• Hello Eugene! Respectfully yours, Oleg, one of the many who have purchased a video course, which in essence, step by step, turns the student from a mouse-driver to, as you put it, an advanced user without five minutes. At my age, many are no longer able to master it due to a number of reasons, but since, thanks to you, I am burning with desire, I am slowly, little by little doing it. Thanks for the school. Fulfilled homework and I will move on. As they say, the quieter you go, the further you go. P.S. possible grammatical errors please write off, because just a driver Oleg Isaikin from St. Petersburg
  • Eugene, good afternoon! I briefly looked at the beginning of the video course, I have already found a lot of new things for myself. Now the work is connected with business trips, so there is no way to delve into it yet. I want to tell you that you are young! These are very useful discs. In our provinces, qualified assistance is not available everywhere. FROM Best wishes good luck and good luck to you. Galina Anatolyevna Khor village Khabarovsk Territory
  • Forgive me, please, Eugene, but I thought I told you. I received the video course before the holiday. Thank you very much! The video course turned out to be a salvation for me, it helps to master the laptop very well. I'm very grateful to you. Wishing you a Happy New Year and also Merry Christmas! Lyudmila Nikolaevna Naumova Malaga, Spain
  • Hello Eugene! This letter came to me automatically. You probably remember that just before the holidays, they sent a parcel to Tashkent. The parcel arrived in perfect condition. Thank you very much for the discount and fast shipping. I'm already working on your CDs. I really like the way you present the material and detailed explanation even little things. Once again, thank you very much for your hard work. You have succeeded in this work. All the best, with respect, Vladimir Alexandrovich Subbotin from Tashkent
  • Hello Evgeny Alexandrovich! Thank you, I like everything, I don’t understand everything as quickly as I would like, but I will definitely master everything. I am 61 years old, I have never approached a laptop and now I decided. Lots of unfamiliar words. I watch the course several times. I will definitely learn. Thank you for such literate and simple people to help us, you are a very good mentor. Lyubov Alekseevna Mironova from Moscow
  • I am a beginner PC user. I bought the CD "ABC of a computer and laptop" and did not make a mistake, I did right choice. The disc came within a week despite the fact that there were holidays. On the this moment I am still studying and have not mastered the whole course. But there are already advances. Previously, if I wanted to do something on a PC, I did it using the “poke” method, and now, after several classes, I already work more confidently with a computer. Friends saw that I was no longer afraid to work with a computer as before, and were very surprised by my knowledge. Showed the disc, they really liked it. They also wanted this CD, so I ordered another set. P.S. Thank you very much! Your lessons are clear and not difficult for novice users like me. I advise everyone to start acquaintance with the computer with these classes! Julia Denisova from Tula
  • Hello, dear Evgeny Alexandrovich! I enjoyed watching your video course and would like to respond to your appeal in the section " Feedback". I have just become related to your voice, and you have become almost a member of our family! My husband jokes when he sees me at the computer, but it became obvious to me that in some matters I can already give him advice, he comprehends everything by the method " Of course, I'm not really flattering myself, but the main thing is that there is no fear: if I have questions, I can also search for information on the Internet. It is very noticeable that your popularity on the Internet has grown greatly since November 2011. I first accidentally stumbled upon the link of your video course there. I am very glad to meet you. In a couple of months I learned a lot and learned a lot. I am moving slowly, but I feel more and more confident thanks to your lessons. I wish you every success and worthy appreciation of your work! Molokina Lidia Filippovna, Moscow
  • Eugene. I am very grateful to you. It was this knowledge gained with the help of the VIDEO AID and YOUR letters that I lacked. Now I do not ask ANYONE questions about using the computer and do not hear such expressions like: GRANDMA WOULD REMEMBER LONG AGO. Nikolai Dmitrievich Medvedev from Sterlitamak, Republic of Bashkortostan
  • The video course "The ABC of a computer and laptop" is a useful cycle of video tutorials, both for beginners to get acquainted with a PC, and for more advanced users. I want to note: I used the first two points for my relatives who stayed with us and always asked for something to explain. I sat them down at the computer, included video lessons - a basic course and 2 hours are free! By profession, I am a teacher at the Perm Medical College. For all novice students and my colleagues to learn how to work in Word - you can’t imagine better - it’s accessible, visual and very understandable. And, please, at least you write an abstract, at least tests - you are already advanced users. Thanks Eugene. Looking forward to your new tutorials! Svetlana Agafonova from Perm
  • Eugene, hello! My name is Tatyana Vasilievna. I am two months away from 60. Pensioner. Former teacher. Life goes on and you want to live, to live interestingly, keeping up with the times. I have been interested in computers for a long time. There was no financial opportunity to purchase this item. But still went to computer courses. Free for pensioners. We got basic knowledge of working in "Word 2003", we didn't even touch the Internet. And knowledge was very necessary, because. a computer appeared, and I wanted to communicate with my daughter via Skype in order to save money and be able to see each other. I climbed the Internet, searched, hoped for good luck. And then luck smiled on me. I saw a message that you can quickly learn computer literacy! Cool!!! I read it. Decided to order CDs. Came in the mail quickly, without any delay. And now I'm happy to study everything that is there. Everything is very clear and clearly stated. New knowledge of what seemed to be known appeared. Everything has become easier, more accessible. Thanks. Tatyana Vasilievna, Penza

The article will tell you what a computer is and how to use it.

Navigation

Nowadays, using a computer and laptop can great amount of people. But people are not born with these skills, everything once starts from scratch.

Beginners are interested in how to master a computer and laptop from scratch? Where to begin independent study computer/laptop? Let's talk about it in our review.

What is the difference between a computer and a laptop?

Virtually nothing. The main difference between a computer and a laptop is mobility. If a computer is a stationary device, then a laptop is a mobile device. That is, the computer must be installed on the table and used in the future, and the laptop can be freely carried with you, for which it is intended.

Both a computer and a laptop consist of a keyboard, monitor, mouse, processor, RAM, etc. Only a computer has all these components connected to each other, while a laptop is, as it were, a single monolithic device.

Both on the computer and on the laptop, an operating system is installed, for example, " Windows" (most common) or " linux". If you master, say, a computer, then you can already work on a laptop without difficulty and vice versa. Therefore, in this review, we will not give two instructions, but we will talk about how to use a computer.

The operating system is a kind of "soul" of the computer. This software which makes it possible to work on a computer. When you turn on the computer, it is the operating system that starts working first, we see this when the monitor lights up:

Let's start learning about computers operating system

If there were no operating system, we would see only a black screen and some incomprehensible letters with numbers that are of no use to us. Working on a computer is actually working with programs that, in general, make up the operating system.

You see how the mouse cursor runs around the screen - this is the work of the operating system. What about typing? Photo? Video? Even the sounds from the speakers are only possible thanks to the operating system. In the last century, music was listened to from the record on which the song was recorded. Now audio and video files are presented in digital format, that is, in the form of programs.

The operating system allows you to bring your monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, and all the devices that together make up your computer to life. Without it, the computer is just a "lifeless" iron organism. Remember, the operating system is the soul of the computer.

Windows

In general, operating systems can be different. Some of them are very famous, others are not very common among ordinary ordinary users.

« Windows» refers to the most common operating systems, which is distinguished by its convenience and is great for use not only by specialists, but also ordinary people at home.

« Windows» also happens various versions: « Windows 95», « Windows 7», « Windows XP», « Windows 8», « Windows 10" etc. The most common are the seven, eight and ten. The once popular Windows XP” is officially considered obsolete, although it is still quite possible to work on it.

Distinguish versions " Windows» among themselves can be appearance:

There is also another easy way to find out what version of the operating system is installed on your computer:

  • Click on the button in the lower left corner Start» left mouse button
  • Next, click on the item " A computer" (or " My computer”) with the right mouse button.
  • Then in the new window that opens, left-click on the item " Properties»

  • After that, a folder will open in which information on your operating system will be indicated.

Find out what operating system is installed on our computer

So, we briefly studied what an operating system is. Now let's proceed to the study of the computer itself.

We study the PC device

Components of a computer

In order to learn how to work on a computer, you first need to study its design. That is, you need to know which devices are part of such a thing as a "personal computer".

In principle, most people have an idea of ​​what the components of a computer are called, but we will explain everything in more detail so that it is easier for beginners to manage these parts.

So, the computer consists of:

  • Internal parts- these are the elements that make up the system unit (a large box with a power button). In principle, the system unit is a computer, as such. And everything else, for example, a mouse, is just an integral part of this computer.
  • External parts- these are, in fact, the components of the computer that we connect to the system side (keyboard, etc.).

In turn, all the described parts of a computer can be classified based on their interaction with a person:

  • Input devices- These are devices that enable a person to give instructions to a computer (mouse, keyboard).
  • Information output devices- devices that transmit information from a computer to a person (monitor, speakers).
  • Input/output devices- these are, respectively, those devices that combine the concepts described above (disk drive).

Now let's talk about the main devices, without which work on the computer will be impossible.

System unit

What does the system block look like?

So, the system unit is the brain of the computer. To understand why the system unit is such an important part of the PC, you just need to examine what is inside it.

Inside the system unit there is a motherboard - this is a kind of huge microcircuit, in which, in fact, absolutely all elements of the computer are built in: processor, RAM, video card, sound card, disk drive, as well as all connectors (which connect a monitor, keyboard, mouse , network cable And all the rest).

You can also connect a Wi-Fi device, a TV tuner, and gaming consoles. This is a matter of taste and needs. When buying, you yourself order what kind of computer you need: for playing games, for watching videos or just for accessing the Internet. Based on this, the system unit is assembled with all its constituent elements.

There are at least two buttons on the system unit: turn on the computer and restart:

Power button on the system unit

All other important parts of the PC, such as the monitor, mouse, keyboard and speakers, are already selected under the system unit. That is, when buying a computer, you need to start with the system unit, and then select everything else for it. By the way, you can freely change the monitor or keyboard if they are out of order or no longer meet your requirements. But with a laptop, this number will no longer work.

Monitor

computer monitor

Everyone knows what TV is. Everyone watched him. A computer monitor is not exactly a TV, but it performs the same function, that is, the function of displaying information on the screen. If, in the case of a television, such information is transmitted via an antenna or tv cable (analog signal), then information is transmitted to the computer monitor from the system unit. More precisely, the signal comes from the video card, which is located in the system unit, as we learned above.

Monitors come in different sizes, which is determined, for example, by the length of the screen diagonal and is measured in inches. The quality of the picture does not depend on the size of the screen. The screen resolution is responsible for the quality of the image. That is the number of pixels (electronic dots) per square inch. These dots on the screen make up the image. Accordingly, the more dots (the higher the screen resolution), the better, sharper and livelier the picture.

Speakers

Speakers

Just like a monitor, speakers receive a signal with information from the system unit, but they only output it not in the form of an image, but in the form of sound. This signal is transmitted from the system unit due to sound card.

Computer speakers differ from conventional classic speakers in that they also have an audio amplifier inside them. The sound card transmits only an analog signal (for example, as a player), and then the signal, as usual, is processed in the amplifier and goes to the speakers. Computer speakers have a cord with an outlet precisely because they connect an audio amplifier (not speakers) to the network.

Keyboard

computer keyboard

We discussed output devices above, now let's talk about input devices and start with the keyboard.

Everyone knows that the keyboard is designed to type text, which we then (or rather not “later”, but immediately) see on the screen. The keyboard, respectively, has all the necessary keys with letters, numbers and other symbols.

There are also keys, thanks to which we can give the computer certain commands. For example, if we press the " cap lock", this will give us the ability to print text capital letters, well, or start a word (name, name) with a capital letter. By pressing the keys on which the arrows are depicted, we can scroll the page (on the Internet, or in any folder on the computer) up or down.

Mouse

Such a name computer mouse received for the reason that it is a bit like a living mouse, that is, it has a body and a tail (cord):

PC mouse

The computer mouse is designed primarily so that we can move the cursor on the monitor screen with the greatest comfort. If we were to use the keyboard exclusively, then this would give us unnecessary trouble and take a lot of time.

A standard mouse has two buttons (left and right) and a wheel. The left button provides, as it were, the main actions when, for example, we move the mouse cursor over a folder and open it by clicking on this button. In the same way, we close windows and programs - we hover over the cross icon and press the left button.

The right button is responsible for additional actions, for example, opens a menu or additional windows. The wheel, on the other hand, allows you to scroll the page up and down, as is done with the corresponding keys on the keyboard.

Video: How to master a computer and laptop quickly and easily?

Video: What is a laptop made of?

Everyone who began to study a new business or skills for himself, faced with the fact that he had no idea in which direction to develop, where to move further and what the baggage of acquired skills should be. Learning a computer and working on it is also not such an exception for a beginner. Therefore, in this article, site site experts will give tips to help you master computer work more easily and even from scratch.

Computers are now used everywhere, so they solve a variety of tasks, ranging from accounting and design, to the management of such important facilities as, for example, nuclear power plants, automotive production and energy.

By including a computer in the medical tomograph and installing the appropriate diagnostic program on the computer, it will be possible to examine the body. Install an accounting program on the same computer, and it will keep track of finances. Therefore, we can conclude: depending on what programs you install on your computer, you can solve such tasks on it.

Where to start to master the computer?

- This is a universal machine on which any person can solve their problems. Therefore, there are basic computer skills that every user should have. Each computer program, despite all their current abundance and specialization, also has a standard appearance or interface. All this helps the user to quickly master the work on the computer.

One more conclusion can be drawn: the basic skills of working with universal programs are also applied in specialized programs. This makes it easier to work with a computer, and, if necessary, the development of new programs.

This means that it is easiest to learn how to work on a computer by studying basic skills and knowledge. Below is a list of basic skills:


  • the ability to create, open, copy, edit, move, delete - a folder, document or file. A novice user should know what is the difference between a folder and a file or document, how files are stored and how to store them correctly on a hard drive.

  • use, because now almost every computer is connected to the Internet. Therefore, the security of the computer and the data stored in it must be at a high level.

  • use the Internet, in other words - find the necessary information, use e-mail, programs designed to communicate with other people.

  • use various multimedia programs designed to view and listen to multimedia files. Multimedia files come in a wide variety of formats, so sometimes they need to be converted from one format to another. This is called conversion, and for this there are various programs - converters.


As a rule, working on a computer involves the simultaneous use of all these skills. For example, you need to find desired document on the Internet, save it on your computer and send it to e-mail friend.

Since work on a computer is individual, each user decides for himself which programs should be installed on the computer. This means that it is desirable to be able to install or install them, in a different way, on your own. Accordingly, and delete, if necessary.

What else do you need to know about the computer to master it?

User or application programs by themselves cannot be installed or used without an operating system. This is the main and control program that allows the user to customize the computer according to his taste and preferences.

The operating system is also the link between the user programs and the computer hardware. The operating system, controlling the computer, allocates the necessary resources for application programs: processor time and RAM.


Thus, the user must not only be able to use application programs, but it is also desirable to be able to configure the computer using the operating system. For example, the resolution and bit depth of the screen color palette. Or working with hard drives: defragmenting drives for more fast work, checking disks and fixing errors, cleaning disks of unnecessary files to increase free space and performance.

In the future, after gaining sufficient experience, you can independently learn

Who is the book for?
This book is for seniors who are just getting started with computers and want to learn how to choose a computer, run programs, and use the Internet. When writing the book, I tried to take into account the interests of those who are well over 50 and who are just beginning to discover wonderful world computers.

Types of computers.
Just as there are many models of shoes or mobile phones, exist and different types computers. Computers come in laptops and desktops, run different operating systems, run different programs, and some of these devices have specific characteristics, such as graphics or gaming. This section describes characteristic properties computers to consider when buying.

About the Author Introduction
Part I. The first steps in mastering the computer
Chapter 1 Buying a Computer
Chapter 2: Setting up your computer
Chapter 3 Windows 7 Desktop
Chapter 4 Monitor Setup
Chapter 5. Accessibility for people with special needs
Chapter 6. Installing Printers and Scanners
Chapter 7 Getting Help
Part II. Working with programs
Chapter 8 Application Basics
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11. Working with documents in Microsoft Word 2010
Chapter 12 Microsoft Excel 2010
Chapter 13 Viewing Movies and Photos
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Part III. Internet
Chapter 16. What is the Internet
Chapter 17 Browsing Sites with Internet Explorer
Chapter IS. Safety first
Chapter 19 Email
Chapter 20
Part IV. Take care of your computer
Chapter 21 Windows Security
Chapter 22 Troubleshooting
Subject index

Free download e-book in a convenient format, watch and read:
Download the book Computer for pensioners for dummies, 2nd ed., Sergeeva A.P., Guseva B.C., 2013 - fileskachat.com, fast and free download.

  • Speech therapy technologies, Technology for examining motor functions, Teaching aid, Sergeeva A.I., 2010
  • English for beginners, Krylova I.P., Kraeva I.A., Lukanina S.A., Matroshilina T.O., Guseva N.G., 2010 - The textbook includes basic material on phonetics, grammar and vocabulary in English in accordance with his modern standards and considering... English language books
  • Academic adaptation of educational migrants in the country of study, Monograph, Ushakova N.I., 2017
  • Credit papers in mathematics, 1st grade, Guseva E.V., Kournikova E.V., Ostanina E.A., 2015

The following tutorials and books:

  • Theoretical foundations of information-measuring systems, Babak V.P., Babak S.V., Eremenko V.S., Kuts Yu.V., Marchenko N.B., Mokiychuk V.M., Monchenko E.V., Ornatsky D.P., Pavlov V.G., Pustovoitov N.A., Shcherbak L.N., 2014

Modern realities are such that the computer has firmly and permanently become an integral part of our lives. It is necessary at work, in the family and at home, for leisure activities, etc. The amount of data that we trust PCs is constantly and rapidly growing, and it is already hard to believe that just some twenty years ago for many of our compatriots the concept of "computer" was mysterious and abstract.

But to become a full-fledged computer user, it is not enough just to purchase it and put it on workplace. First, you will have to get at least some minimum of knowledge and skills that will allow you not only to find out what a modern PC is and what it consists of, but also how, in fact, to use it. Moreover, consultations of more “advanced” acquaintances will not be enough: you will have to read special literature, to which the proposed book also belongs - designed, by the way, for the most novice users (simply speaking, for “dummies”).

The relationship between a person and a PC is provided with the help of a special software product called the "operating system". At the moment, the most popular are systems manufactured under the Windows brand from Microsoft. But there are other "OSes", for example - Linux, Unix, MS-DOS. In this book, we will consider the Windows system, because it is the one that is used on the vast majority of computers (the description is based on the example of Windows XP Professional).

Chapter 1
General information about the personal computer

So what is a typical personal computer? This and much more is covered in the first chapter of the book.

1.1. What is a typical PC made of?

The heart of every PC is the system unit. It is he who provides the processing and storage of all the data necessary for the user. The system unit consists of a number of separate elements, together representing a single whole. We will not consider each of them in detail, since the purpose of the book is to teach a person how to use a computer, and not to tell about its device. We only emphasize that in any PC it includes:

Hard disk (in a simple way - "hard drive");

Random access memory (RAM; in a simple way - "RAM");

CPU;

motherboard;

Video card;

Fan.

All these elements are located inside the case; without any of them, in principle, it is impossible to operate a computer. However, other devices may also be present in the system unit: a fax modem, a TV tuner, a network card, etc. - here much depends on what tasks are solved using this computer. For example, to watch TV shows, you need a TV tuner, to surf the Internet, you need a modem, etc.

A hard drive is used to store data on a computer. But for this you can use (and often it is more convenient) external media - floppy disks (which, frankly, are already living out their lives), CDs and DVDs, "flash drives", etc.

Their use is possible if there are appropriate devices in the system unit: for floppy disks - a drive, for disks - CD- or DVD-ROM, etc. Sometimes it is useful to use the so-called "removable hard drive" - ​​for example, in order not to leave a lot of valuable or sensitive data that should not be accessed by unauthorized persons.

In addition to the system unit, the computer includes a number of necessary technical means– such as monitor, keyboard, mouse and printer.

The monitor looks like conventional TV. The result of the processes occurring in the system unit is displayed on its screen. Today, the market offers a wide range of any monitors - both with cathode ray tube- the age of which, however, is already ending, and liquid crystal. We will talk more about how to choose a suitable monitor for yourself and test it below.

Advice. Please note that choosing a monitor is a very responsible process. Try to get the advice of specialists or at least more experienced users before that. Choosing the Right Monitor importance for health (primarily the eyes), as well as for comfort, so this issue deserves the closest attention. It is highly undesirable to buy monitors that have already been in use.

The keyboard is a device that is used to enter and display information. Simply put, using the keyboard, the user gives commands to the computer to perform certain tasks (operations). Working with the keyboard is easy even for beginners; the only difficulties in the initial stages are related to remembering the location of the keys and, accordingly, quickly finding the required character.

The functions that the computer manipulator "mouse" performs are in many ways similar to the functions of the keyboard: first of all, this is the input and output of information. In addition, a number of actions are more convenient to perform with the mouse.

The key elements of a mouse are its buttons. The left button is designed to perform most of the most common actions (calling menu items, selecting text fragments, etc.); as for the right button, it is usually used to invoke commands from the context menu.

Keyboards and mice are also widely available on the market. Here and wireless, and optical, and a number of different models and options. When choosing a keyboard and mouse, first of all, be guided by considerations of practicality - otherwise you risk spending money on completely unnecessary “bells and whistles”.

A printer is a printing device with which the data displayed on the monitor screen is output to paper. The printer is connected to the computer in the same way as a monitor, keyboard and mouse - using a cable inserted into the port on the back of the system unit. Today on Russian market There are three types of printers: dot matrix, inkjet and laser.

The undoubted advantage of dot matrix printers is their relatively low cost and ease of maintenance. The main drawback is the noise emitted during printing, which often causes serious discomfort (especially if several matrix printers are used in the same room).

Inkjet printers are also notable for their low cost, but at the same time they differ in comparison with their dot-matrix counterparts. best quality print. Main disadvantage inkjet printers- unjustified high cost of maintenance (the price of a new cartridge is sometimes more than half the cost of the entire printer).

The most “modern” printers these days are laser printers. They are cheaper than matrix and inkjet, and the print quality is better, and the price Maintenance(in particular, refilling the cartridge) is quite reasonable.

So, we are already more or less familiar with the most important elements of a modern computer. However, there are also technical devices that are not "vital", but necessary for some operations. The most typical example is a modem.

This device is designed to connect your computer to the Internet. Modems can be built-in (that is, located inside the system unit) or external, made as a separate device connected to the computer via a cable. In order for communication with the World Wide Web to be possible, you need to set up an Internet connection (we will talk about this below). The modem receives and sends data over the Internet.

To quickly transfer information from paper carrier into a computer using a special device - a scanner. It allows you not to enter text printed on paper from the keyboard, and thereby saves a lot of time. In addition, the capabilities of the scanner make it possible to create and print a document, the formation of which in the traditional way is unrealistic or impractical.

1.2. Main technical characteristics of the computer

Main technical specifications computer are: hard drive size, processor speed and RAM. Of course, these are far from all the parameters that a PC has, and there are indicators, for example, for a modem, video card, sound card, etc. However, it is these three characteristics that give the most complete picture of a particular computer, its speed and ability to meet the needs of the user. Let's briefly consider each of them.

It is easy to guess what the volume of a hard disk is: this indicator characterizes the capacity of a hard drive, and based on this, you can determine how much and what information can be stored and processed on a computer. For the work of most users, a hard drive that can accommodate from 80 to 160 GB of information is quite suitable.

The processor clock speed is also great importance. Along with the amount of RAM, this indicator directly affects the speed of the computer. If you are not going to play powerful games on your computer modern games, deal with complex processing of music files, videos, graphics, etc., then a processor frequency of 1.5-2 GHz will be enough for you.

But even if your computer uses a large hard drive and a powerful processor, and there is not enough RAM, there will be performance problems. The average amount of RAM that will satisfy most users is 1024 MB.

Note. The recommendations given here are conditional and "averaged": someone needs a more powerful computer, and someone is quite satisfied with twice the smaller characteristics. Much depends on what tasks the computer is used to solve.

1.3. Basic rules for working on a computer

Rules for working on personal computer formed a long time ago on the basis of many years of experience in operating a PC. Every user should know them: this is necessary both to protect the computer from troubles and to preserve the information contained in it.

1. It is imperative to install a reliable anti-virus program on the PC. Even if you do not use the World Wide Web, you can always pick up a virus from someone else's CD or DVD, from local network, etc. From time to time, you need to completely scan your computer for malware.

2. If you access the Internet, be sure to protect your computer with a firewall (for sure, many have heard the word “firewall”). The most common Internet Explorer browser from Microsoft is protected by a regular firewall, but even not the most “advanced” hackers have long found loopholes in it. Therefore, use more reliable protection (for example, a good firewall is Zone Alarm, and it also has a free version that can be downloaded from the Web).

3. Do not experiment with the contents of the system block. If you need to somehow change the configuration of your computer, use the services of professionals (or, in last resort at least get a comprehensive consultation from them).

4. Provide stable uninterrupted power supply. Please note that the quality of Russian electricity is far from the best (this is a legacy of the USSR - a similar problem exists in all countries former Union), so the computer must be protected from power surges, unexpected power outages, etc. A surge protector must be purchased in any case, or even better - spare no expense and buy an uninterruptible power supply.

5. If the computer has been in the cold for some time, then do not turn it on immediately after it is in a warm place, but be sure to let it stand for at least 1.5–2 hours.

6. Do not install the PC where it can overheat (near radiators, in direct sunlight, etc.).

7. Never launch icons and shortcuts that suddenly appear on the desktop and are unfamiliar to you (we will talk about what a desktop, icon and shortcut are below) - malware is often distributed in such a simple way. If you find something similar in yourself, immediately scan your computer with a good antivirus (required - with updated and fresh anti-virus databases).

8. Track the temperature regime of PC components. All regular fans should work, if one of them fails, it should be quickly repaired or replaced with a serviceable one. Watch for temperature regime You can use special utilities that can be found on the Internet.

9. Try to minimize the ingress of dust into the system unit. Not everyone knows that it can cause overheating of computer components, disappearance of contacts and other similar problems. Try not to put the system unit on the floor, as there is always a lot of dust on the floor. From time to time (for example, once every six months) clean the system unit and remove accumulated debris from it (you can use a vacuum cleaner for this).

10. Shut down any session gracefully, using the normal shutdown mode (we'll talk about this in the next section).

Compliance with these rules will significantly extend the life of your computer and greatly increase its reliability.

1.4. How to turn on, turn off and restart your computer

Even such, at first glance, simple operations, such as turning on, turning off and restarting the computer, require certain knowledge from the user.

For example, turning on the computer (by pressing the corresponding button). Not all beginners know that before doing this, it is necessary to connect all used devices to the system unit: monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc. The fact is that they are recognized by the computer during the loading of the operating system. Therefore, if you first turn on the computer, and only after that - connect a mouse or keyboard to it, they may remain unrecognized, therefore, their use will be impossible (or rather, you will have to reboot).

Let us remind you once again that it is strongly not recommended to turn on the computer in electrical network directly, without a "buffer" in the form of a surge protector or an uninterruptible power supply. Otherwise, the slightest power surge will lead to a computer breakdown: the motherboard, power supply, etc. may fail. As a rule, repairs in such cases cost a lot of money. In addition, you risk losing data.

It is necessary to turn off the computer using the appropriate regular mode, after closing all running programs and open documents. On the menu Start need to choose a team Shutdown As a result, the window shown in Fig. 1.1.


Rice. 1.1. System shutdown


In this window, click the button Shutdown and wait for the system to shut down. After that, you do not need to press any buttons - the computer will turn off automatically.

The need to restart the computer arises when installing or uninstalling certain programs, when performance problems occur (in other words, when “freezing”), and also in some other cases. Restarting is carried out in the same way as turning off the computer - with the difference that in the window (see Fig. 1.1) you need to press the button not .

However, sometimes the computer freezes so much that even the menu Start does not open. In this case, the reboot is initiated by pressing a button specially designed for this, which is located on the system unit (it may have the inscription reset).

Chapter 2: Getting Started with Windows XP Professional

Earlier we have already noted that to work on a computer, you need a special software- operating system. This book provides a description of today's most popular operating room. Windows systems from Microsoft (under consideration Windows version XP Professional).

The first thing that appears on the screen after the computer boots up is the Windows user interface (Fig. 2.1), which includes the following components: Desktop, Task bar and menu Start.


Rice. 2.1. Windows user interface


Menu Start opens by pressing the button of the same name, which is located in the lower left corner of the interface. Task bar is a strip along the entire lower bound interface, and includes icons, buttons for open applications, system clock, etc. The largest part of the user interface is occupied by Desktop- this is the entire screen area, except for the button Start and taskbar.

2.1. Desktop

The desktop is decorated with a background image, on top of which shortcuts for calling applications and folder icons are displayed. In addition, by clicking on the desktop with the right mouse button, a context menu is called up.

2.1.1. Desktop Background

You can use files that have one of the following extensions as your desktop wallpaper: bmp, gif, jpg, dib, png, or htm.

Note. A file extension is a set of characters characterizing its type, immediately following its name and separated from the file name by a dot. To make it clearer, let's explain with specific examples: in the file List. doc extension - doc(it indicates that this document was created in the Word program), in the file Picture. bmp extension - bmp(by the way, this is one of the graphic extensions), etc.

The default desktop wallpaper is an image called Serenity(see figure 2.1). Note that the developers have included a number of graphic files in the operating system, and you can choose any of them to design your desktop. This is easy to do: right-click on the desktop, in the menu that opens, execute the command Properties, and in the window that appears Properties: Screen select tab Desktop(Fig. 2.2).


Rice. 2.2. Selecting an image for the wallpaper


In field background picture a list of graphic files is presented, any of which can be used for design. To select a suitable image, select it in the list with the cursor and press the button Apply or OK. Above the list of images, a sample of how the desktop will look with the currently selected image is shown - this allows you to quickly view all the contents of the list and choose the most appropriate option. Please note: in fig. 2.2 background picture selected in the list Serenity, which decorated the desktop in Fig. 2.1.

In principle, you can use any image to decorate your desktop (for example, a photo of your favorite lap dog, or family photo, etc.) by adding it to the list and selecting by general rules. The button is used to perform this operation. Overview, which is located to the right of the list (see Fig. 2.2). It brings up a window on the screen. Overview(Fig. 2.3).


Rice. 2.3. Selecting an arbitrary image


Here in the field Folder(at the top of the window) indicates the path to the file of the required image. Open the drop-down list, select a directory (if the picture file is not located in the root directory, then open all folders on the path to it in sequence), then click on the required file and click the button Open.

As a result of the actions performed, the specified figure will be added to the list background images located in the window Properties: Screen tab Desktop. Moreover, the cursor is automatically positioned on it, and a sample of how the desktop will look like will be displayed in the field located above (Fig. 2.4).


Rice. 2.4. Custom Image


Changes will take effect after clicking the button Apply or OK(Fig. 2.5).


Rice. 2.5. Decorating the desktop with a custom image


Similarly, you can decorate the desktop with any pattern. The only condition is that its extension must correspond to one of those given at the beginning of the section.

2.1.2. Desktop icons and shortcuts

The main functional element of the Windows desktop is the icons and shortcuts located on it, designed for quick access to programs, files, documents and folders. You can install the necessary icons and shortcuts on the desktop yourself.

Note. As a rule, shortcuts and icons for the most frequently used applications, files and folders are displayed on the desktop. In other cases, it is better to use Explorer (we will talk about it in more detail below) so as not to clutter up the desktop with rarely used elements.

After installing the operating system, the icon is displayed on the desktop by default. Basket. It provides access to the shopping cart with deleted files, folders and other objects. Periodically, you should delete all the contents from the trash, so as not to store on your hard drive what is no longer needed.


Note. If you need to immediately and permanently delete an object from the hard disk, bypassing the trash, use the keyboard shortcut Shift+Del.


Also, when installing Windows on the desktop, the following icons and shortcuts may be automatically displayed:

My computer– to access files, folders and documents stored on the computer.

My documents– this folder stores various current user documents (letters, reports, etc.).

My music– the folder is intended for storing music and sound files.

My drawings- in this folder it is advisable to store digital photos, drawings, graphic objects, etc.