Basic operation of the Desktop

• Let's look at a few things that might make your life easier.
• Minimizing applications
  • If you are working on with multiple applications, you may want to minimize one of these to make space on the desktop.
  • In upper right hand of every application are three buttons.
  • 
  • The Exit button exits the application
  • The Minimize button suspends the application and "closes the window"
    • The application is still running and can be recovered
    • 
    • To restore an application double click on its icon.
  • The maximize button will allow the application to take up the full screen.
    • After you press this, it will change to a button that looks like this
    • 
    • This will restore a window to its original size.
• Resizing a window.
  • You can resize a window by moving to an edge.
  • The pointer will change to an double ended arrow.
  • Grab the edge (hold the left mouse button down).
  • Drag it to the new size.
  • Release the mouse button.
  • Cutting and Pasting
    • Most applications support the ability to cut/copy and paste
    • This gives us the ability to move information from one application to another.
    • We will talk more about this later, but for now:
      • Highlight the information you want to copy/cut
        • Point to one edge of the item you want to highlight
        • Press and hold the left mouse button
        • Move the mouse to the end of the information you want to highlight
        • Release the mouse button.
        • The area should be highlighted in some way.
        • 
      • Put the highlighted area into the cut buffer
        • Go to the edit button at the top left hand of the application
        • Click on the edit button
        • Click on the copy or cut button
        • 
        • Cut will delete the item from the application and place it in the buffer.
        • Copy will place a copy of the item in the buffer.
      • Paste the cut buffer.
        • Go to the application where you wish to place the item
        • Click on the point where you want the item inserted
        • Go to the edit button
        • Click on paste.
        •