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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

3. Objectives (continued) • Manage files and folders. • Delete files using the Recycle Bin. • Use Windows Help. • Manage your computer. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

4. Address bar Close button Computer folder Control Panel Desktop Dialog box Disk Cleanup Documents folder Explorer windows Folder Gadgets Help and Support Vocabulary Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

5. Icon Maximize button Menu Minimize button Navigation pane Operating system Vocabulary (continued) • Personal folder • Pointer • Pointing device • Public folder • Recycle Bin • Restore Down button Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

6. Scroll arrows Scroll bar Scroll box Taskbar Title bar Toolbar Window Windows Aero Windows Security Center Windows Sidebar Vocabulary (continued) Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

7. Windows Vista Basics • Windows Vista is an operating system. • An operating systemis software that controls the basic operations of your computer. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

18. Deleting Files Using the Recycle Bin • When you delete a file from a window, its name is removed from the window’s 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 they’re gone for good. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory

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 computer’s security settings. Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory