Many people are concerned about internet security and the security of there computer today and rightly so.
First let's talk about passwords, a password is supposed to be secret, and hard to guess. If your password is the answer to any of these questions it is not safe. What year did you graduate from High School or College? What year were you married in or divorced in, or born in? What is your dogs name? What is your phone number? What is your High School sweethearts old phone number? What is the name of your kids or grand-kids?
A strong password should look something like this j8lAC0Tb, this is a random generated password, 8 digits long (though I recommend 12 - 16 digits) that using upper and lowercase letters and numbers together. DO NOT USE THIS PASSWORD, SINCE IT IS PUBLISHED IT WOULD BE EASY TO GUESS TO NOW.
You can get any easy to use random password generator here. http://www.securesafepro.com/download.php
When shopping online you need to look at the address in your address bar. If the address starts with http:// is a non-secure website, if it starts with https:// it is a secure network, that is an important tool, when deciding where to shop and spend your money.
When shopping online never use your personal bank cards or credit cards, purchase a prepaid Visa or Master Card, load it with the money you need to make your purchase or just keep a few dollars on it for midnight shopping, if the card is hacked all they can get is what's on the card, and they can't get access to your bank information at all, because you did not use your bank cards.
Also in the security realm is Firewalls, Anti-Spyware software and Anti-Virus Software.
A Firewall is: A firewall is a set of related programs, located at a network gateway server, that protects the resources of a private network from users from other networks. (The term also implies the security policy that is used with the programs.)
A firewall works in conjunction with your router to block programs from accessing your computer, or to deny your computer access to blocked internet sites.
Computer security borrows this term from firefighting, where it originated. In firefighting, a firewall is a barrier established to prevent the spread of fire.
Do you need a firewall, not really anymore, starting with Windows XP, your computer came with an installed and active firewall.
Today you really need to know about 3 things, Adware, Spyware, and Malware:
Adware: Adwares are software applications that are supported by advertisements (Advertising Software). It automatically display advertisement when the software is running. It is one of the way a programmer can offer his application at a reduce cost or even for free. Most of the time, a license can be bought to remove the advertisement permanently.
Spyware: Spywares are a progression from adwares. In order to provide the user of adwares with more targeted advertisements, various forms of statistics and information on user's activity on the system is tracked and sent to advertising companies. Sometimes these are done under the hood without user's knowledge and consent. Like spying on your habits and activities on your computer. Thus the term spying software.
Malware: Malware are malicious software that affects the normal functionality of your system. Sometimes, annoying pop up will appear out of no where to direct you to some sales sites. Sometimes emails spams will automatically be sent from your system. Adware and spyware progress to a malicious state if it start to affect the use of your system actively instead of just showing you passive advertisement.
You need to kill all of these "wares". Yes you need a good anti-spyware program to kill these and yes this is worth investing money in.
Anti-Virus Software: Antivirus (or anti-virus) software is used to prevent, detect, and remove malware, including computer viruses, worms, and trojan horses. Such programs may also prevent and remove adware, spyware, and other forms of malware.
A variety of strategies are typically employed. Signature-based detection involves searching for known malicious patterns in executable code. However, it is possible for a user to be infected with new malware in which no signature exists yet. To counter such so called zero-day threats, heuristics can be used. One type of heuristic approach, generic signatures, can identify new viruses or variants of existing viruses for looking for known malicious code (or slight variations of such code) in files. Some antivirus software can also predict what a file will do if opened/run by emulating it in a sandbox and analyzing what it does to see if it performs any malicious actions. If it does, this could mean the file is malicious.
However, no matter how useful antivirus software is, it can sometimes have drawbacks. Antivirus software can degrade computer performance if it is not designed efficiently. Inexperienced users may have trouble understanding the prompts and decisions that antivirus software presents them with. An incorrect decision may lead to a security breach. If the antivirus software employs heuristic detection (of any kind), the success of it is going to depend on whether it achieves the right balance between false positives and false negatives. False positives can be as destructive as false negatives. In one case, a faulty virus signature issued by Symantec mistakenly removed essential operating system files, leaving thousands of PCs unable to boot.[1] Finally, antivirus software generally runs at the highly trusted kernel level of the operating system, creating a potential avenue of attack.[2]
In addition to the drawbacks mentioned above, the effectiveness of antivirus software has also been researched and debated. One study found that the detection success of major antivirus software dropped over a one-year period.
Some software does both the "wares" and virus's.
This should keep us talking for hours.
♠ The Introduction Blog
♠ The Internet Blog
♠ Computer Terms Blog
♠ What to do when you take your new computer out of the box blog
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Tuesday September 15, 2009
First I wanted to make a couple of changes to this blog to make it easier for everyone. From now on at the bottom of each blog you will have the following links:
♠ The Introduction Blog
♠ The Internet Blog
♠ Computer Terms Blog
♠ What to do when you take your new computer out of the box blog
If there any other particular blogs you want added to this list of links please let me know in class and I will post them to this list. Thanks
Today we are going to talk about the internet again, and in class go over some basic search terms, email, and other basic computer tasks down while you are online, we are also going to talk about how you can use the internet to communicate with your family as a full time RVer in a variety of ways. I look forward to seeing everyone there today.
♠ The Introduction Blog
♠ The Internet Blog
♠ Computer Terms Blog
♠ What to do when you take your new computer out of the box blog
If there any other particular blogs you want added to this list of links please let me know in class and I will post them to this list. Thanks
Today we are going to talk about the internet again, and in class go over some basic search terms, email, and other basic computer tasks down while you are online, we are also going to talk about how you can use the internet to communicate with your family as a full time RVer in a variety of ways. I look forward to seeing everyone there today.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - Introduction / Welcome Back
I would like to welcome everyone back, as we start up the class again. Today we are going to do some review's and go back to the beginning when we first started this class over a year ago now.
I would like to ask everyone to remember this particular date, and blog title, when I get more definitions and more shortcuts, this is where I will post them, to add them to the current list.
Introduction
The first thing I would like to share with you is why I call this class Start With The On Button. The first thing I learned in my computer courses in college were to always check and make sure everything is plugged in first. Then check to see if it is turned on, before you start tearing the computer apart. I have found over the years that this is true, you may or may not be surprised to learn how many times I have gone to help someone and fix their computer, and all I had to do is turn it on, or plug something in.
Now I would like to break the computer down into some basic parts to help you understand what it really is.
The computer is a machine, nothing more, it is not alive, gremlins do not live inside it. The computer operates off a series of switches much like your typical home light switch, either its on or its off.
Let's look at what a computer is: It really is nothing more than your typical home office, stuck in a little tiny box. First you have your desk (computer case), next you have your desktop (computer desktop), built into your desk you have a file cabinet (computer hard drive), next to your desk you have a trash can (computer recycle bin), on your desk top you may have various tools according to your trade / use, for example an engineer might have some graph paper, pencils, pens, rulers, etc (computer CAD software), all the tools you use to make your desk more personal, easy to use, easy to find, tools you need to do what ever you do with your desk is your computer software. You may have a radio on your desk (computer sound card), you may have a TV on your desk (computer graphics card). Now one more thing on your desk that we often overlook, you, sitting in the chair using the computer (computer RAM and computer CPU).
What is the most important part of your computer, you (computer RAM). We will talk about this and the why in another lesson, but you will probably hear me repeat this several times.
So now lets turn our computers on and see what happens.
The first thing that should pop up is desk top, your computer desktop is covered in tiny pictures representing programs (software) that you use on your computer, these tiny pictures are called icons. Every body will have some icons alike and everyone will icons that other people don't use, its OK, you don't need what everyone else has, you only need the programs that you use.
All computers whether it is a PC or a MAC operate with a core operating system. This is commonly referred to as the OS (which stands for Operating System), Windows Vista, XP, and soon Windows 7 are the most popular OS's being used today. There is 90% chance that everyone in this room is using either Windows XP or Windows Vista. I use windows Vista, it's what came with my new computer, and yes at first I was disappointed, but now that I have gotten to understand it, I really like it.
Now lets look at the very bottom of your computer screen, there is a bar across it with all kinds of stuff on it. This bar is called your taskbar. If I mention during the course of the class to click something in your taskbar that is what I am referring to. On the far left of taskbar in Windows XP you will see a button that has start written on it, in Windows Vista it is small round picture that looks like this:
Clicking on this button or the start button will take you to all the programs loaded onto your computer. This is also the button to click if you are looking for either “My Computer” & “Control Panel” in Windows XP or “Computer” & “Control Panel” in Windows Vista. Two programs that I hope to make you comfortable visiting.
To turn a Windows XP system off is fairly simple, you just click the start button, then click turn computer off. To turn a computer off with Window Vista, not so easy (NEVER power off your computer with a hard boot).
OK to turn off your computer using Windows Vista here is how you do it. First click the above icon in the lower left hand corner of your computer. This is what will pop up.
No little button or text that says turn computer off. See that little tiny arrow in the lower right hand corner of the above picture, click on it. This is what will pop up next.
Now you have some text that you can read and understand. You can switch users, (that's if you are sharing your computer with someone, but not sharing your half of the computer), you can log off of your computer (this does not turn your computer off), you can lock your computer (I really don't recommend that you do), you can restart your computer (a standing joke in the computer repair world, if you are a computer repairman, this will be your most used option), you can choose sleep (this does not turn your computer off), and you can choose shut down (this is the only option that actually turns your computer off).
OK back on track here, and back to the taskbar, we have looked at the far left side of the taskbar, now lets look at the far right side of the taskbar. You have 2 separate elements in that part of the taskbar, working from the far right to the left the first thing we have is the clock, its a clock. Then we have the startup menu, those icons represent all the programs that designated to start up when you turn your computer off, depending your computer this could be a source of slowed operations.
Now lets talk about the empty space on your taskbar between your Start Menu and your Start Up Menu. This is a very important part of your computer, and often overlooked, I know I forget to check it myself. If you notice your computer slowing down on you while you are working check this area of your taskbar, this is a list of all the programs you have open, and you may have several open of the same program, really confusing your computer. Compare it to learning to check your side mirrors as well as your review mirror when your driving, it's that important.
People who have attended this class in the past have heard this before but I want to get it down in writing for everyone.
What the heck is the difference between left click and right click?
You left click when you want to perform an action, you right click when you want to see what your options are.
When the heck do you double click or single click. You double click any time you are first opening a program, for example your word processor, you would double click the icon on your desktop to open the program, once inside the program you only single click. So, you double click to initiate a program or file and single click inside a program (you still need to double click inside a file to open another file or the contents of a file).
Whenever you are on-line you only need to single click.
THIS IS A TEST? What a Test, yes, I need to make sure we are all on the same page and still together.
Go to:
Start, then Programs
Start, then Control Panel
Start, then My Computer or Computer
Did we all get those open?
My computer will be your friend once you get comfortable with it, control panel is like your mechanical closet in your home, where everything is wired into.
Glossary of Terms
Address bar: The portion of the browser or screen that contains the current Web address and drop-down list of recently visited sites. An address bar can also be found in the folder window and gives you the file path.
Browser: Allows you to read files on the World Wide Web. In brief, it interprets hypertext links and lets you view sites and navigate from one Internet node to another. The two we will talk about most in class are Internet Explorer and Firefox.
C drive: The hard drive that stores all your data. It houses the hard disk, where all your files and folders are physically located. A typical hard drive is only slightly larger than your hand, yet can hold over 100 GB of data. The data is stored on a stack of disks that are mounted inside a solid encasement. These disks spin extremely fast (typically at either 5400 or 7200 RPM) so that data can be accessed immediately from anywhere on the drive. The data is stored on the hard drive magnetically, so it stays on the drive even after the power supply is turned off.
The term "hard drive" is actually short for "hard disk drive." The term "hard disk" refers to the actual disks inside the drive. However, all three of these terms are usually seen as referring to the same thing -- the place where your data is stored. Since we use the term "hard drive" or “C drive” most often, that is the correct one to use.
Cache: The browser cache plays an important role in providing a smooth and speedy surfing experience. Cache, pronounced "cash", is a temporary holding area for images, sounds, videos, and other items that may appear on a web page that you visit. The way the browser cache works is by eliminating the need to re-download an image or web page if the content has not changed since your last visit. Size of the disk cache varies depending on the size of your hard-drive, and if you have manually altered the size in your browser (Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape…etc). Typical cache size is 10% of your hard-drive space.
Once the cache is full, the internet browser begins clearing items to make room for new stuff. If the cache is too small (like only 1 megabyte) then a 2 megabyte cartoon can cause a problem. Choose preferences or settings on the browser menu and look for something called 'Cache' or 'disk cache size', and increase it to 15 megs, or even higher if you have enough hard disk space. For example, in Microsoft Internet Explorer, the path is tools > Internet options > temporary Internet files > settings > amount of disk space to use. In Firefox the path is tools > options > Advanced > Network > amount of disk space. The best way: close all web pages, adjust the cache size, hit the clear cache button, quit (X) and restart your browser.
click on (or double click) Double clicking involves clicking your left mouse button quickly two times. To perform a double click, and not just two clicks, the mouse button must be pressed twice within a very short time, typically about half a second. Most operating systems allow you to lengthen or shorten the maximum time allowed for a double click, using the Mouse Control Panel or System Preference.
A double click is recognized by your computer as a specific command, just like pressing a key on your keyboard. Double clicking is used to perform a variety of actions, such as opening a program, opening a folder, or selecting a single word of text in a document. In order to double click an object, just move the cursor over the item and press the left mouse button quickly two times.
Cookies: The most common meaning of "Cookie" on the Internet refers to a piece of information sent by a Web Server to your Web Browser that the Browser software is expected to save and send back to the Server whenever the browser makes additional requests from the Server. (For example, whenever you visit your online banking web site.) Depending on the type of Cookie used, and the Browsers' settings, the Browser may accept or not accept the Cookie, and may save the Cookie for either a short time or a long time. Cookies might contain information such as login or registration information, online "shopping cart" information, user preferences, etc.
When a Server receives a request from an internet browser that includes a Cookie, the Server is able to use the information stored in the Cookie. For example, the Server might customize what is sent back to the user, or keep a log of particular users' requests. Cookies are usually set to expire after a predetermined amount of time and are usually saved in memory until the Browser software is closed down, at which time they may be saved to disk if their "expire time" has not been reached.
Cookies do not read your hard drive and send your life story to the CIA, but they can be used to gather more information about a user than would be possible without them.
cursor: The cursor on your screen can indicate two things: 1) where your mouse pointer is, or 2) where the next character typed will be entered in a line of text.
The mouse cursor is most often an arrow that you can use to point to different objects on your screen. When the cursor is over an object, you can click or double-click the mouse button to perform an action on that object (such as opening a program). The mouse cursor can change into other images, such as a small hand (when you roll over a link in a Web page), or an hourglass (when Windows is "thinking" so hard, it won't let you click on anything).
The text cursor is typically a straight vertical line or I-shaped object that flashes in a line of text. Typically, when you are typing a paper, the cursor will be at the end of the line, because you are adding new text to the uncharted white area of the page. However, if you want to insert a word or phrase somewhere else in a line of text, you can use the mouse cursor to click the position where you would like to insert the text. In most word processing programs, once you start typing, the text cursor continues to flash, but the mouse pointer disappears until you move the mouse again. This is to avoid "cursor confusion," since most people can't type and click on things at the same time.
desktop: Have you seen anybody's desktop which is not a horizontal plane but a vertical plane? The only similarity between a real desktop and a computer desktop is both holds the tools you need to work with. Amazingly, your work tools do not fall off the computer desktop! Basically, the desktop is the first screen you see when you start the computer. It has a bunch of icons (little pictures of things) labeled My Computer, My Documents, My Briefcase, Recycle Bin, Internet Explorer, Netscape etc. Any program you start (like your word processor, or Internet Explorer) usually covers up the desktop completely and you cannot see it anymore. But it is always there underneath everything. If you reduce the size of your application window, you will be able to see the part of the desktop under it. If you minimize the application it will become a button on the taskbar (on the extreme left of which resides next to the START button) revealing the desktop completely. The desktop is supposed to keep everything you need handy and within your vision. So don't let the desktop disappear. And have comfort in the thought that even if you cannot see it, it is always there underneath the clutter of everything.
double click: See “click on”
Download: Files you receive from a remote computer to your computer. These files could be text files, pictures, music files, applications, drivers etc.
Drivers: The drivers are software needed to run a hardware such as the printer, the monitor, or the scanner properly. The drivers also usually come pre-installed in your new computer. When you run your computer the first time, you may have to configure the correct driver for your brand and model of hardware, such as the printer. But if you buy say, a new printer later, you may have to get a new driver for your new printer from the printer manufacturer. The manufacturer may send you the new driver in the form of floppy disk(s), or you may have to download the driver from the manufacturer's web site. Sometimes the new driver comes packed with the new device in the form of a floppy disk. You just have to install it. Sometimes even for your old device, a better driver may be available from that device's manufacturer. Check the device manufacturer's web site for the latest information.
file: Any bit of information you save in your computer is saved as a file. Files can be huge, like you can write a 1200 page novel and save it as a file. Or they can be tiny. You can type one letter or a number or a punctuation mark and save it as a file. Like text, a photo can be saved as a file, or a piece of music or video can be saved as a file.
File Extension: A file name is usually followed by a dot and then three letters called extension. The extension helps the computer to understand what kind of file is that and when necessary which program (application) will open it.
Here are some examples:
1. letter_to_mary.doc dearjohn.txt It is a text document created by and to be opened by Microsoft Word or Notepad (which is the name of the word processor).
2. myphoto.jpg mypicture.gif myimage.bmp It is an image file created by and to be opened by an image editing software.
3. fulfel.exe It is an executable file or program that will open by itself when clicked on.
4. goodlovin.mid hounddog.mp3 It is a music file.
5. vacation_photos.zip It is a zip (compressed) file. Normally it needs a special software (like WinZip or PKZip) to open it. Large files are usually compressed before sending over via wire for quick transfer. Zipped files also take up less space on the disk for storage.
Folder: Just like the filing cabinet in your office or home contains file folders and each folder contains different documents or files, the computer folders hold computer files. It is a very convenient and useful method of keeping your computer files organized so that when necessary you can quickly find a particular file. You can put folders inside folders if you want. For example, you can have a folder named "My Documents". Inside that folder, you can put two folders named "My Letters" and "My Photos" for holding your letters and photos respectively. The old fashioned names for folders were Directories and for folders within folders were Sub-Directories.
Hardware: Hardware means those parts of the computer which you can touch and are usually hard, such as the computer itself, the monitor, the keyboard, the printer, the mouse, the scanner, the speakers etc.
icons: little pictures of things labeled My Computer, My Documents, My Briefcase, Recycle Bin, Internet Explorer, Netscape etc. They can be found both on the desktop and inside of folders.
left click: see “click on”.
Menu Bar: A menu bar is a horizontal strip that contains lists of available menus for a certain program. In Windows programs, the menu bar resides at the top of each open window, while on the Mac, the menu bar is always fixed on the top of the screen. Despite this major difference, the menu bar serves the same purpose on each platform.
Nearly all programs have a menu bar as part of their user interface. It includes menu items and options specific to the particular program. Most menu bars have the the standard File, Edit, and View menus listed first. The File menu includes options such as Save and Open File..., the Edit menu has items such as Undo, Copy, Paste, and Select All, while in the View menu you'll find viewing options such as changing the layout of open windows. Word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word, also include menu options such as Insert, Format, and Font which you will most likely not find in a Web browser's menu bar. But a Web browser may contain menu options such as History and Bookmarks, which you will not find in a word processing program.
The menu bar is fundamental so it is worth your time to get familiar with it. You may even discover features you did not know about before.
My Computer: In Windows, prior to Vista, My Computer is the source of all resources in the computer including drives, control panels and data. In Vista, My Computer was changed to "Computer."
My Documents: In Windows, prior to Vista, My Documents is the default personal folder for storing data. My Music, My Pictures and other subfolders are located under My Documents.
In Vista, the names of the folders were changed to "Documents," "Music" and "Pictures," but Music and Pictures are not subfolders; they reside on the same level as the Documents folder.
My Pictures: See My Documents
open it: see “click on”
Operating System: The operating system is software which makes a computer do something and also helps the other software to work properly. Think of it as the Master Software of your computer. If it malfunctions, your computer will not work properly. Windows is an operating system. Its different versions are known as 3.1, 95, 98, 98SE, 2000, NT, ME, and XP and Vista. When you buy a new computer, the operating system usually comes installed in it. So you don't have to do a thing about the operating system unless you want to upgrade it to a later (and usually better) version.
Programs Folder: Just like real world folders, folders on your hard drive store files. These files can be documents, programs, scripts, libraries, and any other kind of computer file you can think of. Folders can also store other folders, which may store more files or other folders, and so on.
Folders allow people to organize their files in a way that makes sense to them. For example, a college student might store all her photos in a folder named "Pictures," all her papers in a folder named "School Work," and all her financial information (including the tens of thousands of dollars in student loans) in a folder named "Finances." All these folders might reside within a folder called "My Documents."
The computer's operating system also uses folders to store data such as system files, library files, and user preferences. Often, the folders that the system uses are locked, meaning users cannot alter their contents so you can’t hurt your computer.
Folders are really just pointers to files and other folders, telling the computer where they are located. The compilation of folders on your hard drive make up the "directory structure," or overall organization of your hard drive. For this reason, folders are also referred to as "directories." Thank goodness for folders, because without them our hard drives would be pretty cluttered!
Recycle Bin: Contains files you have deleted from your computer. These files are not permanently removed until you empty the Recycle Bin.
right click: Most computer mice have at least two mouse buttons. When you press the left one, it is called a left click. When you press the one on the right, it is called a right click. By default, the left button is the main mouse button, and is used for common tasks such as selecting objects and double-clicking.
The right mouse button is often used to open contextual menus, which are pop-up menus that change depending where you click. For example, if you right click on the desktop, you may see a menu pop up that includes "Change View Options" and "Change Desktop Background." If you right click on a folder, the menu might include options such as "Open" and "Properties."
Software: Software are the programs or applications with the help of which you do something with your computer, such as write a letter, browse the Internet, send and receive e-mail, make a spreadsheet, create a drawing, edit a photo, etc. Software usually come in a floppy disk or CD which you can touch but you cannot touch the program or application itself. In other words you can touch the containers of software but not the software itself. A good example is a software that you may have downloaded from the Internet. Can you touch it? Your word processor is a software, your Internet Explorer or Firefox is a software, your Eudora is a software, your AOL browser is a software.
Start Button: See taskbar.
Start Menu: In Windows, starting with Windows 95, the Start menu is a launching pad for applications. It is also used to turn the machine off. The default location of the Start menu button is the left side of the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
The Start menu contains pointers (shortcuts) to the programs stored on the hard disk, because installation programs place an icon in the Start menu's Programs section. You can also drag icons of applications from the desktop or from any Explorer window onto the Start menu, and you can rearrange their position by dragging them up and down the menu.
task bar: The task bar was introduced with Windows 95 and has been part of every version of Windows since then. It is the bar that spans the bottom of the screen and contains the Start button on the left side and the systray on the right. The task bar also includes the current time on the far right side and can hold shortcuts to programs directly to the right of the Start button.
Most of the task bar, however, contains shortcuts to open windows. Whenever you open a program or window, it shows up in the task bar. So if you have Internet Explorer and Microsoft Word open, there will be at least two items in the middle area of the task bar. Since each window gets its own location in the task bar, if there are two Microsoft Word documents open and three Internet Explorer windows open, there will be a total of five items in the task bar. When you click on a window title in the task bar, that window will become active and show up in front of other open windows. You can also cycle through the task bar items by holding the Alt key and pressing Tab a few times.
tool bar: A toolbar is a set of icons or buttons that are part of a software program's interface or an open window. When it is part of a program's interface, the toolbar typically sits directly under the menu bar. For example, Adobe Photoshop includes a toolbar that allows you to adjust settings for each selected tool. If the paintbrush is selected, the toolbar will provide options to change the brush size, opacity, and flow. Microsoft Word has a toolbar with icons that allow you to open, save, and print documents, as well as change the font, text size, and style of the text. Like many programs, the Word toolbar can be customized by adding or deleting options. It can even be moved to different parts of the screen.
The toolbar can also reside within an open window. For example, Web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, include a toolbar in each open window. These toolbars have items such as Back and Forward buttons, a Home button, and an address bar.
Upload: Files you transfer from your computer to a remote computer. Example: You have created an web site in your computer. Your web site is being hosted by Geocities. So you have to transfer (upload) the files from your computer to Geocities' large computer so that the whole world can see your web site.
window: A window is an area on the screen that displays information for a specific program. A typical window includes a title bar along the top that describes the contents of the window, followed by a toolbar that contains user interface buttons. Most of the window's remaining area is used to display the content.
Examples:
1.Web Browser windows:
The top of a typical Web browser window contains a title bar that displays the title of the current page. Below the title is a toolbar with back and forward buttons, an address field, bookmarks, and other navigation buttons. Below the toolbar is the content of the current Web page. The bottom of the window may contain a status bar that displays the page loading status
2.Word Processing windows:
A window used by a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word, typically includes buttons for page and text formatting, followed by a ruler that defines the document area. Below the ruler is the main page area used for entering text.
3.Operating System windows:
Windows used by the operating system typically include navigation buttons along the top and shortcuts to folders and other locations on the left side of the window. The rest of the window is used to display icons or lists of files and folders.
Most windows can be opened, closed, resized, minimized, and moved around the screen. The close, minimize, and zoom buttons are located on the title bar (on the right side on Windows and the left side on Macs). Minimizing a window will close the contents of the window, but store a reference to it in the Taskbar (Windows) or the Dock (Mac). Closing a window will make it disappear completely (so you may be asked to save your changes first). To move a window, click on the title bar and drag the window where you want it. To resize a window, either click the Zoom button in the title bar or click the lower right-hand corner and expand or contract the window to the size you want.
X: The exit button on an application window. In most cases, clicking X closes the entire application and all open windows that pertain to it. In some applications, such as the Firefox browser, clicking X closes only that window, not additional windows opened from the original instance.
Short Cuts
CTRL & V = PASTE
SHIFT & INSERT = PASTE
CTRL & C = COPY
CTRL & DELETE = DELETE WHOLE WORDS
I would like to ask everyone to remember this particular date, and blog title, when I get more definitions and more shortcuts, this is where I will post them, to add them to the current list.
Introduction
The first thing I would like to share with you is why I call this class Start With The On Button. The first thing I learned in my computer courses in college were to always check and make sure everything is plugged in first. Then check to see if it is turned on, before you start tearing the computer apart. I have found over the years that this is true, you may or may not be surprised to learn how many times I have gone to help someone and fix their computer, and all I had to do is turn it on, or plug something in.
Now I would like to break the computer down into some basic parts to help you understand what it really is.
The computer is a machine, nothing more, it is not alive, gremlins do not live inside it. The computer operates off a series of switches much like your typical home light switch, either its on or its off.
Let's look at what a computer is: It really is nothing more than your typical home office, stuck in a little tiny box. First you have your desk (computer case), next you have your desktop (computer desktop), built into your desk you have a file cabinet (computer hard drive), next to your desk you have a trash can (computer recycle bin), on your desk top you may have various tools according to your trade / use, for example an engineer might have some graph paper, pencils, pens, rulers, etc (computer CAD software), all the tools you use to make your desk more personal, easy to use, easy to find, tools you need to do what ever you do with your desk is your computer software. You may have a radio on your desk (computer sound card), you may have a TV on your desk (computer graphics card). Now one more thing on your desk that we often overlook, you, sitting in the chair using the computer (computer RAM and computer CPU).
What is the most important part of your computer, you (computer RAM). We will talk about this and the why in another lesson, but you will probably hear me repeat this several times.
So now lets turn our computers on and see what happens.
The first thing that should pop up is desk top, your computer desktop is covered in tiny pictures representing programs (software) that you use on your computer, these tiny pictures are called icons. Every body will have some icons alike and everyone will icons that other people don't use, its OK, you don't need what everyone else has, you only need the programs that you use.
All computers whether it is a PC or a MAC operate with a core operating system. This is commonly referred to as the OS (which stands for Operating System), Windows Vista, XP, and soon Windows 7 are the most popular OS's being used today. There is 90% chance that everyone in this room is using either Windows XP or Windows Vista. I use windows Vista, it's what came with my new computer, and yes at first I was disappointed, but now that I have gotten to understand it, I really like it.
Now lets look at the very bottom of your computer screen, there is a bar across it with all kinds of stuff on it. This bar is called your taskbar. If I mention during the course of the class to click something in your taskbar that is what I am referring to. On the far left of taskbar in Windows XP you will see a button that has start written on it, in Windows Vista it is small round picture that looks like this:
Clicking on this button or the start button will take you to all the programs loaded onto your computer. This is also the button to click if you are looking for either “My Computer” & “Control Panel” in Windows XP or “Computer” & “Control Panel” in Windows Vista. Two programs that I hope to make you comfortable visiting.
To turn a Windows XP system off is fairly simple, you just click the start button, then click turn computer off. To turn a computer off with Window Vista, not so easy (NEVER power off your computer with a hard boot).
OK to turn off your computer using Windows Vista here is how you do it. First click the above icon in the lower left hand corner of your computer. This is what will pop up.
No little button or text that says turn computer off. See that little tiny arrow in the lower right hand corner of the above picture, click on it. This is what will pop up next.
Now you have some text that you can read and understand. You can switch users, (that's if you are sharing your computer with someone, but not sharing your half of the computer), you can log off of your computer (this does not turn your computer off), you can lock your computer (I really don't recommend that you do), you can restart your computer (a standing joke in the computer repair world, if you are a computer repairman, this will be your most used option), you can choose sleep (this does not turn your computer off), and you can choose shut down (this is the only option that actually turns your computer off).
OK back on track here, and back to the taskbar, we have looked at the far left side of the taskbar, now lets look at the far right side of the taskbar. You have 2 separate elements in that part of the taskbar, working from the far right to the left the first thing we have is the clock, its a clock. Then we have the startup menu, those icons represent all the programs that designated to start up when you turn your computer off, depending your computer this could be a source of slowed operations.
Now lets talk about the empty space on your taskbar between your Start Menu and your Start Up Menu. This is a very important part of your computer, and often overlooked, I know I forget to check it myself. If you notice your computer slowing down on you while you are working check this area of your taskbar, this is a list of all the programs you have open, and you may have several open of the same program, really confusing your computer. Compare it to learning to check your side mirrors as well as your review mirror when your driving, it's that important.
People who have attended this class in the past have heard this before but I want to get it down in writing for everyone.
What the heck is the difference between left click and right click?
You left click when you want to perform an action, you right click when you want to see what your options are.
When the heck do you double click or single click. You double click any time you are first opening a program, for example your word processor, you would double click the icon on your desktop to open the program, once inside the program you only single click. So, you double click to initiate a program or file and single click inside a program (you still need to double click inside a file to open another file or the contents of a file).
Whenever you are on-line you only need to single click.
THIS IS A TEST? What a Test, yes, I need to make sure we are all on the same page and still together.
Go to:
Start, then Programs
Start, then Control Panel
Start, then My Computer or Computer
Did we all get those open?
My computer will be your friend once you get comfortable with it, control panel is like your mechanical closet in your home, where everything is wired into.
Glossary of Terms
Address bar: The portion of the browser or screen that contains the current Web address and drop-down list of recently visited sites. An address bar can also be found in the folder window and gives you the file path.
Browser: Allows you to read files on the World Wide Web. In brief, it interprets hypertext links and lets you view sites and navigate from one Internet node to another. The two we will talk about most in class are Internet Explorer and Firefox.
C drive: The hard drive that stores all your data. It houses the hard disk, where all your files and folders are physically located. A typical hard drive is only slightly larger than your hand, yet can hold over 100 GB of data. The data is stored on a stack of disks that are mounted inside a solid encasement. These disks spin extremely fast (typically at either 5400 or 7200 RPM) so that data can be accessed immediately from anywhere on the drive. The data is stored on the hard drive magnetically, so it stays on the drive even after the power supply is turned off.
The term "hard drive" is actually short for "hard disk drive." The term "hard disk" refers to the actual disks inside the drive. However, all three of these terms are usually seen as referring to the same thing -- the place where your data is stored. Since we use the term "hard drive" or “C drive” most often, that is the correct one to use.
Cache: The browser cache plays an important role in providing a smooth and speedy surfing experience. Cache, pronounced "cash", is a temporary holding area for images, sounds, videos, and other items that may appear on a web page that you visit. The way the browser cache works is by eliminating the need to re-download an image or web page if the content has not changed since your last visit. Size of the disk cache varies depending on the size of your hard-drive, and if you have manually altered the size in your browser (Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape…etc). Typical cache size is 10% of your hard-drive space.
Once the cache is full, the internet browser begins clearing items to make room for new stuff. If the cache is too small (like only 1 megabyte) then a 2 megabyte cartoon can cause a problem. Choose preferences or settings on the browser menu and look for something called 'Cache' or 'disk cache size', and increase it to 15 megs, or even higher if you have enough hard disk space. For example, in Microsoft Internet Explorer, the path is tools > Internet options > temporary Internet files > settings > amount of disk space to use. In Firefox the path is tools > options > Advanced > Network > amount of disk space. The best way: close all web pages, adjust the cache size, hit the clear cache button, quit (X) and restart your browser.
click on (or double click) Double clicking involves clicking your left mouse button quickly two times. To perform a double click, and not just two clicks, the mouse button must be pressed twice within a very short time, typically about half a second. Most operating systems allow you to lengthen or shorten the maximum time allowed for a double click, using the Mouse Control Panel or System Preference.
A double click is recognized by your computer as a specific command, just like pressing a key on your keyboard. Double clicking is used to perform a variety of actions, such as opening a program, opening a folder, or selecting a single word of text in a document. In order to double click an object, just move the cursor over the item and press the left mouse button quickly two times.
Cookies: The most common meaning of "Cookie" on the Internet refers to a piece of information sent by a Web Server to your Web Browser that the Browser software is expected to save and send back to the Server whenever the browser makes additional requests from the Server. (For example, whenever you visit your online banking web site.) Depending on the type of Cookie used, and the Browsers' settings, the Browser may accept or not accept the Cookie, and may save the Cookie for either a short time or a long time. Cookies might contain information such as login or registration information, online "shopping cart" information, user preferences, etc.
When a Server receives a request from an internet browser that includes a Cookie, the Server is able to use the information stored in the Cookie. For example, the Server might customize what is sent back to the user, or keep a log of particular users' requests. Cookies are usually set to expire after a predetermined amount of time and are usually saved in memory until the Browser software is closed down, at which time they may be saved to disk if their "expire time" has not been reached.
Cookies do not read your hard drive and send your life story to the CIA, but they can be used to gather more information about a user than would be possible without them.
cursor: The cursor on your screen can indicate two things: 1) where your mouse pointer is, or 2) where the next character typed will be entered in a line of text.
The mouse cursor is most often an arrow that you can use to point to different objects on your screen. When the cursor is over an object, you can click or double-click the mouse button to perform an action on that object (such as opening a program). The mouse cursor can change into other images, such as a small hand (when you roll over a link in a Web page), or an hourglass (when Windows is "thinking" so hard, it won't let you click on anything).
The text cursor is typically a straight vertical line or I-shaped object that flashes in a line of text. Typically, when you are typing a paper, the cursor will be at the end of the line, because you are adding new text to the uncharted white area of the page. However, if you want to insert a word or phrase somewhere else in a line of text, you can use the mouse cursor to click the position where you would like to insert the text. In most word processing programs, once you start typing, the text cursor continues to flash, but the mouse pointer disappears until you move the mouse again. This is to avoid "cursor confusion," since most people can't type and click on things at the same time.
desktop: Have you seen anybody's desktop which is not a horizontal plane but a vertical plane? The only similarity between a real desktop and a computer desktop is both holds the tools you need to work with. Amazingly, your work tools do not fall off the computer desktop! Basically, the desktop is the first screen you see when you start the computer. It has a bunch of icons (little pictures of things) labeled My Computer, My Documents, My Briefcase, Recycle Bin, Internet Explorer, Netscape etc. Any program you start (like your word processor, or Internet Explorer) usually covers up the desktop completely and you cannot see it anymore. But it is always there underneath everything. If you reduce the size of your application window, you will be able to see the part of the desktop under it. If you minimize the application it will become a button on the taskbar (on the extreme left of which resides next to the START button) revealing the desktop completely. The desktop is supposed to keep everything you need handy and within your vision. So don't let the desktop disappear. And have comfort in the thought that even if you cannot see it, it is always there underneath the clutter of everything.
double click: See “click on”
Download: Files you receive from a remote computer to your computer. These files could be text files, pictures, music files, applications, drivers etc.
Drivers: The drivers are software needed to run a hardware such as the printer, the monitor, or the scanner properly. The drivers also usually come pre-installed in your new computer. When you run your computer the first time, you may have to configure the correct driver for your brand and model of hardware, such as the printer. But if you buy say, a new printer later, you may have to get a new driver for your new printer from the printer manufacturer. The manufacturer may send you the new driver in the form of floppy disk(s), or you may have to download the driver from the manufacturer's web site. Sometimes the new driver comes packed with the new device in the form of a floppy disk. You just have to install it. Sometimes even for your old device, a better driver may be available from that device's manufacturer. Check the device manufacturer's web site for the latest information.
file: Any bit of information you save in your computer is saved as a file. Files can be huge, like you can write a 1200 page novel and save it as a file. Or they can be tiny. You can type one letter or a number or a punctuation mark and save it as a file. Like text, a photo can be saved as a file, or a piece of music or video can be saved as a file.
File Extension: A file name is usually followed by a dot and then three letters called extension. The extension helps the computer to understand what kind of file is that and when necessary which program (application) will open it.
Here are some examples:
1. letter_to_mary.doc dearjohn.txt It is a text document created by and to be opened by Microsoft Word or Notepad (which is the name of the word processor).
2. myphoto.jpg mypicture.gif myimage.bmp It is an image file created by and to be opened by an image editing software.
3. fulfel.exe It is an executable file or program that will open by itself when clicked on.
4. goodlovin.mid hounddog.mp3 It is a music file.
5. vacation_photos.zip It is a zip (compressed) file. Normally it needs a special software (like WinZip or PKZip) to open it. Large files are usually compressed before sending over via wire for quick transfer. Zipped files also take up less space on the disk for storage.
Folder: Just like the filing cabinet in your office or home contains file folders and each folder contains different documents or files, the computer folders hold computer files. It is a very convenient and useful method of keeping your computer files organized so that when necessary you can quickly find a particular file. You can put folders inside folders if you want. For example, you can have a folder named "My Documents". Inside that folder, you can put two folders named "My Letters" and "My Photos" for holding your letters and photos respectively. The old fashioned names for folders were Directories and for folders within folders were Sub-Directories.
Hardware: Hardware means those parts of the computer which you can touch and are usually hard, such as the computer itself, the monitor, the keyboard, the printer, the mouse, the scanner, the speakers etc.
icons: little pictures of things labeled My Computer, My Documents, My Briefcase, Recycle Bin, Internet Explorer, Netscape etc. They can be found both on the desktop and inside of folders.
left click: see “click on”.
Menu Bar: A menu bar is a horizontal strip that contains lists of available menus for a certain program. In Windows programs, the menu bar resides at the top of each open window, while on the Mac, the menu bar is always fixed on the top of the screen. Despite this major difference, the menu bar serves the same purpose on each platform.
Nearly all programs have a menu bar as part of their user interface. It includes menu items and options specific to the particular program. Most menu bars have the the standard File, Edit, and View menus listed first. The File menu includes options such as Save and Open File..., the Edit menu has items such as Undo, Copy, Paste, and Select All, while in the View menu you'll find viewing options such as changing the layout of open windows. Word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word, also include menu options such as Insert, Format, and Font which you will most likely not find in a Web browser's menu bar. But a Web browser may contain menu options such as History and Bookmarks, which you will not find in a word processing program.
The menu bar is fundamental so it is worth your time to get familiar with it. You may even discover features you did not know about before.
My Computer: In Windows, prior to Vista, My Computer is the source of all resources in the computer including drives, control panels and data. In Vista, My Computer was changed to "Computer."
My Documents: In Windows, prior to Vista, My Documents is the default personal folder for storing data. My Music, My Pictures and other subfolders are located under My Documents.
In Vista, the names of the folders were changed to "Documents," "Music" and "Pictures," but Music and Pictures are not subfolders; they reside on the same level as the Documents folder.
My Pictures: See My Documents
open it: see “click on”
Operating System: The operating system is software which makes a computer do something and also helps the other software to work properly. Think of it as the Master Software of your computer. If it malfunctions, your computer will not work properly. Windows is an operating system. Its different versions are known as 3.1, 95, 98, 98SE, 2000, NT, ME, and XP and Vista. When you buy a new computer, the operating system usually comes installed in it. So you don't have to do a thing about the operating system unless you want to upgrade it to a later (and usually better) version.
Programs Folder: Just like real world folders, folders on your hard drive store files. These files can be documents, programs, scripts, libraries, and any other kind of computer file you can think of. Folders can also store other folders, which may store more files or other folders, and so on.
Folders allow people to organize their files in a way that makes sense to them. For example, a college student might store all her photos in a folder named "Pictures," all her papers in a folder named "School Work," and all her financial information (including the tens of thousands of dollars in student loans) in a folder named "Finances." All these folders might reside within a folder called "My Documents."
The computer's operating system also uses folders to store data such as system files, library files, and user preferences. Often, the folders that the system uses are locked, meaning users cannot alter their contents so you can’t hurt your computer.
Folders are really just pointers to files and other folders, telling the computer where they are located. The compilation of folders on your hard drive make up the "directory structure," or overall organization of your hard drive. For this reason, folders are also referred to as "directories." Thank goodness for folders, because without them our hard drives would be pretty cluttered!
Recycle Bin: Contains files you have deleted from your computer. These files are not permanently removed until you empty the Recycle Bin.
right click: Most computer mice have at least two mouse buttons. When you press the left one, it is called a left click. When you press the one on the right, it is called a right click. By default, the left button is the main mouse button, and is used for common tasks such as selecting objects and double-clicking.
The right mouse button is often used to open contextual menus, which are pop-up menus that change depending where you click. For example, if you right click on the desktop, you may see a menu pop up that includes "Change View Options" and "Change Desktop Background." If you right click on a folder, the menu might include options such as "Open" and "Properties."
Software: Software are the programs or applications with the help of which you do something with your computer, such as write a letter, browse the Internet, send and receive e-mail, make a spreadsheet, create a drawing, edit a photo, etc. Software usually come in a floppy disk or CD which you can touch but you cannot touch the program or application itself. In other words you can touch the containers of software but not the software itself. A good example is a software that you may have downloaded from the Internet. Can you touch it? Your word processor is a software, your Internet Explorer or Firefox is a software, your Eudora is a software, your AOL browser is a software.
Start Button: See taskbar.
Start Menu: In Windows, starting with Windows 95, the Start menu is a launching pad for applications. It is also used to turn the machine off. The default location of the Start menu button is the left side of the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
The Start menu contains pointers (shortcuts) to the programs stored on the hard disk, because installation programs place an icon in the Start menu's Programs section. You can also drag icons of applications from the desktop or from any Explorer window onto the Start menu, and you can rearrange their position by dragging them up and down the menu.
task bar: The task bar was introduced with Windows 95 and has been part of every version of Windows since then. It is the bar that spans the bottom of the screen and contains the Start button on the left side and the systray on the right. The task bar also includes the current time on the far right side and can hold shortcuts to programs directly to the right of the Start button.
Most of the task bar, however, contains shortcuts to open windows. Whenever you open a program or window, it shows up in the task bar. So if you have Internet Explorer and Microsoft Word open, there will be at least two items in the middle area of the task bar. Since each window gets its own location in the task bar, if there are two Microsoft Word documents open and three Internet Explorer windows open, there will be a total of five items in the task bar. When you click on a window title in the task bar, that window will become active and show up in front of other open windows. You can also cycle through the task bar items by holding the Alt key and pressing Tab a few times.
tool bar: A toolbar is a set of icons or buttons that are part of a software program's interface or an open window. When it is part of a program's interface, the toolbar typically sits directly under the menu bar. For example, Adobe Photoshop includes a toolbar that allows you to adjust settings for each selected tool. If the paintbrush is selected, the toolbar will provide options to change the brush size, opacity, and flow. Microsoft Word has a toolbar with icons that allow you to open, save, and print documents, as well as change the font, text size, and style of the text. Like many programs, the Word toolbar can be customized by adding or deleting options. It can even be moved to different parts of the screen.
The toolbar can also reside within an open window. For example, Web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, include a toolbar in each open window. These toolbars have items such as Back and Forward buttons, a Home button, and an address bar.
Upload: Files you transfer from your computer to a remote computer. Example: You have created an web site in your computer. Your web site is being hosted by Geocities. So you have to transfer (upload) the files from your computer to Geocities' large computer so that the whole world can see your web site.
window: A window is an area on the screen that displays information for a specific program. A typical window includes a title bar along the top that describes the contents of the window, followed by a toolbar that contains user interface buttons. Most of the window's remaining area is used to display the content.
Examples:
1.Web Browser windows:
The top of a typical Web browser window contains a title bar that displays the title of the current page. Below the title is a toolbar with back and forward buttons, an address field, bookmarks, and other navigation buttons. Below the toolbar is the content of the current Web page. The bottom of the window may contain a status bar that displays the page loading status
2.Word Processing windows:
A window used by a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word, typically includes buttons for page and text formatting, followed by a ruler that defines the document area. Below the ruler is the main page area used for entering text.
3.Operating System windows:
Windows used by the operating system typically include navigation buttons along the top and shortcuts to folders and other locations on the left side of the window. The rest of the window is used to display icons or lists of files and folders.
Most windows can be opened, closed, resized, minimized, and moved around the screen. The close, minimize, and zoom buttons are located on the title bar (on the right side on Windows and the left side on Macs). Minimizing a window will close the contents of the window, but store a reference to it in the Taskbar (Windows) or the Dock (Mac). Closing a window will make it disappear completely (so you may be asked to save your changes first). To move a window, click on the title bar and drag the window where you want it. To resize a window, either click the Zoom button in the title bar or click the lower right-hand corner and expand or contract the window to the size you want.
X: The exit button on an application window. In most cases, clicking X closes the entire application and all open windows that pertain to it. In some applications, such as the Firefox browser, clicking X closes only that window, not additional windows opened from the original instance.
Short Cuts
CTRL & V = PASTE
SHIFT & INSERT = PASTE
CTRL & C = COPY
CTRL & DELETE = DELETE WHOLE WORDS
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