Changing column widths independently

[Atreides]

(Here is a question that I managed to answer myself and I thought others
might find helpful)

How do I change the widths of columns indendently? E.g., how can I increase
the width of column 1 without the width of column 2 automatically decreasing?

 

[Atreides]

Instead of clicking and dragging on the column border that you want to
resize, shift-click and drag on the column border. This will keep all other
columns the same size (and hence make the table size bigger) as you vary the
width of the column you want to change.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

There are several different ways to size columns relative to each other,
and, just to make it more confusing, the keys use for them are just about
opposite when you are dragging the column markers on the ruler from when you
are dragging the column boundaries themselves. All this is detailed in
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/TableBasics.htm