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Do you really know how to use the Web?

Sure, you know how to launch a web browser and visit your favorite web sites. But are you doing it as efficiently as you could?

After sitting down with a couple of sportswriters today to show them some advanced blogging skills (both have been blogging for more than a year), I discovered some basic tactics that help me streamline my forays onto the World Wide Web, getting the most information possible in the shortest amount of time, were new to them. As a result, I’m planning a training session and handout on the Basics for Best Practices on the Web. I’ll post it here when it’s finished.

Here are a few points I’ll include:

- Use Firefox as your browser, and use tabbed browsing. When you see a link you want to follow, use the Control key or Apple key when you click on a link to open them in a new tab. This allows you to finish reading, then go to the new web page later.
- Use an RSS reader. For RSS fans, this is old news, but surprisingly few people still take advantage of this time-saving and information organizing tactic.
- Learn how make screenshots. On a Mac, it’s Shift-Apple-3. On a PC, use the PrtScr button, then Control-V (paste) into an image editor.
- Learn how to use the keyboard shortcuts, especially cut, copy and paste. And know the quickest way to highlight a URL in a Web browser: click on the favicon (the little graphic on the left).
- Use Snipshot.com to edit your photos. It’s quick and easy and free. What more do you want?
- Use del.icio.us to file links to great articles or blog posts that you want to save. Stop killing trees by printing them out.
- Use TinyURL.com to turn super long and ugly URLs into nice, cute links to send people in email or IM.

I know I don’t have all the tricks of the trade. What are your favorite time-saving Web tactics?

Posted by MarkBriggs on Friday, July 20, 2007
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