Poll: What does your computer desktop look like at the moment?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Sep 22, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What does your computer desktop look like at the moment?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 09:57
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
It looks exactly how it should... Sep 22, 2017

... well-organized!

I'm no Einstein, I need order in both my computer and my desk top...

workplace-computers-messy-unitidiness-tidy-business-16432178_low

[Edited at 2017-09-22 11:11 GMT]


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:57
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Sep 22, 2017

Not terribly cluttered. I know where everything is on it. There's some stuff I never use - mementos, for example a pen my late aunt gave me years ago, still in its box with my name on it. A stamp with my name and tax ID on it for paper invoices, although I can't remember the last time I had to issue one. A small notebook that was a gift from an former pupil from back in the 20th century... a steel paperknife that was a gift from some Danish businessmen I did an interpreting stint for donkeys ag... See more
Not terribly cluttered. I know where everything is on it. There's some stuff I never use - mementos, for example a pen my late aunt gave me years ago, still in its box with my name on it. A stamp with my name and tax ID on it for paper invoices, although I can't remember the last time I had to issue one. A small notebook that was a gift from an former pupil from back in the 20th century... a steel paperknife that was a gift from some Danish businessmen I did an interpreting stint for donkeys ago... a small glass jar with assorted paperclips and pen drives, a little brush for dusting my PC screen... a dodgy-looking ceramic coaster which was probably a gift as well, a ruler, a chopstick (for poking things)... one of those cloth wipes for spectacles, and a couple of sheets of paper with phone numbers ad scribbled calculations.Collapse


 
Joohee Kim
Joohee Kim  Identity Verified
South Korea
Local time: 18:57
Member (2017)
English to Korean
+ ...
well-organized. Sep 22, 2017

Well, my room is a mess. But my desktop(at least!) is clean.

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Wasn't it Einstein... Sep 22, 2017

... who said that a tidy desktop is the sign of a dirty mind?

 
Alexandra Speirs
Alexandra Speirs  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:57
Italian to English
+ ...
Computer desktop OK, actual desk not ... Sep 22, 2017

The computer desktop is fairly well organised, but the actual table top is a disaster area.
Fortunately the keyboard is on a pull-out shelf, otherwise it would be buried under junk.


 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 10:57
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
I wish... Sep 22, 2017

I thought you meant my computer screen, aka desktop in Microsoft speak.

Windows 10 refuses to let me arrange it as I used to in earlier versions and insists on tidying it up... So now it is seriously a MESS!

I used to have two tight rows of short cuts to things like 'Rare Icons' , MY personal files (Trados having taken over the other one, which I didn't dare re-name), Terminologibrokkasse (Which means a dump or hotch-potch of useful items. It used to be easily searchabl
... See more
I thought you meant my computer screen, aka desktop in Microsoft speak.

Windows 10 refuses to let me arrange it as I used to in earlier versions and insists on tidying it up... So now it is seriously a MESS!

I used to have two tight rows of short cuts to things like 'Rare Icons' , MY personal files (Trados having taken over the other one, which I didn't dare re-name), Terminologibrokkasse (Which means a dump or hotch-potch of useful items. It used to be easily searchable, until XP went out of date.) Finished Work - which also sounds better in Danish... Windows 10 shuffles these all over the place...

I had various temporary reference items and odds and ends in another patch, which I cleared and deleted at regular intervals.

Then I had an area bottom centre for current work, a patch of folders to collect items for invoicing at the end of the month, and a column of files at the extreme right with things for immediate reference like my password list. Easily clickable items at the extreme bottom of the screen for Google, my own terminology lists and Multiterm...

By having two millimetres of blue at the bottom and the right of the screen and icons pushed right to the edge, I had a dozen or so files and websites which I could open at a single click when required. They are now moved a centimetre in or to somewhere completely different. Either I can't find them or they reduce my working area drastically.

It used to look chaotic, but was entirely logical and easy to find my way around.

After a Windows 10 update a couple of months ago, the screen automatically 'tidies up', and HELP!!! I can't find anything in all those neat rows... The patches and categories are broken up and there is no logic anywhere.

@ Chris: Einstein was so right!

[Edited at 2017-09-22 10:49 GMT]
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Maxi Schwarz
Maxi Schwarz  Identity Verified
Local time: 04:57
German to English
+ ...
relatively organized because.... Sep 22, 2017

Late last year I had impending hard drive failure. A new hard drive was put in, and everything reinstalled spanking new. Laptop was bought while waiting for the rebuild, so ditto. Ask me in a couple of years.

 
Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 09:57
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
If it means the W10 desktop (???) Sep 22, 2017

My desktop screen has three columns of icons, including a few things that I never intended putting there but daren't delete.

But I rarely use it, anyway. The things I use all the time are along the bottom left-hand line of every screen (is that the task bar???), i.e. Explorer, two browsers, my virus/firewall software, Skype, Google Earth... When I need to use other things, I tend to go to the Windows button in the far left-hand corner and scroll through or search for it. I don't go
... See more
My desktop screen has three columns of icons, including a few things that I never intended putting there but daren't delete.

But I rarely use it, anyway. The things I use all the time are along the bottom left-hand line of every screen (is that the task bar???), i.e. Explorer, two browsers, my virus/firewall software, Skype, Google Earth... When I need to use other things, I tend to go to the Windows button in the far left-hand corner and scroll through or search for it. I don't go for themes, wallpapers or any of those things as they simply don't interest me. Nor do I use all those things they give you and insist on displaying, such as Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos...

I doubt I'm using my computer in the most ergonomic way, but it's supposed to be MY tool: I'm not bending my own working processes to comply with IT (that was meant to be "it" emphasised, but the acronym IT works just as well ).
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Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 06:57
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Clean but not perfect Sep 22, 2017

Considering what Windows calls Desktop (the folder)
- Only daily use shortcuts in my desktop (about 15) + 2 virtual sticky notes.

Considering the computer.
1. I don't keep anything useless at all in my computer.
2. I do not install games and apps, only things I use to work or necessary items.
3. I clean up every week - CCleaner, Remove Prgs, etc.
4. I move all e-mails to the clients' folders; only pending items remain in my inboxes. I make a backup copy
... See more
Considering what Windows calls Desktop (the folder)
- Only daily use shortcuts in my desktop (about 15) + 2 virtual sticky notes.

Considering the computer.
1. I don't keep anything useless at all in my computer.
2. I do not install games and apps, only things I use to work or necessary items.
3. I clean up every week - CCleaner, Remove Prgs, etc.
4. I move all e-mails to the clients' folders; only pending items remain in my inboxes. I make a backup copy of my .psts once a year, and erase everything that is older than one year.


[Edited at 2017-09-22 19:24 GMT]
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Luiz Barucke
Luiz Barucke  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 06:57
Spanish to Portuguese
+ ...
Almost nothing Sep 22, 2017

I don't use Windows Desktop as a folder to save files.

For back up reasons, I have everything in a personal local folder synchronized with my USB device.

Right now, I have 4 file shortcuts in my Desktop and only because I like to open them using shortcut keys.


 
Gitte Hoveds (X)
Gitte Hoveds (X)
Denmark
Local time: 10:57
Danish to English
+ ...
Hyper tidy Sep 23, 2017

As all programmes are already organised by Windows in an easy-search list and all files are logically stored under Documents, why would I want icons on my desktop? I don't get it...

My desktop looks PRETTY! I.e. with some nice pictures changing at regular intervals (Windows Footpaths, lovely)...

KISS works for me...


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:57
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Well organized but too many icons Sep 23, 2017

I never ever leave temporary stuff on my desktop. I'm very careful about filing all my documents. I do have quite a few programs on it; however, and my tech puts stuff there over my protests. I'm never sure what's safe to delete.

 


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Poll: What does your computer desktop look like at the moment?






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