I've been John Smithed!

[John Thaden]

Hi, newbie here, evaluating 2.1.1 (yesterday) and 2.1.4beta (as of this morning). From what I can tell, QM is a miracle. I'm optimistic that it can solve my problems with software I must use to run a scientific instrument. That program handles errors poorly, lacks some automation features, and can't tolerate interrupts to its realtime (~10 Hz) data acquisition via COM1 port of a Win98 PC.
But now I have newbie questions: When are functions/macros active? How can I control this?
Try this test:

• If QM is in tooltray, right-click and select Exit.
  Open Notepad.
  Type ename ten times. What I type is what I get.
  Now put QM in tooltray (by clicking on desktop icon).
  In Notepad, again type ename ten times. I get enames mixed with John Smiths .

Also, I notice that some mouse gestures are active. Are all the sample functions supposed to be active when QM is open? After I've written my functions, should I delete, or somehow "un-trigger", all the sample functions so QM will run with less overhead and be less likely to interrupt COM1 port data flow? How to do this? And why does the John Smith macro trigger only some of the time?
Thanks, -John