On a shared computer, work that is not saved somewhere you own is gone the moment you stand up. Many libraries wipe the machine automatically when you log out. This lesson is about never losing an afternoon.
Every Save box asks the same three things: what to call it, where to put it, and what type of file it is. Most people fill in the name and ignore the other two, and then cannot find the file afterwards.
Save updates the file you already have. Save As makes a new copy, which is what you want when you are keeping the old version too.
You finish your CV on a library computer with five minutes left.
What happens: Many public computers wipe everything when you log out. You come back tomorrow and the file is gone, along with the afternoon.
What happens: The work now exists somewhere that belongs to you. Emailing it to yourself costs nothing and works even without a USB drive.
The computer switched off and I had not saved
Open the program again first, because Word and similar programs often recover unsaved work automatically and offer it to you. It does not always work, which is why saving every few minutes is the real answer. Ctrl and S together saves without touching the mouse.
Which file type should I choose?
For something you will edit again, keep the normal document type. For anything you send to an employer, also save a PDF, because it looks the same on every machine. Phone Skills lesson 4 explains why that matters so much.
Before you move on
- Learn Ctrl and S to save
- Always email finished work to yourself before logging out
- Save a PDF copy of anything going to an employer
Check what you know
3 questions. Have a look at what this lesson asks.
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