Introduction to Computers
By Jim Greene
215-332-9032
[email protected]
Hardware and Software
Hardware - what you can see and touch
Software - electronic instructions that tell the hardware what to do.
Hardware examples
Monitor - the computer screen shows you what you put in or what the computer wants you to see. The monitor is an output device.
Keyboard - allows you to input information into the computer by typing your data or commands and sending them to the CPU.
Mouse - a pointing device that allows you to select objects or data and to choose commands that you want the computer to carry out. The keyboard and mouse are input devices.
Case - holds most of the computer parts inside it, i.e. CPU (Central Processing Unit, Motherboard, Storage Drives, Memory (both RAM - Random Access Memory, and ROM Read Only Memory).
Four Functions of a Computer
Input
Output
Process
Storage
Software
OS - Operating System (DOS, Windows, etc.)
Application software (ex. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
User Data (the files you create, letters you create, spreadsheets that you use).
Windows 95 or 98
Desktop - Wallpaper, Icons, and taskbar
Helps you manage your programs
Accessories - small programs that come with Windows. (Notepad, Paint, Solitaire)
Explorer - helps you manage your files (Right click START - click Explore)
Word Processing - super typewriter
Inserting, Deleting, Moving, and Formatting Text
To Insert text - set insertion point and type.
To Delete text - use backspace or select and press Delete
To Format - select and choose attribute (Bold, Italics, Underline, etc.)
To Move - Edit Cut (or Copy), Edit Paste
To Select text - place your cursor where you want to begin, hold down the shift key and use the arrow keys to highlight the letters that you want to change. Make your change.
To de-select text - click the mouse on any white area of the screen.
Excel Spreadsheet - number cruncher
Labels - describe other information in the spreadsheet
Values - numbers you may want to calculate
Formulas - tell Excel how to do the calculations
Start with equal sign =
Use the cell addresses whenever possible (i.e. =A4*A5, =D6/D7, =sum(A1:A10), =average(A1:A10)
Internet Browser
Netscape or Internet Explorer
Surf by using the hyperlinks
Type in address in the URL box
Use a search engine like www.yahoo.com, www.infoseek.com, www.google.com
Windows commands you MUST know:
To SAVE a file in any Windows program:
- Click File
- Click Save As…
- Type in a filename
- Choose the folder or drive you want to save to
- Click Save button
To OPEN a file in any Windows program
- Click File
- Click Open
- Choose the drive or folder that holds the file
- Click the file that you want to open
- Click the Open button
To PRINT a file in any Windows program
- Click File
- Click Print
- Change dialog box to reflect what you want
- Click Print button
To Change Margins
UNDO
To Move text
- Select text, Click Edit (from menu, Cut)
- Move cursor to desired position in document
- Click Edit (from menu, Paste)
To Copy text
- Select text, Click Edit (from menu, Copy)
- Move cursor to desired position in document
- Click Edit (from menu, Paste)
Remember: You must PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.
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