Computer
Info February 13, 2002
(** obtain handouts at http://www.hdprint.co.uk/ftp/florida **)
This Weeks Program
Well, its back to basics. We have seen many new people getting
computers who want to learn some of the basics of running their computers. So this week we will touch on some of the
basics while using Windows 98. In the
future, we will do Windows ME and then Windows XP. We will also have our normal question and answer session.
Also LaVons notes from last weeks
program has been placed on our handout site for those that are interested. It is entitled 20020206 Create a Web Site.
Some Basics
Mouse
Buttons
One click with the left mouse button --
selects something
Two clicks with the left mouse
button -- start a program or opens a folder, etc.
One click with the right mouse
button -- produces a menu of choices
Hold down the left mouse button and
move the mouse --
to move an object (icon selected area)
Windows
Desktop
After your computer starts, the
first screen you see is the Windows desktop.
Taskbar
The taskbar is the bar at the bottom
of the screen containing the Start button on the left and a clock
on the right. Other buttons on the
taskbar represent programs that are running.
Files
and folders
Folders are much like the folders in
a file cabinet. They can contain files
and other folders. Files are much like
paper documents letters, spreadsheets, and pictures that you keep on your
computer.
Clipboard
The clipboard stores whatever you
cut or copy until you cut or copy again.
Then the clipboard contains the new information only. Therefore, you can paste copies of a file or
folder into more than one place, but as soon as you copy or cut a different
file or folder, the original file or folder is deleted from the clipboard.
Copy
and paste
When you copy and paste a file or
folder, you place a copy of the file or folder on the Windows clipboard,
which stores it. Then when you decide
what folder you want the copy to go in (the destination folder), you paste it
there.
Cut
and paste
When you cut and paste a file or
folder, you remove the file or folder from its location and place the
file or folder on the Windows clipboard.
When you decide where you want the file or folder to go, you paste it
there.
Find
a file
From the START button, choose SEARCH
(in Windows 98 it is called FIND), then FILE AND FOLDERS. Type in all or part of the file or folder
name in the name box. Be sure to check include
all subfolders.
Change
Color settings
Right click on the desktop and
choose PROPERTIES. Click on the
SETTINGS tab. Usually you will want to
be running at least HIGH COLOR (16-BIT).
To save your changes, click on the OK.
Other Information
Cleaning
CDs and DVDs
Clean CDs and DVDs by wiping from
the center to the edge, not around in a circle, using a product, such as a soft
cloth.
Modem
upload speed
A v90 modem is limited to 33.6K
while a v.92 modem is limited to 48K.
Download speed on both modems is limited to 53K.
WordPad
WordPad is a small word processing
program that comes with Windows all versions of Windows. It has most of the features that most of us
use for writing letters. You can change
fonts font size do bold, underline and italics change margins paste
clipboard contents print preview print save.
To locate this program, go to START
PROGRAMS ACCESSORIES WORDPAD.
Windows XP and Hardware
We installed a Kodak DC210
digital camera (connected via a serial port) to a new computer running
Windows XP. We did not use the software
that came with the camera but instead installed it with a driver provided by
Windows XP.
We also installed an Epson Color
Stylus II printer using the driver provided by the Windows XP operating
system. This is one of the first 720
dpi inkjet printer that Epson made.
We also installed a Umax USB
scanner using the installation software that had come with it. Again the installation went fine.
Networking
You can share a single internet
connection. One computer would be
already set up with an internet account.
The other computer could request internet access by opening their
browser which would dial through the other computers modem and telephone
line. Both computers could have their
browsers open and access different web sites.
You can share hard drives. You can map a drive from another computer on
your network to appear in MY COMPUTER.
This will make it seem that the files are located on the hard drive of
the computer you are using. You can
copy files from computer to computer by copying and pasting them. You will no longer waste time transferring
files by using diskettes.
You can share printers. Select print from the computer you are
currently using and you can choose to
print on the printer that is connected to the other computer.
Our Attempt at Networking
We recently attempted to network our
two computers. The new computer came
with the network card in it and all set up.
We purchased a 10/100 Ethernet card for our old computer. We installed the card and the drivers for
the card and then connected the two computers together with the network cable
that we use here at the library. We
could not make the two computers recognize each other. Called the manufacturer of the Ethernet card
and they verified that the card was installed correctly and was working, but
wouldnt help us with the connection.
Went to the Gateway website where you can CHAT with a technician (they
can see and use your computer system this way). He ask what cable we were using we told him a network
cable. He wanted to know if it was a
twisted pair cable (there are eight wires in a network cable but in some
cables, the wires are twisted for example, the red wire might be on the outside
at one end of the cable but on the inside on the other end of the
cable). We were not using a twisted
pair cable.
So, this is what we learned. When you are networking two computers
together by a cable with a cable connected to each of the network cards, you
must buy a CROSS OVER CABLE. If you
connect two computers together with a network hub, you buy the regular network
cables.
When
we went down and purchased a CROSS OVER cable, both of the computers
immediately recognized the network.