Practical PC, 4e

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Chapter 2 Looking at Windows
2
Looking at Windows

• In this Chapter, you will learn
• What the Windows desktop looks like
• How application programs are started
• How to work with windows
• How to deal with dialog boxes
• What version of Windows you have
• Some other input devices
• What controls Windows provides

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The Windows Desktop

• When you boot your PC, the operating system takes
  you to your desktop
• The desktop remains in the background when you
  run your programs
• The desktop contains objects and menus to help
  you control the PC
• Your desktop can be personalized

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The Windows Desktop

• The desktop displays
• Small graphics or icons representing programs,
  hardware and data
• There is a taskbar at the bottom that shows
  status of the system
• On the bottom left is the Start button which is
  the main control of the desktop. This button
  displays the Start menu.

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The Windows Desktop
A typical Windows desktop, showing the components
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Starting an Application Program

• To accomplish a task on your PC, you will need to
  use a software program called an application
  program.
• An operating system (also software) helps control
  your environment
• An application program helps you do tasks such
  as drafting a letter in Word or doing a
  spreadsheet in Excel

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Starting an Application Program

• There are several ways to start an application
  program. Two of the more common ways are
• Use the Programs option on the Start menu,
  highlight the program you want to use, and click
  it.
• Double click the programs icon on the desktop.
  These icons are called shortcuts

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Starting an Application Program

• Modern PCs can do more than one task at the same
  time.
• The taskbar contains a button for each active
  program.
• Clicking on the taskbar button opens a window
  with for the selected program for display on the
  desktop.

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Starting an Application Program
Starting a program from the Start menu
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Whats a window?

• The Windows operating system works in rectangular
  areas on the screen called windows.
• Each window has several parts to help you work
• A title bar with the name of the program and 3
  buttons to allow you to size or close the window.
• Minimize button shrinks the window to the
  taskbar
• Maximize button fills the screen with the
  window
• Close button ends the program and closes the
  window

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Whats a window?

• Each window has several parts (cont)
• A menu bar that gives you access to the programs
  working commands
• One or more toolbars, depending on the
  application
• Toolbars contain buttons that give direct access
  to a task. For instance, the scissors, cuts
  highlighted material.
• Scroll bars allowing you to see items outside of
  the size of the window.

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Whats a window?
Looking at the parts of an application window
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Whats a Dialog Box?

• When you click certain menu options, a dialog box
  appears.
• Dialog boxes allow you to specify your personal
  options for the task to be done.
• Dialog boxes contain many Windows control
  features, such as option buttons, check boxes,
  and list boxes.

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Whats a Dialog Box?
The Print Dialog Box showing the options you have
available
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Checking the Windows Version

• The version of Windows that you are using
  affects
• What version of programs you will need to buy.
• How your hardware operates.
• How a technician will fix any problems you may
  encounter.

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Checking the Windows Version

• There are many version of Windows still available
  and running on PCs
• Windows 3.1 the first commercial version
• Windows 95 98 released between 1995 and 1999
  
• Windows ME released in mid 2000
• Windows NT networking environments
• Windows XP released in 2001, combining features
  of NT, 98 and ME

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Checking the Windows Version

• To determine the information about your Windows
  Version
• Click the My Computer icon on the desktop click
  the Start button on the taskbar
• Click the Control Panel icon
• Click the System icon
• Click the General tab

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Checking the Windows Version
Finding out what Version of Windows you have
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Alternative Input Devices

• You communicate with a PC through user interfaces
  a combination of hardware and software that
  makes tasks happen.
• Software that is designed to work with Windows
  operates using the Windows standard graphical
  user interface (GUI) environment.
• A GUI interface provides for both input to the PC
  and output to the user.

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Alternative Input Devices

• A touch-sensitive LCD provides access to the PC
  by the use of a stylus.
• Handwriting-recognition software attempts to
  recognize the data from the LCD and translate it
  to alphabetic characters.
• The LCD also displays output back from the PC

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Alternative Input Devices
The Graffiti alphabet recognized on the PalmPilot
PDA
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Alternative Input Devices

• Another example of a feedback device that both
  accepts input and sends back feedback is a
  force-feedback joystick.
• This type of joystick still moves objects and
  accepts a number of commands.
• It will also accept commands from the PC to do
  such things as vibrate or change the force needed
  to move the controls.

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Alternative Input Devices

• Speech-recognition software is also available to
  recognize and translate human speech.
• Speech-recognition software must first be trained
  to individual speech patterns.
• Speech-recognition software has a limited
  vocabulary of 20,000 to 300,000 words, but can be
  trained to accept others.

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How to use Windows Controls
Different Controls on application windows
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What do you think?
Monopoly is not just a game

• If you purchase a new computer, would you prefer
  to use preinstalled Internet software instead of
  obtaining and installing the Internet software of
  your choice?
• Do you think Microsoft has used its operating
  system monopoly to illegally force people to use
  its Internet software?
• Did you try to find additional information on
  this issue?

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Chapter Summary

• You should now be able to
• Recognize and use the features of the Windows
  desktop
• Start an application program two different ways
• Recognize and use the parts of a Window
• Use and respond to Dialog boxes
• Determine the version of Windows running on a PC
• Know several more ways to communicate with the PC