Computer Education 

Let's face it. You want to learn more about your computer. And you're getting tired of feeling like you're missing out on the whole revolution. Even those of you that say "I just want to check my United stuff, and that's it" need to know just a little about your computer. It's not a TV, which only works in one direction as an output device. It is interactive, which means that you must learn to give it instructions so that it can carry out your desired tasks, or retrieve your information, or whatever. In other words, you must participate. And in order to do so, without pulling out most of your hair, you know at least some of the basic rules. We hope to touch on a small part of that education in this section.

First off, you need to know what the heck some of those terms mean that everybody uses. Simple enough. We have provided you with a glossary of some common computer terms. If you run across any terms in this section that you just don't understand, please feel free to visit the Glossary. Once you have located the definition for the terms you need, just click the 'Back' button in the button bar at the top left, and it will bring you right back to this page.

The Very Least You Should Know

Once you start getting into your computer, you will soon discover that you are going to need to learn to do some basic trouble shooting. Which means that you are going to have to learn what some of the basic components of your hardware and software are, and what they do. Imagine this scene for a minute. You drive your car to the corner mechanic, jump out of the car, and promptly announce "It doesn't work!". Now imagine you are the mechanic. With that bit of information, you need to figure out if it is the radio playing to loud, or if the tire is flat, or if it won't go into reverse, or the trunk is stuck closed, or whatever. You may laugh, but this is exactly how folks report their computer problems everyday. You should know the difference between your Windows Explorer, and Internet Explorer. (The first is a filing cabinet for your computer files. The second is an Internet Browser for surfing the web.) The more you know, the more you can enjoy. Let's start with the basics.

Hardware

Monitor - Also called a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). This is the component that resembles a TV. (This is probably the primary reason that folks start off with the wrong idea about computers. Once they see the monitor, they want it to act like a TV!) Whatever the activity is that is occurring in your computer, you can view it here. Just try not to reach for the remote.

The picture on your monitor screen is made up of little dots, called pixels. The more pixels that are used, the sharper the picture. This is called resolution. Different monitors are capable of displaying different resolutions.

To check and/or adjust the resolution of your monitor, click on Start -> Settings -> Control Panel. Now double click on the Display icon. Finally, choose the Settings tab at the top. **PLEASE** Do not change anything unless you are with someone that knows what they are doing! You may accidentally make an adjustment that will make it impossible to view your monitor without some further technical adjustments.

Mouse - A mouse is the most common of a variety of pointing devices. It gets it's name from the long this wire "tail" that is attached to it. That wire is also attached to the back of your computer. It allows you to manipulate the arrow pointer on your screen. It also allow you to send basic commands in the form of mouse clicks. These mouse clicks are performed by using the buttons that are found on each mouse. Some mice (such as that are used for Macinstosh computers) only have one button. Most mice have two. Some have 3. Some have 2 plus a little wheel for scrolling pages. Some are touch pads or eraser head pointing devices, and are commonly found on laptop computer.

When you see the command to click, that means to click once with the left mouse button. Double click means to rapidly click twice with the left mouse button. Right click means to click once with the right mouse button. Sometimes a mouse click is used in conjunction with a keyboard command. Such is the case when highlighting more then one file or icon on the screen. You can hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard, and then click on several different files or icons, which would prepare them to be copied, moved, or deleted.

Keyboard - The keyboard, though several generations removed from its predecessor, the typewriter, still bares a striking resemblance. However, it is capableof accomplishing things that those old antiques could only dream of. Aside from the obvious task of typing, the latest incarnations can, among other things, also be used as calculators, allow shortcuts to certain programs, give you direct access to the web, control your computer sound volume, or launch your favorite CD. It's enough to make your old typing teacher shed a tear.

Modem - A modem is to your computer as a phone is to your teenager's life. Removal can lead to a deep, dark depression. Without a connection to the outside world, well....what's the point? Your modem is your computer's own personal telephone. It dials and talks through it just like anybody else. But it does it at a speed that would make your teen's gossip session seem like a slow motion movie.

With the advent of the Cable and DSL connection, the days of the dial-up are numbered. Speed is the key when you're online. The faster it connects, the more you get done. Period.

Hard Drive - Think of this as the digital version of your old Aunt Hattie's attic. Except a  lot more organized. Everything that is anything that is software and has an impact on how your computer will behave can be found somewhere on your hard drive.

Through the course of normal operations, it does its best to keep things in a reasonably organized fashion. But if you are in the habit of abusing your machine, and doing things like just turning it off a walking away (instead of powering down like you're suppose to), then the hard drive has to scramble to find a place to put everything before the power goes down. After a while, your files and such are pretty much helter-skelter all over the place. And so now your hard drive is going to take longer to find the information that you need and get it for you. So take care, and be kind to this small, but valuable little plate. If it decides to bail on you, it will do so with a vengeance.

CPU - (Central Processing Unit) This is the power and the glory. The coup de gras. The chugging, the churning, the number crunching, the displaying of your neighbor's favorite meatloaf recipie at lightning speed! This is where it all happens. And laying at the heart of it all is "The Chip". Intel Inside! (Insert jingle here) That seductive slice of silicon that allows a few geeks to rule the world! What once took an entire building to hold is now housed in a svelt two inch square piece of plastic. I don't know about you, but I'm impressed.

Software

Windows - Windows is an operating system. It is the software foundation on which all of your programs are running.The alternative is DOS (Disk Operating System), which means a lot less point and click, and a lot more cryptic typing. Macintosh actually had the first pont and click graphical user interface (GUI). Windows is Microsoft's version. A picture is indeed worth a thouand words.

Desktop - Your Desktop is generally the first screen that you are presented with once your computer is finished booting up. It is the screen that contains all of the icons. This is icon management 101. The background of your desktop can be changed to display just about anything you like. In fact, if you are surfing around and see a picture that strikes your fancy, click on it with the right mouse button. You will see a menu that will allow you to save that image as a desktop image. And the nice part is that Internet images are, for the most part, free for the taking. You don't even have to ask permission.

Icon - Icons are generally shortcuts to the programs that they represent. The program that you have installed usually places its own icon on the desktop. But you can also download files to your desktop as well, which will likewise be represented as an icon. Double clicking on a program icon will start the program. Double clicking on a file icon may cause that file to execute and, for example, cause a program to begin installing. Be sure you know which icon is which!

You are also able to drag an icon to another part of your desktop. Feel free to arrange them anyway you like! Have fun, it's your desktop.

Windows Explorer - Windows Explorer is like a filing cabinet for your computer. All of the programs, and the files that they contain, can be found and accessed here. To access Windows Explorer, click Start -> Progams-> Windows Explorer. It will be one of the last programs listed. Click on it, and you will be taken to the Windows Explorer screen. Down the left side are all of the yellow program folders. They are in alphabetical order. When you click once on one of the yellow folders on the left, you will see all of the files that are in that folder displayed on the right side of the screen. This is one of those basic components of your computer that you should get to know.

In fact, if you took the time read everything on this page, we pretty sure that you are feeling a little smarter at this end of the page then you did at the other end. Now you too can speak like a geek!