Here is a tip on a better way to get an image of what appears in your current monitor. A screenshot, screen capture, or screen grab is a way of taking an image of the visible items parts of a computer monitor. Such screenshots are very useful for a variety of reasons, for example, when explaining step-by-step how a particular programme operates, or if you want to get an image of a website.

Sometimes your IT support staff may even ask you to send them a screenshot via e-mail so they can determine how to solve a particular problem.

Usually, you take a snapshot of an active window by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Print Scrn keys on a keyboard (if you use Windows). Pressing just Print Scrn takes a snapshot of the whole screen.

This method stores the resulting image on a clipboard. The user must then open an image application, such as Microsoft Paint, and use the paste function to see and save the screenshot.

This method has several drawbacks in that the resulting image is only of what is on your screen, and it is often of a poor quality. Thus you cannot take a screenshot, say of a whole web page, scrollable parts of which may not be visible on the monitor.

The better way to get a screenshot is to download Screengrab, a free Firefox browser extension. Once activated, Screengrab allows you to take or copy good quality screenshots of web pages just by right clicking on your mouse to get the pull down menu.

The plug-in also allows you to take shots of specific sections of a page or monitor. Users do not have to then open up an image application and paste anymore. Instead, the application allows you to immediately save the image to a particular location, all in one easy step.

But what if you do not have the Firefox browser installed on the particular computer you are using? Here is perhaps an even better tip for those more interested in having a portable version of Firefox.

Simply download the portable version on to a USB key drive, as I have done, then install Screengrab as a plug-in. There you have it, an instant browser and a good screenshot utility for those who may have to relocate to different machines during the course of their work.

Download the portable version of Firefox at http://portablefirefox.mozdev.org. The Screengrab plug-in is available at www.screengrab.org or at https://addons.mozilla.org

As a further tip, if you want any other portable versions of applications, such as OpenOffice, go to http://portableapps.com The site is a treasure trove for those on the go.

Here is an interesting factoid from the Herald Tribune: Consultancy Accenture estimates that since installing 13 high-end video-conferencing rooms at its offices around the world, the company's staff have used virtual meetings to avoid 240 international trips and 120 domestic flights, for annualised savings of millions of dollars, not to mention the travel time involved.

Accenture plans to install another 22 such rooms by the end of this year, highlighting that video-conferencing is finally starting to become a regular feature of doing business.

This trend has been slow in forming, after at least a decade of hype.

Still, a fully decked out videoconferencing room can cost up to $350,000. With the predicted uptake in the growing market, manufacturers are starting to make toned down models for smaller businesses.

If you are a teacher or think you could be one online, try out the open source Moodle software (www.moodle.org). Since it is open source Moodle comes without a fee or copyright.

Moodle bills itself as a course management system (CMS) designed to help educators create online courses.

Once you download the software, you can scale it to operate a site for a single teacher, to a multi user site with many teachers and up to 200,000 students (according to the site).

According to a press release earlier this month Moodle is now second only to Blackboard/WebCT in the university learning management system (LMS) market.

Moodle sounds like a good way to start an online business for many students, who may be on the Island, or may be overseas. Any takers?

Send any comments on these or other technology topics to Ahmed at elamin.ahmed@gmail.com