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Contents:

Intro/History Starting your PC Turning your PC off Windows and Mouse Operations

Starting an Application Saving your document Printing your document Quitting an application 3 Ways to perform tasks

Intro/History
There are three historical paths for the Windows operating system. The first starts with CP/M, Control Program for Microcomputers, one of the earliest operating systems for personal computers.  CP/M was developed by Gary Kildahl an academic who used a Digital Equipment Company (DEC PDP 10) computer at work.  CP/M commands look a great deal like those in the DEC  PDP-10  and later VAX systems (DIR, COPY, PRINT, DEL etc.)  IBM negotiated with Bill Gates at Microsoft for software and an operating system for it's first PC.  Gates had the software but Gary Kildahl and his company Intergalactic Digital Research had the operating system.  IBM's Negotiations with Gary Kildahl's company to use CP/M did not work out. Gates and company purchased for $60,000 an operating system called QUICKDOS, a backward engineered version of CP/M.  They "embraced and enhanced" QUICKDOS and renamed it DOS, Disk Operating System, for IBM's release of it's first personal computer in 1980. DOS up through Windows 98 is the underlying operating system with a Windows shell to call the DOS commands.

The windows system we now use on personal computers was first developed at Xerox PARC. Xerox management failed to realize the potential of the ideas developed at PARC. Apple personnel including Steve Jobs heard about the Xerox project and visited the development team.  The result Apple started a windows project and hired personnel from Xerox. Apple's first windows system came out on the critically acclaimed but financially unsuccessful Apple LISA. With a comprehensive redesign came the Apple Macintosh computer.  Arriving on the scene in 1984, the Macintosh operating system is now familiar to most computer users. A windows system became the operating system that future computers would strive to copy. Bill Gates worked with Apple to supply software for the first Macintosh and realizing the potential, started development of a windows system for the IBM PC.  Windows 3.1 released in the early 90's was the the first successful version of windows for the PC. "Windows NT and Windows 2000" are the most recent revisions. The graphic interface uses a mouse to point to icons that represent elements of hardware and software, and also to pull down menus for windows commands. A metaphor of a desktop completes the basic elements of the windows operating system.

There is one additional path of development for current Windows systems and that is UNIX.  UNIX was developed in 1969 at the Bell Telephone Laboratories by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie. It had such modern features as general purpose,  time sharing and multi-tasking. Many of the features developed in UNIX are included in the modern Windows operating systems from Apple and Microsoft. A modern variation of UNIX, LINUX,  is a potential challenge to the dominance of Microsoft.

For the first time user of the windows system or as a review for a previous user we will now give a brief overview of the Windows XP operating system. We will discuss the startup screen (desktop) and basic operations.

• Monitor, just think TV and look for the on switch. NOTE: CSUB Lab monitors are turned on by the lab staff.

• Computer, the CPU in the computer box is the hardware brain of the computer. The on switch may be a button at the front right bottom or a switch on the back or right side of the computer box. NOTE: Lab computers are turned on by the lab staff.

• Printer, many different positions for the on switch dependent on model and manufacturer.  My personal printer an HP5500  has the on button on the top right of the printer.  NOTE: Lab printers are turned on by the lab staff and you must have money on your Runner card to print.

• Systems (Computer, Printer, Monitor, etc.), some PC systems are setup so that the monitor and CPU  are all controlled by "One Switch Does it All". Many users set up their computer system so that all components are connected to a multiple connection power bar with surge protection. They turn all components on and off with one switch. A good idea!

• Normal Shut Down
• Emergency Shut Down

(1) First click the Start button  usually at the bottom left of your screen.  Choose Shut Down from the menu. (See the Start Menu on right)  (2) From the Shut Down Windows dialog box  that appears (see below) select  Shut down if it is not already selected. If you have work started, the programs are still running, and later you want to continue where you left off choose Hibernate. When you start your computer everything will be as you left it.  (3) Click the OK button (you could also choose one of the other options if relevant to your needs)  Shut Down Windows Dialog Box (4) On many new computers the system and sometimes the monitor will automatically shut down.  If you are on an older computer you may get the message "It is now safe to turn off your computer" on the screen.  You then turn the computer switch off.  (5) On some systems you may also have to turn the monitor off

Start Menu

(1) Press and hold the <Ctl> and <Alt> key  (2) Press the <Delete> key then release all keys, the Windows Security dialog box will appear.  Select Task Manager  (3) In the Windows Task Manager that opens, select the frozen program.  (4) Click the End Task button at the bottom left of the dialog box.  Continue the following list, in order, until the problem is solved:  (a) The frozen program(s) should be shut down and you can save work from other applications.  The safest method is to restart the computer after saving all data.  (b) If  the frozen  program(s) will not close, try to switch to the other running programs by clicking their minimized buttons in the task bar. Save data from the other running programs and perform a normal Shutdown choosing Restart if you want to continue your work  (c) If the frozen program(s) continue, you are not able to switch to other programs choose  Windows will not shutdown choose Shutdown in the Windows Security Dialog Box.  (d) If frozen program(s) continue and after trying all the steps above Windows still will not shutdown, physically turn off or in severe circumstances unplug your computer.  This method can result in corrupted files so use this method as a last resort.

Windows Security Dialog Box (Ctl-Alt, Del) Windows Task Manager

Mouse Functions

• POINT, place the mouse pointer  displayed as,  ,  or  , ,  on top of a menu, folder, word, graphic, window, etc.  In some cases this may cause an  action.  In most cases nothing happens.

• CLICK, SELECT move the mouse pointer to the icon; disk, file, application, etc.  Click once on the left button. (the right button usually produces a menu of shortcuts to start a process)

(a) in some cases this will create an action, menus for example will come down, an application will be started,
(b) in most cases the icon word, object will be highlighted, (selected).
 
• DOUBLE CLICK, OPEN move the mouse pointer to the icon, (disk, file, application, etc.) then click twice rapidly and the disk are folder will open, an application will start, a document will be brought into an application.

• RIGHT CLICK, displays a menu of processes that can be performed

• DRAG, move the mouse pointer to a menu, text, folder or other object, then press and hold the clicker on the mouse and pull (or "drag") the mouse to highlight each menu item, to select/highlight, a text sequence, to move a folder or object.

• DRAG and DROP, Text: select text , release the mouse, click on the selected text while continuing to hold the left mouse button down, drag to a new position and release the mouse button. To move files and folders,  click on the file or folder with left mouse button to select the file or folder. Continue to hold the mouse button down, drag to a new position and release the mouse button.

1. the object you are dragging is outlined in the position to which you want it moved
2. the menu item you want is highlighted
3. the cursor appears at the point in the text where you want the selected  text
4. the graphic or window is now the size you want

• Starting an application from a desktop folder or application icon
• Starting an application from the Start  button

Starting an application from a desktop folder or application icon (1) Find the application on the desktop or by opening the folder containing the application  In this example Double click the Communications folder, see graphic on the right..  (2) Find the application you want to start in the Communications folder and double click. In this example we could place the mouse cursor, the arrow, on top of the Netscape 7.0 shortcut icon and double click to run the Netscape browser.

Communications Folder Icon Communications Folder Contents

Starting an application from the Start  button (1) Click the Start button,  , at the bottom left of the screen,  a menu will pop up, see graphic on the right.  (2) For our example move to Communications  and a sub menu will appear on the right. In most cases on a home system  move the mouse cursor up to AllPrograms. [***XP Home edition programs menu] (3). Move your mouse across to the application name,  Netscape 7.0 in this case and click once.  (Often another sub menu or set of sub menus will appear, listing various items included with the application. Continue moving your mouse across menus until you reach the application you want opened and click once.)

Start Menu

 TOP

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Choose Save or Save As from the File menu of an application.  "Save as" will let you choose a new file name or location if you had previously named and saved the file  Perform the following in the Save As Dialog box  (see Save As dialog box------------------->  Click the down arrow "1" beside the Save in: box Find the floppy drive "3" or another location where you will save the file.  Use the scroll bar  "2" if necessary.  In the File name "4" input box type in a name for your document.  The name I called my example is MyDoc. Click the down arrow "5" beside the Save as type: box if you want to select a file type different from the default Click the Save button "6"

File Save Menu  Save As dialog box

1. In the Lab  (Was not completed----TO BE UPDATED WHEN INSTALLED IN LAB FOR XP)
Steps to printing  in the CSUB computer lab. Since there is a charge you should preview (see File menu below) your document to make sure all formatting is as you want it. In the Lab

1. First you will need to receive and activate your Runner Card and place money in your Runner account.  Instructions are above the Runner Card machine in the lab.  2. When you are ready to print, choose Print from the File menu in your application.  Choose the pages you want to print in the print dialog box and then click “OK.”  3. Go to the card swipe machine, by the printers, and insert your card in the swipe box.  Leave in place till the printing process is complete.  4. Go to the computer screen next to the card swipe machine.  Find your project on the computer screen next to the swipe card machine, and click on it so that it is highlighted.  5. Then click “PRINT.”  6. Then click “ACCEPT PRINT JOB.”  7. Then it will print, then remove your card, and you are done.

2. Home: Choose Print. In the Print Dialog box , click the Properties button, right toward top, to check settings in the Properties Dialog box. In most cases the only choice one would make in this dialog box would be to choose the following tabs:  (a) Quality, in most cases Fast Draft will be adequate and also save ink  (b) Layout:  Under orientation choose:  Portrait, normal lengthwise printing for papers, letters, etc.  or  Landscape: prints with long side of paper being the top and bottom for graphics, wide spreadsheets, some web pages, etc. (this is the choice in the example below)  Orientation

Print Properties Dialog

3. Click the OK button to return to the print dialog button.  4. In the print dialog box we only have to do the following:  (1) Choose either:  (a) All  to print your complete document, the choice in the example  or  (b) Pages  If you need to print only a selection of pages from your document. Identify the pages to print. -Place starting page in from box  -Place ending page in to box (2) Click the Number of copies arrows , up or down, to assign the number of copies if  you want more then the default of one  (3) Click the OK button and your document will print.

Print Dialog

Choose Exit from File menu              ------------->  or click the X at the top right of the screen  If you have made changes since last saving your document you will be given the option of saving your document prior to exiting the application. You may receive something like the following:  click Yes to save your changes. For specifics see:  Saving your document

File Menu

1. Menus: Provide lists of functions organized by classification File, Edit, View, Insert, Format, Tools, etc.  A beginning user should familiarize themselves with the components of the menus in an application.  Menus show the most frequently used tasks with additional functions listed when you click the arrows at the bottom of the menu.  You can make all functions list each time you view a menu by selecting View/Toolbars/Customize then Options. You can then click in the Always show full menus box and menus will then always show all choices.  The print menu on the right displays all menu choices since I set up my applications to show full menus.
2.  Toolbars: Toolbars show icons representing tasks that can be clicked to perform a task.  Of course you have to recognize the icon or you can move the mouse cursor over the icon to display a small box identifying the task.  The example on the right shows the discription displayed when I place the mouse over the print tool icon.
3. Shortcut keys: Many functions have key commands that can be used to perform a task.  The command to print is: <Ctrl><p> There are shortcut keys for most major tasks in Windows and applications.