Sipping timeless tech with fresh daily brews
Michael Davis 
I’ve seen users waste 20 minutes trying to select a single table column with complex clicks. The first column trick is actually the simplest selection method in any spreadsheet. With one deliberate click in the header row, you’ll capture the entire first column instantly. No dragging, no Shift-clicking, no formulas needed. This works in Excel, … Read more
I still remember the first time I tried moving handwritten notes into OneNote back in the CMU library—it felt like magic. The process has only gotten smoother since then. Converting sections to OneNote isn’t about copying and pasting. It’s about preserving formatting, images, and even that handwritten chicken scratch you swear you’ll decipher later. With … Read more
Here’s the thing—Microsoft GP’s item allocation inquiry hides in plain sight. I spent three hours digging through the interface before realizing a simple SQL query could surface exactly what we needed. The trick is hitting the right tables: IV00101 for items, IV00102 for quantities, and IV10200 for allocations. One join and you’ve got visibility into … Read more
That moment when your graph looks wrong because the scale is off? Been there. I spent an entire afternoon once chasing down why my data looked skewed until I realized the axis was set to auto. Changing the scale is simpler than you think. Right-click the axis, select Format Axis, and you’ll see options for … Read more
I wasted 20 minutes formatting a Word doc one-by-one last week. Then I remembered this trick—it’s the kind of thing that changes how you work. Holding down Ctrl or Shift while clicking lets you select multiple items at once. Works in Excel, PowerPoint, even Windows File Explorer. No special tools, just your keyboard. You’ll format … Read more
I still remember the first survey I built in 2005 – no login, no security, just chaos. Today’s Google Forms fixes that with one-click sign-in that keeps responses organized and secure. The process starts with your Google account. No special permissions needed, just the same login you use for Gmail or Drive. It takes under … Read more
Moving data from Excel to Access 2010 changed how my small business tracked inventory. ✨ The process takes under 5 minutes once you know the right steps in the External Data tab. I used to waste hours manually re-entering spreadsheets into databases. Access has a built-in import tool that preserves formatting and relationships between tables … Read more
I still remember the first spreadsheet I built in my uncle’s basement—pure chaos until I learned these tricks. Editing Excel sheets doesn’t have to be a battle against cells, formulas, and formatting. With a few shortcuts and formatting rules, you can transform messy data into clean, readable tables in under 10 minutes. No advanced skills … Read more
I remember updating .NET Core on a legacy server back in Pittsburgh scrap yards. The process has gotten much cleaner since then, but still trips up even experienced devs. This migration path works for any project, from small utilities to enterprise apps. You’ll need the latest SDK installed and a backup of your solution. The … Read more
Three years ago I wasted two hours manually comparing contract revisions. ✨ The side-by-side view in Word would’ve caught every change in 60 seconds flat. Microsoft built this feature directly into the View tab—no plugins, no workarounds. Open both docs, click Arrange All, then select Side by Side. The sync scroll option keeps both documents … Read more