Basic Computing

1
Basic Computing

• Steven Gillis
• Albert L. Scott Public Library
• Free use of these files is allowed, copy or
  modify to your hearts content. License through
  Creative Commons

2
The Computer

• What is it?
• A device for processing tiny bits of data very
  fast. All it does is count, but it can count so
  fast that it seems smart.
• The term also refers to all the chunks that allow
  us to interact with the computations.
• These parts include real objects like the monitor
  and virtual things like programs

3
Parts we can see

• The Monitor
• This is where the computer displays information,
  it connects through cables to the computers main
  body. Probably the first thing we see. Looks like
  a TV, usually has its own on/off switch
• It connects to a video port, this is usually on
  the back side of the computer. There may be more
  than one, more on this later ?

4
The Video Port

• The Video Port has 15 pins that match the cable
  coming out of the monitor ?

5
Newer Computers

• These may have an S-video port
• You probably wont need to worry about this
• The S-video port allows the computer to connect
  to media hardware such as DVD players,
  televisions and projectors.

6
The Keyboard

• Connects to the computer, usually around the
  back.
• Round connector, Usually purple, 6 Pins
• How we talk to the computer

7
The Mouse

• A mobile switch that lets you move a pointer
  around the screen, using clicks to select things,
  move them around, even activate programs.
• Usually one click selects where you point
• Usually two, fast clicks activate a program
• Usually clicking the right-side button brings up
  options
• Giving it cheese doesnt make it work better

8
Connecting the Mouse

• Mouse may be a rolling ball or a bright light
  (usually red)
• Connects to the computer, usually around the
  back, with a 6 pin connector just like the one on
  the keyboard. Mouse connector is usually colored
  Cyan

9
The Case

• Holds all the guts of the computer including the
  power supply
• Usually what actually dies in a storm!
• Can be many shapes and sizes
• If you plan on doing any maintenance
• SIZE MATTERS! Cases can be cramped
• If there is a vent hole dont block it!
• Contains a flat board called the motherboard
  that has soldered in parts

10
The Motherboard
11
Yours may look different

• Some things will be the same
• Power connections
• Ports Places where all the fiddlee-bits plug
  into the case.
• Slots Places where parts can be added, some are
  optional some are required
• Processor Socket Where the tiny brain of the
  computer sits on a throne of gold!

12
The Brain

• The Processor
• Does the math
• Gets hot Venting slots on your case, fans, and
  radiator-fins keep it from burning up! Often
  buzzing sounds are something touching the moving
  parts of these fans.
• Is usually described in arcane numbers with Giga,
  Mega, or some other gobbledygook
• Faster is better, but the data has to GET there

13
RAM/The BUSNo its not a Keanu Reeves Movie

• The calculations that need to get to the brain
  first sit in the RAM
• Random Access Memory is where things line up to
  get to the brain. It has a speed too. There are
  different types. Faster is better. More is better
  ?
• To get into/out of RAM it has to get on the BUS

14
RAM

• Lives on the motherboard
• Sit in slots near the processor
• COMES IN DIFFERENT TYPES
• RAM will need to match in most cases

Ram Chips of various types
Ram slots have locks To hold chips in place
15
The Bus

• The fastest computer processor has to wait on the
  Bus speed and the RAM speed
• If your processor goes a million oogy-doogies a
  second, and your RAM is accessed at 200
  oogy-doogies, and your Bus speed is only 100
  oogy-doogies, then most of your data is going in
  and out of your processor at 100 oogy-doogies a
  second, and your computer is bored

16
The Memory

• Unlike our brains the computer has a separate
  memory for long term storage
• Basically its like us writing something down
  that we cant keep in our minds
• When the computer shuts down, or loses power all
  memory in RAM goes poof!
• Long term storage requires drives

17
Drive types

• Hard Drive
• Spinning magnets
• Very reliable long term storage
• Usually given a Letter as a name
• Default prime hard drive is C
• Floppy Drive
• Isnt floppy now, very small storage
• New PCs may not even have one

18
Drive types

• Disc/Disk Drives
• DVD or CD drives
• CD works in DVD, DVD wont work in CD
• Some CD/DVD drives can WRITE to a disk
• Others can only READ a disk you put in
• When starting a computer you may need to remove
  discs or floppy disks
• The computer checks these first so that you can
  use a BOOT DISC More later on this

19
The Power Supply

• If the processor is the brain, this is the heart.
  Electricity is the blood supply
• The power cord plugs into the back of the
  computer. The Power Supply takes your house
  current and adapts it so it can be used, and
  sends it where it is needed.
• This box has a fan and a LOT of wires. It is
  pretty cheap/easy to replace!

20
The Heart
Your supply may look different, but it will have
a fan and wires similar to these, plus the
3-prong electrical cable plug-in
21
Slots

• These hold optional components
• Your video and sound may be on Expansion Cards
  in these Slots
• There are different kinds of slots, some are
  faster than others. Most slots will only be
  compatible with the same type of card
• More slots, and different types of slots are
  good.

22
Playing the Slots

• Some connections are direct to the motherboard,
  BUT if the same connection is on a SLOT, it is
  probably superior
• Often the case with a Video Card
• Often the case with a Sound Card
• Connect to the expansion card in preference to
  the one on the motherboard

23
More Slots

• Other commonly slotted items
• Modems Let the computer use the phone
• Ethernet Let the computer connect to other
  computers through cables. Looks like a fat phone
  jack
• Wireless cards Let the computer use radio
  frequencies to communicate at short ranges
• Game cards Let you plug in speakers and joysticks

24
Ports

• Some slots give you ports (like the Ethernet
  card)
• Just like a ships port, ports let something
  dock with your computer
• An important new port is the USB port.
• Universal Serial Bus provides both power and
  communications, can be split, and connect
  multiple devices on one port

25
USB ports

• USB comes in various speeds the plugs look like
  this

The cables either look the same on both ends or
like this
26
USB is great

• Allows the computer to connect to many different
  items
• Cameras
• Portable media players
• External drives/storage
• Game controllers
• Printers etc.

27
USB 2/Firewire

• Faster USB types that allow faster transfer,
  often used for external hard drives or fast
  connection media
• USB2 will work on a normal USB port, but will not
  function at full speed
• Firewire is different and only works on a
  firewire port

28
The Hard and the Soft

• Everything we have talked about is HARDWARE
• Nuts and Bolts, if it is a real object then it is
  hardware
• Hardware connects through wires, cables, and
  metal-inlayed fiberglass to the processor and
  power supply
• Software tells hardware what to do

29
The Boss

• Bruce Springsteen aside, when it comes to the
  Boss in the computer it is the Operating System
• The Operating system we are using today is
  Windows XP. It is one of the most common systems
• The Operating system tells the hardware HOW to do
  things

30
The Workers

• Application Programs (Often just called
  Programs actually do something other than
  management
• Word Processors (let you make documents)
• Photo viewing/editing (let you see/edit pictures)
• Browsers (let you see internet content)
• Lots of jobs, lots of software!

31
Exploring the computer

• In the Windows XP environment the computer
  displays things for you in pictures. Icons,
  little pictures, represent programs and storage
  locations. The mouse lets you move around.
• This type of display is called a GUI (Pronounced
  Gooey) or Graphic User Interface. It opens many
  Windows

32
Open/close a Window

• In the Windows Gooey almost all windows will have
  three controls on the upper right corner

The leftmost (the flat line) is MINIMIZE It
sends the window to the TASKBAR (Usually the
bottom half-inch of the screen) The middle icon
opens the window all the way or MAXIMIZES it The
X icon shuts the window completely (Save first or
you may lose data!) When working with files you
usually save with FILE-gt SAVE AS
33
I dont see it!

• If you need to close a window you may NOT see the
  X
• In fact the kind of window you want to close the
  fastest often dont have these on purpose!
• You can use the keys on the keyboard
• AltF4 closes a program
• CtrlF4 closes a window within a set of
  documents (Like 2-3 Word documents open at once,
  CtrlF4 would close the one on top, while AltF4
  would close them all)

34
Minimized? Or GONE?

• If you dont see a minimized label of your
  document on the bottom half-inch of your screen,
  then your taskbar may be too small to see. Click
  on the line where the frame meets the visible
  portion of the screen
• An UP/DOWN arrow should appear as you hold down
  the left mouse button
• Drag up until you see the taskbar

35
Taskbar maintenance

• Remember how I said that right mouse clicks can
  often bring up options?
• With the taskbar, it is a good idea to Lock it.
  You can right click on the taskbar then select
  the lock the taskbar option. Once you select
  this with a left click the taskbar wont move
  anymore, so you wont lose sight of it

36
Min/Max in Between

• When a document is already maximized the place
  where the maximize icon sits is replaced by the
  restore icon

The restore icon sets the window to a medium
size. You can select the corners of the window
and drag them in and out to change the size to
what you want.
37
Before the Window

• The default screen you see on startup is called
  the DESKTOP

Icons
Taskbar ?
38
Open a file

• Find the icon on the desktop labeled Basic
  Computing
• Move the mouse to where the pointer rests on the
  icon
• Click the left mouse button twice in quick
  succession
• This opens the file
• If your mouse isnt working you can use the tab
  key and the arrows on the keyboard to select and
  the enter key to open.

39
More Mouse Musings

• You can also single click and hold on a selected
  icon
• You can drag it to another place on the desktop.
  Our computers have this function disabled.
• Normally Id have you create a new folder by
  right clicking, but our right mouse clicks are
  disabled for security reasons

40
Drag and drop

• Once you move a file to a New Folder icon (It
  like a folder too! See
• release the left mouse button and the file
  disappears!
• Dont worry you just moved it from the desktop to
  a folder
• Folders help you organize files, just like in the
  real world. You can group things together

41
Opening a Folder

• Open a folder just like a file
• Move the mouse pointer over the folder icon then
  double click

• A new window opens displaying the content of the
  folder

42
More Things you cant do here ?

• The right-click on the mouse has lots of options,
  these include Copy or Cut
• Copy makes a copy of the file, then you can PASTE
  it to another folder, or even in the same place.
  Windows will rename the file to (Copy) so that it
  doesnt overwrite your files
• BE CAREFUL WITH CUT! Cut, like move, takes the
  file away from the old location. Unlike move, if
  you fail to PASTE the file then accidentally copy
  or cut another item, the file may be lost

43
Storage

• The Drives on your computer are treated a lot
  like folders. All folders occupy space on some
  sort of drive. Usually the hard drive C
• Think of a drive as a folder for folders or
  files, but one with a real, physical presence
• Drives can be fixed or removable

44
Removable Media

• Fixed drives are easy to access but a removable
  media drive needs a disc/disk or flash memory
  stick to be useable
• Some Removable Media can only READ from a disc
  (Often true of CD/DVD drives)
• Others can read or WRITE to media. When a DVD or
  CD is used it is often called BURNING, because
  the laser burns the information onto the disc
  permanently

45
Flash! Save the Earth!

• Flash memory is the new, high storage, removable
  media
• People call them Thumb drives Flash Drives
  Memory Sticks or other arcane things
• They plug into the USB ports, while plugged in
  the are accessed just like your normal drives
  with a Letter name

46
Flash! Its a Miracle!

• Flash memory can hold LOTS of data
• It is stable and dependable
• It fits in your pocket
• Slower transfer than Hard Disk, but faster than
  most other removable media
• Thanks to USBs Universal nature it works on
  almost any system, although that system may not
  be able to read the files ON the drive, the drive
  will usually work

47
Security Alert!

• Since these are public computers we dont want
  people moving or deleting files around so the
  Windows Explorer and My Computer functions are
  locked down
• Luckily the program that we use to browse the
  internet is based on the Windows Explorer that we
  use to access files
• Select the Microsoft Explorer Icon and open it
  with a double click

48
He Tasks Me

• You may have lost sight of the power point or
  minimized it to get to the desktop and select the
  Explorer Icon (The big blue e)
• We can either have both windows open but smaller
  or we can maximize both and switch between them
  on the task bar
• Just select the button with the Power Point Icon
  on it, or the Explorer Icon on it to switch which
  is open. That way you can have a bigger window

49
Explore the Web

• The program we use to see internet content is
  called a browser. Explorer is a common browser
  but there are many others
• The browser opens to a Home Page that starts
  your session
• The browser can be open in multiple windows at
  once, allowing you to switch between windows with
  the taskbar or mouse to see more content
• Some browsers let you open windows inside the
  window you have open, this is called a tab, or
  tabbed browsing. Others open a new window for you
  when you need it.

50
Yahoo!

• The libraries home page is Yahoo! Just like a
  house or apartment it has an address where it
  lives
• We call these addresses Uniform Resource
  Locators or URLs for short
• The URL for Yahoo! is www.yahoo.com/
• The address bar at the top of the browser shows
  this preceded by http//

51
Protocol

• The http// is the Web protocol Hypertext
  Transfer Protocol basically the language of the
  internet
• When you type in an address you can omit the
  http// since the browser will automatically add
  it if it is missing
• Click on the address bar where www.yahoo.com is
  listed

52
Change of scenery

• The selected text will highlight dark blue to
  show it has been selected
• You can now type over the existing URL with
  another
• Get it highlighted then type in www.google.com
• This will take you to another search engine a lot
  like Yahoo! called Google

53
Different Keystrokes

• Lots of people have preferences for which search
  engine they use
• All of them have good sides and bad sides
• Google is very popular but Yahoo! Has more
  oversight of its content
• Move down to the Google search bar above the
  Google Search button

54
Email

• A very common use of the internet is web-based
  electronic mail
• Many services provide free email
• Hotmail from Microsoft Networks
• Yahoo! mail from Yahoo!
• Gmail from Google
• Lots more ?
• Lets set up a Yahoo! Mail account

55
MyMonkeyMail

• In the Google Search Bar type in Yahoo Mail then
  hit enter or click on the search button
• The first link that pops up will take you to
  Yahoo! Mail. Single click to open it.
• See how the address bar changes to show
  login.yahoo.com and some kooky letters?
• This is because we have gone to a different web
  site

56
.com/.org/.net/.gov etc.

• The part of the address before and including .com
  is the ROOT of the URL. The .com or .gov or .org
  is the type of site. Yahoo! Is a for-profit
  corporation, even though the email service is
  free so they use .com
• Other web sites may use .gov for government like
  www.irs.gov or .org for non-profit organizations
  like www.shelbycounty-al.org our regional library

57
Yahooey!

• On the Yahoo page, on the right side you will see
  link in underlined bright blue that says
• sign up right under the Dont have a Yahoo!
  ID? message
• Select this link by left clicking on it
• See how the address bar changes to another root
  URL? Now it is edit.yahoo.com Were still in
  yahoo.com but on a different part of their site
• Also we have a GREEN ARROW BUTTON that allows us
  to go back to the previous screen. Its right
  next to the address bar slightly above

58
Back and forth

• Click on the Green Arrow Button to go back to
  login.yahoo.com
• Now we can see another Green Arrow Button
  pointing to the right
• Go ahead and click on this to take us Forward to
  edit.yahoo.com again
• The Left Pointing arrow is called the Back
  button, while the Right Pointing arrow is the
  Forward button

59
Set up Email

• You can go ahead and set up an email here if you
  would like. It is free and reliable with
  unlimited storage
• If you cant think of a yahoo login name to
  choose you can use mymonkeymail followed by the
  number of the computer you logged onto. Make sure
  you can remember your password or write it down

60
Let me know if you need help!
Sample
61
Accessing your Email

• Put mail.yahoo.com in your browsers address bar
• This takes you to a login screen
• Login with your username (MyMonkeyMailXX or
  whatever you chose)
• Dont forget your password!
• Your email address is your username_at_yahoo.com
  example MyMonkeyMail31_at_yahoo.com

62
Thank You!

• Please let me know if there is anything else I
  can help you with
• Please let me know what sort of things you want
  out of the next class!
• A short evaluation form will help me improve for
  next time!
• This tutorial is available on our WEBPAGE
• www.cityofalabaster.com Find LIBRARY on the left
  hand side and click it ?