In this series we talk about tools we use to get the job done. These may be software or cloud services, hardware, or gadgets that make us more efficient.
Sharex - https://getsharex.com/
If you’ve ever needed to create documentation, wanted to send a quick howto video, or even automate processes Sharex would be a good tool to have handy.
At its base it’s software to do screen grabs/captures, and it does it very well. You can assign shortcuts to various tasks. I have it set to Ctrl + PrntScr when I want Sharex to snag something on my monitor. It then immediately pops into ShareX where you have the option to select a portion of the screen then edit the image to highlight, ad text, other images, etc. Then save it to a file to insert into a Word doc or a Blog :-)
This image is a screen grab, and I used 6 tools to modify it
Arrow - drew an arrow to point to the Toolbar
Text - added some text “Choose a Tool from here”
Speech bubble - “I need to type more for the Blog here”
Highlighter - highlighted the text “Then save it to a file…”
Blur - I blurred out some bits that I didn’t want leaked onto the interwebs
Crop - I cropped out a smaller section of the screenshot.
From there you can do so really powerful things with the finished file. You can define custom destinations. Whether it be a 3rd party website like Imgur or your own custom app/website. See the below screenshot for some of the fields available.
I also love that I can go back to previous screenshots from right inside ShareX. I routinely need to edit a screengrab in multiple ways, and it lets me do that and save them as new revisions.
There are a ton of other features available, but the other one I like the most is that I can record my screen and for instance: walk one of my customers through how to fix some problem they are having. The last one I sent was a customer not sure how to clear their browser cookies, so I sent them a gif of exactly where to click.
Something to keep in mind here though:
Do not post PII (Personal Identifiable Information) to a 3rd party site like Imgur.
There is a setting to disable uploads to those altogether, and I’ve got that firmly selected :-)
Mechanical Keyboard
This is more of a fun preference I have, but I have a hard time when I switch to another keyboard. With a quality mechanical keyboard there are tons of customizations available. I recommend starting with a “brown” switch for a good balance between typing feel and sound (not loud and distracting). The following keyboards are great options, and you can actually hotswap their switches out for other options if you want more quiet or more tactility. Plus the keycaps can be changed out for a different look.
I have the GMMK Pro from Glorious, and it’s a joy to type on.
The Regular GMMK from Glorious is also a great upgrade to what you’re likely using now.
Go with the Keychron C1 for a fullsize wired keyboard, or the Keychron K8 that loses the numpad for more desk space. If you have bluetooth on your system the K8 is also wireless.
You can take any of those options above and change out the kecaps for a different look or feel. I like the offerings from Epomaker. I’d recommend a “cherry profile” first, which is how the keycaps themselves are shaped. I dig the ASA profile as they are a bit more sculpted, but that might be an acquired taste.
Technology Porter
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