Introduction to Personal Computers (PC)

Day 1

Bill Perrick for

Computer Seniors of America

March 2013 Copyright@2013 Computer Seniors of America All Rights Reserved v 1.0

Please

Do not bring food or drinkInto the

Classroom!!!!!

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Premise: No one has computer knowledge.

Logistics / Housekeeping:

•Restrooms: We will break at the hour •* Questions: Ask away anytime•You are encouraged to attend open labs at the Senior Center of your choice. See packet for info

PRACTICE; PRACTICE; PRATICE

Additional Items Maintain good posture with feet flat on Maintain good posture with feet flat on the floor the floor

Monitor / screen at eye level (avoid Monitor / screen at eye level (avoid hunched over)hunched over)

Take a break every 30 minutes or so Take a break every 30 minutes or so (get up and walk around relaxing (get up and walk around relaxing muscles and eyes muscles and eyes

Introduction to PCs

• DO NOT BE AFRAID !

• MACHINES WILL NOT BITE YOU !!

• BE PATIENT !!

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Class Objectives

Help you understand the PC basics

Learn some of the PC terms

Show how to use a mouse and keyboard

Take the ‘fear’ out of using a PC

Build a solid foundation for future CSA classes

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This photo is a sample of the average

desktop See the picture on bottom right. The arrow points to the on/off button. we need to turn it on

Press the on switch on the front near the bottom

Now we wait about 1 minute for it to start…this is called booting up the computer

ON/OFF switch

After your pc “boots up”, or starts, this screen is similar to what you will see

Note the start button in the lower left corner of the screen. This may be a ‘start’ button or a windows icon (a circular-

shaped icon)

These small pictures are known as ICONS

This one would take you to internet browser

Recycle Bin: Where your

deleted files go

Icons

Small pictures that represent files, folders, programs, and other items

Double-clicking a desktop icon starts or opens the item it represents

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TaskbarAppears across the bottom of the desktop screen

Contains:

Start Button

Quick Launch Toolbar

Open Applications that are minimized

Taskbar Notification Area

OK….now it is time to see how your hand eye coordination is…or can you use the mouse

Look for the icon on your desktop

named mousercise and double click it …a new window will open up now click on text words (page 1 ) The mousercise will be on your desktop now….Read the text and follow the instructions.

Mouse

Correct way to put hands on the mouse

Right and Left Click

Mousercise (highlighting; copy & paste)

Scroll

Scroll bar is on the right hand side of a window or the bottom or imbedded

Used to help the user move up and down;

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http://www.skyways.org/central/mouse/page1.html

If you have a pc at home you can copy the address below on your pad

and use it at home to open the mousercise to practice.

What is a PC?

A machine with a microprocessor and other parts that work together

HardwarePhysical Parts of the computer

Software (Applications or Apps)Computer Programs that work with the hardware to perform a task

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HardwareMotherboard (that which upon all electronic

things rely – like the cerebellum in the brain) see pg. 3 in your student material.

Central Processing Unit – CPU

Power Supply

Memory (Random Access Memory)

Storage Devices (HDD; CD/DVD, etc.)

Input/output Devices (mouse; keyboard; microphone; printers, monitor, etc.)

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Central Processing Unit

Brains of the computer

Does all of the instructions needed to perform a task

The speed is measured in Hertz which is how much a computer can do in one second

Today’s computer speeds are measured in GigaHertz or billions of cycles per second

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Memory

Random Access Memory (RAM)

The workspace (desk for computer programs to use)

When the computer program is done with the workspace another program may use it

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Storage Devices

Holds data after the computer is turned off

Hard Drives (filing cabinet)

CD - Compact Disc (portable filing cabinet)

DVD - Digital Versatile Disk

A DVD can store more than a CD

Flash Drives or Jump Drives or Thumb

Drives (other portable filing cabinets)March 2013

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Accessing Storage Devices

CD/DVD

Push button on the CD/DVD drive

When door opens put CD/DVD in drive

Gently push door to close

Flash Drive

Insert into a USB (Universal Serial Bus)

[see page 13 of you student material]

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Bits and Bytes(the language)

BytesBasic unit of measure for space storage on a computer as well as RAM.Letter ‘A’ is one byte (e.g., 10010101)Word ‘CAT’ would be three bytes

Kilobyte - 1,000 bytes (KB)Megabyte - 1,000,000 bytes (MB)Gigabyte - 1,000,000,000 bytes (GB)Terabyte - 1,000,000,000,000 bytes (TB)Petabyte - 1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes (PB)

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Input Devices

Input Device make it possible to ‘talk’ to the

computer

Keyboard

Mouse/cursor

Microphone

Thumb Drives

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Output Devices

Result of a computer process

Monitors

Speakers

Printers

Hard drive

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Software

Programs that tell the hardware what to do

Operating SystemsAllows the user to interface (use or interact) with the computer

2 most popular OS – Windows and MacControls other applications installed on the computer

Application programs (App’s)Specialized programs that help the user perform a certain taskWord processors, Spreadsheets, Internet Explorer and other browsers), Games

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Using the keyboard and the mouse

KeyboardAlphanumeric Keys (typewriter)

Function KeysAlt and Control Key

Number and Num Lock Word Processing Keys (used in Word Processing apps)

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Shutting down

Never shutdown the computer with the power button unless absolutely necessary

Use Control/Alt/Delete buttons to stop ‘stuck’ programs

Turn off the computer from Start Button using Shut Down feature.

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Need more help?

Computer Labs at Senior Centers; see packet info for places; dates; and times Free, just call and let them know you’re coming.

One on One Help with a CSA instructor

$30/hour

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Introduction to ComputersDay 2

Windows Desktop

Main screen you see when you turn on the computer (see pg. 7 of student materials)

Serves as the surface of your work – your electronic desk top

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Let’s open Notepad

Left click Start Button

Slide mouse to ALL PROGRAMS

Slide mouse up to ACCESSORIES

Slide mouse over and down to NOTEPAD

Left click mouse to start NOTEPAD

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Notepad Window

Title Bar Across top of window and tells the user what the program title

Ribbon LineQuick Access Tool Bar (same line as Title Bar)

Gives a list of actions; customizableCan access with the mouse or ALT key

Control ButtonsTop right of window 3 buttons

Minimize, Maximize/Restore and Close

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Manage multiple windows

Can have multiple windows/programs open at the same time

Let’s open multiple programs and see how to manage them on your desktop

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Practice with Notepad

Moving a Notepad window

Increasing the height and width of the Notepad window

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Windows Freezesor

Stops Responding

Hold Ctrl and Alt key at the same time then press Delete key

Window Task Manager activates

Click Application tab at top left

Highlight program that is not responding

Click End Task

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What’s next?

Practice…Practice…Practice

Take advantage of free open lab sessions

Consider taking some other classes to learn more ways to use the computer

Complete the CSA survey

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