Essentials of Windows

Objectives

• Describe objects on the Windows desktop.
• Explain the significance of the common user interface.
• Use the help command to get information
• Format a floppy disk.
• Define
  • A file
  • Different types of files (program, data, ...)
  • Describe the rules for naming a file
• Understand folders,
  • Explain what a folder is
  • Explain how folders are used to organize files on a disk.
• Use IE to download a file from the network.
• Manipulate files on the file system
  • Rename/Move a file
  • Copy a file
  • Delete a file
  • Recover a file from the recycle bin.

Please read this chapter.

Windows vs NT

• 98 vs NT 4.0
  • Different Operating Systems.
  • The user interface is different.
  • The underlying software is different.
  • But things are similar.
• There is no Web Style in nt 4.0 so don't try anything mentioning that.

The Desktop

• The main work area is called the desktop.
• Icons represent various things on this desktop.
  • By manipulating these icons, you can perform many tasks.
• The start button gives us access to programs
• The task bar shows programs that are running that have been iconified
• 
• My Computer represent access to various devices on your computer.
• Network Neighborhood represents access to other computers on the network.
• The Recycle Bin allows you to delete files.
• 

Common User Interface

• Most windows behave the same.
• The Title Bar tells us what the window is
• The minimize button allows us to iconify the window.
• The maximize/restore button allows us to make the window fill the screen/ restore the window to its original size.
• The close button allows us to close an application.
• 
• The menu bar provides access to standard functions
  • File - file based, and start stop operations (open, save, ...)
  • Edit - document based operations (copy paste ...)
  • View - formatting of display
  • Help - for help
  • These items change with different applications.
  • These menus can be accessed in the current application by pressing ALT and the underlined character. ALT-V for view.
• 

  Menus

  • Most of these menus are Pull Down Menus
  • They have key commands to get to many options
  • Sometimes an unavailable option is shown as a dimmed command
  • A check mark means that the command is a toggle switch
  • A dot or bullet means that the command is one of multiple choices
  • Three dots or elipsis means there is more information
  • An arrow means that there is a submenu.

  The Help System

  • Start from the help button
  • Contents
    • Just like a book
  • Index
    • Just like a book
    • Nice assistance in box 1.
  • Find
    • This is a three stage process
    • 1. Give a starting word/pattern in box 1.
    • 2. Select the matching word in box 2, it narrows the search
    • 3. Select a matching phrase in box 3.

  Please do the Hands-On Exercise #11, pages 14-20.

  Note

  • There are parts of this you can not do.
    • Step 2a Standard Buttons and Address Bar.
    • Step 2c Explorer Bar command.
    • Step 5.
    • Parts of step 6.
  • Please don't do step 7.
  • Please do homework 3.