The example computer above would be adequate for most uses. You might want a faster processor if you want to do extensive video work, or high-resolution graphics, or action games. You might want to consider a larger monitor if you have vision difficulties, and a color printer if you think you will have uses for it.
EXERCISE: Find out the OS, processor, RAM, HD, modem and peripherals for your computer. (You could look in the books, or under start>settings>control panels>system or in a Mac try "about this macintosh" under the little apple in the upper left corner)
EXERCISE: Hold the mouse confortably in your hand with your index finger resting on the left button. Watch the screen and move the pointer from one side of the screen to the other, then from top to bottom. Repeat several times. Then try drawing some circles and figure 8's on the desktop.
EXERCISE: Practice double clicking by opening one of the desktop icons, then closing the window with the "X" Repeat until this is smooth and easy.
(NOTE: These two exercises are an excellent warm up when you first sit at a computer, or need to use a new and unfamiliar machine. It is a quick and easy way to get to learn the feel of the mouse or other pointing device.)
EXERCISE: 1. Explore the components of the start menu. Notice the way the pop-out menus work, how the little triangles show further menus, and how to slide the mouse across to move to related menu items.
EXERCISE:2. Fully explore the Windows Help program. Try looking up the same information using the Contents, Index and Search features. It is highly important to be able to use help.
EXERCISE: Open the notepad program. Make the window large and small. When small, make the window different shapes, and place it in different areas of the screen. Go through the menu bar and notice what is available. Did you look at the help files?
SOLITAIRE is a computer card game.
EXERCISE: Open solitaire and play a bit. This is good practice for mouse skill: Point and Click, Double Click, and Click and drag. Did you look at the menu and help files?
NOTEPAD is a very simple wordprocessor. The blinking cursor shows you where the computer is "aimed"
EXERCISE: Try writing out a simple shopping list. Notice how the arrow, return keys, and backspace keys work. Did you look at the menu and help files?
PAINT is a small program for making drawings and graphics. You will notice when you open it that the mouse turns into a little pencil. You can draw by holding the mouse button down and "dragging" the pencil across the screen.
EXERCISE: Open the paint program, try the different tools and colors. This is also excellent practice for your mouse, and learning how Tool Pallets work. Did you look at the menu and toobars?
WORDPAD is a wordprocessor with more features than Notepad. Notice that you can use the mouse to move the cursor, and drag through sections of text to select them (and turn them blue) Text that has been selected can be changed in various ways.
EXERCISE: Try making some letterhead. Write your name, address, city and state and zip. then highlight (select) some of the text and adjust the font, size, and colors until you like the way it looks. Try file>print preview to see how it will look in print. Did you look at the menu and help files?
EXERCISE: Make a folder with your name on it, on the desktop. Then open notepad or wordpad and make a small test file and save it in your folder. Make a drawing with the paint program and save it to your folder. Try moving your folder into "my Documents" or copy it onto a floppy disk. Throw it all away afterwards.
There are many right answers. There are usually several different ways to accomplish the same task. An example is starting up a program: a program can be started by clicking an icon on the desktop, or on the start menu, or from the run window, or from the help menu, or by clicking a file that uses the program.
Mostly the Internet is a system of agreements, or protocols that allow computers to talk to each other. The communication can take place over plain wires, or phone wires, or tv cables, or sattelites, or radio wave. It is not so much something you can touch, as it is a system of communication.
Why are folks so excited about the internet?
The internet is a remarkably inexpensive, fast, convenient way to communicate. With email it is possible to save tremendous amounts of time, energy, money, and resources and have a message on any one of the millions of other computers around the world in a matter of a few minutes. No stamps, no paper, no long distance charges.
The world wide web makes available the largest library in the history of humanity to those same millions of computers. Articles, poems, graphics, charts, maps, advertisements, photos, from all over the world on your screen in a few seconds. And no waiting for the mail or trips to the library, or wasted paper.
History of the internet:
Please note there are many email programs and systems. The buttons and menus and terminology may be a little different from one another, but they all are capable of the same basic operations. Every piece of email has certain elements: a "TO" address, a "FROM" address, a subject line, and the body of the message.
EXERCISE: Practice email by sending messages to yourself. Try sending a test message to your own address. See how it looks when it arrives. Try replying to it. Try forwarding to yourself. Send test messages to your classmates or instructor.
EXERCISE: Start up a web browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer) Click on Cyber links for Seniors, and practice net surfing: use the scroll bar to move up and down the list of links, pick a link interesting to you, put the mouse arrow over the text (notice that it changes to a little hand) and double click on the link. This should take you off to another web site. (Notice that the address will change in the address line) After you look at the new link, go up to the upper left of the browser and click the back arrow to return to where you started.
EXERCISE 2: Open up a browser. Click on the address (it will turn blue), type the delete key on the keyboard to eliminate the old address, type in www.google.com (notice that the browser may try to complete the address for you, just type over it. Also notice there are no spaces in web addresses, and case does not matter) When the address is correct type the enter (return) key on the keyboard. This will send you off to the new web address. On google, try entering your own name in the search window. Then click the search button. See what other people can find out about you on the internet. Address? phone? business?
EXERCISE 3: Open browser. Go to www.yahoo.com Scroll down to the subject outline, and pick out and click on a subject that interests you. A new outline will open, scroll into it, and again pick something of interest. Follow the outline to several sites that interest you.
EXCERCISE: Open an email. Create/compose a new message addressed to yourself. Do not send it. Minimize the email window. Now open a browser. Go to a searchengine, and search for interesting information about something you like. Highlight web adresses and text from the web pages you find. (drag through with the mouse and turn it blue) Go to the edit menu, and copy the information. Now go to the taskbar and click on the email program, and use the email>edit menu to paste the information into the email. Repeat the information several times, then email the information to yourself.
EXERCISE: make a folder with your name on it. Go to paint and make a small design you like (a little logo maybe) Use the selection tool (the dotted line rectangle) to select the small section you like. Copy it. Open Wordpad, and paste the art into a wordpad document. Add your name and address and email, and create a letterhead that you like. Save as a file to your folder. Go out on the web and find a picture you like. RIGHT click the picture, and save it to your folder also. Save your folder, with stationary and picture to a floppy disk, then dispose of the folder on the lab computer.