Instructor: Shayna Keces

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Computer Basics for Seniors

• An introduction to the personal computer, the
  Windows operating system and word processing

May 2004
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Agenda

• What is a computer?
• What is an operating system?
• What is a mouse?
• Word processing programs
• Saving and storing files
• Other computer applications

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What is a personal computer

• Screen
• Box, tower, etc.
• motherboard
• hard drive
• floppy drive
• Cdrom/DVD
• Keyboard and mouse
• Peripherals

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Operating system

• Program used to control computer, link between
  user and internal working of computer and
  programs
• Windows vs. Mac vs. Linux

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Windows

• Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT, XP?
• Desktop and icons
• Task bar (shows which programs are open)
• Start button
• Launch programs
• Shut down computer
• Programs

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Keyboard keys

• Enter (Used to send message to computer that you
  want it to do something or to go to new line in
  word processor)
• Page up, Page down, Home, End (cursor movement
  keys)
• F1-F12 (Function keys used as keyboard
  alternatives to mouse in various programs)
• Esc (Use to exit a program which does not display
  typical title and/or menu bar)

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Keyboard keys cont.

• Shift key (Used in addition to another key to
  produce capital letters and punctuation)
• CTL, ALT (Used in conjunction with other keys to
  perform certain functions, eg. ALT CTRL Delete
  to restart computer or display Task Manager)
• Arrows (More cursor movement keys)
• Backspace (erases behind cursor), Delete (erases
  in front of cursor)
• Any key

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Delete Key
Backspace Key
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Mouse

• Pointing device that moves pointer or cursor
• Point and click
• Left and right buttons (3rd button or wheel not
  required)
• Start programs - 1 click from menu vs 2 clicks
  from desktop
• Highlight text
• Practice makes perfect

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Mouse tutorial
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Title bar
Menu bar
Tool bar
Format bar
Status bar
Task bar
Start button
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Word Processing Programs

• Word, Word pro, WordPerfect, Wordpad
• File (new, open, save, save as, print)
• Edit (undo, cut, copy, paste, find, replace,
  object)
• View (Word, layouts, zoom)
• Insert (date and time, object)
• Format (Font, paragraph, tabs)
• Tools (Word only, spelling and grammar)

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FILE

• New (no file presently exists)
• Open (file exists on hard drive or floppy)
• Save (file already saved, see title bar)
• Save as (file has never yet been saved or you
  want to keep the original as well as the new
  file)
• Needs to be placed in correct file folder
• Print (specify what part and no. of copies)
• Print preview (see what page looks like)
• Exit (closes program)

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Opening files

• Put cursor on word File in file menu and click.
  Move down the drop-down menu to Open and click
• Make sure you have the correct folder in the
  Look in box and file should appear in the big
  white box below the Look in box
• Double click on the correct folder or file in the
  Look in box or single click and click on the
  button labeled Open

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Saving files

• Saving files for first time is Save as
• Save will save previously saved item in same
  place as before, wiping out original
• When saving a file always remember to check that
  Save in box is correct, (i.e. my documents)
• Failure to change to correct folder can make it
  difficult to find file when needed

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EDIT

• Undo (in case you made a mistake)
• Cut (removes highlighted text and saves it in
  memory)
• Copy (copies to memory highlighted text and
  leaves it in place)
• Paste (puts last text stored in memory into
  document)
• Select all (shortcut to highlight everything)
• Find (used in many programs to find particular
  word)
• Replace (find a word and replace with another,
  used for wholesale changes)
• Object properties (better to click on object or
  picture)

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View

• Checkmark means item is on
• Toolbar (shortcuts for actions in menu bar)
• Format bar (way to change look of print)
• Ruler (helps you judge layout on page)
• Status bar (tells you where you are in the
  document)
• Word has different layouts and zoom capability

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Insert

• Date/Time (allows you to select format of date
  and/or time and entered automatically)
• Object (can be file or picture)
• Break (page or column only in Word)

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Format

• Font (can choose kind, size and style and colour)
• Sample shows you what it looks like
• Add bullets
• Paragraph definitions (margins, indent, and
  alignment)
• Tab positions

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Help

• Help topics
• Table of contents
• Index (list of all relevant words)
• Find (search by keyword)
• About WordPad (gives version no.)

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Handling files

• Organization
• Documents (eg. letter to landlord)
• Folders (eg. Letters)
• Drawers (eg. My documents)
• Save vs save as
• Windows Explorer
• Deleting
• Moving

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Windows Explorer

• Open from Programs menu or right click on
  Start button or My Computer (Left click on
  Explore if using Start button or My computer)
• Left-hand pane is hierarchical organization of
  your computer
• means subfolders are available under heading
• - means all folders at that level have been
  displayed
• Right-hand pane lists all folder or files of the
  folder highlighted on the left-hand pane.

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Deleting files

• Deleting files must be done from a place where a
  file can be highlighted (eg. Windows Explorer or
  the big white box when you are opening or saving
  files)
• Highlight the file you want to delete and press
  the delete key.
• You can also, if your screen is not taking up the
  whole screen left click on the file and drag it
  to the recycle bin.

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Moving Files

• Using the left hand pane click on the plus signs
  beside the relevant folders to reveal the folder
  in which the document resides.
• Click on that folder on the left hand side to
  reveal the contents on the right hand side.
• On the right hand side, click on the file or
  document you want to move
• Click on Edit in the menu bar and then on Cut
• On the left hand side find the folder you want to
  move the file to and click on it (The right hand
  side should reveal the contents of that folder.)
• Click on paste on the drop down menu for Edit in
  the menu bar.

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Other applications

• Internet (Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigaor)
• Other accessories (Paint, calculator, notepad)
• Spreadsheets
• Database programs
• Utility programs (eg. virus checker)
• Slide presentations
• Drawing pictures, making cards
• Games