Templates – > Windows Components -> windows Update . You can completely remove this option by enabling ‘ Remove access to all update features ‘ . Unfortunately , after you do this , Windows will nor prompt you to update , and you cannot manually update from website either .

Removing Unnecessary options from Task Manager ;

If you want to remove some options from task manager, navigate to
user Configuration – > administrative Templates – > Windows components – > System – > Clrl+Alt+Del option . In the right-hand pane , disable any option that says ‘ remote Logoff‘ by checking it .

Powerpoint XP has finally added the print preview facility . You can use this to preview slides before printing . This option was not present in the earlier version .

Creating Alternative layouts in Word :

You now have the power to create a alternative layout (for making handouts ) in word , which are not available in power point XP . You can do this by exporting this slide to word through the sendTo option . From the file menu , choose the SendTo option , click microsoft word and then select the layout option . For example , if you want to print three slides per page but don’t want lines for audience notes, send the handout to word , choose the blank line next to the slide option , and delete the lines in word . Choose any layout the suites your requirement and export the slides to word. You can also make the necessary addition and deletions to the handout in word .

Add Diagrams :

Powerpoint XP offers a new diagram functionality , which make it easier to add an organizational charts . Select the diagram from the insert menu from the dialogue box and choose the left top corner chart . You could right click any of those box to add a subordinates , Co-workers or assistants to the existing charts . This reduces a work when you have to build orgnisational charts with Powerpoint XP . You can also select a Venn Diagrams , Cycles , radials , pyramids , etc . From the diagram listings .

Compress Pictures:

Presentation blues? You must have had those when your presentation became too heavy with images. Now there’s a way to make your presentation light while retaining all the images. Save the pictures that you have to insert as JPG’s GIFs, or in any other smaller format. Power point XP provides an option by which you can compress the embedded images. Click on the images you want compress by holding down the [Ctrl] key or by selecting them all. Choose the picture toolbar from View >Toolbar>Picture. click on the compress picture button, and choose ‘Delete the cropped area’ of the picture to make the presentation lighter. Just remember that if you compress pictures by selecting the Web/Screen, Print, or ‘Delete cropped areas of picture’ option from the compress picture dialog box you won’t be able to restore images to their original resolution or size.

Customize animations:

You can now customize animations in PowerPoint XP. Start off by selecting your own track for the object to move on. This could either be straight line, a curve, or a scribble. Right-click the text or the image for which the animation is to be set, and choose Custom Animation. The task pane opens and gives you a list of animations that can be assigned to an object on the presentation. To choose your own animation style, click on Add Effect and choose Motion paths. From option, choose the Draw Custom path submenu. This provide you with options to draw Straight line,Curves or Scribble paths. You can choose any of these options and draw the path on the slide. The starting position would be denoted by green triangle and the trailing edge by red triangle. you can also resize and move the path. In this manner, you can even create short cartoon movies using PowerPoint XP.

Working on forms and report is a breeze with Access XP . Mentioned below are the some shoutcut keys that would make work simpler and easier :

[Ctrl]+[Tab] : To move a subsection
[F2] : To swich between Edit mode(with insertion point diaplayed) and Navigation mode .
[F4] : To switch to the property sheet ( Design view in forms and reports in database and access projects).
[F5] : To switch to form view from Form design view .
[F6] : To switch between the upper and lower portion of a window(Design View of the Advanced Filter/Sort window only)
[F7] : To switch to the code Builder from Form or Report Design view ( Design view window or property sheet)
[F8] : Invokes the field list in a form , report, or Data Access page . If the field list is already open, it moves focus to field list . After Seletion of a field from the list, you could just press [Enter] to insert that field .

[Ctrl]+[Enter] or [Alt]+[D] : To open the selected table , query, form , report, data access page, macro, or module in Design view .

You can send a quick messages across the LAN using a standard tool within Windows 98/Me . WinPopUp is a standard and easy to use messaging utility within Windows . To use WinPopUp , go to Start-> Run and type in ‘winpopup‘ in the open Open field , and click OK – this will open the WinPopup window. To send a message through WinPopUp, click on Send- this opens up the Send Message Window . Type message in the Message text field , and name of recipient – the computer name – and click OK . Incoming messages are also displayed in WinPopUp window. Keep in mind that for the recipient to be able to receive your messages , he or she will also need to have WinPopUp running .

Send to all :

You can use the ‘ net send ‘ command line utility in windows 2000 , to send messages to another computer , or choose to send messages to everybody in the domain . Just typing in ‘net send domain_name your messages ‘ should do it ! . For more syntax and options type in ‘ net send/ ? ‘at the Command Prompt .

Google Wave is a new tool for communication and collaboration on the web, coming later this year. Watch the demo video below, sign up for updates and learn more about how to develop with Google Wave.

If you are a Windows XP user and wanted to have the look of Mac OS X Leopard, then here is the best transformation pack. The Mac OS X Leopard Transformation Pack is created by kampongboy92 will give your Windows XP the Mac OS look.

* Please make backup before replace your system files.

* These files can only work in Windows XP SP2 (English version ONLY).

* Only do in SAFE MODE