A computer is a machine which can take instructions/data (input) and produce results (output) The computer processes input

based on a set of instructions which usually are provided by computer programs or software

Desktop Laptop Notebook PDA

Components of a Computer System

Hardware Software

refers to various physical electronic devices that are required for you to use a computer

Input Devices Control System Devices Output Devices Storage Devices

Input Device
An INPUT DEVICE lets you TALK TO the computer

Control System Devices

The TOWER contains the control system devices of a computer

Motherboard
The MOTHERBOARD is the backbone of a computer all other parts plug into it

CPU
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of a computer it tells the other parts what to do

RAM
The RAM (Random Access Memory) is the temporary memory of a computer

Output Devices
An OUTPUT DEVICE lets the computer TALK TO you

ROM

The ROM (Random Only Memory) is the permanent memory of a computer

Storage Devices

How the Computer System Works

Software instructs the computer what to do, or how

to process inputted information

System Software Application Software

Operating systems are the computers primary software which runs the basic operations of the computer An operating system enables the computer hardware to communicate and operate with the computer software. All computers require an operating system in order to be used Example: MS Windows, Apple OS, Linux

Application Software

Just a short quiz to wake you up!

The MOTHERBOARD is the a computer

of

A) Brains B) Backbone C) Foot

ROM is the

memory of a computer

A) Permanent B) Smart C) Temporary

The CPU is the

of a computer

A) Brains B) Backbone C) Foot

RAM is the

memory of a computer

A) Permanent B) Smart C) Temporary

An example of an INPUT DEVICE is:

A) Printer B) Monitor C) Mouse

An example of an OUTPUT DEVICE is:

A) Keyboard B) Monitor C) Mouse

Some things you need to know before we proceed

Turning a computer ON: Press the circular button with the icon of a circle with a line through it Turning the computer OFF: With mouse, place pointer over the start icon on the bottom left of the screen, click the left button. Move pointer to button or command Turn off computer or Shut Down. Choose option to shut down, stand by, or logoff. CTRL-ALT-DELETE

Computer waits for you! Microsoft Windows Operating system allows us to use the computer

The mouse controls where your cursor is on the computer screen. The mouse is used as much as the keyboard when you are using a computer.

Left click

Right click

How your hand looks when you are using the mouse

Scroll

7/2/2011

31

Select Wait, Wait, object Working in Program background busy

Resize object

Edit text

Move object

Click

(right click vs. left click)

Double-click Highlight Scroll Drag

.

Minimize make what your are selecting drop to the bottom so you can go back to it later. Maximize make the what you are selecting come to the forefront so you can revisit it.

Close make the what you select go away forever.

Look in the top right corner Minimize Maximize X-out

Clicking the wrong button will never break the computer. Dont be afraid to try something. When you are just starting out, its a good idea to just try a button to see what it does. The more you practice the more confident you will become.

7/2/2011

35

Basic parts of the window

The Windows Desktop

The Desktop is the very first screen you see after Windows starts. There you find folders, icons and application shortcuts

Icons

Notification Area Start Button

Taskbar
Quick Launch Toolbar

Hands-on Exercise

Open / Minimize / Maximize window Resizing Windows Dragging Windows Working with Multiple Windows

(switching between windows)

Scrolling/ Page Up and Page Down

Use the task bar to switch between open programs by pointing the arrow cursor to the program desired and single click the left button of the mouse.

Task bar (bottom of screen) -buttons of open programs

Quick Launch Bar

These items only need to be clicked 1 time to open the program.

Title bar displays the title of the program and the file name Menu bar contains names of drop down menus used to access tools Toolbar(s) third and sometimes fourth bars, contains button shortcuts of the most commonly used tools Minimize button makes the current window shrink from the desktop while remaining open Resize button changes the size of the current window Maximize button returns the current window to full screen size Close button closes / quits the program of the current window Scroll bars used to move the window area to display hidden parts

Title bar Menu bar Toolbar(s)

Window Control Buttons

Scroll Bars

Status Bar

Select item or text by left click and drag Copy/Paste by right click and drop down menu

Text

text

text

text

Launch / Open Microsoft Word

Click (left button) to create New document
OR

Click (left button) to open an existing document

Click (left button) to save document

Select Drive / Path by clicking down arrow of Save in box Enter file name in File name box Click Save button

 SAVE,

SAVE, SAVE!

1.File, Save As 2.Where? Save in 3.File Name?

File & Folder Maintenance Disk Defrag

Updates

Photography by Darren Hester Attribution-Noncommercial 2.0 Generic

Desktop is not for storage Store files in My Computer This makes backing up a BREEZE

Folders

a folder is an object that can contain multiple documents. Folders are used to organize information.

Files

Almost all information stored in a computer must be in a file. There are many different types of files: Different types of files store different types of information.
data files program files

Create Rename Delete Move Copy

1. Open My Documents *

2. Select Make a new folder 3. Select New Folder icon

4. Select Rename this folder 5. Move file to folder select file, holding button down, drag onto folder, and release

*If you are saving to a portable media device, open its Drive .

To place a shortcut icon on the desktop

Locate the folder or file in My Documents
If making a shortcut for an application - this will be found in Program Files

right click the icon Select Send To Select Desktop (create shortcut) A shortcut is now on your desktop

Photography by orangejack Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

It is not IF your going to have hard drive failure rather it is WHEN The data you create is PRICELESS Have a plan

Windows system comes with a built in backup utility To get to Backup

Click Start Click All Programs Click Accessories Click System Tools Click Backup

Process that reduces the amount of fragmentation of files on our hard drive Fragmentation occurs when the OS cant allocate enough contiguous space to store a complete file as a unit instead parts of files are stored all over your hard drive Larger files, lots of files & accessing files a lot contribute to fragmentation and consequent performance loss Defragmentation attempts to alleviate these problems

The Disk Cleanup tool helps you free up space on your hard disk by searching your disk for files that you can safely delete
You can choose to delete some or all of the files

You can start Disk Cleanup, by doing any of the following: Click Start, and then click Run. In the Open box, type cleanmgr, and then click OK Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup In Windows Explorer or My Computer, right-click the disk in which you want to free up space, click Properties, click the General tab, and then click Disk Cleanup

Remove temporary Internet files

Remove downloaded program files. For example, ActiveX controls and Java applets that are downloaded from the Internet

Empty the Recycle Bin

Remove Windows temporary files Remove optional Windows components that you are not using Remove installed programs that you no longer use

Open Disk Defragmenter by selecting the Start Button in the bottom left corner of your screen, and then selecting in order: All Programs Accessories System Tools Disk Defragmenter

Operating System Updates Application Updates

Anti-Virus updates

To fix bugs, install patches, add new features and protect your computer Install updates as soon as they become available
OS, applications & AntiViruses all need to be updated regularly

Photography by timhulmephotography Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic

Turn on automatic updates Install updates as soon as possible Microsoft releases updates on Tuesdays

Its imperative in this day and age of instant on Internet to have an anti-virus working at ALL times! Your computer is completely vulnerable without an UP TO DATE anti-virus There are fantastic FREE anti-viruses!

Your anti-virus is only as up to date as its definitions Definitions are used by the program to find viruses Definitions are & needed to be updated regularly If your definitions are old, your anti-virus can not catch new viruses. New viruses are released into the wild daily!

Getting into the WEB

An electronic communications network that connects computer networks and organizational computer facilities around the world
(from Merriam-Websters)

Hardware required
Computer Modem path (phone line, cable, wireless) adequate speed/memory

Software required
ISP (Internet Service Provider) web browser

You need three items to get on the Internet:

A computer to surf the Internet with An Internet Service Provider (ISP) to provide access to the Internet A modem or router to hook up your computer to the Internet via the ISP

Address Browser Chat Dial-up Domain Download DSL Home Page HTML Hypertext

ISP Key Word Link (hyperlink) Modem Search Engine Server Toolbars URL Web Web Site

Web site Servers

Domains
Web page Home page

Graphical Interface to the Internet URLs, Domain Names (Uniform Resource Locator)
http://www.aurora.lib.il.us http://www.google.com http://www.irs.gov http://www.elgin.edu

Web Browser
Internet Explorer Firefox Safari Netscape Opera Chrome

First you start your Internet browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, etc.) If you know where you want to go then enter the address in the Internet browser If you dont know where you want to go then you go to a search engine, perform a search, and then go to the website

Via The Start Menu

Or

Via The Desktop

If you know the address of the website you want to visit (i.e. www.cbc.ca) you type it in the address bar and click on the button

Type In Address Here

And Click Here

Go to a search engine a web page that helps you find websites. Google (www.google.com) is the most popular Enter into the search box what you want to search for and click search
Type In What Youre Searching For Here

And Then Click Here

After you click search the search engine will display your results It may take several searches to find what youre looking for The more keywords you search with the better the results

Dont waste your time searching for a website you all ready know the address to (i.e. no searches for www.go.com) Not all websites are in search engines The Internet is more than websites

Search Engines
Yahoo Google Ask.com

Metasearch Engines
Web Crawler Dogpile HotBot

Search Strings
Examples of good Search Strings Examples of not so good Search Strings

Munchkin Cats
Claddagh Rings Dragons Rhinoceros Beetles Mark Twain

How do I tie a hand-made halter

When is the best time to plant tomatoes I need to know what the population of brazil is

Fly Fishing
Haleys Comet

How deep is the grand canyon

Method for moving between web pages and web sites

Underlined text Button Hot Spot Hot Graphic Tabs

Links are ways to move from one webpage to another Links are usually text that is underlined and in a different colour than the rest of the text If a cursor is brought over a link the cursor will change

Sometimes a webpage is too long to fit on the screen. When this happens we need to scroll You can scroll by:
Clicking the arrows on the right hand of the screen Clicking and dragging the bar on the right hand of the screen Rolling the scroll wheel

Try scrolling down now

You may move back and forth between all the pages by using the back and forward buttons The back and forward buttons always appear as arrows pointing left (back) or right (forward) Lets go back to the Online Catalogue by pressing the back button and then forward to this page

Bookmarks (sometimes called favorites) are ways to save where you have been on the Internet for later viewing

To save a site either click the add to favorites or bookmark this page button To visit a website click on the bookmark or favorite of your choice

Email Chat rooms Instant Messenger programs Forums Blogs Web 2.0 sites
Social Networking Wikis

Netcasting Vidcasting

A message containing text, graphics, video and/or audio transmitted electronically from one computer user to another computer user. The mail could be sent between two people using the same computer or between two people on different sides of the world. Advantages of E-Mail Speed Because e-mail is based around computer networks, it is fast - much faster than standard mail (otherwise known as snail mail). An e-mail message that you send to someone in Finland or Brazil could take only a few seconds to reach them.

While not technically necessary it is highly recommended your computer also have the following when hooked up to the Internet:
Anti-virus Software Firewall Anti-Spyware Software Latest Updates To Your Operating System

Your Internet Service Provider may be able to help with these