Most of us are creatures of habit. We drive to work the same way every day, sip the same espresso drink in the afternoon, cook from a repertoire of about five things, watch the same TV news at the same time every night.  We go on working and living the same old way--even if it might not be the most efficient, or healthy, or whatever--until something inspires us to change. Well, let us inspire you with a series of Windows 98 tips that might put a spark in your workaday doldrums.

One window at a time

Do you get frustrated with the clutter created by a new window opening each time you click a folder in My Computer or Windows  Explorer?  You can change that, making each new item open in the same window. 

• In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the View menu, and then click Folder Options.
• On the General tab, click Custom, based on settings you choose, click Settings, and then click Open each folder in the same window.

Easiest access to favorite sites
You probably use the Favorites list in Internet Explorer to keep track of the Web sites you visit most frequently.  If you have a few sites to which you would like more immediate access, you can put a link to the page directly on the Internet Explorer Links toolbar.

• When you're at the site you would like to add, click and drag the icon next to the page address from the Address bar to the Links bar.
• To remove a site from the Links bar, click the link with the right mouse button, then click Delete.

Better get back
Sometimes clicking the Back button in Internet Explorer can be hard on the mouse finger.  For faster access to most recently visited pages, use the little down arrow to the right of the Back button.  A list of the last several pages you have visited will appear.  Click the name of a page in the list to go directly to that page.  The Forward button has the same feature.

Quick search
The AutoSearch feature in Internet Explorer lets you search for Web sites quickly, without first opening the Search bar. It's easy. In the Address bar, type go, find, or ? followed by a word or phrase, and then press ENTER. The Search bar will open, displaying your search results.

Try it: Type Find espresso and see what happens.

Note: Internet Explorer searches for your word or topic using only one search service. If you don't find what you need, click the New button on the toolbar and try it again.  Use the Next button to choose from several search services.

Forgot your file name? Find it anyway
Every once in a while our memories don't serve us well, and we lose track of a file.  If you know you created it, and you know you saved it, but you can't remember what you called it, try this:

1. Click the Start button, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders...
2. Click the Date tab.
3. Select Find all files, then choose Modified from the drop-down list.
4. Select between, then choose a date range when you know you worked on the file.
5. Click Find Now.

Use the taskbar to your advantage
The taskbar is versatile enough to meet your every need. You can customize the taskbar so you can do everything from one place, including starting programs, viewing documents, and surfing the Web. Here's how:

• Right-click the background of the taskbar, point to Toolbars, and then click the toolbar you want to add: an Address bar, a Links bar, a toolbar containing all items on your desktop, or the Quick Launch bar.

You can also create your own toolbar from any folder.

• Right-click the background of the taskbar, point to Toolbars, and then click New Toolbar. Select a folder from the list. A toolbar containing all items in that folder will be added to your taskbar.

You can drag the new toolbar to any location on your desktop, and easily remove a toolbar from the taskbar by right-clicking the taskbar and then clicking the item again to remove the check mark.

Today's the day--throw caution to the wind. Break those old habits and take advantage of Windows 98.  You'll feel like a new person.

Molly Dempsey enjoys finding new ways to make her life easier.