We'll be right back.
Welcome to Reader's Digest's Beginner's Video Guide to Home Computers.
In the next two hours, we're going to give you one-on-one instruction
on every aspect of using and enjoying your computer.
We'll show you how easy it can be to set up your computer,
and you'll learn how to use it to write letters, organize your schedule,
send email, and explore the world of the Internet.
We'll start with the very basics, and you'll move forward step-by-step
with practical lessons that you can take at your own pace.
So join us in discovering what your computer can do,
and how it can change your life.
Computers have changed our world and the way we live,
but for many people, the computer is still an intimidating mystery.
This video is intended to take the mystery out of your computer.
We're going to give you a one-on-one class in computer use,
starting from the very beginning.
We'll show you everything you need to know,
from setting up the computer to using the Internet to make vacation plans.
Each lesson will build on the one before.
You can learn at your own pace and move on whenever you're ready.
Throughout the show, we'll hear common questions about computers
from people just like you.
We'll answer those questions, and you'll get more information
from the viewer's guide that accompanies this video.
Whether you've used a computer a little or whether you've never even touched one,
we'll make sure that you'll understand the basics
in simple, straightforward language.
In our first hour, we'll introduce you to the computer and its abilities,
and then get you using email.
In this section, we will cover setting up your computer, the desktop,
navigating the desktop, using the mouse, using the keyboard,
typing, printing, and shutting down.
After that, we'll move on to the basics of email.
So, if you're ready, let's get started.
Music
I just got a computer, and I don't know how to set it up.
Can you help me?
Well, setting up a computer for the first time can be a little daunting,
but let's take a look at what the components of the computer are
and how they should be hooked up.
If you haven't set up your computer yet,
we'll show you how to do it right the first time.
Your computer actually consists of several items.
The first and most important is the system unit,
sometimes called the central processing unit, or CPU.
Now, that's simply a high-tech way of saying the heart of your computer.
This box has all the guts and electronics to run your software,
store your documents and projects,
and make the computer do everything it's supposed to do.
Your system unit will probably have a slot for a floppy disk,
a CD-ROM or a DVD,
which are all different ways to put software and files into your computer.
The monitor is connected to the CPU and lets you know what the computer's doing.
The keyboard allows you to tell the computer what to do,
and the mouse can be seen as an extension of your keyboard,
a different and often easier way to interact with your computer.
Finally, you'll probably have a printer,
which can print the documents you've written,
photos you've taken, or artwork you've created.
You may have other equipment as well,
but for now we're going to concentrate on just these basics,
systems unit, monitor, keyboard and mouse, and printer.
The back of your CPU will have a number of slots and plugs that are called ports.
Most computers have a label on each port with a picture or icon,
and by simply following these pictures you can plug in almost everything you need.
It's also good to know that each cable will only fit in the port it belongs in,
so don't force a cable if it doesn't seem to fit.
Your monitor is connected by a cable to the CPU.
Often there are screws to make sure that the plug doesn't fall out.
Your monitor will also have a separate power cord that must be plugged in.
The keyboard cable is plugged into the port with a picture of a keyboard.
The mouse gets plugged into the port with a picture of a mouse.
Plug your printer's cable into the printer port.
Your computer is now connected, except for the power.
A surge protector, or power strip, will allow you to plug all your computer components into one place,
and this is going to make sure that your computer investment
isn't ruined by a sudden power surge or lightning strike.
Now you're all set to begin. All you have to do is turn it on.
When your computer is started, the first thing you will see is the desktop.
This is the metaphor used by Microsoft Windows to help you navigate around your computer.
The Windows desktop has been designed to make the screen resemble the top of your desk,
with file folders, documents, calculators, and other items laid out across it,
just like a normal desktop.
The desktop metaphor is meant to make computer use simple and intuitive.
If you're not sure what you should be doing with something on screen,
just imagine what you would do if you were working on a real desktop.
Chances are, whatever you do on a normal desktop will work equally well with a desktop inside your computer.
The important thing to remember is this. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Every computer can instantly undo almost any mistake.
Let's look more closely at the items you will find on your desktop.
There are a number of small pictures with labels on your screen.
They look like a computer or a trash can or a folder. These are called icons.
Icons are an easy way to identify the programs, files, and documents that are in the computer.
At the bottom of your screen, or desktop, is a strip called the taskbar.
On the far left is a button marked Start. There might be other icons or words on the taskbar as well.
The taskbar is a simple way to see what programs are currently running on your computer.
Somewhere in the middle of your screen is an angled arrow.
This is called the pointer, and it's controlled by the mouse.
You will use the mouse pointer to select programs and move around the desktop.
Now, let's begin to navigate around the desktop.
If it were a normal desktop, you'd move things with your hands.
But on the computer, your hand is replaced by the mouse.
If you've never used a mouse before, it can look more complicated than it really is.
The mouse is held like this, and it's usually best to use a mouse pad.
Now, when I move the mouse, the arrow on the screen moves with it.
When I lift the mouse into the air, the arrow doesn't move.
Now, when I put the mouse down on a slightly different part of the mouse pad, the arrow begins to move again.
If I run out of room on the mouse pad, I simply reposition the mouse and continue moving it.
I can reposition the mouse as much as I like, in whatever way makes it easiest for me to move around the desktop.
The mouse has buttons at the top which can be used for several different tasks, but for our purposes,
we will only use the button on the furthest left part of the mouse, the button most likely to be used by your index finger.
Your mouse does more than just move a pointer around the screen.
Like your hand on the normal desktop, you can use your mouse to open file folders, push buttons, and turn pages.
I'm going to show you a little about what the mouse can do and how you can use it.
The most important tasks the mouse performs are pointing, clicking, double-clicking, and dragging.
Let's start out by simply using your mouse to point to an object.
I'm going to move the mouse so that the pointer is over the icon marked Recycling Bin.
Now, I'm going to point the arrow at the start button.
Soon the speed and the feel of the mouse and your ability to move the pointer will become second nature.
Now, let's look at the second part of this maneuver, clicking.
I'm going to move the mouse so that the arrow is over the icon marked Recycling Bin.
Now, I push down and let go of the mouse button using my index finger.
The icon has changed color.
I've selected this icon simply by clicking on it.
Now, when I move the mouse pointer away from the icon, this remains highlighted or selected.
Now, I'll click again on another part of the desktop that is pushed down and let up on the mouse button.
The icon has now returned to its normal shade.
Let's see what happens when we click on an object that is not a desktop icon.
I'll move the mouse pointer to the task bar at the bottom of the screen so that the arrow is over the button marked Start.
Now, I'll click.
Look what's happened.
A list of choices have popped up from the Start button.
This list is called a menu, and just like a restaurant menu, it gives you a series of choices to select.
When I move the mouse pointer and click again, the menu disappears.
A further step in mouse skills is double-clicking.
I'm going to move the mouse pointer over the icon marked Recycling Bin.
Now, I click twice in a row.
That's all that double-clicking really is.
There is now a box on the screen with new icons.
This box is what we call a window.
When you double-click on an icon, a window opens up on your desktop to show you exactly what's in that icon.
Now, I double-clicked on the Recycling Bin icon.
A window opened on the screen and showed me what was in my Recycling Bin.
You will use the Recycling Bin to throw out or delete files or documents you may want to get rid of.
Right now, my Recycling Bin is empty.
To close the Recycling Bin window, I'll move the mouse pointer to the bar at the top of this window.
At the far right of that same bar, you'll see three small square boxes.
Now, we'll work with those later.
But for right now, move your pointer over the one on the farthest right, the box with the X in it.
Click it once.
The window closes.
This is a simple way to close any window that is open on your screen.
And now, you should be back at your desktop.
Let's try another important skill with the mouse, dragging.
I'll use the mouse to move the pointer to the icon marked Recycling Bin.
Now, when the arrow is directly over the Recycling Bin, I'll push down the mouse button and hold it down.
You'll see that the icon has changed color.
Now, keeping the button pressed, I'm going to move the mouse to the right.
Look, the Recycling Bin is moving with the cursor arrow.
By holding down the button on the mouse, I have grabbed hold of the icon, and I'm dragging it across the desktop.
Now, when I let up on the button and move the mouse away, the Recycling Bin stays at the place where I let go of the mouse button.
I can use dragging to move a document into a different folder or to get rid of the document by throwing it away in the Recycling Bin.
The mouse and pointer are an extension of your hand.
By using clicking, double-clicking, and dragging, you can do almost anything on the computer desktop that you would do on a real wooden desktop.
Is there any way to practice mouse skills that's actually fun?
Yes, there is a way to have fun and gain proficiency with the mouse.
Microsoft Windows includes a software version of the old game of Solitaire, and it can be very addicting.
To begin Solitaire, I'll move the mouse pointer to the Start button at the bottom of the screen and click.
The Start menu appears.
I'll move the pointer to the line that says Programs and click.
A new menu or submenu appears that shows me what programs are available.
Now I'm going to go to the top of this list to the line marked Accessories, and I'll click on that.
Another submenu appears.
I'll move down that submenu to the item called Games.
This new menu shows you several games that are built into your computer.
I'm going to move my pointer to the one marked Solitaire and click.
Now I've got a green felt playing surface and a deck of cards in front of me and the makings of a game of Solitaire.
You can click on the deck to deal more cards, drag cards to a different pile, and get used to the feel of the mouse as another hand.
Playing Solitaire is not only fun, it gets you familiar and comfortable with the mouse and its functions.
To close the Solitaire game, move to the title bar at the top of the screen.
On the left is the name of the program.
On the far right is the Close button marked with an X.
Click on the Close button.
We're back at our desktop, and you've had a chance to practice your skills with the mouse.
Now, let's take a look at your keyboard.
It'll have somewhere around 100 keys.
One part is identical to a typewriter keyboard.
Some keyboards have a numeric keypad next to the typewriter keys, which you can use to enter numbers and figures just like a calculator.
Finally, at the top of the keyboard you'll find an extra row of keys marked F1 through F12.
These are function keys, or shortcut keys.
Unless you're a programmer or a power user, you may never use these function keys.
Now, all you really have to know is that your skills on that old-fashioned typewriter are all you really need to make your computer do what you want it to do.
Now, I'm going to use basic keyboard skills with a word processing program.
I'll move the mouse pointer to the Start button at the bottom left of the screen.
The menu appears.
Now, I'm going to move the pointer up the menu.
As I move the pointer past the list, each item gets highlighted.
Now, I'm going to move the mouse pointer to the menu called Programs, and click.
A menu opens up.
Each menu lists all the programs on your computer, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, art and photo programs, and many others.
But we're looking for a word processing program.
Microsoft Works is one of the most common, and may be on your computer already.
You might also find Microsoft Word, or you can use the word processor in the Accessories menu called WordPad.
But for right now, we're going to use Works.
Now, I'll move the mouse pointer down the submenu until Works is highlighted.
Now, I'll click.
Another menu opens up.
You see, Works has a database, a spreadsheet program, and a word processor, which are the three most common programs, all combined into one.
I'm going to click on the word processor.
Within a few moments, I'm looking at a screen like this.
This is the Works word processor.
At the top, there's a title bar, the bar that tells me the name of the program.
Now, on the right of that bar are three boxes.
We've already seen that the box with the X will close the program.
Now, if I click on the box in the middle, the window will now fill the entire screen.
If I click on it again, it'll be restored back to its original size.
This is called the Maximize button.
The button on the left of that is the Minimize button.
When I click on the Minimize button, the program window disappears.
Or so it seems.
But at the bottom of the screen, on the taskbar, there's a new button.
I can now see the rest of the desktop, and I can start other programs.
But when I want to return to the Works program, I'll click on the button on the taskbar, and the program will return to the screen.
These three buttons, Minimize, Maximize, and Close, are on the top right of every program,
and will always work the same way no matter what software you're using.
Below the blue title bar, there's a menu bar.
Now, when I click on an item like File or Edit, a menu appears.
It's got various choices for running and formatting our document.
Below that is a toolbar.
These are icons for shortcuts and tools.
Now, below these bars, there should be a large white space.
This white space is where you will write your document.
Now, the MOS pointer itself has also changed in the word processor.
When you move it over the white space, it changes to an I shape.
You can use the pointer in your document to insert words into the middle of a sentence, or insert letters into a misspelled word.
At the top left of the white space, there's a black bar.
This is called the cursor.
The cursor shows you where the next letter is going to go.
Imagine that white space as simply a piece of paper rolled into your typewriter,
and the cursor is simply the point where you are typing.
Whatever you type appears on the white space exactly as you typed it.
Let's try a simple to-do list.
To-do list.
Go shopping.
Go to post office.
Learn email.
Unlike a typewriter, you don't have to hit a return key or crank a return bar.
The text will automatically move to the next line when you run out of space.
But in almost every other respect, your keyboard is the same as the typewriter you probably used in high school.
To save the document, I move the MOS pointer to the menu bar at the top and click on the word file.
A menu appears.
I'll move the cursor down to save and click.
A new window now opens on the screen.
The title bar reads save as.
Now this is where you name your document and decide where to file it.
In the highlighted space, let's type to-do list.
Now, I'll move the pointer to the button marked my documents.
This is the folder where I will store this list.
You will save most of your documents in this folder.
So now that the document is named and the file folder chosen to store it in,
I'll move the mouse pointer to the button marked save.
I'll click on this save button.
The document is now saved in the computer and can be opened again, changed, edited, and altered whenever I want.
Don't forget to resave your document every time you make major changes
so that you will always have a current version of your document.
Now that you've tried out your keyboard skills, let's print the to-do list.
On the top of the screen below the title bar and the menu bar is the toolbar.
This is a bar with a series of icons.
If I leave the pointer on the icon for a moment,
a small window or balloon opens up that describes the icon's function.
I'm going to move my pointer to the icon that looks like a printer and click.
That's all it takes.
Within moments, your to-do list will arrive out of your printer.
Well, now you have what's called a hard copy of your document.
This distinguishes it from the electronic copy that's inside your computer.
Now that you've finished writing and printing your document,
let's close down your word processing program.
There are a number of ways to do that, but the simplest way is the way we've already shown you.
I move the pointer to the three boxes at the top right of the screen
and click on the box marked X.
I'm now back at the desktop.
We'll learn more about word processing later in this video,
but if you've been following along with this tape,
you should applaud yourself for mastering your first task on your computer.
The rest is going to be just as easy.
Now, we're going to shut down the computer and review what we've learned.
When you shut your computer down, you can't simply turn it off or unplug it.
The computer has to go through a series of checks and procedures before it safely turns itself off.
The shutdown process begins by clicking on the Start button.
I'll move the pointer to Shutdown and click.
A new menu opens up to double-check that that's what you want to do.
Well, we are going to shut down now,
so if the circle next to Shutdown is not already filled in,
move your pointer to the circle and click.
Now move down to the button marked OK and click.
Your computer is now shutting down.
The screen is dark, the computer is silent,
but it's ready at a moment's notice to pick up where you left off.
As you practice more, you will get more comfortable with the computer and the way it works.
Don't be afraid to experiment.
It's nearly impossible to break anything in the computer, so go ahead and explore.
There's a lot more sitting here on your desktop than you probably could have imagined.
In this portion of the video, we have covered a lot.
Let's review some of the more important items.
The desktop is meant to be as much like a real desktop as possible,
and it will have access to computer folders where you can store your documents and projects.
The programs and documents are represented by small pictures called icons.
At the bottom of your desktop is a taskbar.
To navigate around the desktop, you use a mouse.
By rolling the mouse, you will be moving the arrow or mouse pointer on the computer screen.
The keyboard is essentially the same as any typewriter keyboard.
You can begin a program by moving the mouse pointer to the button marked Start on the taskbar.
When you click, a menu appears.
When you move the mouse pointer to a menu choice and click again, you have selected that program.
Clicking selects a program. Double clicking activates a program.
Every program has a title bar at the top with the program's name.
Any program can be stopped and put away by clicking on the box with the X on the upper right.
These basics will get you started and get you comfortable with your new computer.
Now, let's learn about email, a computer skill that can connect you to the world without leaving the comfort of your home.
You've probably heard of email, but you may not know how quick, simple, and easy email can be.
With just a click of your mouse, you can communicate with anyone around the world.
Email is instantaneous, and it costs less than a phone call or even a stamp.
We're going to spend the next part of this video showing you everything you need to know to email your family and friends
and send everything from a short note to a family photograph.
I want to send email to my grandkids. Can I do that with my computer?
Sending electronic mail, or email, is as easy as typing a few sentences and pushing a button.
Email makes use of a vast network of computers around the world, a network we call the Internet.
In order to get on the Internet, you must have an Internet Service Provider.
An Internet Service Provider, or ISP, is similar to your cable TV company.
They provide the link between your computer and the Internet itself.
Like your cable company, your ISP charges a monthly fee for access to the Internet
and usually provides you software and technical support.
You've probably already heard of some of the bigger ISPs, or Internet Service Providers.
America Online, Microsoft Network, and EarthLink are some of the biggest.
Who you choose as your ISP is up to you.
Most of them are similarly priced and provide similar services.
Chances are you already have ISP software that was loaded into your computer when you bought it.
If not, you can get free connection software from any computer store.
That software should walk you through the basic steps of signing up for online service.
This computer comes bundled with software for America Online, Microsoft Network, and CompuServe.
I'm going to demonstrate how I can sign up with one of these services.
Though you may sign up for a different service, the process will most likely be very similar.
Begin by adding another important piece of equipment to your computer.
A phone line.
Plug the phone line from the wall into the phone jack in the back of your computer.
Now this will look like a regular phone jack and will probably be marked with an icon.
The hardware to connect your computer to your phone line is called a modem.
But today most computers already have the modem built in.
Now once the phone line is plugged in, I'm going to use the mouse and navigate the pointer to the icon marked Microsoft Network, or MSN.
Now, I'll double click on this icon.
After a moment, I'll hear the phone's dial tone, then the sound of the two computers connecting.
A new window has appeared on the screen, and I'm now officially on the Internet.
My computer has linked up with another computer over miles of phone line.
A new window will ask me a number of questions and walk me through the entire process of signing up for this service.
When you sign up with an Internet service provider, you'll be asked to create a username.
Now, a username is simply the name by which you'll be known in the computer.
A username must be over six letters and must have no breaks.
This name will also be your email address, so it's often best to make your username as close to your full name as possible.
It'll be easier that way for your friends to remember your email address if it's something like johndoe.msn.com rather than some nickname.
You may need a couple of choices for a username, since there may be others on the ISP system with that same name.
You will also be asked to create a password.
This password allows you and only you to send and receive emails at this address.
It prevents other people from reading your mail and from using your Internet account.
So choose a password that's easy for you to remember, but difficult for someone else to figure out.
Once you've chosen a username and provided the other information called for, the ISP will set up a mailbox that you can access from anywhere in the world.
And soon you'll be able to instantly send and receive mail from your friends and family.
Once you have an account with an Internet service provider, you can send and receive email whenever you want.
Now, we're going to use an email program called Outlook Express, but most email programs will work in similar ways.
First, use your mouse to move the pointer over the email program icon.
Now, double-click.
A new window has opened, and your new email program will start.
Within moments, the program will automatically connect you to the Internet and to your Internet provider.
Now, look closely at your email window.
You can imagine this as your own personal mailroom.
You will find folders marked Inbox, Outbox, Sent Items, and Deleted Items.
Just like your real desktop, these are places that you can use to store and organize your mail.
Let's begin simply with writing a letter.
Reader's Digest has set up a special mailbox for you to let you practice sending email right away.
So, let's send our first email to Reader's Digest.
Move your pointer to the icon marked New Mail and click.
A new window has opened.
Like a word processor, the white space is for the body of the letter,
but at the top are spaces for the address and the subject.
Move your pointer to the window that says To.
This is where you type the address of your recipient.
For now, let's type this address.
Learn computers at readersdigest.com.
Remember, email addresses do not have spaces or apostrophes.
You will eventually learn the email addresses of your friends and of companies and organizations you want to write to.
In fact, you can create an email address book that will remember these addresses for you.
Below the address is a window marked CC.
If you want to send a copy of this letter to someone else, put their email address here.
But for now, we'll leave this space blank.
The third window says Subject.
This should be just a few words describing your letter,
so that the recipient will know the subject of the letter even before opening it.
Move your pointer to this window and type Test.
Now you can begin writing your letter.
To get to the main body of the letter, move your pointer to the large blank space and click.
Or simply hit the Tab key.
The Tab key will bring you directly to the next window.
The Tab key can often be used in any software that has a series of windows,
and it's a useful shortcut to know.
Whether you've moved to the large window using the mouse or the Tab key,
begin now to type your letter.
Dear Reader's Digest,
This is a test of my email program.
Sincerely, your name.
Now you can say whatever you want in your email.
Reader's Digest will receive your test letters and send you a reply,
so that you can be sure your email is working.
Once your letter is complete, all you have to do is send it.
Above the letter portion of the window is an icon button marked Send.
Move your pointer to this button and click.
That's all there is to it.
Your email is now sailing through the phone wires
and is almost instantaneously arriving at your recipient's mailbox.
Email is not only for quick notes.
In fact, some have said that the rise of email has brought back the art of letter writing,
which allows a person more time and leisure to think and respond
than a typical phone conversation.
Ah, look, we've just gotten a letter in our mailbox.
Let's read it.
Move your pointer to the letter and click.
It's a response from Reader's Digest.
Congratulations.
You have successfully sent your first email.
Happy computing.
Well, now that we've gotten our first letter,
let's review how simple it is to send email.
Click on New Mail.
Type the recipient's email address in the To box.
Move the pointer with the mouse or the Tab key and type the subject of the letter in the Subject box.
Then move the pointer or the Tab key to the body of the letter and begin to type.
When you've finished your letter,
move the mouse pointer to the icon marked Send and click.
Your letter is now sent.
Well, we're finished now, so let's close down the email program.
Click on the Close button on the right of the title bar.
Depending on your email program,
another window may open asking if you want to hang up from the phone line and the Internet.
If so, click OK.
Now you're back at your desktop.
The Internet is truly miraculous.
Email can link you to relatives, loved ones, old friends and new friends with just the click of a mouse.
I've seen friends who have gotten photographs over the Internet.
How hard is that?
One of the most amazing and fun things about email is that you can send images instantaneously.
You can show people what the new baby looks like or have a friend send you a photo of their new home.
There are a number of ways to get a photograph from your camera and into your computer.
Digital cameras can do it simply with a wire connected to the computer.
You can take a developed photo and put it in a scanner, which will digitize the image.
And perhaps the easiest way is to get your photos put on a diskette or a CD when you take your film to be developed.
Most photo shops will put your film on a disk and give it back to you along with your pictures.
All you have to do is ask.
We're going to assume that you've done this and that you have your photos on a CD like this or a diskette like this.
Place either the CD or diskette in the appropriate slot in your computer.
Choose the picture you want to send.
Now, let's open your email program and get online.
Double-click on the email icon.
Your computer will connect you to the Internet.
After the program has opened, click on New Mail and the familiar email window opens.
In the Send To space, write the email address you want to send the photograph to.
I'm going to send it to Marcus.
Now, tab down and fill in the subject box.
Tab down again and write your letter.
Dear Marcus, here's a photo of my new nephew.
Do you notice the family resemblance?
Now we will attach the photo.
Click on the button that says Attach.
A new window will open which asks for the name of the picture file you want to attach.
Now we have to find the disk with your photos.
Move the pointer down to the contents of your computer.
If your photos are on a CD, click on the icon marked D.
If your photos are on a diskette, click on the icon marked A.
When you click on the icon, another window will open showing you the contents of the diskette or CD.
Move down the list to the photo you want to email.
When you have the photo you want to send in the preview window, click on the button that says Attach.
You'll find that you're back at your email form with the name of the photo file listed in the attachment box.
If you want to attach another photo, click on Attach again and go through the same procedure.
Now you'll be back at your email form.
Just as with a regular email, click on Send.
The photo is attached to the email, and when it arrives at the recipient's mailbox,
they'll be able to look at the photo just like any email.
Thanks, Marcia. He does look like you.
Email has quite literally changed the way the world communicates.
People who were once confined to their house now have friends around the globe.
Users who share interests can discuss their hobbies and exchange information,
and families separated by hundreds and thousands of miles can talk daily,
all due to the surprising power of your home computer.
You've learned a lot about the computer in Part 1 of this program.
Now is a good time for a quick and easy review of computer terms.
Let's start with the desktop.
The desktop is what you see when you start your computer.
It's an easy way to move around your computer and get access to your projects.
Now just like a real desktop, you'll find things like files, folders,
and also a recycle bin, which resembles a trash can.
Keyboard. The keyboard is exactly like a typewriter keyboard,
with some great additions like a number pad, arrow keys,
and function keys that help you move around your screen.
Icon. Icons are pictures that look like the task they perform.
You store documents in an icon that looks like a folder.
You get email through an icon that looks like a letter.
Mouse. The mouse lets you move around your screen or desktop.
When you move the mouse, the arrow on the screen, or mouse pointer, moves with it.
The button on the top of the mouse lets you click, double click, and drag items on your screen.
Window. A window is an open area on the screen where you use a file or program.
When you click on an icon, a window opens up to show you what is in that icon.
When you click on a program, a window opens up and lets you use that program.
Printer. The printer can print documents, signs, banners, and even photographs.
To print a word processing document, move your mouse pointer to the toolbar at the top of the page
and click on the icon that looks like a printer.
Games. Your computer provides several built-in games.
A game like Solitaire is not only fun, but it gives you an enjoyable way to practice your basic computer skills.
Start button. The start button sits on the lower left of your screen.
You click on the start button to begin a program on your computer.
Menu. Menus let you choose programs, tasks, or tools.
The start button presents a menu of various choices.
When you move up the menu and click on programs, a submenu appears.
You can move down this submenu to choose a program.
Word processing. Word processing is the act of electronically manipulating text,
or in plain language, word processing is writing.
Word processing is just like typing, but with some extras that make it even easier than using a typewriter.
Title bar. At the top of every program, you'll find a title bar.
This tells you the name of the program on the left.
On the right of the bar are three boxes or buttons.
Minimize, maximize, and close, which shrink, expand, and close down your program.
Menu bar. Every program has a menu bar running along the top, just below the title bar,
by clicking on a word on the menu bar like file or edit,
you'll see a list of options for you to choose from, just like on a restaurant menu.
Tool bar. The toolbar is at the top of every window, right below the menu bar.
By clicking on an icon on the toolbar, like a printer or a disk,
you take a shortcut to the process of printing or saving.
Save. By clicking on file, then save, you save your document and protect any changes you've made.
You should save your documents every time you finish making a change.
Shutdown. When you are finished using your computer, click on the start button,
then click on shutdown, and this will begin the process of safely turning off your computer.
ISP. Your ISP, or Internet Service Provider, connects you to the Internet so that you can use email.
Some popular ISPs are MSN, CompuServe, and AOL.
Email. Email, or electronic mail, lets you send letters over the Internet.
You write email on software like Outlook Explorer or Netscape Communicator.
Once you have an email address, you can send and receive emails instantaneously from family and friends around the world.
Attachments. You can send attachments with email, such as photographs.
Once you have a photograph in digital form, you can attach it to your note by clicking on the attach button at the top of your email window.
When you send your letter, the picture will be sent with it.
Computer terms are all part of learning about the computer.
We hope this section has been of help to you. Feel free to return to it whenever you want.
In the next tape, we'll take you one step further into the Internet, to the fountain of information called the World Wide Web.
Email, the Internet, and the Web can bring the entire world to your door or to your desktop.
You'll also learn how to use your computer to organize your daily life and discover the amazing abilities of word processing.
So when you're ready, join us in the next part of the Reader's Digest Beginner's Video Guide to Home Computers.
Thank you.