Welcome

Welcome to the latest news from 2BrightSparks. In this issue we focus on how our products can assist writers, show you how you can optimize your task bar with TrayOnClick, and feature a message from our Creative Director Mike de Sousa.

If you have any suggestions on what you might like to see in future issues of this newsletter, drop us a line with your suggestions.

In this issue...

• Specialist Groups - Writers

• Get Organized with TrayOnClick

• Staff Sparks

• Tip of the Month

• Articles at 2BrightSparks

• Lucky Draw Winners


Specialist Groups - Writers

Researching ideas for a book, an article, or a report takes a significant amount of time and effort. Not something that any writer would want to re-do in the event that the information gathered goes missing, either through loss of data or simply due to being misplaced. Good news for you writers! There are programs that will make your life easier and help you get organized. Lets take a look at some scenarios of how software can assist you.

Let's say you had previously collected a great deal of information for an article written a while ago and that you have now decided to write another article based on the same topic. The last thing you want to do is to spend time researching the same information, but you cannot remember where you previously saved it. In this situation, you will need software to search your computer or external drives based on the content of the data files. FindOnClick by 2BrightSparks is part of the OnClick Utilities suite and the program enables the user to search for files based on date, path (e. g. C:\), file extension (e. g. .doc or .txt) and also by the content of the file, which proves invaluable for most writers. In this way, you will be able to locate files by simply remembering keywords. Find out more about FincOnClick.

Now that we have covered how to easily locate that particular forgotten file, what about losing files due to mishaps like hard disk malfunctions, viruses, or even theft? Imagine you've written 7 out of 10 chapters of your book and your laptop is stolen. You were not prepared for this and you start to panic as that is the only place you have your chapters stored. At the back of your mind you have always told yourself you needed to have a backup plan. Unfortunately you have always postponed coming up with one with the thought that you are one of the lucky computer users who will never experience such bad luck, but now your lucky stars have run out. All your book chapters and other data files are lost forever and there is nothing you can do to retrieve them. This is a nightmare scenario for all writers and it can very easily be prevented with a backup plan.

The most convenient way is to use software to backup all your data files to external media (e. g. external hard drive, USB Key) that you keep in a separate location to your computer. SyncBackSE is a competitively priced backup and synchronization software solution that is fit for both the novice and expert computer user. With SyncBackSE, you will be able to schedule backups and it will also allow you to synchronize 2 computers. For example, you may work on your laptop while you travel but still have the same copies on your desktop at home or at the office. You can do exactly that with SyncBackSE: effectively 2 programs in 1 for the price of just US$30.00!


Get Organized with TrayOnClick

Are you one who has the habit of having multiple programs or documents opened at the same time? Perhaps there are times when so many windows are opened that your task bar is cluttered and difficult to use. Well good news, the world of the multi-tasker is eased with the help of TrayOnClick.

TrayOnClick is a nifty piece of software that allows you to keep your task bar organized. It gives you the option to hide all windows to the TrayOnClick icon on the task bar, therefore freeing up a lot of space on the task bar itself. You can then access the window you require by right-clicking on the TrayOnClick icon and selecting just that window. You are also given the option to restore all windows with a single click, or minimize all windows to the right side of the task bar so only the icon of the window is shown.

Give TrayOnClick a test drive by downloading the fully functional 30 day trial and you'll see how simple but highly useful TrayOnClick is. You'll love it!

Note that the latest release of TrayOnClick, part of the OnClick Utilities suite, is a beta-version.


Staff Sparks

Hi, I'm Mike de Sousa and as the Creative Director of 2BrightSparks part of my challenge is to write copy for our web site, documentation, and help files. With the help of my colleagues my aim is to write in an accessible and informative manner.

Graphic images help users identify functions in a program and directions on a web site. They provide visual shortcuts that can help significantly with how easily a site or program is to use, and they provide relief to the eye from endless blocks of text. Audio can also assist users in presentational or instructional contexts, however in publishing a web site or presenting program functions, the written word continues to be the most effective means of communication.

A web site needs to convey information about its purpose quickly as visitors often scan a web page without staying long. At 2BrightSparks that means informing the visitor that we produce utility software, and describing the benefits and functions of the software succinctly. We also try to provide clear paths for the user if they wish to find more information about our software. Writing the text copy for a web site is inevitably a compromise, and the redrafting process is continuous. Think of web sites as works in progress. In the case of 2BrightSparks what might be perfectly effective one week might not be appropriate the next as new software updates are released.

Our target audience is very broad as the software we develop is valuable to anyone who uses a computer. We try to ensure whether you are new to computers or a technical guru, you can easily gather the information you require and make an informed decision about whether we provide the solution for your needs. I hope much of the time we get it right, but there are times when we receive feedback from visitors to the site who make suggestions to improve a phrase here, or change a paragraph in a help file there. If you spot a way we can make our site or documentation better don't hesitate to Contact Us.

Our software and web site is a success, largely as a result of the invaluable suggestions of visitors and users just like you.


Tip of the Month

Solving the Ever-changing USB Drive Letter Problem

If you have multiple USB-connected devices, Windows might assign different drive letters to each device at each startup. Yesterday my backup drive was “G:” but I added a USB printer and today my backup drive is “H:”

That makes it impractical to just use the drive letter as a backup Destination. Fortunately, SyncBackSE provides an easy solution - use the drive’s LABEL (name) instead of its drive letter.

If your USB drive is labeled "DAILYBACKUP", for example, you can tell SyncBackSE to look for that drive, regardless of the assigned drive letter.

Just use one of SyncBackSE’s handy Variables, %LABEL%. Your profile will now look like %LABEL=DAILYBACKUP%... regardless of which drive letter is assigned. Problem solved!

There are lots of Variables that SyncBackSE lets you use. Start by accessing the Help menu, and search on “Variables” to see the possibilities.

Oh, you say that your drive doesn’t have a label? No problem. In Windows Explorer, right-click on the drive you want to name, and then select the Properties item. In the pop-up window at the top you will see a box where you can enter a name of your choosing (subject to Windows’ rules, or course).


Articles at 2BrightSparks

We have a collection of articles that we hope will be of use to you.

If you would like to see articles of a particular topic, please do let us know.

Otherwise, check back in the near future to check out new articles.


Lucky Draw Winners

Every month, ten lucky winners who complete the SyncBackSE survey form receive a free license for OnClick Utilities. The link to the survey is contained in the order confirmation email for SyncBackSE. We will even allow you to transfer your license to friends or family if you've already got a license.

To date, 260 lucky people have already received free software from us just by simply completing the survey, so what are you waiting for?


Until Next Time

Thanks for reading and we look forward to getting in touch again in a months time.

The 2BrightSparks Team.
2BrightSparks Pte Ltd.
www.2brightsparks.com

Power with Ease - Indispensable Utility Software

All Content: 2BrightSparks © 2003-2010