- Thinking About Getting Organized
- Getting to Know Windows Explorer's Filing Headquarters
- Creating a New Folder
- Good File Naming Techniques: Another Organizational Aid
- Once You Create It, Know Where to Store It
- Relocating Files on Your Machine
- Using the Search Companion to Find Files on Your Computer
- Summary
- Workshop
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Workshop
Now it's time to see just how much you learned in this lesson. I'll give you a short multiple-choice quiz to test what you learned, followed by a suggested activity designed to enhance the skills you acquired during the hour.
Quiz
Select the best answer to the questions from the choices provided and then check your answers in the following section.
Questions
When is the best time to plan and define your computer's folder hierarchy?
Do it only when you have a gigabyte worth of data files on your hard drive.
Wait until you have used your computer for a year or two so that you know what types of folders you will need.
As soon as possible; sound file management practices are much easier to maintain if you start early.
Which of the following is the best file naming advice?
Give files short, descriptive names and store them in well-labeled folders whenever possible.
Use the longest filenames possible; that way a file search is more likely to pull up the files you really want.
You don't need filenames; Windows does it for you.
What is the Windows tool used to locate files?
Fetch!
Retriever
Search Companion
Answers
C is the proper answer. The longer you wait to get organized, the bigger the mess you will have on your hands.
A is the answer to this one. Long filenames accomplish little. When you allow Windows to name your files, it can make up filenames for you, but they would more than likely be useless. After all, how much does a filename like Document 3 tell you, besides the fact that it was the third document you created?
All the words may have similar meaning, but only C, Search Companion, is a real Windows tool. (Hey, the other two options would have been great candidates too since there's a little dog onscreen to sniff out elusive files!)
Activity
Come up with a list of five potential folder names that would be of use to you.
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If you are really serious about keeping all the files on your machine under control, you also should take the time to write down the types of documents you think will go into each folder. That will help you solidify the purpose of each folder you define so that when it comes time to save a document, you will immediately know the best place to store it.