Hotkeys

Hot keys are a combination of keys on your keyboard that you can press to get things done faster instead of clicking with the mouse. Every program has different hotkeys. For most browser if you press backspace it will go back to the previous page that you were on instead of clicking the little arrow at the top right. First I will start with Mac hot keys in a list form.

Command-Space: Opens up the spotlight for searching everything on your Hard drive
Command-Tab: Goes to the previous application. Holding space then pressing tab multiple times opens a list of applications
Command-M: Minimizes current window
Option-Command-M:Minimizes all window
Command-N: Opens a new window in finder, safari and most programs
Command-C: Copy
Command-V: Paste


Windows hot keys :
Control-C: Copy
Control-V: Paste
Control-X: Cut
Windows Key-Spacebar: This makes all your windows transparent so you can see your desktop
Windows Key-F: Opens windows search
Control-A: Selects all
Control-P: Prints current page

These are just some of the important and useful Hot keys. There are many hot keys that one can use. There are so many hot keys that you can almost use a computer with no mouse. Here is a list of even more hot keys.


Windows

Keystroke	What It Does
Home	Goes to top of page in Internet Explorer Will go to the first line in other applications
End	Goes to end of page in Internet Explorer Will go to the last line in other applications
F1	Displays Help
F2	Rename Selected Item
F3	Find Files
F4	Display "Address" box dropdown menu in Internet Explorer
F5	Refresh the current window
F6	Switch panes in the current application
F7	Activates spell checker in certain applications
Alt & Spacebar	Open current application's window's controls (Restore, Close, etc.)
Alt & Down Arrow	Open drop-down menu
Alt & Doubleclick on Item	View item properties
Alt & F4	Close current window
Alt & Tab	Switch among running applications. Press Tab key to cycle apps.
Alt & Enter	View properties of selected item
Alt & Backspace	Undo
Alt & Print Screen	Copy window to clipboard as bitmap image
Shift & Right Arrow	Add current character to text
Shift & Left Arrow	Remove previous character from text
Shift & Up Arrow	Remove previous line from text
Shift & Down Arrow	Add current line to text
Shift & Delete	Delete items immediately (no recycle)
Shift & Insert	Paste clipboard contents
Shift & F10	Same as right-clicking on item (display item menu)
Shift & Print Screen	Copy window to clipboard as bitmap image

Source: http://www.wa.gov/esd/training/quickguides/other_4.htm


Mac

Command	Keyboard Shortcut
Add Selected Item to Sidebar	Command+T
Close All Windows	Option+Command+W
Close Window	Command+W
Copy	Command+C
Cut	Command+X
Dashboard	F12 (fn+F12 on laptops)
Duplicate	Command+D
Eject Disk	Command+E
Empty Trash	Shift+Command+Delete
Exposé: All Windows	F9 (fn+F9 on laptops)
Exposé: Application Windows	F10 (fn+F10 on laptops)
Exposé: Desktop	F11 (fn+F11 on laptops)
Find	Command+F
Get Info	Command+I
Go to Applications Folder	Shift+Command+A
Go to Desktop	Shift+Command+D
Go to Home Folder	Shift+Command+H
Help	Shift+Command+?
Hide Current Application	Command+H
Log Out Current User	Shift+Command+Q
Make Alias	Command+L
Minimize Window	Command+M
Move to Trash	Command+Delete
Empty Trash	Shift+Command+Delete
New Finder Window	Command+N
New Folder	Shift+Command+N
New Smart Folder	Option+Command+N
Next Window	Command+`
Open	Command+O
Open Inspector	Option+Command+I
Paste	Command+V
Quick Look (at selected item)	Command+Y
Select All	Command+A
Show Original (of selected alias)	Command+R
Show View Options	Command+J
Show/Hide Dock	Option+Command+D
Turn VoiceOver On/Off	Command+F5 (fn+F5 on laptops)
Turn Zoom On/Off	Option+Command+8
Undo	Command+Z
View Window as Icons	Command+1
View Window as List	Command+2
View Window as Columns	Command+3
View Window as Cover Flow	Command+4

Source: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/mac-os-x-snow-leopard-keyboard-shortcuts.html