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Writers' Tech Talk
Writers' Tech Talk
Hidden In Your Keyboard!
Monday, 08 June 2009 00:34 | 
Written by Laura Wright | 
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There are things hidden in your keyboard that you probably aren’t aware of. Strange and archaic symbols, pictures, and codes which would puzzle even the most literate of hackers. Yet, do you know about them?
Most people who own computers leave the font setting on a generic type such as, *"Times New Roman," or, *"Arial." Yet, they never explore anything aside from decorative fonts when skimming through their PC’s font capabilities.
Many people own computers for years without looking through their keyboard to see what it includes. For writers, it can be especially frustrating to need a symbol and not know where to find it. As wordsmiths, we deal with common logos and technical aspects on a daily basis.
For users who have newer versions of the Microsoft® Word Processing Programs (*Word or *Works), you probably have a head start. There is a font called, *"Symbol," which has a great deal of legal icons and symbols for you to use. If you don’t happen to have that font, try these:
©- To get the copyright symbol hit the left ALT button, while holding that down, type any of these number combinations on the 10-key numeric pad to your right:
ALT + 0169
ALT + 0227
ALT + 0211
To achieve this symbol, you may also try: ALT + CTRL + C
®- To get the symbol for a legal registered item, try these combinations:
ALT+ 0226
ALT+ 0210
ALT+ 0174
You may also try: ALT + CTRL + R
™- To achieve the Trademark symbol, try these:
ALT + 0212
ALT + 0228
Or try: ALT+ CTRL+ T
These symbols can be a great help to writing a non-fiction piece. You can even take your knowledge one step further by looking through you font set titled, "Wingdings."
Your keyboard holds much more than this brief article touches. It pays to spend time examining your fonts and discovering what lies within the files. You can find many different possibilities for working within the realm of unfamiliar fonts.
The Cheat!
Microsoft users will be delighted to see the easiest way to find those enigmatic symbols. On your word processor, click on "Insert" and then click "Special Characters." Ta-da! Your symbols are only a click away! Happy Clicking!
Most people who own computers leave the font setting on a generic type such as, *"Times New Roman," or, *"Arial." Yet, they never explore anything aside from decorative fonts when skimming through their PC’s font capabilities.
Many people own computers for years without looking through their keyboard to see what it includes. For writers, it can be especially frustrating to need a symbol and not know where to find it. As wordsmiths, we deal with common logos and technical aspects on a daily basis.
For users who have newer versions of the Microsoft® Word Processing Programs (*Word or *Works), you probably have a head start. There is a font called, *"Symbol," which has a great deal of legal icons and symbols for you to use. If you don’t happen to have that font, try these:
©- To get the copyright symbol hit the left ALT button, while holding that down, type any of these number combinations on the 10-key numeric pad to your right:
ALT + 0169
ALT + 0227
ALT + 0211
To achieve this symbol, you may also try: ALT + CTRL + C
®- To get the symbol for a legal registered item, try these combinations:
ALT+ 0226
ALT+ 0210
ALT+ 0174
You may also try: ALT + CTRL + R
™- To achieve the Trademark symbol, try these:
ALT + 0212
ALT + 0228
Or try: ALT+ CTRL+ T
These symbols can be a great help to writing a non-fiction piece. You can even take your knowledge one step further by looking through you font set titled, "Wingdings."
Your keyboard holds much more than this brief article touches. It pays to spend time examining your fonts and discovering what lies within the files. You can find many different possibilities for working within the realm of unfamiliar fonts.
The Cheat!
Microsoft users will be delighted to see the easiest way to find those enigmatic symbols. On your word processor, click on "Insert" and then click "Special Characters." Ta-da! Your symbols are only a click away! Happy Clicking!
* All names with an asterisk are products of the Microsoft® Corporation. Only computers with such compatibility will have the fonts listed.
Last Updated (Monday, 08 June 2009 00:39)
