Computer Basics

New to computers? Our presentation will help you get oriented to your PC - learn about key mouse functions, the components of your desktop, and the features of program windows.

1. COMPUTER BASICS Pickerington Public Library Tuesday, October 15, 2013

2. Computer Basics: Hardware Example of a Desktop Computer Example of a Laptop Computer

3. Computer Basics: Desktop Hardware Monitor Keyboard Mouse System Unit/Tower CD/DVD Drive

4. Computer Basics: Laptop Hardware Monitor Keyboard Mousepad (sometimes known as Trackpad )

5. Computer Basics: Hardware Components Monitor: Display screen. Turning off the monitor by pressing its power button will NOT shut down your computer. It will only cut off your visual access to your work . System Unit: Sometimes referred to as the tower, the Central Processing Unit (or CPU), or “brain.” Whatever you call it, the system unit processes all of the information your computer needs to keep running: from long-term storage (called your hard drive ), to the execution of instructions which run all of the computer’s software. In a laptop computer, the system unit is not separate from the monitor; instead the storage devices, keyboard, mouse, and monitor are combined to form a single unit. When you save a file to your computer, you save it to a part of the hard drive, which has a large storage capacity. The system unit is home to your CD Drive , which can be used for external storage: CD stands for Compact Disc. CDs are small, portable storage for anything from music files, to program software (such as Microsoft Office), to files that you create. The system unit also contains your USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports. Portable storage devices called USB flash drives are plugged into USB ports, so that you can save a file in another location besides your hard drive – it helps to ensure the safety of files in the event of a computer crash. Keyboard : Inputs data or provides commands (or messages) to your computer using letter and number keys. Mouse : A hand-held device through which you provide commands to your computer. With the mouse you can point to objects on the screen, click on those objects, and move them around.

6. Common Computer Questions: What’s the Difference Between… …hardware and software ? Hardware are the basic components of the computer – essentially, anything you can physically touch. Your monitor: hardware. Your keyboard: hardware. Your mouse: hardware. Your printer: hardware. Even something as small as a thumb/flash/USB drive: hardware. Software , however, are programs that can be installed onto your computer to control essential functions of the hardware. If you have a printer connected to your computer by a cable, for example, that printer cannot be used until you add software that communicates between your computer and the printer. For more information about Software , see Slide #10! … a PC and a Mac? PC simply stands for “personal computer,” which means a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a netbook. Mac refers to computers, both desktop and laptop, that are manufactured by the Apple company. PCs typically run on Microsoft Windows operating software, such as Windows XP, or 7 , or now 8. Macs typically operate on a different operating system – OS X, Snow Leopard, Mountain Lion. You can immediately tell whether a computer Is running on a Windows or a Mac OS system, by their different desktop and icon appearances. The Mac even has slightly different keyboard features. …left-click , right-click, and double-click ? See the next two slides for information on mouse clicks!

7. Computer Basics: The Mouse Left button: “Click” Right button: “Right click” Wheel: Scroll Right button: “Right click” Left button: “Left click” What is a mouse ? A hand-held pointing device, the mouse allows you to make commands by pointing, selecting , and moving objects on your computer screen. When you want to select the graphic icons on your computer desktop or folders, when you want to select a program in your start menu, when you want to select text in a document, or a button or link on a website, you will need your mouse. It is essential for interacting with your computer! Mice have either two buttons with a wheel separating them, or they have two buttons without a wheel. To hold your mouse, position it so that its cable points up and away from the edge of your desk. Place your palm at the rounded curve, with your right index finger on the left button and your right middle finger over the right mouse button. Your right thumb should rest against the left side of the mouse, and your right pinky finger should rest against the right side of the mouse. As you move the mouse with your hand, you will see on the screen that the pointer (the small black arrow) moves across the screen in the same direction as your hand. Make sure that you position the pointer of the mouse over the object you want to select.

8. Computer Basics: The Mouse Do this! But how do I… And why? Click (Left-click or single click) Press the left button of your mouse once . Let go. This allows you to select an icon or an object. Double-click Press the left button of your mouse twice very rapidly. Let go. Select and open/activate simultaneously Right-click Press the right button of your mouse once . Let go. Access a shortcut menu, tailored to the object you have selected Drag Hold down the left button of your mouse, as you move the mouse. When the mouse is in a chosen location, let go. Move your selections: text, an image, or another object As you move the mouse with your hand, you will see that the cursor – at first shaped like an arrow – will begin to move around the screen . When it comes to clicking, Do not hold down the button, and do not click too hard: a light touch is sufficient, and especially when it comes to double-clicking, it is necessary to be fast and light. Quick Tip! Is your cursor off screen? Are you pulling the mouse over the edge of your desk? Don’t get frustrated! Just lift the mouse off the desktop, and reposition it further from the edge so that you have sufficient room to move it around.

9. Computer Basics: The Cursor Cursors indicate which tasks are appropriate for which selections. Arrow : The arrow, or the pointer, is the default cursor. Use it to follow the movements of your mouse across the screen. If it appears over an icon or object, that icon or object is capable of being selected, with one click, and opened, with two clicks. Pointing finger : The hand with the pointing finger indicates a web link, either in the form of text or in the form of an icon. It only takes one click to activate a link. Hourglass : The hourglass, or circle, indicates that the computer is busy completing a task. PLEASE let the computer finish its task. Trying to work ahead of the computer, or clicking on an object multiple times, only delays the process. I-Beam Pointer : The I-beam or I-cursor indicates text fields. If you want to select and highlight text, position your mouse over the area you want to select and use the drag option (one click, hold down, and move the mouse ). If you would like to enter text into a field, such as a search box, a text box, or an address bar, click once. This will activate the blinking cursor, which indicates where you can enter text.

10. Computer Basics: What is Software? Two Basic Types System Software : Keeps your computer functioning, and a sks your computer to carry out basic tasks. For example, Windows (whether it is Vista , XP, 7, or 8) is operating system software . Application Software : Helps you perform certain tasks Ex.: Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, and Powerpoint Allow you to create, store, and print word processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations Ex.: Internet Explorer: Connects you to and allows you to browse the Internet, or World Wide Web – hence the term web browser

11. Computer Basics: The Desktop Taskbar Background, or Wallpaper Icon: File Icon: Recycle Bin Icon: Folder (Files) Icon: Program (Software) Start Button What’s this? Wallpaper : The background image on your desktop screen. You can customize your wallpaper according to your personal preference. Icons: Small pictures that are visual shortcuts to individual programs, files, or folders. Double-click on your mouse to select and open desktop program icons. One of the most important desktop icons is the Recycle Bin: it stores all of your deleted files, but does not permanently delete them until you command the computer to delete the files for good. Otherwise, you can restore a file in the Recycle Bin.

12. The Desktop: Taskbar Start Button Quick Start Software Program Icons Date & Time Notification Options Start Button : One click will open the Start Menu (See Slide #13) Quick Start bar: F requently used programs and folders: these are often the icons for the Windows Explorer , through which you can access all the major storage folders on the computer; Internet Explorer , a software program that browses the web; and the Windows Media Player , which plays music files. You can add or remove items to Quick Start based on how often you use these programs. To remove a program from Quick Start, right click on its icon to pull up a shortcut menu and select “Unpin this program from the taskbar.” Once you open a program, or once you open a file that requires a particular program, the program icon will appear on the taskbar. You can move between programs . Click on any icon to switch to that program, or hover your mouse over the icon to view the active program windows (for more information on windows, see Slides #15-18). Click on one of the windows to open it in full-screen view. Notification Area : Date and Time information, and information about background programs – computer functions that are currently running, but do not necessarily require you to activate and maintain them (including, but not limited to: anti-virus software notifications; external hardware, such as a USB flash drive; volume control; printing status). Quick Tip: Double-click the desktop icons , but only click once on the Start Menu and Taskbar icons.

13. The Desktop Taskbar: Start Menu Click the Start Button. View your most frequently used programs on the left. Click on the small arrows: these display a list of the files most recently opened in that particular program. On the right are listed common file directories : the main storage folders for this computer.

14. Computer Basics: The Window (Sample - Internet) Address Bar Scroll Bar Current Tab Title Bar Minimize, Maximize, and Close New Tab

15. Computer Basics: The Window (Sample - Word) Title Bar Menu Bar Scroll Bar Minimize, Maximize, and Close Insertion Point

16. Computer Basics: What to Know about the Window Things to Remember: Windows change depending on the program you are currently using but they share some common components, which you can control using your mouse. Title Bar: Name of the program, and, if you have created or saved a file, the name of that file. Internet files no longer have title bars indicating the name of a website page, but if you hover over your browser’s Quick Start icon, it will indicate the name of the page, and the type of browser you are using. Menu Bar: Commands suitable for the actions you can take in this type of window. The File > Edit > View drop-down menu is common to Internet browsers, while Microsoft Office uses tabs to indicate different groups of commands (please see previous slide ) Scroll Bar: Moves the window up and down, or from side to side, to see everything displayed. Use the left button of your mouse to click the up or down arrows, which will slowly move the screen up or down; use the drag technique to slide the scroll bar up and down in the desire direction; or use your mouse wheel to move the scroll bar in either direction. Minimize : This button will reduce your screen so that it drops to your taskbar. Click on the program icon in the taskbar to retrieve your screen. Maximize/Restore : If your window takes up the entire screen, clicking the Restore button will shrink the window so that other program windows are visible. If you want the window to fill the screen again, click the Maximize button. Close : The Red X closes your window. If you are in a program that requires you to save your work, you will be prompted at this time to save your file.

17. Computer Basics: Internet Windows Where is the menu bar? Different web browsers have different default displays. Google Chrome, the example shown on the previous slide, hides its menu. Internet Explorer keeps its visible. You can adjust your browser settings so that they are the same each time you open the web browser. Window features specific to Internet browsers: Opening one window starts one Internet session, and it opens, at first, only to one web page. The web address of your homepage will appear in the address bar , which is always located at the top of an Internet browser window. You can navigate to another web page by positioning your mouse over the address bar. When the I-beam appears, click once. This will highlight the website address in blue. Start typing a new web address to type over the existing address. Hit the ENTER button on your keyboard to go to the new web address. For example, to go to the Google Homepage, type in www.google.com . What are tabs? You do NOT need to open another window if you want to visit another web page without leaving the first (multiple windows can actually slow down your computer session!). Internet browsers now utilize tabs to organize multiple web pages, so that you do not need to keep track of multiple windows. If you want to visit a second page, simply click on the New Tab button, which is directly to the right of the open tab. This will open a blank tab, with a blank address bar. You can then type in the address of the new web address. Hit the ENTER button on your keyboard to go to the new web address. Remember : To access any of these commands, you only need to click once!

18. Computer Basics: Shut Down Simple Shut Down* Start Button Shut Down That’s it! *Turning off your CPU by pressing its power button WILL shut down your computer, but it is strongly discouraged. You can lose unsaved work, but you can also damage your computer’s system unit in the long run. Instead, follow the proper shutdown procedure: Start Button > Shut Down / Turn Off Computer. The computer will provide prompts if you have any programs running as you try to shutdown; follow these prompts to close unsaved work.