Computer
Essentials
Level 1
Okanagan College
Continuing Studies
Contents
Desktop Computer .......................................................................................................................... 5
Laptop and Notebook Computer .................................................................................................... 5
Hardware......................................................................................................................................... 6
Start Your Computer ....................................................................................................................... 6
Booting ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Desktop ........................................................................................................................................... 7
Windows 7 Desktop .................................................................................................................... 7
Using Mouse................................................................................................................................ 8
Exercise 1..................................................................................................................................... 9
Components of a Window ............................................................................................................ 10
Exercise 2................................................................................................................................... 10
Minimize a Window .................................................................................................................. 11
Maximize a Window.................................................................................................................. 11
Restore Down a Window .......................................................................................................... 11
Exercise 3................................................................................................................................... 12
Move a Window ........................................................................................................................ 12
Exercise 4................................................................................................................................... 12
Resize a Window ....................................................................................................................... 13
Exercise 5................................................................................................................................... 13
Aero Snap .................................................................................................................................. 14
Exercise 6................................................................................................................................... 14
Exercise 7................................................................................................................................... 15
Start Button ............................................................................................................................... 15
Pinning....................................................................................................................................... 16
Software .................................................................................................................................... 16
Using a Program ............................................................................................................................ 16
Open a Program ........................................................................................................................ 17
Using commands in programs .................................................................................................. 17
WordPad ................................................................................................................................... 18
WordPad window...................................................................................................................... 18
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Exercise 8................................................................................................................................... 19
Lesson 9 ..................................................................................................................................... 19
Editing Text................................................................................................................................ 21
Saving Your Work ...................................................................................................................... 22
Exercise 10 ................................................................................................................................ 23
Taskbar ...................................................................................................................................... 23
Exercise 11. ............................................................................................................................... 23
Scroll Bar ................................................................................................................................... 24
Working with Files & Folders .................................................................................................... 24
How information is stored on a disk ......................................................................................... 25
Exercise 12 ................................................................................................................................ 26
Change Views in Documents window ....................................................................................... 26
View Types ............................................................................................................................ 27
Exercise 13 ................................................................................................................................ 28
Folders ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Create a New Folder ............................................................................................................. 28
New folder in Contents Pane ................................................................................................ 29
Label the New Folder ............................................................................................................ 29
Exercise 14. ............................................................................................................................... 29
Label the new folder: ................................................................................................................ 29
Rename a Folder ....................................................................................................................... 29
Exercise 15 ................................................................................................................................ 30
Delete a File or Folder ............................................................................................................... 30
Exercise 16 ................................................................................................................................ 30
Paint .............................................................................................................................................. 30
Working with tools .................................................................................................................... 32
Draw a line ............................................................................................................................ 32
Draw a squiggly line .............................................................................................................. 32
Draw a shape......................................................................................................................... 32
Add text ................................................................................................................................. 33
Erase part of your picture ..................................................................................................... 33
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Saving a picture ......................................................................................................................... 34
Exercise 17. ............................................................................................................................... 34
Shutting Down the Computer ................................................................................................... 34
Let’s Search the Web .................................................................................................................... 35
Google Vs Bing .......................................................................................................................... 35
Exercise 18 ............................................................................................................................ 36
Setting a home page ................................................................................................................. 36
Learn about Windows games........................................................................................................ 36
Internet games ...................................................................................................................... 37
Internet Checkers .................................................................................................................. 37
Internet Spades ..................................................................................................................... 38
Board games.............................................................................................................................. 38
Chess Titans........................................................................................................................... 38
Mahjong Titans ..................................................................................................................... 38
Help ........................................................................................................................................... 39
Exercise 19 ................................................................................................................................ 39
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Desktop Computer
Desktop Computers are designed for use on a desk or table and are commonly utilized by small
business, schools and at home
There are two types of Desktop Computers:
PC (personal computer)
Windows compatible Desktop
Computer
Mac All in One
iMac All in One
Laptop and Notebook Computer
Laptop and Notebook computers are portable desktop computers that easily fold together into
a thin case
They are comparable to desktop computers in speed, performance and usage
Laptop computers have evolved into smaller, lighter Notebooks
Laptops and Notebooks utilize a battery for mobile usage, or plug into an electrical connection
for charging and desktop use
Windows compatible
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Apple MacBook
Hardware
Hardware is defined as the physical equipment or parts of the computer that you can see and
touch.
Tower
Central
Processing
Unit (CPU)
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse
Common Computer Hardware
Start Your Computer
To start your computer, two power buttons must be turned on:
 Power button on Monitor
 Main Power button on Tower
Allow the computer to go through its start-up routine called ‘Booting’
Booting
 When a computer is booting, it is starting itself, beginning at the bottom and working
up, checking all of its parts
 Lights will flash on the tower
 Your computer may beep once or twice in the process
 A fan located inside the tower will start, used to keep the electronic components cool
 Wait until you see the Desktop on your monitor
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Desktop
The Desktop is the starting point of all your work on the computer; you must always start and
finish at the Desktop. As you open programs, your Desktop may not be visible; however it is
always the bottom layer on your screen.
Similar to a real desk, you can personalize what you want to display on your Desktop
Your Desktop may have different icons than are displayed below:
Desktop Icons
Recycle Bin
Taskbar Buttons
Start Button
Taskbar
Notification Area
Windows 7 Desktop






Desktop Icons – are shortcuts on the Desktop which you double-click to open
frequently-used programs, folders, or files.
Recycle Bin – stores items that you have deleted from your computer’s Hard Drive.
Start Button – used to start programs, open files, find items on your computer, change
system settings, access help, log off and shut down your computer.
Taskbar – located at the bottom of the Windows Desktop; it contains the Start button,
Notification area, and a Taskbar Button for each open program. As windows are
opened and cover your Desktop, the Taskbar will remain visible.
Taskbar Buttons – when you open a window, a corresponding frosted button will
appear on the Taskbar indicating that it is active on the Desktop. Taskbar buttons allow
you to multitask by quickly switching between them.
Notification Area – located at the far right of the Taskbar, displays small icons that
notify you of incoming e-mail, software updates, virus scan, volume, network
connectivity, date and time.
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Using Mouse
You can do all your work on your computer with the mouse, except type text and numbers
Most laptop and notebook computers have a Touchpad located below the keyboard which
works like a mouse
There are five mouse actions. Each action produces a different result.
1. POINT
 With mouse pointer on screen, point to an
object
 Mouse pointer is on top of desired object on
screen
 Do not use mouse buttons
(Touchpad: lightly slide finger over touchpad until
mouse pointer is on top of desired object on screen)
Left Mouse
Button
Right Mouse
Button
2. CLICK
 With mouse pointer on screen, point to an
object
 Click once with left mouse button
 Do not move mouse while you click
(Touchpad: when mouse pointer is on desired object on
screen, tap lightly on either the Touchpad or the left touchpad button)
3. DOUBLE-CLICK
 With mouse pointer on screen, point to an object
 Click twice with left mouse button
 *Do not move mouse while double-clicking*
 *Do not click too quickly or too slowly*
(Touchpad: when mouse pointer is on desired object on screen, tap twice on either the
Touchpad or the left touchpad button)
4. DRAG
- Point to an object on screen
- Hold down left mouse button
- Move mouse pointer to new location
- Release left mouse button
(Touchpad: when mouse pointer is on desired object on screen, hold down left touchpad
button with one finger while dragging another finger on Touchpad to new location OR
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double tap Touchpad on object and on second tap, leave finger on Touchpad and slide
across the surface)
5. RIGHT-CLICK
 Point to an object on screen
 Click once with right mouse button
 A shortcut menu will appear
 To select a command from shortcut menu, left-click on desired command
(Touchpad: when mouse pointer is on desired object on screen, click the right touchpad button
to reveal shortcut menu)
Exercise 1.
Practice POINT:
 Point to Start button [Tool tip appears with message ‘Start’]
 Point to Recycle Bin icon on Desktop [Tool tip appears with message ‘Contains the files and
folders that you have deleted.]
 Point to Time at right bottom corner of Desktop [Tool tip appears with current date]
Practice CLICK:
 Click on Recycle Bin icon on Desktop [Recycle Bin is highlighted or selected and has a frosted
box around it]
 To deselect Recycle Bin, left-click a blank area of Desktop
 Click on Start button [Start menu appears] Click on a blank part of Desktop to close Start
menu
 Click on Time at right bottom corner of Desktop [Calendar will appear] Click on blank
part of Desktop to close Calendar
Practice DOUBLE-CLICK:
 Double-click on Recycle Bin icon on Desktop [Recycle Bin window will open]
 Click on red Close button in top right hand corner of window to close Recycle Bin window
Practice DRAG:
 Drag Recycle Bin icon across to other side of Desktop
 Drag Recycle Bin back to its original location on Desktop
Practice RIGHT-CLICK:
 Right-click on blank area on Desktop [Shortcut menu will appear with commands
relating to the Desktop] Left-click a blank area of Desktop to close shortcut menu
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

Right-click on Recycle Bin icon on Desktop [Shortcut menu will appear with commands
relating to the Recycle Bin]
Click a blank area of Desktop to close shortcut menu
Components of a Window
Everything that you view on your computer is through an individual Window
The Window is sitting on top of your Desktop
You may have several Windows open on your Desktop at a time
Only one Window is the Active window
An Active window will display a red Close button in the top right corner; an Inactive window’s
Close button is faded
Most windows will share the following features:
Maximize/
Restore Down
Title Bar
Minimize
Address Bar
Close
Command Bar
Details Pane
Recycle Bin Window
Exercise 2.
Open the Recycle Bin window
 Double-click on the Recycle Bin icon on the Desktop
 Examine the parts of the window
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Minimize a Window
To minimize a window, left-click on the Minimize button
Minimize
button
The window is no longer displayed on the Desktop; however it is still open, and is stored on the
Taskbar as a frosted button
To return the minimized window to the Desktop, left-click on the Taskbar button
Maximize a Window
To maximize a window, left-click on the Maximize button
Maximize
button
The window now covers the entire Desktop
After clicking the Maximize button, the button toggles to a Restore Down button
Restore Down a Window
When a window is maximized, the Restore Down button will display in the Title Bar
To restore a window down to its original smaller size, left-click on the Restore Down button
Close a Window
Restore Down
button
To close a window, left-click on the red Close button
Close
button
The window is closed when it is no longer visible on your Desktop or on the Taskbar
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Exercise 3.
Open Recycle Bin:
Double-click Recycle Bin icon on Desktop
1. Minimize Recycle Bin window:
 Left-click on Minimize button on Recycle Bin Title Bar
 Recycle Bin window is no longer on Desktop
 Click on frosted Recycle Bin button on Taskbar to return window to Desktop
2. Maximize Recycle Bin window:
 Left-click the Maximize button on Recycle Bin Title Bar
 Recycle Bin window will cover the entire Desktop
Notice Maximize button has toggled to a Restore Down button
3. Restore Down Recycle Bin window:
 Left-click the Restore Down button on the Title Bar to return the window to its
original smaller size
4. Close the Recycle Bin window:
 Left-click the red Close button at the far right of the Recycle Bin Title Bar
Move a Window
A window can be relocated on the Desktop
To move a window on the Desktop:
 Point to window’s Title Bar (blue bar across top of window)
 Hold down left mouse button and drag the window Title Bar to new location
 Release the left mouse button when you have reached the desired location The
entire window will move
Exercise 4.
1. Practice moving the Recycle Bin window around on the Desktop
2. Drag the Recycle Bin Title Bar around the Desktop
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Resize a Window
The size and shape of the window can be changed on the Desktop
To resize a window:
 Window must not be maximized
 Point to window’s border

Mouse pointer will change shape to a vertical double-headed arrow () when on the
bottom or top window border
Exercise 5.
Practice resizing and moving the Recycle Bin window:
 Ensure the Recycle Bin window is not maximized
 Resize the window to be shorter in height:
 Place the mouse pointer on the bottom border of the Recycle Bin window

When the mouse pointer changes to a vertical double-headed arrow (), with your left
mouse button Drag the window border up to make the window shorter in height
Resize the window to be wider across the screen:
 Place the mouse pointer on the side border of the Recycle Bin window

When the mouse pointer changes to a horizontal double-headed arrow ( ), with your
left mouse button Drag the window border to the side to make the window wider
Move the Recycle Bin window near the top of the screen:
 Place the mouse pointer on the Title Bar of the Recycle Bin window
 With your left mouse button, Drag the Recycle Bin Title Bar up towards the top of the
screen (Do not drag Title Bar to the very top of screen, or the window will become
maximized)



Mouse pointer will change shape to a horizontal double-headed arrow ( ) when on the
side of the window border
When the mouse pointer is a double-headed arrow, with your left mouse button click
and drag the window border to new size
Release the left mouse button when you have reached the desired size
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Close the Recycle Bin window:
Left-click on the red Close
button on the Recycle Bin Title
Bar
The Recycle Bin window
has been Moved and
Resized on the Desktop
Aero Snap
Windows 7 offers a new Aero Snap feature that allows you to instantly snap and resize windows
on your Desktop.
You can drag a window to the side of your screen and it will snap (resize itself to take up half of
the Desktop and attach itself to the side of the screen)
To snap a window to the side (and cover half of the Desktop):




Point to window’s Title Bar (blue bar across top of window)
Hold down left mouse button and drag the window Title Bar to the side of the screen
Once you have reached the side, a preview (frosted outline) will display the new window
size on the Desktop
Release the left mouse button and the window will snap into place
If you have another open window, you can snap it to the other side of the screen
Exercise 6
Practice snapping the Recycle Bin window to the side of the screen:
 Point to the Recycle Bin’s Title Bar
 Drag the Title Bar to the left side of the screen
Once the frosted preview window appears, release the left mouse button
To snap a window to the top (and cover the entire Desktop):



Point to window’s Title Bar (blue bar across top of window)
Hold down left mouse button and drag the window Title Bar to the top of the screen
Once you have reached the top, a preview (frosted outline) will display the new window
size
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
Release the left mouse button and the window will now be maximized and cover the
entire Desktop
Exercise 7
Practice snapping the Recycle Bin window to the top of the screen:
1. Point to the Recycle Bin’s Title Bar
2. Drag the Title Bar to the top of the screen
Once the frosted preview window appears, release the left mouse button
Start Button
The Start Button is the round button located in the bottom left corner of your Desktop
Start Button
The Start Button is the primary means to start programs, find files, access help, log off, switch
between users and shut down the computer
When you click on the Start Button, the Start Menu will appear:
Pinned Program
System
Folders
Recently Used
Programs
All Programs
menu
Start Menu
A triangle () symbol next to a command indicates a submenu will be displayed to the right,
when you position mouse pointer on the triangle.
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Pinning
Pin programs that you use often. Right click on the program name and choose pin to start
menu (or taskbar) from the dialog box.
Software
Software is a set of instructions, written by a computer programmer, which allow the computer
to do certain operations
These instructions, when all put together are called a Program or an Application Program
Software tells the hardware what to do
Using a Program
Almost everything you do on your computer requires using a program. For example, if you want
to draw a picture, you need to use a drawing or painting program. To write a letter, you use a
word processing program. To explore the Internet, you use a program called a web browser.
Thousands of programs are available for Windows.
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Open a Program
There are several ways to open a program:
 Double-click program icon on Desktop
OR
 Click Start button, point to All Programs, select desired program from new menu that
appears above All Programs
If you don't see the program you want to open, but you know its name, type all or part of the
name into the search box at the bottom of the left pane. Under Programs, click a program to
open it.
Using commands in programs
Most programs contain dozens or even hundreds of commands (actions) that you use to work
the program. Many of these commands are organized in a Ribbon, located just under the title
bar.
The Ribbon in Word Pad
In some programs, commands might be located under menus. Like a restaurant menu, a
program menu shows you a list of choices. To keep the screen uncluttered, menus are hidden
until you click their titles in the menu bar, located under the title bar.
To choose one of the commands listed on the Ribbon, click it. Sometimes a dialog box will
appear, in which you can select further options. If a command is unavailable and cannot be
clicked, it is shown in gray.
In some programs, toolbars provide access to frequently used commands in the form of buttons
or icons. These commands usually appear in the program's menus, too, but toolbars let you
choose a command with just one click. Toolbars typically appear just below the menu bar.
Clicking a toolbar button performs a command. In WordPad, for example, clicking the Save
button saves the document. To find out what a particular toolbar button does, point to it. The
button's name or function is displayed:
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WordPad
WordPad is a very basic word processing program that comes as an accessory with the
Windows operating system
WordPad is similar to a typewriter allowing you to create letters, résumés, documents,
reports…
WordPad window
WordPad contains the following features:
Below the Title Bar is the Ribbon which contains three tabs (Blue, Home, View)
The Ribbon contains all the commands available in WordPad
Clicking on each of the Ribbon Tabs will display even more WordPad commands
The Insertion Point (or cursor) is blinking at the beginning of the page, indicating where any
text that you enter on the keyboard will be entered on your page
On your keyboard, tapping the following keys will perform the following actions:
Enter key:
 Creates a new line of text (Insertion Point will move down one row)
Backspace key:
 Will delete any item to the left of blinking Insertion Point
Shift key:
 Hold down the Shift key and tap another letter key to create an Uppercase Letter
Caps Lock key:
 USED TO CREATE ALL UPPERCASE LETTERS
 Tap the Caps Lock key once and enter text (you are now in ‘Caps Lock mode’)
 Tap the Caps Lock key when you are finished typing to exit ‘Caps Lock mode’
Arrow Keys:
Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the Insertion Point in your document
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You can also point and click the Mouse Pointer in your document, to move the Insertion Point
within your document
Exercise 8
Open WordPad Program:
 Click Start button, select All Programs, select Accessories, select WordPad
Using the keyboard, practice entering text into your document
To begin a new line of text in your document:
 Tap the Enter key on your keyboard
Notice the Insertion Point has moved to the beginning of the next line.
Continue entering text.
 Use the Backspace key on your keyboard to delete text that you have typed
Use the Shift key on the keyboard to create an upper case letter:
 Hold down the Shift key and tap another letter key
 Release the Shift key
Create only UPPER CASE letters:
 Tap the Caps Lock key on your keyboard. You are now in ‘Caps Lock mode’.
 Enter text and notice how all the letters are automatically changed to UPPER CASE
Return to lower case letters only:
 Tap the Caps Lock key again on your keyboard. You are no longer in ‘Caps Lock mode’.
 Enter text and notice how all the letters are no longer UPPER CASE
Move the Insertion Point in your document by:
 Using the Arrow keys on your keyboard and
 Using the Mouse Pointer
Lesson 9
This lesson explains how to create a document using the WordPad program. Actually, there isn’t
much to explain—all you have to do is type!
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Open WordPad
Click inside the WordPad screen, and type the date:
Good. Now we’re going to write a letter.
Press the <Enter> key.
WordPad inserts a new paragraph, or new line, each time you press the <Enter> key.
Type the following text: To the La Fanci Nails Company:
As you type, notice that the insertion point (the small, blinking vertical bar) moves to
indicate where you are typing.
Press the <Enter> key, and type the follow text: I bought a set of your press-on nails last
month, and I was extremely displeased with them. While pressing my La Fanci Nails on, I
went to pet my little dog Abby, and my hand and nails stuck to her shaggy little pelt. That
was in August, and we’re still glued together.
Make sure you press the <Enter> key twice to add a blank line between the two
paragraphs.
The press-on nail glue should not have been so strong! Abby’s barking is driving me mad.
Please reconsider the strength of your product.
Don’t press <Enter> when you reach the end of a line—WordPad will automatically move
the text to the next line for you. This feature is called word-wrap.
When you’re finished typing, compare your letter with the one below.
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Editing Text
After typing a document, you will often discover that you need to make some changes to your
text—perhaps you want to rephrase or even delete a sentence. Editing a document by inserting
and deleting text is very simple. To insert text, you move the insertion point (the blinking bar) to
where you want to insert the text. You move the insertion point using the arrow keys on the
keyboard or by using the mouse to click where you want to move it, as shown above. Once the
insertion point is where you want, just start typing.
There are a couple ways to delete text. One way to delete text is to place the insertion point to
the left of the text you want to delete and press the <Delete> key. Another way to delete text is
to place the insertion point to the right of the text you want to delete and press the
<Backspace> key.
In this lesson, you’ll get practice inserting and deleting text and revising the letter you created in
WordPad.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Press the Up Arrow Key <> button.
The insertion point moves up one line.
Press and hold the Up Arrow Key <> to move the insertion point to the very top line in
the document.
Now you need to move the insertion point to the beginning of the current line.
Press and hold the Left Arrow Key <> button to move the insertion point to the very
beginning of the line.
Type Subject: Glue Trauma and press <Enter> twice.
The text and a blank line is inserted at the insertion point, before the rest of the
document. You’ve just learned how to insert text in a document—pretty easy huh?
Move the insertion point immediately after the word extremely in the first body
paragraph.
Here, you need to delete some text; delete the word “extremely.”
Press the <Backspace> key several times, until the word “extremely” is deleted.
The Backspace key deletes one space to the left (backwards) of the insertion point.
Type very.
You’ve just deleted the word “extremely” and inserted the word “very” to take its place.
You can also use the mouse to move the insertion point instead of the arrow keys. Simply
move the pointer where you want to place the insertion point with the mouse and click.
Click immediately before the word August in the sentence “That was in August, and
we’re still stuck together” with the pointer.
The insertion point appears immediately before the word “August”—right where you
clicked the mouse button.
Press the <Delete> key.
The Delete key deletes text to the right of, the insertion point.
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10.
Press and hold the <Delete> key until you have deleted the rest of the sentence “, and
we’re still stuck together”.
Great! You’ve learned how to delete text using the Delete key.
Saving Your Work
You will typically save most of your WordPad documents in the Documents folder
To save a WordPad document in Documents folder:
1. Click Save
button on left side of Title Bar
Save As dialog box appears on top of your document
Location
File Name
‘Save As’ dialog box in WordPad
When saving a document (file), you must tell the computer two things:
 Location (Where will you save the File?)
 File Name (What will you call File?)
File Names can contain up to 255 characters including spaces, but cannot
contain the following symbols:
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Exercise 10
To save your WordPad document from the previous Exercise: Click Save button on left side of Title Bar
1.
2.
3.
4.
Save As dialog box will appear on top of WordPad document
Ensure Documents folder is displayed in Address Bar
Enter the text: Glue Letter in the File Name box
Click the Save button
Notice the Title Bar now states Glue Letter - WordPad
Taskbar
The Taskbar is the horizontal bar located at bottom of Desktop
Use Taskbar for multi-tasking (working with several windows at same time)
 Open windows are displayed as frosted buttons on the Taskbar
 Click on a frosted Taskbar button to make a window active, when several windows are
open on Desktop
To view a thumbnail (mini preview) of open window:
 Point to a frosted Taskbar button
Point to frosted Taskbar button for thumbnail view
Exercise 11.
Open WordPad, Internet Explorer, and Recycle Bin windows
 Ensure all the windows are maximized
 Practice making each of the windows active by clicking their Taskbar buttons
Preview the windows by pointing to their Taskbar buttons
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Scroll Bar
Scroll Bars are used to view information that does not fit in a window (either vertically or
horizontally)
Scroll Box indicates where you are currently viewing, relative to
the document’s total size
Up Arrow
Several ways to scroll:
 Click on Up Arrow or Down Arrow, to move window one
line at a time
 Click above or below Scroll Box, to move window one
screen at a time
 Drag Scroll Box, to move quickly to the top, middle or
bottom of document
 Hold down left mouse button on Up Arrow or Down Arrow,
to scroll quickly
 Use Mouse wheel, to scroll up and down
Scroll Box
Down Arrow
Vertical Scroll Bar
Working with Files & Folders
A file is an item that contains information—for example, text or images or music. When
opened, a file can look very much like a text document or a picture that you might find on
someone's desk or in a filing cabinet. On your computer, files are represented with icons; this
makes it easy to recognize a type of file by looking at its icon. Here are some common file
icons:
When you work at a desk, unless you make an effort to stay organized, all your papers
and files begin to pile up and become messy.
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It takes a little more time, but the same phenomenon occurs when working with
Windows— the files you create using your computer start to become disorganized,
and are harder and harder to find.
Windows stores information in files and folders, just like a file cabinet does. You’ll find
you will need to clean and organize your files and folders from time to time, just like
you would the contents of a file cabinet.
How information is
stored in a file
cabinet
How information is stored on a disk
A computer stores
information on disks.
Information on a disk is
organized and grouped into
folders or directories.
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A folder may contain several
files and subfolders.
It is recommended to store your text-related work in the Documents folder
Most text-related software will automatically save your work in the Documents folder
To open and view the contents of the Documents folder:




Click the Start Button
Click on All Programs
Click on Accessories
Click on Windows Explorer
Or
Click the Yellow folder on the Task Bar
Exercise 12
Open Documents window
 Click Start button, click on Documents command in top right of Start menu
 Examine the components of the Documents window
Change Views in Documents window
Contents of Documents window can be displayed using a variety of Views
Windows 7 offers eight different Views that have their own features and advantages
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To change the View:
 Click the Down arrow of the Change your view button on the Command Bar
Change your view
button
A Drop-down menu will appear with View options
Down arrow
A sliding arrow to the left of View option indicates which view is currently
selected
View Types
Extra Large Icons - Displays files and folders as very large icons with the file and folder names
below the icon. Folders are displayed at the top of the list in alphabetical order. Under the
folders, the files are alphabetized and grouped according to the program they were created in.
Picture files are displayed in this view. This extra-large view is useful for visually impaired users.
Large Icons - Displays files and folders as large icons with the file and folder names below the
icon. Picture files are displayed in this view
Medium Icons - Displays files and folders as medium icons with the file and folder names below
the icon. Useful to display more items within a window
Small Icons - Displays files and folders as small icons with the file and folder names to the right
of the icon. Contents are sorted alphabetically in multiple columns from left to right
List – Displays a list of the contents sorted alphabetically in multiple columns starting with the
first column
Details – Lists the contents and provides detailed information displayed in columns including
name, date modified, type, and size
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Tiles – Displays files and folders as medium icons with the file and folder names to the right of
the icon. File format and size are also displayed
Content – Displays some file details such as file author, date modified, and file size
Exercise 13
In the Documents window, change the view to Extra Large Icons:
 Click the Down arrow of the Change your view button on the Command Bar
 Select Extra Large Icons
Change the view to Tiles:
 Click the Down arrow of the Change your view button on the Command Bar
 Select Tiles
Change the view to Details - then Change the view to Small Icons
Folders
A Folder is a container for programs and files (documents) and is used to organize information
into distinct topics.
Common to create sub-folders (folders within a folder)
Folder icon is a yellow file folder.
Empty Folder
Create a New Folder
To create a new folder in Documents window:
 Ensure Documents window is open
 Select New folder button on Command Bar
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Folder with Files Inside
A new folder is created in the Contents Pane with the label New folder highlighted in blue
New folder button
New folder in Contents Pane
Label the New Folder
The new folder is in Edit mode when the folder name
and highlighted in blue with a flashing insertion point.


becomes boxed
While in Edit mode, type the new name [no need to use Backspace or Delete key, or to
click with mouse on the highlighted words ‘New folder’]
Tap Enter key on keyboard to exit Edit mode
Remember: Folder Names can contain up to 255 characters including spaces,
but cannot contain the following symbols:
\/:*?<>"|
Exercise 14.
In the Documents window, create a new folder called Artwork:
 Select New folder button on Command Bar
Label the new folder:


While in Edit mode, type Artwork
Press the Enter key on keyboard to exit Edit mode
Create a second folder called Letters
Create a third folder called School Work
Rename a Folder
A Folder can be renamed without altering the contents of the Folder
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To rename an existing folder:
 Select the folder you want to rename (left-click on the folder icon)
 Click the Organize button on the Command Bar
 Select the Rename command from the drop-down menu
Notice the folder is now in Edit mode, with a black border around its name
Type the new name [no need to use Backspace or Delete key, or to click on name]
Tap Enter key on keyboard to exit Edit mode
Exercise 15
Rename the School Work folder as Hobbies:
1. Left-click on School Work folder icon to select
2. Click the Organize button on the Command Bar
3. Select the Rename command from the drop-down menu
4. While in Edit mode, type the word Hobbies
5. Tap Enter key on keyboard to exit Edit mode
Delete a File or Folder
Select File or Folder that you would like to delete
 Tap Delete key on keyboard
A deleted folder will be placed in Recycle Bin. It will remain there until you empty Recycle Bin.
NOTE: When deleting a folder, you also delete all of its contents
Exercise 16
Delete the Hobbies folder:
1. Select the Hobbies folder by left-clicking on it
2. Tap Delete key on keyboard
Warning box will appear asking, “Are you sure you want to move this folder to the Recycle Bin?”
3. Click Yes button
Hobbies folder has been moved to the Recycle Bin
Paint
Paint is a graphic and drawing accessory program that comes with Windows
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It can be used to create, modify, and save graphic files including drawings, scanned images and
digital photos.
To open Paint:
1. Left-click Start button, click on All Programs (a new menu will appear above All
Programs)
2. Locate the word Accessories in the new menu
3. Left-click on the word Accessories
4. A new list will appear under the word Accessories
5. Move your mouse pointer down the list to the word Paint
6. Your mouse pointer will change to a hand shape
7. Left-click on the word Paint
When you start Paint, you'll see an empty window; drawing and painting tools are located in
the Ribbon at the top of the window. The following illustration shows the different parts of the
Paint window:
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Working with tools
The Ribbon in Paint includes a handy collection of drawing tools. You can use these tools to
create freehand drawings and add a variety of shapes to your pictures.
This section describes some common tasks.
Draw a line
Some tools and shapes, such as the Pencil, Brush, Line, and Curve, let you make a variety of
straight, curved, and squiggly lines. What you draw is determined by how you move the mouse
as you draw. You can use the Line to draw a straight line, for example.
1. On the Home tab, in the Shapes group, click the Line.
2. In the Colors group, click Color 1, and then click the color you want to use.
3. To draw, drag the pointer across the drawing area.
Draw a squiggly line
Your drawings don't have to be composed of only straight lines. The Pencil and Brushes can be
used to make completely random, free-form shapes.
1. On the Home tab, in the Tools group, click the Pencil tool.
2. In the Colors group, click Color 1, and then click the color you want to use.
3. To draw, drag the pointer across the drawing area and make a squiggly line.
Note If you want to make a line that has a different appearance, use one of the Brushes,
instead.
Draw a shape
Paint lets you draw many different shapes. For example, you can draw ready-made, defined
shapes such as rectangles, circles, squares, triangles, and arrows (to name a few). You can also
make your own custom shape by using the Polygon shape to draw a polygon, which is a shape
that can have any number of sides.
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1. On the Home tab, in the Shapes group, click a ready-made shape, such as the Rectangle.
2. To add a ready-made shape, drag the pointer across the drawing area to make the
shape.
3. To change the outline style, in the Shapes group, click Outline, and then click an outline
style.
If you don't want your shape to have an outline, click No outline.
4. In the Colors group, click Color 1, and then click a color for the outline.
5. In the Colors group, click Color 2, and then click a color to use to fill the shape.
6. To change the fill style, in the Shapes group, click Fill, and then click a fill style.
If you don't want your shape to be filled, click No fill.
Add text
You can also add text to your picture. The Text tool lets you add a simple message or title.
1. On the Home tab, in the Tools group, click the Text tool
.
2. Drag the pointer in the drawing area where you want to add text.
3. Under Text Tools, on the Text tab, click the font face, size, and style in the Font group.
4. In the Colors group, click Color 1, and then click a color. This is the text color.
5. Type the text that you want to add.
Erase part of your picture
If you make a mistake or need to change part of a picture, use the eraser. By default, the eraser
changes any area you erase to white, but you can change the eraser color. For example, if you
set the background color to yellow, anything you erase turns to yellow.
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1. On the Home tab, in the Tools group, click the Eraser tool
.
2. In the Colors group, click Color 2, and then click the color that you want to erase with. If
you want to erase with white, you don't have to select a color.
3. Drag the pointer over the area you want to erase.
Saving a picture
Save your picture frequently so you don't accidentally lose your work. To save, click the Paint
button, and then click Save. This saves all of the changes made to the picture since the last time
you saved.
The very first time that you save a new picture, you will need to give your picture a file name.
Follow these steps:
1. Click the Paint button, and then click Save.
2. In the Save as type box, select the file format you want.
3. In the File name box, type a name, and then click Save.
Exercise 17.
Open Paint
Create a doodle.
Save your work as My Paint Practice in your Artwork folder
Shutting Down the Computer
It is extremely important to exit your computer properly
To shut down properly:
1. Save all files
2. Close all windows
3. Click Start button (bottom left of Taskbar)
4. Click Shut down button (bottom right of Start menu)
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Shut down
button
Click the arrow next to Shut
down and a dialog box will open
giving you more options.
Let’s Search the Web
You can find anything… and I mean ANYTHING on the internet.
Let's say you want to visit the Royal BC Museum website.



First you enter the address or URL of the website in your web browser.
www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Then your browser requests the web page from the web server that hosts the
museums site.
The server sends the data over the Internet to your computer.
Your web browser interprets the data, displaying it on your computer screen
Google Vs Bing
There are literally thousands of search engines out there but Google & Bing are the top 2 with
Yahoo coming in a distant 3rd.
Let’s try some searches and do a comparison test
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Exercise 18
Search both top web browsers for:
Puppies (Images)
The London Tower
Funny signs (Images)
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Setting a home page
When you first launch your web browser, usually by double-clicking on the icon on your
desktop, a predefined web page appears. This page is referred to as your home page or start
page. If you want, you can easily change your start page. Why would you want to change it?
That depends on which home page is your default home page and how useful it is to you.




Go to the web page you want to use as your start-up page.
On the browser menu bar, click Tools, select Internet Options, and then select the
General tab.
The address of the web page you currently have as your start-up page should appear in
the Address box.
Click Use Current if you want to change to the page you want as your home page.
Depending on your personal
preference, you can reset the home
page to any one you like, whether it
provides serious information or is just
plain fun. It might be a home page you
visit every morning, such as a news
site or a website related to your work.
One I like is the Farmer’s Almanac which is available at www.almanac.com/. It has
some fun facts as well as a long range weather forecast. Another good one is the new
Telus site which gives you local information. Type this into the address bar to try it out.
www.mytelus.telus.com/
Learn about Windows games
Ready for a bit of fun?
Windows comes with a variety of games to play. There are board games, card games,
multiplayer Internet games, and even games for kids.
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You'll find them all in the Games folder. To start playing, just open the folder and double-click a
game icon. The games you'll see will depend on the edition of Windows 7 you're using. Some
titles only come in premium editions of Windows. In other editions, games are turned off by
default.
Internet games
Several popular multiplayer games from Windows XP have returned with a new look. These
titles—available only in premium editions of Windows 7—allow you to play online against
human opponents. The games don't work without an Internet connection.
Backgammon is a two-person board game with a
straightforward goal: be the first to move all your pieces
around and off the board.



Number of players: 2
Difficulty levels: Beginner, intermediate, expert
Typical playing time: 10 to 30 minutes
Internet Checkers
One of the oldest and most popular games in the
world is back and better than ever. The perfect way
to spend a lazy afternoon.
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
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Number of players: 2
Difficulty levels: Beginner, intermediate, expert
Typical playing time: 10 to 20 minutes
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Internet Spades
Spades is a popular, fast-paced card game that
demands teamwork and strategy. You guess how
many "tricks"—rounds—you and your partner will
win. Guess too low, and you’ll lose big points. Guess
too high, and you'll “bag out”!
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

Number of players: 4
Difficulty levels: Beginner, intermediate, expert
Typical playing time: 10 to 30 minutes
Board games
Chess Titans
Chess Titans brings the classic strategy game of
chess to life with three-dimensional graphics and
animation. Highlighted squares show where your
pieces can move. Choose a porcelain, marble, or
wooden board, and rotate it any way you like.



Number of players: 1 or 2
Difficulty levels: 1 (beginner) to 10 (expert)
Typical playing time: 10 to 60 minutes
Mahjong Titans
Mahjong Titans is a solitaire game played with tiles.
Remove matching pairs of tiles from the board. Remove
them all and you win!
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

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Number of players: 1
Difficulty levels: Varies by tile layout
Typical playing time: 10 to 30 minutes
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There are also several popular card games such as FreeCell, Hearts, Solitaire and Spider Solitaire
Help
Finally, if you are ever “stuck” and need help, just press your F1 Key located at the top of your
keyboard. Or go to the start button and click on Help and Support.
Tip: F1 will open the help files for any program you are in. (if they have help files)
Exercise
19
Click on the
“book” and
select Getting
started then
What’s new in
Windows 7.
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