UNDERSTANDING YOUR

COMPUTER
 COMPUTERS
Personal Computers Macintosh
• Often called PC’s. • Often called Macs and
• IBM Compatible. Apples.
• Most common • Most
computer used in common
business settings. computer in
schools and
for artistic
work.
 OPERATING SYSTEMS (OS)
• The operating system is the main program
in your computer. It tells almost everything
in your computer how to work.
• It can change the way things appear on your
screen or desktop.
Macintosh computers
Windows is the most
use only Mac
common operating
operating systems
system for PCs.
like OS 9 or OS 10
 HARDWARE
Hardware is the name for the physical
parts of your computer. The parts that
you can touch.
• CPU
• Monitor
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Speakers
• Printer
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT
• This is what makes a computer
work. The monitor is just
a blank screen without it.
• Stores information. Has
a “memory.”
• Holds the disk drives and hard drive.
• This is where you will find the power switch to
turn the computer on and off.
• Also called CPU, Computer, and Processor.
 MOUSE

• Cursor
• Click: Select
• Double-Click: Enter choice
• Click and Drag: Move
• Right-Click: Menu
 KEYBOARD
• Key pad
• Arrow Keys
• QWERTY
• Tab
• Caps Lock
• Shift
• Back Space
• Enter or Return
 DISKS
• 3.5 Floppy Disk • CD ROM Disk
– This is the most – Just like a music CD.
common disk used. – Software is purchased
– Save and retrieve from on CD.
the A: drive. – Today, some CD’s can
be used to save
– Limited capacity information, but the
computer has to have a
CD burners.
• Usually retrieve
from the D: drive.
 Desktop
• The first screen you see when the
computer starts up

• The desktop has

several icons that
can be used as
short-cuts to a
program or file.
 DRIVES
• Hard drive
– Usually C: drive.
– Allows you to save
information in your
computer.
• Floppy drive
– Usually A: or B: drive.
– Allows you to save and get
information from a disk.
• CD ROM
– Compact Disk Read Only
Memory.
– Usually D: drive
– Allows you to get
information from a CD.
– Software is sold on CD to
be installed on the hard
drive.
 Folders and Documents
• Folders are a way to organize your
documents within drives
• A document is each thing that you create on
a computer. A document can be made
using any
• type of
• software.
 SOFTWARE
• Software gives your Some examples of
computer information software programs that
so that it is able to we will use in class:
perform different
– Word
tasks.
– Excel
• Software needs to be – PowerPoint
installed on a – Publisher
computer, usually – Internet Explorer
from a CD. – Mavis Beacon
 MICROSOFT OFFICE
• Software Package
• Windows
• Word - word processor
• Excel - spreadsheet
• PowerPoint - presentation
• Publisher - publications
• Access - database
• Internet Explorer - Internet
 MICROSOFT WORD
• Word Processor
• Like a typewriter except you can edit, copy,
move and delete
text. You can
check your spelling
and grammar, too.
• Use for letters and
documents which
are mainly text.
 MICROSOFT EXCEL
• Spreadsheet
• Use with documents
which are mainly
numbers or graphs.
• Performs
mathematical
calculations.
 MICROSOFT POWERPOINT
• Presentation software.
• Use for posters and
presentations.
• This presentation
was created on
PowerPoint!
 MICROSOFT INTERNET
EXPLORER
• This software allows
you to access the
internet.
• Allows you to save
and edit information
from the internet.
• Allows you to send
and receive e-mail.
 MAVIS BEACON
• Mavis Beacon is a
learning software.
• Mavis Beacon teaches
typing and 10-Key.
• You can use this
software to learn to
type, and to monitor
your progress.