Fill out the Worksheet as you watch this most fun and exciting lesson.

Computer Basics I

Your computer screen has a certain name…what is it?

Hint 1: It’s not called a monitor

Hint 2: It starts with the letter D

And the answer is……..

(I can feel the excitement building…)

DESKTOPIt’s what shows up on the computer monitor when it’s running.

WHAT IS AN ICON?

Don’t know?

Look at your desktop (see how I just used the term DESKTOP??)

THOSE ARE ALL ICONS.

See those small pictures on your desktop.

Each of those pictures (Icons) will open a program or file when you click on them.

What is OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE?

Operate means to run something

System is your computer Software tells the computer what to do.

Let’s break the term down:

So Operating System Software is the software program responsible for running your computer.

Without it, you’re computer wouldn’t turn on.

What OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE do we use?

WINDOWS!

What is the combination of the type of computer and its Operating System Software called?

Hardware + Operating System Software = ?

Does this help-There are only 2 types:

PC (Personal Computer)

and Macintosh

PC’s operating system software is Windows.

Macintosh’s operating system software is OS10.

Platform

The combination of the type of computer and its Operating System Software is called …

Let’s try again.

Any idea what a GUI is?

What if I told you GUI stands for Graphical User Interface?

Does that help?

Moving on…

What if I told you Windows is a GUI...

Now do you know?

NO? Give up??

A Graphical User Interface is a computer program that uses graphics (pictures) to represent programs and folders

Remember: Windows is a GUI

Let’s break the term down so you understand it.

Graphic means picture

User is who’s using the computer…YOU

Inter means between, and face means surface. So an Interface enables a user to interact with a computer surface (desktop) using graphics (icons).

Before Graphical User Interfaces came along, there were no graphics on the computer screen.

It was a black screen with text….THAT”S IT!

When the document opened, it was again, just a black screen with words. No windows, no drop down menus, no toolbars…just a black screen with text…kinda like this.

To get the computer to do something back then, you had to type in the correct command.

For example, to open a document you would type in:

c:\>open assignment.doc

Ahh, those were the days. Memorizing commands just to open, save, copy, modify, and print documents (to name a few). Only simple documents could be created, and a book listing all the computer commands was necessary.

Then along came Graphical User Interfaces and mice and the computer world was changed for ever. All we have to do now is click on a picture and the file is opened. Computers are so much easier to use with GUI’s.

Moving on……..

What does it mean to MULTITASK?

If you said to do more than one thing at the same time, you’re right!

Computers can

MULTITASK. They can do more than

one thing at a time.

If Operating System Software runs the computer, what do Application Software Programs do?

I’m glad you asked…

Applications are software programs YOU yourself choose to put on your computer that perform specific tasks. Examples are Word, Games, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, etc.

When you load APPLICATION SOFTWARE PROGRAMS on your computer you are loading instructions.

These instructions tell your computer what to do and what to show on the desktop.

Let’s talk MENUS-“I’ll have a Veggie burger with fries, please.”

No, not that kind of menu.

Menus give you a list of choices. For example, when you right click on your desktop you get a menu with different options that you can choose from

PAIR SHARE Finish your worksheet. Then, pair up with another student and

compare answers. Make adjustments to your worksheet

where necessary. Hand in.