Getting there faster: Mac and PC command keys

You can get a lot done on your computer without ever touching your mouse. Command keys can speed up work and save some wear and tear on your wrists. And some of these shortcuts even include a few surprises.

It’s a known fact that small finger movements on the mouse can sometimes have painful consequences. Mouse arm -- or RSI syndrome -- remains a problem despite the predominance of ergonomic mice.

But the shortcuts can help cut down on some of these gestures, while getting your work done faster. Indeed, there are shortcuts for just about every operating system and software. And just about every action that can be performed with a mouse can also be done with keyboard commands.

Many of these commands can be found online on sites that sort various keyboard options by function.

In Windows for example data can be opened, moved, renamed or thrown away with command keys. A window in Windows 7 can be maximized by simultaneously pressing the Windows key and the up arrow.

Switching to the down arrow minimizes the window, while the Windows key and M minimizes all windows. Reverse that by hitting Windows, shift and M at the same time.

Pressing Windows and the Tab key get you a 3D view. Explorer starts with a combination of the Windows key and E.

Many of these codes are the same on both Macs and PCs. Whereas PCs rely on the Ctrl button, Apple machines rely on the Apple button, which has been replaced by the cmd button on some models.

Thus, while the cursor on a PC can be moved through text with Ctrl and an arrow key, Mac does the same with a combination of cmd and an arrow key, jumping ahead to the end of a line or page. Switching to the alt button moves you through one word at a time.

But, despite these similarities, people who switch between systems might have some problems adjusting. Macs don’t have a simple right-click option, which can be used on a PC to pull up a lot of important function options. But that is emulated on the Mac by hitting Ctrl while clicking with the mouse.

Most Windows users will eventually find special keys on a Mac keyboard, but knowing the right combinations will get you there quicker.

Regardless of operating system, most of today’s browsers also offer a lot of helpful shortcuts. Ctrl and T will let you tab over (cmd and T on a Mac). The shift and space bars let you move back and forth between pages on Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Alt and an arrow key let you move between tabs. To quickly get to the search window, try Ctrl-K with Firefox, Ctrl-E with Internet Explorer and Cmd-Shift-L with Safari.

The examples could go on and on. But once you get used to them, you can work more effectively and spare your joints.

As a bonus, some programmes hide surprises -- Easter eggs -- behind unusual key combinations. For example, if users of QuarkXPress place a box in the middle of the screen and then hit Shift-Option-cmd-K, their display will be visited by funny aliens who put on a fireworks show around the box.

But such Easter eggs have fallen out of favour, since many companies feel it will make them look less than professional.