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If you know nothing, zippo, zero, nada, about computers, you must read this. It explains, in the simplest of terms, the bare essentials you must understand, at least vaguely, to use a personal computer (PC).
What is a Mouse? - A mouse, in PC terms, is a pointing device. It is an oval shaped thing of plastic, with a roller ball underneath it and at least two buttons on its top. Some have more buttons but they're not necessary for basic use. The mouse has a small cord at its front end which is connected to the PC. Now, if you stretch your imagination (like you did in Psychology 101A), this device, sketched here, reminds you of a mouse. You be the judge.
In reality, the buttons are not marked right/left as shown. I marked them because they can be functionally adjusted to suite both right and left handed people. Right handed people click the right button for right clicks and click the left button for left clicks. However, lefties click the right button for left clicks and, click the left button for right clicks. It's no problem after you get some experience. So what's all the clicking about? - The mouse allows the operator to move the pointer over objects, displayed on the monitor, and click on them. The clicking causes things to happen like erasing the object or moving the object from one place to another or starting a word processor or sending an e-mail message and most everything else that computers do. |
After the PC is turned on, a pointer, shown in the sketch,
appears on the monitor (which is like a TV). Any movement of the mouse causes the pointer to move in a corresponding direction. The ball underneath the mouse rolls with the mouse and thereby sends motion signals to the PC.
What are Icons? - In PC terms, icons are pictorial representations of objects such as a wastebasket, a company logo, a computer, a printer and a host of other things connected with PC use. Icons are clicked on with the mouse to activate software programs or to cause specific software actions to be performed by the PC. Icons came into being to simplify PC use by replacing written technical commands. The idea was that working with pictures, in childlike fashion, would be easier for non technical users to deal with, thus making the PC a common household item, anyone could learn to use. Please congratulate me here, as I am exercising enormous mental and verbal constraint by not making any specific editorial comment here. What is Software? - Software is the name for technical instructions given to computers so that computers can do what users want them to do. Without software, a computer can do absolutely nothing. What is the Desktop? - When your PC is turned on, the first screen you see is what is called the desktop. It is a maze of icons. It is the home base for all PC operations. It is from the desktop that you launch all software programs, and the place where all PC operations are stropped and shutdown.
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