Welcome to "Basic Computer Skills, Especially for Seniors"!
This program has been developed to help the 55+ generation
become comfortable with using computer technology.
First, let's take a look at what computers can do for you.
If you've ever used a typewriter, you'll be amazed at what you can create on the computer.
Type letters, design your own letterhead,
make personalized labels, and print on envelopes of different sizes.
Organize your correspondents by creating individual folders for billing, clubs, committees, and more.
For easy access to often used tasks, put a shortcut on your computer's desktop.
Make your own greeting cards for holidays and anniversaries.
Most computer word processing programs have clip art you can use to create your own style.
If you have a scanner, you use it to save pictures
or old or important documents.
The pictures can be used for greeting cards, and the documents can be saved on diskettes
for safekeeping in a safe deposit box.
You can list all of your household goods, along with serial numbers for insurance purposes,
or keep track of items in a collection.
With a computer, the internet becomes a library of information at your fingertips.
Help your grandchildren research for reports,
follow your financial portfolio,
use electronic mail to e-mail friends and family,
or research your own likes and hobbies.
You may even want to use your computer to write checks, keep track of your savings accounts,
make loan payments, or have payments made to you.
There are so many things your computer can do for you.
In the next few minutes, we are going to familiarize you with some of these basic skills.
Remember, there's very little you can do to harm your computer.
So, take it easy, and good luck!
No matter what kind of computer you own, it will come equipped with some basic hardware components.
The monitor allows you to see what you are creating on the computer.
The keyboard is the tool you use to enter commands; use as a typewriter, and use as a calculator.
The printer makes a hard copy of what you see on your monitor.
The mouse is a tool for navigating through the programs on your computer, and entering commands.
Your "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory", or CD-ROM drive, is used to insert software programs.
Or, it can be used to listen to musical CDs.
The number, followed by the X, indicates the speed at which the CD can be read.
In this case, it is a 40x CD-ROM drive.
Another source for software or for storing the things you've created on your computer is the 3.5" floppy disk drive.
This is often called your A: drive on the computer.
The main brains of your computer reside in the Central Processing Unit, or CPU.
The CPU processes the instructions it receives from the software programs you have installed on your computer.
It processes these instructions in speeds known as megahertz.
For example, your arm is built to raise and lower.
It has all of the necessary tools to do the job, such as bones and muscles,
but even though you command your arm to raise, if the brain can't process the instructions to lift your arm, it will not move.
Likewise, if the computer doesn't tell the brain, or CPU what to do, it can't do what you tell it to do.
The computer uses random access memory, or RAM,
to read and follow the instructions from the software to perform the tasks you command.
Let's say you want to play a game of Solitaire on your computer.
This can be compared to the task of building a birdhouse.
You follow instructions called blueprints, much in the same way your computer follows instructions called software.
You build your birdhouse in the same manner the computer pieces together the image of the Solitaire game.
Unlike the birdhouse, this particular image of Solitaire is not permanent.
When you are finished playing and close the game, the image dissipates,
and the computer will rebuild a new image every time you want to play Solitaire.
Another component that resides in your computer is the hard disk drive.
The hard drive, often named the C: drive on your computer, is a large filing cabinet.
In this filing cabinet is all of the software or instructions that are installed on your computer, including your operating system.
Currently, the size of your hard drive is measured in gigabytes,
with one gigabyte hard drive or more being the average.
The operating system, or instruction, is the link, or bridge, that allows the CPU, RAM, hard drive and system software to interact with each other.
Most contemporary personal computers, other than those made by Apple,
operate using an operating system called Microsoft Windows.
Software is the actual computer coded instruction that your system uses to accomplish tasks.
You do not see much of what the software is doing to complete a task.
This can be compared to watching a play, in which you see a colorful, elaborate, finished product,
not the stage hands, lighting technicians and others running around behind the scenes, dressed in blue jeans and t-shirts creating the scene.
The word "programs" is also used to refer to software.
Let's review what you have learned.
You're now ready to start your computer.
Find the power button on the computer, and press in.
Then, find the power button on your monitor, and press in.
This step is not necessary if your computer has been programmed for "sleep mode".
The computer will begin to turn itself on, or "boot up", as it is called.
Wait until the computer completely boots up.
This is when the hourglass disappears completely.
You cannot work on your computer while the hourglass is showing at any time.
When the hourglass disappears, and there is no more noise coming from the CPU or lights blinking,
the computer is completely turned on, and ready for work.
Your monitor now displays the desktop.
This is the area for which you will command your computer.
The background of your desktop is called your wallpaper.
The symbols on your desktop are called icons, and these represent pre-installed software and files in your hard disk.
To navigate around your desktop, you will find it necessary to use your mouse.
The mouse moves the arrow on your desktop using a trackball on a pad.
The mouse is made to fit the palm of your hand.
Rest your hand on the rounded top and push it around.
You will see the arrow move around on the desktop.
The left mouse button is the most commonly used button.
To click your mouse button, treat it as if it were hot;
like in the game "Hot Potato".
You want to get rid of it, or release it as soon as possible.
Click once and let go. Don't hang on.
At times, you may need to double-click.
Again, click twice, pressing and releasing quickly.
The right mouse button is used in some programs to access a menu, or perform a specific task.
The mouse will assist you in accessing a certain program or file by highlighting the topic when you pass your arrow over it.
At the bottom of your desktop, you will notice a gray bar that extends the length of the screen.
This is called the taskbar.
Using your mouse, move the arrow over the edge of the taskbar until you see a double-headed arrow.
Press the left mouse button down, and do not release it.
Push your mouse forward, and then release.
You have just enlarged, or stretched your taskbar by using a method called "drag and drop".
This isn't usually done, but sometimes it may happen accidentally.
You can also move icons around on your desktop using the same drag and drop method.
Using your left mouse button, you can open programs or folders quickly by double-clicking.
It's like knocking twice to have a door open for you.
The first click highlights, or gets the computer's attention on what you want to work with.
The second click gives a command telling the computer it is okay to start the program, or open the folders.
Let's review what you have learned.
Now that you know how to navigate around your desktop using your mouse,
let's make your computer go to work.
You can begin using computer programs or opening folders by double-clicking on the icon shortcuts on your desktop,
or by using the Start menu on your taskbar.
To access the Start menu, move your arrow to the Start button, and click once.
A menu pops up that has several choices.
To access a program, move your arrow to Programs.
Another set of menus and submenus will appear automatically wherever there is a black arrow to the right,
just like the automatic doors at the supermarket.
The Programs menu on the Start menu is complete table of contents for the software on your hard drive.
Click on any of the software programs listed to open them up.
To access files or hardware devices on your computer, use the My Computer icon that's found on your desktop.
Double-click on the My Computer icon to open a window.
A Windows-based computer operating system like you see here relies upon the user navigating through a series of windows to access information or accomplish tasks.
The first element of a window is the title bar.
Any window may be expanded or moved by placing the arrow on the title bar
and using the drag and drop method discussed earlier.
If you wish to keep a window active, and don't want to see it full screen, you can click on the minimize button.
It's like keeping a pot of food warm in the oven.
To restore the window, click on its symbol on the taskbar.
To increase the size of the window, click on the maximize button.
To return the window to the previous size, click on the restore button.
To close the window completely, click on the "X" button.
The menu bar can be compared to a set of cupboards that are all closed, but are each labeled.
To see inside the cupboard, click once on the label, and the cupboard will open, showing the contents on the shelf.
The computer has organized the cupboards and their contents for you.
To select an item on the menu, move the arrow to that item and click again.
Frequently used commands found inside the menus have been placed in the form of buttons on the toolbar as shown.
The toolbar can frame the window, or be stretched and reshaped.
To print something from your computer, whether it's an e-mail, document, or picture, find the printer icon in your toolbar.
Clicking on the printer icon in the toolbar of the program you are working on will send the entire document to your printer automatically.
To print only a select portion of your document, click on File in the menu bar and scroll to Print.
Select the appropriate information in the dialog box, and click on OK.
In the My Computer window, you can access your CD-ROM drive.
If you have a software program you want to run, you can insert the CD into the drive.
Click on your CD-ROM drive and double-click on the program icon.
To play a music CD, insert the music CD and double-click on the CD-ROM drive in the My Computer window.
The media player built into the all Windows 95 and higher systems will begin playing the music CD.
Your floppy disk drive, commonly named the A: drive, can be accessed through the My Computer window.
You can see the contents of any floppy disk inserted by double-clicking on the A: drive icon.
Let's review what you have learned.
Windows 95, 98 and 2000 operating systems come with a letter-writing tool called WordPad.
Here, you can write a simple letter to print.
Click on the Start menu and hold.
Scroll to Programs.
Scroll to Accessories...
...and release the mouse button on WordPad.
You will see a new window open up with a variety of icons on the toolbar to assist you in formatting your letter.
Before beginning to type your letter, select a type style, or font from the pull-down menu by clicking on the down arrow.
The most common letter-writing font is Times New Roman.
Select the font size from a pull-down menu by clicking on the arrow next to the box with a number.
The most common font size for letters is 12.
For other formatting choices, pass your cursor over the bottom of each button for a description of the tool.
Next, move your cursor to the typing area.
You will see that it turns into an "I" bar.
You are now ready to begin typing.
If your letter is going to be more than a couple of sentences, you may want to save it to your hard drive.
To do this, click on the File menu and select Save.
The Save As box will appear.
Type in title, and click on Save.
When you are finished with your letter, click on Save again.
To print your letter, click on the printer icon.
Let's review what you have learned.
Finally, before you turn off your computer, you must always follow the Windows shut down procedure.
If you do not follow this procedure, you may lose important information on your computer.
First, make sure that you have closed all open windows on your computer.
Then, click on the Start button.
Scroll to Shut Down, and release.
A dialog box will appear with choices.
If the button is not selected, select the button for Shut Down.
Then, click on OK.
Wait until the computer says "It is safe to turn off your computer".
Thanks for watching and learning with us today!
As a bonus, we have included a clip from Surfing for Seniors: An Introduction to the Internet,
another great tool from Senior Technology Series.
This segment is called "Connecting to your server".
It's time to find out how to get to your server.
No, your server is not the waiter or waitress at your favorite coffee shop.
The server is the company that is providing your access to the internet.
There are a number of internet providers that you can choose from.
There are local companies, and national companies.
Think of it in terms of the difference between using a big city post office,
or a small rural post office.
You will still be able to send and receive all of the same information.
It's just the access that's a little different.
For this video, we are using a local internet provider called CyberShore.
We can dial up CyberShore in the same way we would dial up America Online,
Microsoft Network, CompuServe, or Prodigy.
One of the most common computer programs for accessing the internet is called Internet Explorer.
This is a program from Microsoft that allows you to connect to your server,
and browse through a component of the internet called the World Wide Web.
You may also hear this program referred to as a web browser.
Move your pointer to the Internet Explorer icon, which is a globe picture on your desktop.
Click on the globe, and that will bring you to the internet.
Many servers provide software which gives you a shortcut button to access them.
This, you will find as an icon on your desktop.
Place your pointer over the icon picture which represents your server, and double click.
This will open the home page for your server.
Give it time to set up.
The computer is downloading information from your server.
While your home page is setting up, you will see a globe and a small letter E spinning.
While this is spinning, the computer is still working to download your provider's home page.
If you place your pointer on the gray frame surrounding your screen,
you will notice that it turns into an hourglass.
Until that hourglass disappears and the globe icon stops spinning, don't touch your mouse.
Now, we're going to learn how to navigate within our home page.
Let's start at the top of the screen, and work our way down.