February 2002 |
Don't forget Valentine's Day! |
Turning The Computers On and Off |
There is usually only one way to turn computers on. Most computers have an “on” button on the front of them, and all you have to do is to hit that button. It won’t be marked “on” but it’s the only one that will do anything if you hit it when the computer is off. There are many ways to turn computers off, however, with varying degrees of safety. Below is a list of some of them, starting with the most preferred and moving on to the worst. 1. Click on Start, make sure the “button” is in Shut Down and click on OK. 2. If your computer doesn’t respond to the above, you can hold both the CTRL key and the ALT key down at the same time and touch the DEL key. Then let go of all three of them. That should bring up the AClose Program” screen. Look for any program that has “Not responding” after it, click once on it, then click on the button titled “End Task.” That may release the computer so that #1 above will work. 3. If you don’t see any programs “Not responding”, you can just click on the button on the Close Program screen that says Shut Down. That may shut the computer down. 4. Still not shutting down? Hold both the CTRL key and the ALT key down at the same time and touch the DEL key twice. That should shut the computer down. 5. Still not doing it? Well, some computers have the ON button as a toggle, which means that you just have to hit it once in order to force it off. Others have a button that you have to hold in for 5-7 seconds. But that will turn it off. 6. That will usually turn it off, however there is still one last trick C pull the plug. Not a pleasant thing to do, but sometimes with a computer that is so locked up that none of the above will shut it down, you have to do just that, painful as it seems. If you shut the computer down using any of the first three steps above, it will probably start up the next time without any problems. If you have to shut down using any of the last three steps, you will probably come up with a big blue DOS Scandisk screen the next time you turn the computer on. You’ll be told that if you had shut it down properly, you wouldn’t be going through that process. Its perfectly alright to holler at the computer A I know that, and if you had just cooperated, that wouldn’t have happened in the first place.” That won’t make any difference to the computer, but it might make you feel better. It seems to help me, anyway. Remember, if your computer locks up on you, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have done something wrong, just that the computer doesn’t like something that’s going on B and it could be a problem with Windows or anything else, but it will still lock up. |
It may appear that you know about the keyboard – so what else is there? Well, several things, such as what is the function of some of the keys… and where are some of those special characters? Starting in the upper left corner - Esc - this is the Escape key, and there are some programs that require you to use that key in order to close the program. Right under the Esc key, you’ll see a key off to the left of the “1” key – and if you shift and hit that key, you’ll find the “tilde” which looks like this - ~ and is used often on the Internet. F1 (and on through F12) keys - These Function Keys had a much bigger role in the old DOS programs than they do today, but a few still are in common use. F1 – this will almost always bring up a Help screen, no matter what program you’re using. F2 – this usually starts a “new game” if you’re playing some of the Windows games. (This does not apply in Solitaire for some reason.) The other Function Keys may have special functions for certain programs, such as Word, WordPerfect, etc. Check out your program’s help files to see if they might be helpful/handy for you. To the right side along the top of the keyboard, you’ll see Print Scrn, and this key will actually copy what you’re looking on at the screen, and keep it as a .bmp file (that’s a graphic format) and you can then Paste that into MSPaint. You may not use this very often, but once in a while it does come in handy. The Scroll Lock and Pause/Break keys are rarely used by the casual computer operator, so it might be best to leave them alone. Just below the F11 or F12 key (depending on its size) is the Backspace key. That will always delete the character immediately to the left of your cursor. On a typewriter, it moved you one space to the left, but on a computer it moves you there, taking out the character that had been there. The Tab key is used to move over 5 spaces at a time in word processing programs, or to move to the next line if you’re filling out a form either on the Internet or to register a program. Almost without exception the Tab key will take you to the next line if there are two or more lines, but watch to see what happens when you hit it, as it may take two hits to get where you really want to be. Caps Lock does just what it sounds like – it locks your CAPITAL LETTERS, but since its considered “shouting” to type in all capitals, you probably won’t use it much. You’ll want to just use the Shift key to capitalize one or two letters at a time. And you should get used to using that, or else you’ll be typing with NO capitals and that looks strange at times, and makes it difficult to read documents. Ctrl is the Control key, and for the most part, its just good for you to know where it is for when you’re told to use it. The same applies to the Alt key. On most of the newer keyboards, on the left lower side between the Ctrl and the Alt keys you’ll find a key with a Microsoft logo on it. That is a Windows key. If you hit that key it will bring up the Start Menu. That’s a good thing to know when you can’t find your taskbar (and believe me, that happens more often than you might think). Over toward the right of the Alt key is the Space bar, and after that there’s another Alt, another Ctrl key and possibly one or two more keys. There may be another Windows key in there and there may be a Menu key. Hitting the Menu key is the same as RIGHTclick, in that it shows the same screen as if you had done a RIGHTclick. On the far right side you have a numeric pad, and in the upper left corner of that group of keys is a NumLock key. Unless you have a specific reason for not having that pad available for numbers, I would suggest that you have the numeric pad “locked” and you can tell if it is by looking for a little green light indicating so. If you don’t have it locked, the other words/symbols become the function of the keys, and all of those are somewhere else on your keyboard – in much handier places. Get used to using the numeric pad for when you do a lot of entering of numbers, such as phone numbers, zip codes, etc. Between the regular letter keys and the numeric pad you’ll find two sets of keys. The lower set is comprised of four “arrow” keys. Those keys will move you up, down, left or right, and they’ll do it without putting in any spaces or removing any characters you’ve already typed. There are places where these arrow keys come in very handy, and we’ll get to some of those later. So remember where they are. The other set has some very special keys that are overlooked a lot, but shouldn’t be. The next section will be devoted to those six keys. · Insert If you have ever typed something and then tried to go back (either with your mouse or with an arrow key) and found that when you put in the new letter it replaced the letter right after the cursor instead of adding a new character. That’s because you’ve inadvertently hit the Insert key. Just hit it again, and you’ll be back to normal. · Delete Easy enough, right? It means just what it says. But in addition to deleting files, etc. it will also get rid of the character to the RIGHT of your cursor. Sometimes people purposely move the cursor past the character they want to delete so they can use their Backspace key, and that’s a waste of time. Just remember “Backspace to delete to the left, Delete to delete to the right.” · Home This key will take you to the beginning of the line you’re typing on at the moment. Ctrl + Home will take you to the very beginning of the document you’re using. · End This key will take you to the end of the line you’re typing on at the moment. And as before, Ctrl + End will take you to the very end of the document. These keys may not seem very important right now, but if you want to make things easier on yourself, you’ll use them later. · Page Up As it says, this key will take you one full screen UP in your document. · Page Down This will, of course, take you one full screen DOWN in your document. |
The Keyboard |
Terminology |
A Accessories Different kinds of programs (applications) that come with Windows. Active Task Button A task button located on the taskbar that appears to be pressed. Active Window The window whose title bar is highlighted, indicating it is currently being used. Altair Computer One of the first, if not the first, personal computers, the Altair 8800 has gone down in computing history, as has Ed Roberts, its creator. Application (program) The same as program. Application Software A computer program that performs a specific task, such as word processing. ASCII ASCII (pronounced ASK-key) stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange, otherwise known as "plain text". ASCII is a standard method of describing text characters. "Text-only" files can be read by just about any computer application. Associated File A file type that has been identified as belonging to a certain program, such as .TXT with Notepad, .BMP with Paint, or .DOC with Word. Baud Rate The number of bits (binary digits) a computer can send per second. BBS Bulletin Board System, an electronic bulletin board where users can leave messages. Many BBSs are on a membership basis. Beta A pre-release, often buggy, version of software. Frequently available for downloading on the Web. BIOS Basic input/output system, a set of instructions in the ROM of most computer components that controls the transfer data in and out. Bit The smallest amount of information that can be transmitted. A combination of bits can indicate an alphabetic character, a numeric digit, or perform signaling, switching or other functions. Boot Starting your computer by turning on the power. Border The edge of a window is called the border. You can resize a window by clicking and dragging the border. BPS Bits per second. The measure of a modem's speed. Browser Application software that gives you a graphical interactive interface or searching, finding, viewing and managing information over a network. Bug An error, as in a computer program, but this word usage predates computers. Bus A collection of wires over which the computer sends information. Byte A unit of information that corresponds to a character; eight bits. Cache Temporary memory areas that help your computer or peripheral process information. Card A hardware circuit board (often inside the system unit) which lets you add other capabilities to your computer. Cascade To resize and layer windows on the desktop so each title bar is visible. Cascading Menu A menu that opens when you highlight a menu item that is followed by a right-pointing triangle. Chat A term used to describe real-time conferencing. IRC, WebChat, Prodigy and AOL chat rooms are all examples of chat. Click The act of pushing down and releasing the mouse button. Close A command that lets you leave a Windows program. Close Button A button (an "X") located at the right end of the title bar that you click to close a window. Connection A point-to-point dedicated or switched communication path. Control Panel A folder that combines the commands, control and configuration functions for Windows 95/98. CPU Central Processing Unit (a microprocessor) attached to motherboard. The part of the computer that does most of the data processing. Database An organized collection of information. Data File A file that consists of data that has been created in a program, such as a text file typed in Notepad. Default The standard setting in a program. Desktop The opening screen in Windows that contains a few objects, the Start button and the taskbar. Dialog Box A special kind of window that asks you a question or presents controls that you can choose from. Dimmed Command A command that cannot be used in the current situation; it is displayed in gray instead of black. Directory The term seldom used in Windows 95/98. "Folder" has replaced this term. Disk The permanent storage area for your programs and documents. Disk Drive Hardware capable of reading and writing data stored on a disk. Document Any data file you create with a program. DOS Disk Operating System, a text command operating system. DPI Dots Per Inch, a unit of measure describing printer resolution. Double-Click Pressing and releasing the left-mouse button two times in quick succession (without moving the mouse between clicks). Download To transfer programs or data from a computer to a connected device, usually from a server to a personal computer. Drag (mouse) Move the pointer on an item, hold down the left button, slide the pointer to a new location, and release the button. Driver A program that tells another program how to communicate with and control a peripheral, such as a printer. A device driver allows the operating system to work with a specific peripheral. DVD Digital Versatile Disc, the latest compact disc storage media. Holds much more than a standard CD. Emoticons Also known as "smileys." Emoticons are sequences of ASCII text that communicate emotion in e-mail and newsgroups. For example, : ) means happy, and : ( means sad. A few of these go a long way. Explorer The Windows program that you can use to explore your disks. FAQ Frequently Asked Questions. A list of frequently asked questions and answers about a given topic, very common in newsgroups. File A named collection of information stored on a disk. Filename The name assigned to a collection of data that is stored on a disk. Filename Extension The optional "period" and up to three characters at the end of a filename. File Server A computer that provides access to files for remote users (clients). (See server.) Find A program that helps you locate files and folders by entering search criteria. Flame Nasty or abusive e-mail or newsgroup postings. A "flame war" is a usually hot-tempered argument that never seems to end. Folder An object that holds files and/or other folders that are stored on disk. Folders have traditionally been called "directories". Folder Window A window that displays the contents of a folder. Format To format a disk means to make it usable for storing information. Freeware Software that is given away at no charge. You can often download this software on the Web. Frontside Bus The Frontside Bus (FSB) within a microprocessor that connects the CPU with main memory. It's used to communicate between the motherboard and other components. A backside bus connects the CPU to a Level 2 cache. FTP File Transfer Protocol, a protocol used to provide file transfers across a wide variety of systems. Gates, Bill Co-Founder of Microsoft. One of the world's richest men. GIF Graphics Interchange Format, a standard format for image files on the WWW. The GIF file format is popular because it uses a compression method to make files smaller. Originally pronounced "jif", it is now also pronounced with a hard "g" sound as in "gift". Gigabyte Roughly a billion bytes or characters. Abbreviated G or GB. GUI Graphical User Interface, used to describe Windows and other programs that use pictures to help you interact with the computer. Invented by Xerox Corporation. Some people pronounce this "goo-ey". We are not among them. Hard Disk A large capacity storage area that offers fast access to information. Hardware The physical parts of your computer, as opposed to software. Highlight To select something by clicking or dragging with the mouse. Once selected, an item usually turns a different color or becomes outlined. HTML Hypertext Markup Language. A simple language of keywords used to create World Wide Web pages that is then interpreted by the user's browser. HTTP Hypertext Transfer Protocol, the method by which documents are transferred from the host computer or server to browsers and individual users. Hyperlink Connections between one piece of information and another. Hz Abbreviation for hertz, the number of cycles per second, used to measure clock speed. (See MHz.) Icon A graphic picture that represents a program, command, data file or a concept in a graphical user interface (GUI). Internet The Internet (or "Net") is a network of linked computer networks that enables data communication services such as World Wide Web, file transfer, electronic mail, and newsgroups. IP Internet Protocol, defines the unit of information passed between systems that provide a basis packet delivery service. IP Address The Internet protocol address which is a 32-bit address assigned to a host. The IP address has a host component and a network component. ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network, set of standards for high-speed transmission of simultaneous voice, data and video information over fewer channels than would otherwise be needed, through the use of out-of-band signaling. JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group (pronounced JAY-peg), a popular method used to compress photographic images. Many web browsers accept JPEG images as a standard file format for viewing. Jump-Arrow A small arrow that appears in the lower-left corner of shortcut icons to distinguish them from other icons. KB Abbreviation of kilobyte (also K). One KB is 1, 024 bytes. LAN Abbreviation for Local Area Network, typically a network of computers within the same building. Launch A term used to mean start a program. Interchangeable with "load". Maximize Button The button in the middle of three button at the right end of the title bar which enlarges the window to its greatest possible size. MB Abbreviation for megabyte. One MB is approximately one million bytes. Media Information storage and distribution format. (e.g. video tape, floppy disk, optical disc, print, etc.) The extensions of mankind's ability to communicate. Memory Chips attached to motherboard; the computer's temporary work area (RAM). Menu A list of items form which you may choose. Menu Bar The bar located under the title bar that list the available menus. MHz Abbreviation for megahertz, or millions of cycles per second. Microprocessor Silicon chip that powers computers (see CPU). Minimize Button A button located at the right side of the title bar that you can click to reduce a window to a task button on the taskbar. Modem Hardware device that permits the computer to send and receive data via phone lines. Monitor The computer's visual output device, similar to a television. Motherboard The system unit circuit board that contains the microprocessor, memory and other chips. Mouse Device that moves the onscreen pointer by spinning a rubber trackball. Invented by Douglas Engelbart at SRI. Multitasking The ability of an operating system to run more than one program at one time, that is, to juggle tasks. My Computer A program, the obvious, quick way to the files and folders on your Windows computer. Netiquette The rules of conduct for interacting on the Internet. Network A collection of computers connected together by some means, such as cables or satellite. Newbie A new user of the Internet. Newbie can be used as either a neutral or derogatory term. Object A general term for "item" or "element", typically referring to an icon. Online Being connected, usually through modem and phone line, to another computer. Operating System Special software that runs when the computer is first turned on. Manages communication between your hardware and software. Parallel Port A connector through which a computer communicates with a peripheral along parallel wires. Printers are the most common peripheral to use parallel ports. Path The route to a folder or file; it consists of the disk drive name, a folder and/or subfolder (if any), and the filename. PC A personal computer, or an IBM compatible computer. Pixel A "picture element" or dot that the monitor can display to create the image you see. Plug-in A specialized program that adds functionality to a Web browser. Often downloadable for free. Pointer The arrow-shaped cursor on the screen that moves when you move the mouse. Printer Driver Software that allows an application program to use your printer. Program A set of instructions that tells the computer what to do. See software. Property A characteristic of an object (such as an icon); many properties can be changed by selecting the Properties dialog box. Protocol A specification that describes how computers will talk to each other on a network. RAM Random Access Memory, the computer's electronic memory; your work area. Reboot The computer term for restarting your computer. Resolution The number of pixels the monitor can use to display an image, or dots your printer can print. Restore Button The button in the middle of three buttons located at the right end of the title bar on a maximized window; it returns the window to its previous size and location. Right-Click Quickly press and release the right mouse button. Right-Click Menu An easy-to-use menu that opens when you right-click an object. Also called a "shortcut menu", "object menu" or "context menu." Right-Drag A mouse action in which you move the pointer on an item, hold down the right mouse button, drag the pointer to a new location, and release the right mouse button. ROM Read Only Memory, the computer's pre-programmed memory. Save The command that saves changes to a previously named document. Save As A command that opens a dialog box that permits you to save a new (unnamed) document or rename a previously saved one. Scroll Arrows The arrows at each end of the scroll bar, used to scroll through the contents of the window. Scroll Bar A bar that appears at the right and/or bottom edge of a window whose contents are not completely visible; termed "horizontal" and "vertical" scroll bars. Scroll Box The box in a scroll bar that shows the position of the information displayed in relation to the entire document, and the size of the document in relation to the screen. Server A network computer to which users can connect to receive services such as file sharing. Shareware Copyrighted software that's free for trial usage, a very popular format on the Web. If you like and continue to use the program, you are usually legally obligated to pay a fee or at least register your copy with the author. Otherwise, you're expected to delete it from your computer. Sometimes the program will be crippled in some way or will stop functioning after a certain length of time if not registered. Short Filename A filename that is no longer than eight characters, and a three character extension. Shortcut An icon containing a direct route to a specific object (usually a program, data file or disk) which displays a small jump-arrow in the lower-left corner. Shortcut Menu Another name for the right-click menu. Sizing Handle An area in the bottom right corner of a window that can be sized; it is used to size windows. You can, however, size a window from any corner. Software Computer programs written to perform specific tasks, such as a word processor or spreadsheet. Spam To send identical and irrelevent messages to many different people. Usually, but not always, the message is an advertisement. The term comes from a skit by English comedy group Monty Python in which every entree at a diner contained the food product Spam. The skit ended with a song in which the word "spam" was repeated endlessly. Also used as a noun to refer to the message itself. Spreadsheet Program that automates an accountant's worksheet. Start Button The button at the left end of the taskbar that is labeled "Start." Clicking the Start button opens the Start menu you can use to launch programs. Status Bar The bar at the bottom of a program; it displays information about the program. Subfolder A folder that is within another folder. Traditionally called a subdirectory. System Unit The main part of your computer that contains the disk drives and motherboard. Task An open (but not necessarily active) program. Taskbar The bar on the desktop that let you quickly start and switch between programs. Title Bar The horizontal bar at the top of a window that displays the window's name. The window's name is usually the name of the program running in the window. Toolbar A row of buttons that provide quick access to commonly used commands. Unzip To decompress, or expand a file that has been made smaller using a compression utility. Upload To transfer a file from one computer (usually a smaller one -- a "client" ) to another computer (a larger one, a server or "host" computer). URL Uniform Resource Locator, the form of the site address that reveals the name of the server where the site's files are stored, the file's directory path, and its filename. Virus A software program intentionally written to disrupt your work. Warm Boot Pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart the computer or close an application that is stuck. .WAV The file extension used on some types of audio files. Web See WWW. Window The rectangular work area for a task, program, folder or document. Windows Graphical operating system by Microsoft designed to make computer easier to use. It currently comes in several flavors: Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT. (See GUI.) WinZIP A compression/decompression utility that lets Windows users make their files smaller for faster transfer over the Internet. This utility also decompresses files that were originally compressed using PKZIP or other formats. Word Processor A computer program that helps you create, change, format and print documents such as letters and reports. Write-Protected Disk A disk whose contents can be read by a disk drive, but cannot be changed or erased. World Wide Web (WWW) Internet system for world-wide hypertext linking of multimedia documents, making the relationship of information that is common between documents easily accessible and completely independent of physical location. X Back to Top of Page Y Back to Top of Page Z Back to Top of Page Zipped file A PC-based file(s) that has been compressed. See WinZip. Right-Track Learning Center: 2085 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107 Send E-Mail to Right-Track at info@right-track.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright, Disclaimer, Privacy ©1997-2001 Right-Track Learning Center, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This page was last updated on 15-Nov-2001. |
Being able to use the correct terminology when talking with other computer users is most helpful because then everyone speaks the same language. If you have ever spoken with a Computer Tech, on the phone, you will find this section most useful. They are not familiar with the term " you know that little thingy" on the screen. So, we should all try to use the correct terms for our computer language. |
I'm sorry but this seemed to get a little long this month. But bear with me. Also I need to give some credit to Bobbie for sending some information to me that I use from time to time. Darlene |