Computer Tips Lesson 1         Printable Version  This lesson includes: Glossary | Moving Around | Keyboard Tips | This lesson was created to help you become more comfortable with using your computer. It was written mostly for Windows users, but may pertain to Macintosh users as well. Many users feel they are computer illiterate. However, if you can turn on a computer and are able to use these message boards, you are NOT COMPUTER ILLITERATE! Hopefully, these tips will enable you to become more familiar with your computer and more confident of your abilities. Check out your keyboard, there are probably many keys you have never or rarely used before. In these tips and hints, { } equals a key on your keyboard, with the key needed between the symbols. If there are multiple sets of these, (i.e. { } { }) it means hold down all these keys at once starting with your finger on the first one listed and then release once all have been pressed. I used upper case letters in the key commands for better view of the letters, but it can be upper case or lower case. Quick Glossary Desktop Where your main icons are located Taskbar Place on your desktop where the start button and all open applications show Moving around Practice these for keystroke combinations, they do nothing but move you around your screen. What Using Mouse Using Keyboard Move to the end of line you are on Move mouse to end of line and click {end} Move to the beginning of line you are on Move mouse to beginning of line and click {home} Move to end of page Scroll down using scroll bar on right {ctrl} {end} Move to beginning of page Scroll up using scroll bar {ctrl} {home} Move up or down page a little at a time Scroll up or down {page down} = down {page up} = up Switch between open application When you have 2 or more applications open, such as a browser window and Solitaire game Messenger On taskbar (usually at the bottom of your screen), click the other application Hold down {alt} and then use {tab} by pressing once each application to switch. Release the {alt} when you are to the one you want Your Keyboard Action Mouse Keyboard Highlight Text For use when copying, pasting, deleting, etc. Move Cursor to where you want to begin highlighting. Left click and hold mouse button. Drag mouse to highlight text Move Cursor to where you want to begin highlighting. Hold down the shift key and press arrow key that points in direction you want to highlight. Release shift key when done highlighting HINT: If you want to highlight a bunch of text, just press the down or up arrow and it will highlight a line at a time in the direction of the arrow. HINT 2: Use the keys from above (page up, page down, end and home) to highlight all text in one direction (i.e. {ctrl} {end} will highlight all text from where you have cursor to end of text). Copy Copy text or image to paste a duplicate of it elsewhere (leaves a copy of the text or image in place where you are). Highlight text Right click mouse and select "copy" from the menu Press {ctrl} {C} Cut Cut text or image This removes text or image from screen Highlight text Right click mouse and select "cut" from the menu {ctrl} {X} Paste Places what you cut or copied where your cursor is currently at Place cursor where you want to insert Right click mouse and select "paste" from menu {ctrl} {V} Delete highlighted text Try this next time when you are responding to an email to delete everything below your response. Highlight text Right click mouse and select "delete" from the menu Highlight text HINT: Use {ctrl} {end} to highlight everything past your cursor and press "del" or "delete" button (may vary on your keyboard)  Becky -  9/14/2004