Windows Vista Lesson 1 Windows Vista Basics

1
Windows Vista Lesson 1Windows Vista Basics

• Microsoft Office 2007 Introductory

2
Objectives

• Start Windows.
• Use a pointing device.
• Understand the desktop.
• Navigate in Windows.
• Use Windows.

3
Objectives (continued)

• Manage files and folders.
• Delete files using the Recycle Bin.
• Use Windows Help.
• Manage your computer.

4
Vocabulary

• Disk Cleanup
• Documents folder
• Explorer windows
• Folder
• Gadgets
• Help and Support

• Address bar
• Close button
• Computer folder
• Control Panel
• Desktop
• Dialog box

5
Vocabulary (continued)

• Icon
• Maximize button
• Menu
• Minimize button
• Navigation pane
• Operating system

• Personal folder
• Pointer
• Pointing device
• Public folder
• Recycle Bin
• Restore Down button

6
Vocabulary (continued)

• Window
• Windows Aero
• Windows Security Center
• Windows Sidebar

• Scroll arrows
• Scroll bar
• Scroll box
• Taskbar
• Title bar
• Toolbar

7
Windows Vista Basics

• Windows Vista is an operating system.
• An operating system is software that controls the
  basic operations of your computer.

8
Starting Windows

• If Windows is already installed, it should start
  automatically when you turn on the computer.
• There are many versions of Windows Vista
  available and not all educational institutions
  have hardware that supports all the Vista
  features.
• For example, some editions of Windows Vista
  support Windows Aero, a graphic interface which
  allows you to see through one window to the next.

9
Using a Pointing Device

• A pointing device allows you to interact and
  communicate with your computer.
• A pointing device can be a mouse, trackball,
  touch pad or screen, pointing stick, digital pen,
  or even a joystick.
• All pointing devices share the ability to point
  to and manipulate graphics and text on the
  screen. The pointer, which appears as an arrow on
  the screen, indicates the position of the
  pointing device.

10
Understanding the Desktop

• When Windows starts up, icons, windows, folders,
  and files appear on the desktop.
• Files and folders, directories that contain files
  or other folders, are displayed in a small work
  area known as a window.
• The desktop is the main work area in Windows. It
  contains Windows program elements, other
  programs, and files.

11
Understanding the Desktop (continued)

• Your desktop may contain different icons,
  shortcuts, or the Windows Sidebar.
• The Windows Sidebar is a transparent panel that
  is attached to one side of the screen and
  contains gadgets.
• The taskbar displays icons of the programs you
  have open or that run in the background.
• You can customize and organize your desktop by
  creating files, folders, and shortcuts.

12
Navigating in Windows

• Explorer windows are used to navigate to items on
  your computer.
• Switching to View Open Windows Many windows you
  work with share common features. Each window has
  a toolbar that contains functions specific to the
  window. You can move to an open window, program,
  or file by pressing and holding the Alt key, and
  then pressing the Tab key.

13
Navigating in Windows (continued)

• Navigating Using the Address Bar The Address
  bar identifies the path for the currently open
  folder. To navigate to recently visited
  locations, click the Back button and the Forward
  button to the left of the Address bar.
• Navigating Using the Favorites and Folders List
  Many Explorer windows have a Navigation pane to
  help you find your files, which you can
  customize. The Navigation pane includes Favorite
  Links, which are links to folders containing the
  items you use the most, including recent
  searches.

14
Using Windows

• Windows are essential to using the Vista
  operating system. They display and store
  information and run programs.
• Moving and Resizing Windows To move a window,
  click the title bar, and drag the window to
  another location. The Maximize button enlarges a
  window to the full size of the screen. The
  Minimize button reduces a window to an icon on
  the taskbar. The Restore Down button returns the
  window to the size it was before the Maximize
  button was clicked. The Close button is used to
  close a window.

15
Using Windows (continued)

• Scroll Bars Appear on the edge of a window any
  time there is more content than can appear in the
  window at its current size. A scroll bar can
  appear along the bottom edge (horizontal) and
  along the right side (vertical) of a window. The
  scroll box is a slider that indicates your
  position within the window.
• Using Toolbars, Menus, and Dialog Boxes A
  toolbar contains buttons that execute a function
  or open a command menu. A menu contains commands
  for initiating certain actions or tasks. A dialog
  box, an interactive message window, appears when
  more information is required before the command
  can be performed.

16
Using Windows (continued)

• Using the Control Panel The Control Panel is
  the command center for configuring Windows
  settings. You can customize settings for
  appearance, sounds, and performance.

17
Managing Files and Folders

• Windows Vista has several default folders, such
  as Music or Pictures.
• The Computer folder is where you access hard disk
  drives, removable drives, network locations, and
  other removable media.
• The Documents folder stores the files you use for
  your projects.
• You use the Public folder to store the files you
  want to share with other users.
• The Personal folder stores your most frequently
  used folders.

18
Deleting Files Using the Recycle Bin

• When you delete a file from a window, its name is
  removed from the windows content and the file is
  physically moved to the Recycle Bin.
• However, while the item is stored for deletion,
  it is not permanently deleted. To permanently
  delete files in the Recycle Bin, right-click the
  Recycle Bin icon, and then click Empty Recycle
  Bin.
• Fortunately, just like a regular wastebasket, you
  can restore items before theyre gone for good.

19
Using Windows Help

• Use Help as a quick reference when you are unsure
  about a function.
• Access Windows Help by clicking Help and Support
  on the Start menu. Then, from the Windows Help
  and Support window, choose a category in the Find
  an answer section, such as Troubleshooting.
• You can continue to click topics or you can type
  a search term. If you are connected to the
  Internet, your searches can include results from
  Windows Help online.

20
Managing Your Computer

• Using Disk Cleanup Windows provides Disk Cleanup,
  a utility that deletes temporary files created
  when you surf the Web, edit files, or perform
  other actions.
• Understanding the Windows Security Center
  Windows Security Center monitors critical
  security components on your computer, such as the
  firewall, antivirus protection, spyware
  protection, and other features such as Windows
  updates and User Account Control.

21
Summary

• Starting Windows brings up the desktop, and
  possibly the Welcome Center or other programs,
  depending on your settings. Several different
  versions of Windows Vista are available.
• A pointing device is a device you use to interact
  with and navigate your computer.
• The desktop, the main work area, contains access
  to Windows elements such as programs, files and
  folders.
• The desktop main features are the Start button,
  Recycle Bin, wallpaper or theme, Quick Launch
  toolbar, taskbar, notification area, and Windows
  Sidebar gadgets.

22
Summary (continued)

• Windows contain commands and buttons for a
  specific function. You can switch between open
  windows, open different folders, and use the
  Navigation pane to open and organize favorite
  folders.
• Windows can be moved, resized, opened, and
  closed. If you are unable to display all the
  contents of a window as it is currently sized,
  scroll bars appear. Windows can be maximized to
  fill the screen or minimized to appear as a
  button on the taskbar.
• You can use toolbars and menus in windows to
  perform tasks or actions, and input information
  in dialog boxes. The Control Panel contains
  searchable links for configuring Windows
  settings.

23
Summary (continued)

• Windows provides several default folders for
  storing and organizing files on your computer.
• The Recycle Bin stores files you have deleted
  from your computer. You can restore deleted files
  that are placed in the Recycle Bin or delete them
  permanently.
• The Windows Help and Support window provides
  additional information about the many features of
  Windows. You can access the Help program from
  Start menu or from any Windows program.
• Windows provides several utilities you can use to
  clean up unnecessary files on your computer and
  check your computers security settings.