Acknowledgements About the Author Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Banishing Old Beliefs 1 Knowing age is no barrier 2 Sorting out gender differences 3 Stretching the mind 3 Using a Home Computer 4 Getting on to the Internet 5 Communication 5 Information 5 Shopping 6 Hobbies 6 Sport 7 Holidays 7 Financial security issues 7 Getting Everything You Need to Start 8 Using this Book 10 Icons used in this book 12 Overcoming Your Fears 12 Fear of breaking it 12 Fear of looking stupid 13 Fear of losing all your hard work 13 COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL xvii xvii
Revision 14 Answers 15 PART I: Basic Computing 17 Chapter 2: Learning the basics desktop, keyboard and mouse 19 Windows Vista or Windows XP 19 Switching On the Computer 20 Looking at the opening screen 20 Understanding the Desktop 21 The taskbar 23 Icon identification 25 Focusing on the Keyboard 25 Computer keys 26 Operating the Mouse 32 Trackballs and trackpads 33 Switching Off the Computer 38 Revision 41 Answers 44 Chapter 3: Understanding Windows 45 Using Windows Vista 46 Computer window 46 Title bar 46 Side panel 50 Scroll bars 50 Closing the window 51 Using Windows XP 51 Computer window 51 Title bar 52 Menu bar 53 Toolbar 54 Side panel 54 Scroll bars 54 Closing the window 54 viii
Revision 55 Answers 57 Chapter 4: Working with disks, drives, folders and files 59 Using Windows Vista 60 Moving icons in a window 61 Moving a window on the screen 62 Creating a new folder 63 Using Windows XP 64 Moving icons in a window 65 Restoring order to a window 65 Moving a window on the screen 66 Creating a new folder 66 Navigating the System 66 Revision 69 Answers 71 Chapter 5: Opening your first program 73 Locating and Opening WordPad in Vista 73 Locating and Opening WordPad in XP 74 Getting Familiar with WordPad in Vista and XP 76 Basic WordPad window 76 Main screen 79 Typing Text into WordPad 80 Correcting the text with Backspace and Delete keys 80 Creating Shortcuts 82 Revision 83 Answers 85 Chapter 6: Grasping basic word processing 87 Creating Your First Letter 87 Saving a File 89 Understanding Computer Memory 90 ix
Closing a File 92 Reopening a File 92 Manipulating the Text in Your File 92 Methods of selection 94 Altering the Appearance of Selected Text 95 Using Other Techniques 97 Select using dragging and Shift 97 Moving text 98 Printing a Document 99 Previewing a printout 100 Revision 100 Answers 103 Chapter 7: Customising your desktop 105 Adding a Shortcut Icon to Your Desktop 105 Changing the Look of Your Desktop 106 Themes 107 Desktop 108 Screen Saver 108 Appearance 108 Settings 108 Customising the Taskbar 110 Revision 112 Answers 114 Chapter 8: Knowing how to get help 115 Taking Emergency Action 115 Pressing CTRL+ALT+Delete 115 Using Program Help Facilities 117 WordPad Help 117 Windows Help 120 Revision 123 Answers 125 PART II: Email and the Internet 127 x
Chapter 9: Getting connected to email and the Internet 129 Grasping the Concept of Internet and Email 130 Communicating via the network 130 Choosing an ISP 132 Selecting Your Internet Service 133 Establishing cost versus quality of service 133 Getting Connected: Dial-up and Broadband 134 Dial-up 134 Broadband 135 Setting up an Internet Connection 136 Selecting Usernames and Passwords 139 Usernames 140 Passwords 141 Revision 142 Answers 144 Chapter 10: Using email 147 Getting Ready for the Big Send Off 147 Using Outlook Express for Windows XP 149 Composing a Message 151 Step 1: Address Book adding and using contacts 151 Step 2: Subject box indicating what your message is about 154 Step 3: Message pane typing your message 155 Step 4: Send button sending your message on its way 155 Receiving a Message 160 Dealing with Attachments 160 Sending an attachment 161 Opening an attachment 162 Replying to an Email 162 Using Windows Mail for Vista 164 Revision 166 Answers 168 xi
Chapter 11: Discovering the Internet & the World Wide Web 169 Understanding the Differences between the Web and the Internet 169 Using Microsoft s Internet Browser 170 Opening the basic Explorer window 170 Getting familiar with the toolbar 172 Looking at Web Pages 175 Using links to access information 176 Working with Web Addresses 177 Elements that make up a web address 178 Viewing PDF Files 181 Revision 182 Answers 184 Chapter 12: Making the most of search engines and directories 185 Utilising Directories 186 Yahoo 186 Open Directory 188 Using Search Engines 189 Google 189 Useful Searching Tips 192 Using phrases 192 Choosing upper or lower case 192 Excluding words 192 Revision 193 Answers 196 Chapter 13: Shopping online 197 Paying Safe with Credit and Debit Cards 198 Advantages to Shopping Online 198 Disadvantages to Shopping Online 199 The Net is not necessarily cheaper 200 Considering Security Issues 200 Steps to improve your financial security on the Internet 201 xii
The Mechanics of Web Shopping 202 Visiting Price Comparison Sites 207 Revision 208 Answers 211 Chapter 14: Travelling via the Web 213 Knowing What Makes a Good Deal 214 Resorting to Traditional Booking 215 Making a Booking 215 Shopping for Bargain Flights Made Easier 218 Travelling Without Tickets 220 Revision 221 Answers 222 Chapter 15: Buying and selling on internet auctions 223 Discovering the Wonders of ebay 224 Registering on ebay 225 Buying on ebay 227 Paying via PayPal 231 Selling on ebay 234 Revision 237 Answers 239 Chapter 16: Loading software programs 241 Loading Programs on to Your Computer 242 Inserting the disk and installing the program 242 A Strong Word of Warning 245 Revision 246 Answers 247 Chapter 17: Downloading programs from the Web 249 Knowing Why Freeware Exists 249 Understanding the Difference between Freeware and Shareware 250 xiii
Buying Software to Download 250 Downloading a Freeware Program 251 Introducing Picasa 251 Revision 253 Answers 254 PART III: Advanced Tutorials 255 Chapter 18: Mastering basic photo manipulation 257 Preparing for Transfer What You Need 257 Transferring Images from Camera Card to Computer 259 Method for Windows Vista 259 Method for Windows XP 262 Using Picasa 263 Opening the program 263 Cataloguing Images 264 Editing Images 267 Basic Fixes 268 Tuning 268 Effects 268 Re-naming and Cataloguing Images 269 Revision 270 Answers 272 Chapter 19: Tackling advanced word processing 273 Progressing from WordPad to Word 273 Changing the Appearance of the Type 274 Correcting Spelling and Grammar 275 AutoCorrect 278 AutoText 279 Inserting Symbols 280 Inserting Pictures 281 Formatting Pictures 283 Formatting Text 283 Justifying 284 xiv
Numbering 284 Bullets 285 Creating Tables 285 Mail Merge 286 Revision 288 Answers 291 Chapter 20: Progressing to advanced email 293 Coping with Junk Mail 293 Knowing how to combat spam 294 Installing an anti-spam filter 295 Making life difficult for spammers 295 Fighting Viruses and Other Nasties 295 Trojans 296 Viruses 296 Worms 296 How do I get a virus infection? 297 How do I prevent a virus attack? 297 Phishing 297 Organising Your Messages and Other Time-saving Features 298 Creating a subfolder 299 Creating rules 300 Adding signatures 301 Saving drafts 302 Focusing on Email and Web Links 302 Considering Web-based Email Accounts 303 Signing Up to Hotmail 304 Setting Up Outlook Express to Work with Hotmail 306 Communicating with Instant Messaging 307 Installing and using MSN Messenger 307 Revision 312 Answers 314 Chapter 21: Getting more out of the Internet 315 Choosing Alternative Web Browsers 316 Selecting Browser Toolbars 316 xv
Using the Links Bar 317 Adding to the Favorites Menu 317 Making the Most of Google 318 Google toolbar 318 Google tools 320 Introducing Tabbed Browsing 320 Listening to Radio on Your Computer 321 Revision 321 Answers 324 PART IV: Appendices 325 Appendix A: Useful websites 327 Appendix B: Glossary 337 Index 353 xvi