introduction to personal

8/14/2019 Introduction to Personal

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Introduction to PersonalComputing

1. Windows Operating System

2. Hardware/Software

3. Turning on your PC/ Logging on

4. The Desktop: Document/Original/Application/Folder

icons5. Taskbar

6. Start Button/Menu

7. Mouse Clicks

8. Moving/Copying files and folders

9. Creating/Renaming/Deleting a file or folder

10. Parts of a Window: Bars/Buttons/Scroll Bars

11. Resizing/Moving a window

12. Opening/Saving a document

13. Editing text

14. Drag and Drop

15. How to type in Arabic

16. Getting Help

17. Shutting Down

Introduction to Personal Computing 1


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Introduction

Windows is a computer operating system that provides a graphical interface betweenyou and your computers hardware and software applications. The graphical interfacedetermines what things look like on screen and in general how you work with your computer.

Definition

Windows is an operating system designed by Microsoft with a graphical user interface (GUI). The interface provides a graphical means of working with your computer via a "point and click" interface with the use of a mouse. Previously, allinteractions with the computer were accomplished via commands that were typedusing the keyboard.

Hardware/Software

A computer is made up of hardware and software .

Computer hardware are those physical pieces that make up the computer. They arethe parts that you can touch, mainly: Monitor , Keyboard , Case , Mouse , speakers,Head phones, Floppy drives, CD-ROM drive, Printer, etc

Some definitions of computer hardware parts:

Mouse : a handheld pointing device that lets you select and move items on your screen. A mouse can come in various shapes, colors, and sizes.

Keyboard : The keys on a keyboard let you enter information and instructions into acomputer. Most keyboards have 101 keys.

Escape Key : you can press Esc to quit a task you are performing.

Caps Lock and Shift Keys : These keys let you enter text in uppercase (ABC) andlower case (abc) letters. Press Caps Lock to change the case of all letters you type.

Press the key again to return to the original case.

Ctrl and Alt Keys: You can use the Ctrl or Alt key in combination with another keyto perform a specific task. For example, in some programs you can press Ctrl and s tosave a document.

Windows Key : You can press the Windows key to quickly display the Start menuwhen using the Windows 95, 98, or NT operating systems.

Spacebar : You can press the Spacebar to insert a blank space.

Application Key : You can press the Application key to quickly display the shortcutmenu for an item on your screen.



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Enter Key : you can press Enter to tell the computer to carry out a task. In a word processing program, press this key to start a new paragraph.

Arrow Key : These keys let you move the cursor around the screen.

Function Keys : These keys let you quickly perform specific tasks. For example, inmany programs you can press F1 to display help information.

Backspace Key : You can press Backspace to remove the character to the left of thecursor.

Delete Key : You can press the Delete key to remove the character to the right of thecursor.

Status Lights : These lights indicate whether the Num Lock or Caps Lock features areon or off. These lights indicate whether the Num Lock or Caps Lock features are onor off.

Numeric Keypad : When the Num Lock light is on, you can use the number keys (0through 9) to enter numbers. When the Num Lock light is off, you can use these keysto move the cursor around the screen. To turn the light on or off, press Num Lock.

Printers : A printer produces a paper copy of the information displayed on the screen.CD-ROM : A CD-ROM drive reads information stored on a compact discs (CDs). ADVD-ROM drive reads information stored on CDs and DVD-ROM discs.

Floppy Drive : A floppy drive stores and retrieves information on floppy disks.

Software programs on the other hand make your computer perform the tasks youwant it to perform; such as creating spreadsheets, word processing documents, andgraphics through applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etcSoftware is continually developing and the market is frequently providing us newversions of the same software. For instance, Windows XP which is an operatingsystem has evolved from older versions of Windows (such as 3.0, 3.1, Me, 2000)

The Mouse and Keyboard are responsible for providing the input to your

computer.

The Monitor, Speakers, and Headphones are those responsible for giving you theoutput (whether audio or visual).



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Original icons

The icons that typically display when you first access your Windows desktop are MyComputer, My Network Places, the Recycle Bin, and Internet Explorer.

Application icons

Application (a.k.a. program) icons represent the executable programs (software)available on your computer. For example: Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint,Microsoft Photoshop, and Microsoft Excel .

Folder icons

Folder icons are used to keep related documents or applications together. Often, youhave folders within folders.

Taskbar

Look at the bottom of your screen. You can see this horizontal bar containing theStart button in addition to a lot of other buttons and options. This bar is called theTaskbar . When you open a program, document, or any other window, a buttonappears on the Taskbar containing an icon representing the window open. Tomaximize or minimize this window you can click on this button.

Start buttonThis button is used to open the start menu, which provides you with access toapplications or documents.



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Start menu

Clicking on the start button opens up the start menu . The first thing this menushows you is the version of Windows provided on the left side of the menu. The startmenu allows you to access folders, files, or programs quickly through the display of amenu and submenus. An arrow pointed to the right indicates that there exists asubmenu. To access the submenu simply place the mouse pointer on the option itself.Submenus can also contain other menus.

The Programs submenu holds the program groups and program icons like MicrosoftWord , Microsoft Excel . Notice the resemblance between the icon (logo) next toMicrosoft Word in the Program menu and that provided in the Application icons.Another important option the start menu provides is Help. If you click on Help awindow opens displaying several tabs (Contents, index, Search, Favorites).

Mouse Clicks

The mouse is an input hardware piece as I explained previously. It is a handheld pointing device that lets you select and move items on your screen. A mouse can comein various shapes, colors, and sizes.There are three main mouse clicks used by Windows. Primary mouse click Whichs a single left click used to select an object or placea cursor Double click Two primary clicks in quick succession. They are used to open a file/ folder / program. It is usually applied to an icon. Secondary mouse click using the right click whether on a word, a file/folder, or in

blank space displays a list of options in which you can perform tasks or view properties.

Moving or copying a file/folder

In case you want to create an original copy of a file or folder not a shortcut you canright-click on the original file itself then choose to copy it. Go to the location whereyou want to place it, right-click, and then choose to paste it. This doesnt delete theoriginal file. It only creates a copy of it.

Lets say you want to change the location of a file so that it doesnt exist in the previous location anymore, but rather in another. To do that you can simply hold anddrag the documents to the desired location.1. Point your mouse on the file to copy and hold down the mouse button.2. Drag the icon to its new location and release your mouse button when thedestination location becomes highlighted.

You can even choose to Cut then Paste the file.



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Creating a new folderTo create a new folder, right-click the mouse in a blank area and from the pop-upmenu, select New, and then choose Folder . While its name (initially untitled folder)

is highlighted, type a new name for the folder and press Enter. (If you accidentallydeselect the name before changing it, follow the instructions under Renaming filesand folders , below.) The new folder will be created in the active window (or on thedesktop if no window is active).

Renaming files and foldersIf you need to rename a file, folder, or any icon, you can use one of severaltechniques.1. Right-click the icon you want to rename and select Rename .2. The name of the icon is highlighted and a cursor is located at the end of the name.If you type a new name, you are replacing the whole name. To edit a few characters,use the left arrow to move the cursor through the text. You can then use simple textediting techniques to make your changes.3. Click outside the icon name to store the new name.

Alternative: You can slowly double-click to rename the icon. Click the name andthen click a second time, making sure that you wait between clicks. This actionhighlights the name and then allows you to edit or retype the filename.

Note: If the previous filename extension was associated with a program, for example,.xls, you may get a message about changing the extension of the file may make itunworkable. You can choose to rename the file like you wish, but it is recommendedthat you choose No to this message. Rename the file again but include the extension.

Deleting a file/folder

A file, folder, or any object can be deleted using one of several methods. Right-click the object and select Delete from the pop-up menu. Drag the object to the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. You can select the object and press the Delete key.

Note: Any deleted file is placed in the Recycle Bin. You must empty the Recycle Binto permanently delete the file from the hard drive. To empty the Recycle Bin, place



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Window buttonsThe title bar also displays three small buttons on the right of the title bar, which

change the display of the window: minimize , maximize/restore , and close buttons.

Minimize button

When you click the minimize button (on the left), the window disappears and isrepresented by a button on the Taskbar. When a window is minimized, you display itagain by clicking the window button on the Taskbar.

Maximize button

When you click the maximize button (in the center), the window is enlarged to takeup the entire Desktop if it is an application or folder window. When you maximize adocument icon, the window takes up the entire application window.

Restore button

When you maximize a window, the restore button replaces the maximize button.Clicking the restore button displays the window in its previous size and location.

Tip: Double-clicking the windows taskbar will maximize or restore the window .

Close button

The close button (on the right) closes the window. Click the close button once tocompletely close the document, application, or folder window.

The Menu bar

The Menu bar appears just below the Title bar and displays additional options whenyou click the menu name. The commands and features that you access on the menu

bar tell Microsoft Windows programs what actions to carry out.

Scroll Bars

Use the scroll bars to move around within your window. Often a window will actuallycontain more information and text than can be displayed in it at its current size, so thatthe window only shows part of its contents at any one time. Scrolling the windows

display area moves its field of view to reveal other contents. Click the scroll arrows inthe scroll bars, which are located on the right and bottom edges of the window, to



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move up, down, left, or right. Each click moves the view through the window contentsa little at a time, or you can click and hold to scroll continuously. The scroll boxmoves through the scroll bar as you scroll, indicating the relative location of the viewwithin the total contents of the window; you can also drag this scroll box directly toscroll to another part of the window. Finally, you can click in the gray bar on either

side of the scroll box to scroll by the windowful.If your mouse has a wheel, you can use it scroll through your window.

Note: When a window is large enough that it displays its entire contents at oncenocontents are beyond its bordersits scroll bars are disabled. The horizontal andvertical scroll bars can be enabled and disabled independently.

Resizing a window Placing your mouse on any window border or corner and dragging may alter the

window size. When the pointer changes into a double-headed arrow, hold down theleft mouse button, and drag the mouse to alter the dimensions of the window.

Note: You cannot resize a window when it is displayed in full screen (maximized).

Moving a window To change the window placement, place your mouse on the Title Bar and click anddrag to reposition the window.



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Working with document files

Opening a documentIf you are working in an application and want to open an existing document in thatapplication, click on the File menu and choose Open . You will see the Open dialog

box:

This dialog box provides tools for locating and opening files. It shows a particular location, and the files and folders at that location. The current location is indicated bythe pop-up menu at the top of the window. The list displays the contents of thatlocation. Both of these are used to locate a file.

To locate an item inside a folder that appears in the list, double-click the folder; it will become the current location. If the desired file is in a subfolder, repeat the processuntil youve reached the folder that directly contains the file.

To locate an item that resides outside of the current location, use the pop-up menu atthe top of the window or directly click on the desired location provided at the left sideof the dialog box.

With these two interface elements, you can move to any location on your system.Once youve located the desired file in the list, double-click it to open it.

Saving a document

To store a document youre working on to disk, you must save it. Until and unless yousave a document, its contents reside only in memory, and will be lost when the



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application quits. Saving a document stores it so that you can return to it again, evenafter the computer has been powered off. To save a file you must give it a name andindicate where you would like to store it.1. To save a document, click on the File menu and choose Save . The first time yousave a document, you will see the Save As dialog box:

This dialog box provides tools for specifying the name that the document will havewhen stored as a file on disk, and the location where it will be stored. Note thesimilarity to the Open dialog box (see Opening a document , above).

2. Determine where you would like to place the new file, using the techniquesdescribed in Opening a document , above.

3. Enter a name for the file in the Name field.

4. Click Save . A new file with the given name will be created in the location indicated by the pop-up menu at the top of the window, and the documents contents will bestored in it.

Anytime you make further changes to a file that has been saved, you will need to savethe changes made to it. When saving a file that has been saved before, you do not

need to choose Save As since the files name and location have already beenestablished. Instead, you must click on Save only.You should save files that you are working on frequently so that you so do notlose data (thus time) if something should cause you to lose power to yourcomputer.

File Types

LOGO FILE TYPE EXTENSION Microsoft Word .doc



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Microsoft Excel Worksheet

.xls

Microsoft Access Application

.mdb

Microsoft Frontpage .html

Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation

.ppt

Editing text Whenever youre typing or editing text, you will see a blinking line (the insertion

point ), somewhere in the text. The insertion point shows where text will be insertedwhen you type.

Inserting text1. Click to place the insertion point where you want the new text to appear.2. Type the new text.

Deleting text1. Drag across the text you want to delete. The text changes color to show that itsselected.

2. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Changing the size, font, or style of text1. To change the size, font, or style of text, drag across the text to select it.2. Choose the size, font, or style you want from the menus. Only the selected text isaffected.

Moving and copying document content

Copying and pasting

You can copy text, graphics, pictures, or movies, then paste what you copied inanother place in the same document or in a different documenteven in a different

application.1. Select the text, graphic, picture, or movie you want to copy.



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2. Choose Copy from the Edit menu, or press Ctrl+C or click the button.3. Select where you want to paste the item.

4. Choose Paste from the Edit menu, or press Ctrl+V or click the button.To move document content rather than copy it, substitute Cut for Copy in step two

above, or Ctrl+X for Ctrl+C, or click the button.

Drag and dropYou can also move text, graphics, pictures, and movies by dragging.1. Select the text, graphic, picture, or movie.2. Drag it to where you want it to go.

How to type in Arabic in Office XPMake sure the Arabic Language pack is installed on your computer. In case it is notinstalled, place a call at CNS PC Support in order to configure your Operating Systemto type in Arabic. After your computer is ready to use Arabic, do the following:

1. Enable the language barClick Start >Settings>Control Panel > Regional and Language options >Select the Languages Tag > Click the Details Button > Under Preferences , selectLanguage Bar > Select the Checkbox Show the language bar on the desktop.

2. Set the typing mode to right-to-leftOpen one Office application (e.g., Word or FrontPage), click on the right-to-left

button to change the cursor position.In case you cannot find the right-to-left button go to Format>Paragraph . Choose thedirection Right-to-left under General .

3. Select the Arabic languageOn the lower right corner of the windows taskbar you find the language bar , makesure that Arabic is selected. Once Arabic language is selected the abbreviation ARwill appear.

Now you can start typing in Arabic .

Getting Help

There are many ways to access help through Windows . Almost all dialog boxes haveHelp on the menu, but there are several less obvious methods for getting help. TheHelp feature can be accessed through the Start menu by clicking Start and then Help.



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Shutting Down

It is important to properly shut down Windows when turning off your computerasopposed to just hitting the power switch. Use the Shut Down command on the Startmenu when rebooting or turning off your computer. This allows Windows to save your work and make sure that no data is lost.

The following steps should be taken when exiting a Windows session.

1. Close any program you are running. In most cases, use the Exit command from theFile menu.

2. Click the Start button and click Shut Down .

3. Select from the list of options. The number of options varies depending on whether you are connected to a network or not.

4. Wait until you receive a message telling you it is safe to turn off your

computer .



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Note: Sometimes you want to log off without turning your PC off. In this case, do notchoose to Shut Down the computer, but instead choose Log off .


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