Presents

:
BEGINNING COMPUTER
BASICS
Beginning Computer Basics
Topics

Introducing the Computer

Basic Computer Equipment
Meet Your Desktop
 Goals and Objectives
• Be introduced to basic components of the
computer
• Learn common computer terms
• Become familiar with basic computer
hardware and software
• Become familiar with the computer mouse
and keyboard
• Learn about the desktop
Introducing the Computer
 What is a Computer?
An electronic device that accepts input,
processes data, provides storage and
retrieval
and provides output for the user.

You can use a computer to type

documents, send email, browse the
internet, handle spreadsheets, do
presentations, play games, and more.
 Hardware/Software
A computer is made up of only two
components: hardware and software.
Anything you buy for your computer can be
classified as either hardware or software.

Hardware: is any part of your computer that has

a physical structure. If you can touch it, it is
hardware.

Software: the brains of the computer, is any set

of instructions that tells the hardware what to do
and helps the user accomplish a certain task
 Hardware
Hardware consists of two components, input and
output devices.
– Input Device
An input device allows us to put information into the
computer.
Examples include: Mouse, keyboard, microphone,
flash drive or scanner
– Output Devices
An output device displays (or puts out) information from
a computer in either a visual or auditory format.
Examples include: Monitor, Speakers, headphones or
printer
 Basic Computer Equipment
Monitor

Speakers

Consol
e

Printer Keyboard

Mouse
 Console
Console: The console, or system unit, is the
heart of your computer. It houses many electronic
components, serves as the main connecting
point for other devices, and shields all of the vital
working parts of your PC, from dust, dirt, static
electricity, etc.
Console

by Shonda Hodge
 Console
Power
SD Card
Button
Port
CD/DVD Drive
(Play ony)
CD/DVD Drive
(Play/Write)
Microphon
USB Ports
e
Port

Headphones
Port
 Monitor
Monitor: displays the text and graphic
information generated by the console
 Mouse
Mouse: pointing device that allows you to select
and manipulate objects you see on your monitor.
– Left Click - used to select or place cursor where you
want it on the page
– Double Click - used to open a program
– Drag and Drop - used to pick up and move a
picture or object to another area
– Click and drag - used to select multiple items or
highlight text
– Right Click - gives a drop down menu of options specific to
the task you’re trying to perform

To practice using a mouse, go to:

[Link]/mousing/
 Keyboard
Keyboard: The
keyboard allows you to
enter letters, numbers,
symbols, and other
commands into your
computer.

Keyboards and Mice are

universal meaning that
any kind can be plugged
into a computer and will
work. QWERTY refers to
the standard US
keyboard and refers to
the first six letters on the
keyboard.
 Keyboard Buttons
Tab – used to indent paragraphs by Space Bar – adds one blank
moving your cursor over ten space between objects
spaces or to move from field to Windows Key – open and closes
field in a form your windows start menu
Caps Lock – makes all letters Enter – starts a new line or
capital until you turn it off functions as the “Go” key when
Shift - allows you to capitalize navigating to a website,
letters when pressed down and opening a program, etc.
allows you to access the secondary
function of your computer keys
Keyboard Buttons

By Angie Moore
 Keyboard Buttons
Backspace – erases the object to the • End – moves your cursor to the
left of the cursor end of your line of text
Delete – erases the object to the • Insert – allows you to replace a
right of the cursor word with another by writing
Home – moves your cursor to the over it
front of your line of text •
[Link]
m [Link]

By Angela Moore
 Printers/Speakers
Printer: device that reproduces Speakers: sound card in
text and pictures that you create computer pushes sound out
on paper through the speakers
Inkjet Printer:
- Most popular, least expensive
- Occasional printing (Home use)
- Uses print cartridges
- Decent quality image
Laser Printer
- More expensive
- Extensive Printing (Office use)
- Uses toner cartridges
- Higher quality image
 Software

Software is any set of instructions that tells

the hardware what to do. It is what guides the
hardware and tells it how to accomplish each
task.
2 Components of Software
System Software – ex: Operating System
Application Software – ex: Browser, Games
Some examples of software are web
browsers, games, and word processors such as
Microsoft Word.
 Examples of Software
Browsers
– Internet Explorer
– Mozilla Firefox
– Google Chrome
Games
– Solitaire
Office
– Word
– Excel
– PowerPoint
All programs
– Anything listed under all
programs and anything you
download
Windows Operating System Overview

Types: 97, XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1

The PC’s brain or Master Software
Primary duty is to control the computer, all the
hardware.
Secondary duty is to control all the software,
basically running the programs and managing the
files and documents you create.
Third duty is to interact with you.
Meet your Desktop
 Desktop

Icons

Quick Launch Bar

System Tray

Task
Bar

Start button
 Desktop

The place where you can easily gain access to

everything on your computer
Uses icons to represent programs on your
computer.
Background on which the icons sit is called the
‘desktop’.
Use the mouse to move around on the
desktop
 Icons
Icons represent programs you have on your computer
They act as shortcuts to your programs and are instantly accessible
from your desktop instead of having to go to the start menu and
open them.
Icons are movable and can be arranged any way you want.
Any program or file on your computer can be an icon including
pictures, documents, and other software.
You can create icons one of two ways:
– 1) Go to the start menu and right click on a program. Select send to.
Select desktop and a copy of it will now be on your desktop
– 2) Go to your libraries folder and right click on a document, music file, or
picture file. Select send to. Select desktop and a copy of it will now be on
your desktop
Note: Double click icons to open them
 Taskbar
Blue strip along the bottom of the desktop.
Serves as the Windows control center.
Three important items on the taskbar: Start menu,
Quick Launch Bar, System tray
 Taskbar
Start Menu: contains all programs on your computer.
Programs are listed in alphabetical order. Items that you use
frequently can be pinned to the start menu.
Quick Launch Bar: contains programs that are pinned to the
taskbar and can be accessed simply by clicking the program.
Items that you use frequently can be pinned to the quick
launch bar.
Note: Start menu and quick launch bar items only need to be
clicked once to open them
System Tray contains your general computer information such
as time, date, sound volume, power supply, the usb icon when
one is plugged in, security antivirus information, updates for
your computer, internet connection, and computer processes.
 Personalization
When you right-click on your desktop, you get a series of
options that you can use to make it look how you want it to
look
View: allows you to change the size of your icons, arrange
them in the order you want, and choose to hide them or show
them
Sort By: allows you to sort your icons by name, size, item
type, or date modified
New: allows you to create a new folder or document and
place it directly on your desktop
Personalize: allows you to change the background on your
desktop, your screensaver settings, your color scheme, your
mouse pointer, and other cosmetic change