Shortcuts are one of the most powerful features in Windows 95. A shortcut is an icon that allows quick access to a program or file. Shortcuts are placed on the desktop in lieu of the actual program or file. There are two crucial advantages to using a shortcut on the desktop rather than placing the real icon there. Firstly, it allows you to leave the actual program in its proper location, eliminating the possibility that it may not work due to its changed location. Secondly, it is a security measure to prevent people (including yourself) from accidentally deleting the icon. If you delete a shortcut by mistake, you simply have to re-create it. If you delete the actual icon by mistake, the file or program associated with it is lost.
To create a shortcut, you must first find the original icon. In the following example, we'll create a shortcut for the calculator in Windows 95. To reach the calculator, we must open the My Computer, C: drive, and Win 95 windows.
Once the required icon is located, we RIGHT-DRAG the icon onto the desktop. This means we hold down the right mouse button as we drag instead of the left. Once the icon is over the desktop, we let go of the mouse. When you right-drag and release, the computer will give you a shortcut menu of options. The option we will choose is "Create Shortcuts Here".
Once we choose to create a shortcut, the computer creates a shortcut icon. Shortcut icons are identified with a small, curving arrow in the lower-left corner of the icon.
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NOTE: an alternative method is to hold down both [CTRL] and [SHIFT] while left-dragging the mouse. |
It is important to remember that the shortcut icon is NOT the actual program; it is merely a way to access the program or file. If you delete the shortcut icon by mistake, it will NOT delete the program or file. Click here to see a video demo of placing a shortcut for the game Solitaire on the Desktop. (90K)
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