251
votes
Accepted
How can I keep my cat off my keyboard?
Place a box near your keyboard that is the right size for the cat to sit in. If possible, place it on something warm.
Cats like two things: warmth and security. It likes being on your keyboard ...
- 7,480
111
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
When the cold caller asks for you, say "Just a moment, I'll get them." and then place the phone next to the stereo and let it play, like hold music. Every once in a while get back on in your best ...
- 1,783
95
votes
How can I keep my cat off my keyboard?
This happens because my cat likes to sit on my keyboard. Is there any way to prevent this from happening? I enjoy my cat's company while working, so would rather not shut him out.
Since this is ...
- 1,253
85
votes
How can I keep my cat off my keyboard?
I remember this from /r/funny a while back - a decoy keyboard!
Kitty Fooled!
- 951
79
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
Print the telemarketing counterscript and keep it next to your phone.
I don't know how much it annoys the caller, but it might make things more fun for you.
- 899
49
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
Well, this doesn't apply to the UK specifically but here's my approach:
Never answer unsolicited calls from an unknown number. From anyone. Ever. Calls from a number that I don't recognize go ...
- 649
42
votes
How can I keep my cat off my keyboard?
Animals need boundaries. The only way to prevent that from happening is to set boundaries with him.
If he steps on the keyboard, remove him from the desk and place him on the ground. You will need ...
- 1,165
35
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
Answer in a foreign language. For the cold caller it's usually not worth trying to communicate with someone who you share no common language, since they are usually on the clock to make commission.
- 517
26
votes
Can I shut off my laptop's keyboard without turning off my computer?
Most operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux) have some means of manually locking the screen. This will engage the screen saver (if you have one set) and require password entry before the system will ...
- 9,790
24
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
I sound interested then say "Wait a moment, I have to take something off the stove".
Then walk away. They hang up eventually.
(I used to keep an emergency whistle by the phone - blowing it removes ...
- 1,838
23
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
If you want a novel, legal and amusing way to discourage telemarketers, there's always Lenny.
http://www.toao.net/595-lenny
If you're really committed, set your number up with a premium rate for ...
- 331
23
votes
What do I do with a desk whose varnish has worn away, and doesn't allow my mouse to work smoothly?
A mousepad may be an option :)
Alternatively, in one case, I just took a single sheet of 8x12" white paper, and taped it to the desk... It worked perfectly. Every few months or so (depending on ...
- 331
22
votes
Can I shut off my laptop's keyboard without turning off my computer?
BabySmash was created to allow a baby to smash away at a keyboard without doing any harm to the computer. It also draws nice patterns to keep baby amused.
It may not amuse your cat but it should ...
- 321
19
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
One very amusing way to dismiss cold callers is to put on your best sultry voice and say;
“I would be delighted to answer all of your question my dear, but this is a premium service and we will bill ...
- 351
17
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
I have three fixes for this, with different results:
As I am in the USA, my phone number has been on the Do Not Call list as long as the list has existed. I used to get good results reporting callers,...
17
votes
How can I open an iPhone's SIM card slot without the included pin?
I have successfully opened an iPhone card slot using a paper clip.
Just straighten a standard sized paper clip and poke the end in the hole. It is a tight fit but it works.
- 1,838
14
votes
Accepted
Physical Text To Digital Text
Use an android phone and the "Google Lens." feature recently added to the photos app and the camera photo review scrwwn.
OCR via Google Lens is pretty amazing and accurate beyond any OCR software I'...
- 529
14
votes
What do I do with a desk whose varnish has worn away, and doesn't allow my mouse to work smoothly?
If you don't mind your desk being covered, and you want to keep the large useful mouse area (so that a mouse pad is not enough), a large desk mat sounds like an option. These are essentially ultra-...
- 2,065
13
votes
How can I keep my cat off my keyboard?
The floating judgement box should work - I guess you could double decoy by putting an old keyboard in the box. Got to be irresistible to any cat ;)
- 453
13
votes
Accepted
How to avoid paper sticking together in a printer?
Just before printing, remove the paper from the printer and fan it to prevent the paper from sticking. One of the sources I reviewed said that in an arid environment, fanning could cause sticking due ...
- 4,338
13
votes
How can I remove a stuck ethernet cable?
Dismantling the laptop would not work. Just get a small flat head screwdriver (the kind you'd use for spectacles) and pop it in along the plastic tab. It will push it further down than you may be able ...
- 1,195
13
votes
Is there any way to restore faded receipts?
Scan the receipt with a computer scanner, or even photograph it in a very even light with a cell phone, then use image editing software to enhance the contrast of the image. With this workflow, I ...
- 9,790
12
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
I note you're in the UK, where, very recently, a landmark change has been made in the law written to protect consumers from this type of harassment. Link below to a report by the BBC, but you need to ...
- 3,704
12
votes
How to avoid background reflection Computer display
As long as you can't block the major light sources easily, then you need a Monitor filter (wikipedia), which has anti glare or anti reflex/reflective behaviour. These can be bought commercially for at ...
- 6,984
12
votes
Accepted
Remove and restore stickers from back of laptop
Since most of them are made of a semi-plastic material, the safest way is by using a hairdryer. Start heating from the corners of the sticker.
Apply heat for 45 seconds and try to peel it. If it's ...
- 236
11
votes
How to keep laptop on your lap and still be safe?
You can use a slim wooden cutting board, which is both cheap and very lightweight. I have been using that method for 4 years now and I've had no problems so far.
My laptop isn't overheating plus the ...
- 111
11
votes
Best (law-abiding) ways to inconvenience cold callers?
Be creepy. Heavy breathing, asking someone if they wear a uniform, and so on will freak out most cold callers.
Say "I inform you I am recording this conversation".
Give the phone to your half-deaf ...
- 111
11
votes
Accepted
Avoiding headache while using screen for the whole day
Your work posture, lack of lighting and too-long workday are major health risks. Change your habits before it's too late.
Too little light is a possible cause of headaches. To work comfortably on a ...
- 6,284
11
votes
How to prevent plugs from falling out of a wall socket?
Replace the receptacle. It's starting to fail.
Learn what "break off tabs" are, and look for them.
The receptacles should be able to hold a small wall-wart. If it can't, then the thing falling ...
11
votes
What to do with old contacts on phone that aren't used anymore?
Although it would take time, you could prefix all your older contacts with the word "OLD". For example:
First name "OLD Joe"
Last name "Blow"
That way, you would keep the old contacts, but they ...
- 11.6k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible