Note: Different computers and different systems operate somewhat differently therefore some directions may not seem clear to you. Please let us know of any places where you see discrepancies. Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Turn the computer On and Off 2 Basic Mouse Skills 3 The Desktop 4 Windows Features 5 Use Help 6 Start Menu & Explore (PC) - Apple Menu & Finder (Mac) 7 Use CDs & DVDs 10 Create and Delete Files and Folders 11 Print a Document 12 Save a File to the Network, Hard Drive or Desktop 12 Frozen Application or Computer 14 Basic Care and Maintenance 15 Virus Protection 16 Using Technology in an Ethical Manner 16
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 2 of 16 Turn the computer on and off PC: If you are using a Windows machine, your computer will consist of two pieces of equipment, the monitor and the CPU. You will need to turn the power on for both. Monitor power buttons are usually a button on the right front, just below the screen. Your CPU power button is usually on the front somewhere below the external media drives (the CD drive for example). A green indicator light will let you know the machine is on. Mac: If your computer is a Mac, your monitor and CPU are most likely combined in one unit. The power button will either be on the front right, under the screen, or on the right side towards the back. If you have a lamp style Mac, the on button will be on the back left of the base. Push in the on button to turn on the computer. Logging In You must log in (usually as staff). When you turn on the computer you should see the logon screen. If your computer is already logged in, switch users by one of the following: PC: 1. with your mouse, click on start in the lower left corner of your screen. 2. choose log off 3. choose switch user 4. choose the appropriate user. 5. type the password Mac: 1. with your mouse click the apple in the upper left hand corner 2. choose log out 3. Choose the appropriate user. 4. Type the password Logging Off PC: 1. with your mouse, click on start in the lower left corner of your screen. 2. choose log off 3. choose switch user Mac: 1. with your mouse click the apple in the upper left hand corner 2. choose log out.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 3 of 16 Use Basic Mouse skills PC: Your mouse has two buttons and possibly a rolling wheel in the middle. When you move the mouse, an arrow appears on the screen. The mouse is used to select text, folders, and icons. The left button is the most commonly used button. Use it to select and open items by pressing it down (called clicking). Single click selects items. They usually turn dark. Double click is two quick clicks on an item. This usually opens the item up. Click and drag is used when you need to move items around. You click and hold the mouse button down while dragging the mouse to move the item. The right button is used for extra options like cutting and pasting. It usually brings up a small menu of more options. The middle button or wheel can be rolled to scroll a page up and down. If you press the middle wheel down and drag your mouse, you can scroll rapidly through pages of text. Mac: When you move the mouse, an arrow appears on the screen. The mouse is used to select text, folders, and icons. Use it to select and open items by pressing down on the mouse (called clicking). Single click selects items. They usually turn dark. Double click is two quick clicks on an item. This usually opens the item up. Click and drag is used when you need to move items around. You click and hold the mouse down while dragging the mouse to move the item. The right button (or control click if you don t have a right button) is used for extra options like cutting and pasting. It usually brings up a small menu of more options. To copy and paste make sure you have selected only the item(s) you want to copy, then right click (Mac: ctrl click if you don t have a right button) and choose copy from the pop up menu, or click the edit menu > copy from the options at the top of the application window. Click where you want to paste the item to and right click > paste or edit menu > paste.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 4 of 16 The Desktop The desktop is the screen area without any programs opened. You may have program shortcuts on the desktop screen. You will find easy access to your computer and network drives on your desktop (PC) and hard Drive HD (Mac). Task Bar (PC) / Dock (Mac) The taskbar or dock appears at the bottom of your screen. PC: The taskbar contains the Start menu, which you can use to quickly start a program, find a file, or access Help. It also contains the Task Tray. The tray holds programs that are running in the background. When you open a program, document, or window, a button appears on the taskbar for each item. Use the buttons to quickly switch from one open window to another. Quick Launch The Quick Launch area is where you could click one time on an application icon (the little picture) to open the application. This feature can be customized to fit your application needs. Recycle Bin This is where your deleted items stay until you empty your Recycle Bin. To empty the recycle bin, right click on the icon (picture) and select "Empty Recycle Bin." Task Tray The Task Tray is an area that shows programs that constantly run in the background. If you right click on any of the icons you will see a menu that offers choices about that program. (Most people ignore these background programs unless directed to open them for a specific purpose.) Mac: The Dock usually appears at the bottom of your screen. You use it to open applications, documents, folders, servers, websites, and more. The Dock comes with icons for some applications and you can add others. Icons in your doc with a black indicator arrow under them (see above screen shot) are currently open. When you minimize a window or open an application that isn't in the Dock, it appears in the Dock with an arrow under it. To open an item in the Dock, click its icon. To open a file using an application in the Dock, drag the file icon and drop it on the icon in the Dock. To use the command menu for an item in the Dock, click and hold the item's icon and choose an option. You can change the way the Dock looks and works using the Personal > Dock pane in System Preferences. You can press the Control key and click the line that divides the Dock to choose options. You can also switch between applications by holding the apple key and clicking the tab key to scroll through the list of open applications.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 5 of 16 Windows Features A window is what appears on your screen when you open a file, folder, or application. Most of the information on your computer is displayed in windows. Usually, windows can be moved and resized. The "active" window is usually the window in front. You can bring a window to the front and make it active by clicking anywhere on the window. If you can't see the window you're looking for, you can drag other windows out of the way or minimize them. You can move a window by dragging its titlebar Short cut: hold down the alt key (PC) or apple key (Mac) and repeatedly press the tab key to toggle through open app s (open files and windows on a PC). Stop when the app or file you want to use is highlighted. On a Mac notice how the menu at the top of the screen changes to the menu for the app you have toggled to. PC: Minimize - Clicking on the Minimize button (or "-" button) in the top-right corner of the window will hide your window, but it s still open. If you look down at the Task Tray you will see a button for the window. If you have more than one window open and minimized you can go between windows by clicking on the buttons on the Task. Close - To close a window, click on the Close button (or "X" button). The window will close and the taskbar button will no longer appear. Please note that when you close an application window (i.e., Word), you actually quit the application. Maximize - Click on the Maximize/Restore icon located between the other two buttons to allow your window to fill your screen. This is very handy when working with applications. Clicking again will restore the window to its previous size. Mac: Minimize - To minimize/hide a window, click the middle (-) yellow button in the top-left corner of the window. To restore the window, click its icon on the far right of the Dock. Resize - If there is a resize control in the bottom-right corner of a document window, drag the control until the window is the size you want. You can click the green Zoom (+) button to make a window larger. Click it again to return to the previous size. Special F keys; F11: Press F11 to temporarily move all windows aside and reveal your desktop. Press F11 again to bring them all back. F9: To see all your open windows, press the F9 key (on a laptop keyboard you may need to hold the fn (function) key at the same time you press F9). Press it again to resume one window. F10: To see all the open windows in your current application, press the F10 key (on a laptop keyboard you may need to hold the fn key at the same time you press F10). As you're viewing the miniaturized windows, you can switch which app's windows you're viewing by pressing Tab.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 6 of 16 Use Help PC: Click on the Start menu and then click on Help Click contents tab- click the topic(s) until you see the help page that best describes your question or problem. For example, click Files and Folders. You see the page topics. When you click the page topic, you see the help information on the right side of the help window. You can scroll through this page to read the information. Some topics include definitions of terms (indicated with an underline) or Related Topics links. Click the term to display a popup definition. Click the link to go to that page. If you can t find what you are looking for using the Contents tab, you can look for a topic in the index. Click the Index tab and then type the word or phrase to find. As you type, Windows scrolls to display matching entries. You need to double click on the topic to display the information on the right side of the screen. The Help Assistant Another way to access help is to use the help assistant when you are in a program such as Word. Click on your Word document on the task bar. Click on the menu item Help and choose Show the Office Assistant. The office assistant takes on the look of many characters: paperclip, dog, cat, etc. Double click on the Office Assistant. Type your question and then click on Search. Type Choose a different office assistant TIP: Another way to choose an office assistant is to right click the assistant. Click Choose Assistant. You can quickly hide the assistant this way as well by clicking on Hide Mac: Use the Help menu to open the Help Viewer and look at any application's help files. These files might include information, charts, instructions, or other helpful materials. To find answers to your questions about Mac OS X, choose Mac Help from the Finder's Help menu. The fastest way to find information is to use the search function, but you can also explore help by clicking links. To search, type a few words in the search field, then press Return. You can choose whether to search just the help you have open or all available help, by clicking the magnifying glass in the search field. When the search is complete, select a topic in the results list and click Show. If you want to see a brief summary of a topic, you expected, try using a different word or more than one word when you search. Rest the pointer over the title for a moment until the summary appears. If a search doesn't return results you can click links to browse through help pages or topic lists. Some applications may include special pages (such as What's New) or an index that make investigating easier.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 7 of 16 Use Start Menu & Explore (PC) - Apple Menu & Finder (Mac) PC: Start Menu The Start menu is where you will find your programs, printer settings, computer settings and be able to open documents. Rest your mouse over the Start button and click to open it. (You can also press Ctrl + Esc or the Windows Logo key to bring up the menu.) Starting a Program - To start a program, rest your mouse over the programs folder. A menu will expand outward. Then, rest the mouse over the program you want until it is highlighted, then click on it. To Switch Between Running Programs - Your computer is capable of running several programs at the same time. To see how this works, open more than one application (i.e., Outlook and Word) and look on the task bar and you will see the application buttons. Click a program's button on the taskbar to display it. You could now switch between Outlook and Word. Control Panels - The control panels contain many different programs that directly affect how the computer will run. You can use your mouse skills and window skills to change your desktop and screensaver. Go to the Start Menu. Rest your mouse on Settings and click on Control panels and choose Display. The following screen will appear. Notice there are six different tabs. Display Properties (Background Tab) - Click the Background Tab The tabs that can be customized are the Background, Screen Saver, Appearance, Effects, and Settings. Click on the picture you want to use for your desktop picture. Decide if you want it centered (small in the center) Stretched (fills screen) or tiled (many small pictures all over the screen). Click Apply to make it set. Click the Screen Saver Tab: You can modify the screen saver. Select a time that works for you. (Most users set their screen saver to start after 10-15 minutes of inactivity.) Using the Marquee display or the Windows logo screensaver is recommended. Choose a screen saver. Choose settings and format. What settings you use depends on the type of screen saver you choose. The Settings Tab - The settings tab controls the actual screen resolution and color. Colors - You have a choice between 256 colors, High Color 16 bit and True Color 24 bit. Different applications require different settings. Unless you are working with graphics, set to high color. Some Applications require and or work best at 256 colors. Screen Area - This is where you change the size of your screen. The bigger the numbers the more stuff can fit on the screen. Keep in mind that it does get smaller to read. So, if someone is having a tough time reading the screen, turn down the screen area. Using either 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 is recommended for non-wide screen monitors.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 8 of 16 PC: Use Explore features of Windows Windows Explore is another way to view files and folders and drives on your computer. It shows your Network Places and your Mapped Network Drives. Using explorer you can copy, move, rename, and search for files and folders. For example, you can open a folder that contains a file you want to copy or move, and then drag it to another folder or even another drive. To use the Explore feature on any file or drive, right click and choose Explore. Let s Explore My Computer. Viewing files and folders: 1. Right click My Computer. 2. Click on Explore 3. You will see a split window showing the folders on the left and what is inside of them on the right 4. Click Desktop on the left. 5. On the right you will see what is on the desktop. 6. Click My documents on the left. You should see your file inside. TIP: To view as a list, click on the VIEW MENU > List Explore a CD If you want to see what is on the CD-ROM, use the Explore feature of "My Computer" 1. Right Click on My Computer 2. Select "Explore" 3. Click on the CD-ROM Drive (D: Drive) in the left frame of the window 4. The contents of the CD-ROM will be displayed in the right frame. Explore a Disk To see what is on a CD 1. Right click on My Computer 2. Select "Explore" 3. Click on the CD drive in the left frame of the window 4. The contents of the CD will be displayed in the right frame
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 9 of 16 Mac: Apple Menu & Finder In Mac OS X, you can use the Apple menu, from the Apple icon on the far left of the top bar, to do the following: 1. Check your OS version 2. Open System Preferences 3. Change the way the Dock works 4. Select a network location 5. Get new software 6. Shut down and restart your computer 7. Log out of Mac OS X 8. Open applications & files you have used recently Use System Preferences application from the Apple menu to set or change many system-wide settings for your computer, such as the date and time, the way your keyboard and mouse work, and your network settings. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click the icon for the settings you want to change. To change the number of recent items in the Recent Items submenu, use the Appearance preferences pane in System Preferences. To open a recent server, choose Go > Connect To Server in the Finder and choose the server you want from the Recent Servers pop-up menu. To open folders you opened recently, choose Go > Recent Folders in the Finder. You cannot add items to the Apple menu. For easy access to applications and documents you use frequently, drag their icons to the Dock. Finder - Getting to know your desktop You use the Finder in the Dock to see your disks, servers, applications, and documents. You can open, copy, move, and make aliases (short cuts) to these items. At the top of your screen is the Apple Finder menu when you are not in another application. When other applications are in use, their menus will appear here instead. You can click the desktop at any time to get back to the Finder menu. At the bottom of the screen is the Dock. It contains icons for some of the applications included on your computer. When you click an icon, the application opens. If you open a different application or minimize a window, that icon also appears in the Dock. You can add many types of items to the Dock for easy access. The Dock also includes the Trash. If you click the Finder icon in the Dock, a window opens and you can see the organization of your folders and files. Finder windows have a toolbar at the top to help you perform tasks quickly, and a sidebar to provide quick access to items. You can open folders to view their contents, and when you find a file or application you want to use, you can open it by using the File menu or double-clicking your mouse. You can arrange items on your desktop any way you like, store folders and files there, and even customize the background picture.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 10 of 16 Use CDs & DVDs: To insert a CD or DVD PC: Press the eject button for the CD drive. Gently place the CD, label side up centered in the tray. Press the eject button again to close the tray. If the CD has auto-play it will start on its own and you will be prompted to use various features. If you want to see what is on the CD, use the Explore feature of "My Computer" 1. Right Click on My Computer 2. Select "Explore" 3. Click on the CD, often Drive (D: or E: Drive) in the left frame of the window 4. The contents of the CD will be displayed in the right frame. Removing Media Do not remove any type of media when the drive is active. You can usually see a light below or on the media drive itself when the drive is active. For a CD, press the CD eject button on the tray front. Slide the tray out. Carefully Lift the CD off the drive tray. Mac: If your computer has a DVD drive, you can insert CDs and DVDs to play music, watch movies, install software, or back up data. If your computer has a slot-loading disc drive, insert the disc (with the label facing up) into the drive slot until you feel the drive catch the disc and take it in the rest of the way. If your computer has a tray-loading disc drive, follow these steps: 1. Press the Media Eject key on your keyboard (far right, top row). If your keyboard doesn't have one, hold down the F12 key until the Eject icon appears on the screen. 2. Place a disc in the tray, with the label facing up, and make sure it's lying flat. 3. Press the Media Eject key on your keyboard again, or gently push in the tray to close it. To eject the disc, press the Media Eject key, or hold down the F12 key until the Eject icon appears.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 11 of 16 Create and delete files and folders Create a folder on your desktop 1. Right click on the desktop. 2. Click New Folder 3. A new folder will appear on the desktop. 4. Notice that the name "New Folder" or untitled folder is highlighted. 5. To Name your folder you can begin typing and it will automatically overwrite with what you type! Avoid special characters &%# and blank spaces. Name your folder using your FirstClass user ID. Notice you have several other choices when right clicking on a folder or file. Here are a few of the more commonly used functions. Open: See what is inside! Double clicking does the same thing Rename (PC): Highlights the existing name so you can change it Get Info (Mac): - displays the properties and allows you to change things like the name and read/write permissions.. Properties (PC): displays information about about the item like file size. Delete Files and Folders You can delete files and folders using two methods Method One: Right click (Mac: ctrl click) on the item and a menu will open. Select "Delete" (PC) or Move to Trash (Mac). Method Two: with the item selected/highlighted click the File menu and choose delete (PC) or Drag to Trash (Mac). Empty the Recycle Bin (PC) Trash (Mac) To delete or restore files in the Recycle Bin 1. On the desktop, double-click Recycle Bin 2. Do one of the following: To delete everything, Click Empty Recycle Bin To restore one item, click it, and then click Restore This puts the item back to the original location TIP: Deleting an item from the Recycle Bin (Mac: Trash) permanently removes it from your computer. Items deleted from the Recycle Bin cannot be restored. PC: If you restore a file that was originally located in a deleted folder, the folder is recreated in its original location, and then the file is restored in that folder. The following items are not stored in the Recycle Bin and cannot be restored: o Items deleted from network locations. o Items deleted from removable media. o Items that are larger than the storage capacity of the Recycle Bin. o PC: To restore all of the items click the white space of the window and click Restore All
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 12 of 16 Print a document (open a sample word document for this section) To print a document you usually open the document in an application (i.e.,word). The Print command is normally found under the FILE MENU. Depending on the application the appearance of the Print dialog box may vary. You can change the number of copies, where you want the document to print, and what pages (if you don't want all of them) in the print dialog box. Information about other features of the print dialog box can be found under the help section of the application in which you are currently working. Features will vary depending on the application. Don't forget to SAVE before you print any document! This is a tough lesson to learn through experience. Save a file to the Network, hard drive or desktop Most files are saved while using an application such as Word, Power Point, Excel, etc. It is important to know where your files are being saved and to have the ability to save them where you really want them to be saved. This saves time when trying to retrieve them at a later date. How many times have you asked yourself..."now, where did I put that...?" Your computer has been set up to save to your User Folder (also known as "My Documents"-PC or Documents -Mac) Sometimes you might want to save a file in a different location such as your desktop or in a specific folder in your user drive. The most important thing to remember is to look before you click on Save! When in the save dialog box you have the opportunity to name your file and designate a place in which to save it. Most applications have a similar save dialog box look. They all have fields in which to name and designate a save location for your file. The name field is usually highlighted when you first select Save. Give your file a name that will prompt you into remembering what is in the file and possible dates and verson, example techtraining01-01-2008.doc. This is done in the "File Name" (PC) or Save As (Mac) field. After you have given your file a name and have designated a location in which to save, click on the Save button.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 13 of 16 To save a file to a location on the SWSD Network you must first log onto the SWSD server you want to use. To do this use the following steps: Mac: From the Go menu (make sure you have the Finder menu on top), select Connect to Server... ). The Connect To Server dialog box will appear. It should default to your schools server. If not ask your tech support for the ID of your school server. Click Connect to bring up the login screen. Select Registered User and type in your userid and password, click Connect Select the group Volume you belong with Browse to your folder for each item you wish to save there. PC: To browse to a folder on the network: right click Start and choose Explore. Click on My Network Places Browse to the server you wish to connect to You will be prompted for your userid and password Once logged in you can map a network drive for easier access and set it up to reconnect every time you log into your computer. To Map a Network Drive: Right click on Start and choose Explore. From the Tools menu choose Map Network Drive. Select a Drive letter you ll remember, like N: for Network. Click browse to find the server you ve logged into and browse to the folder you will be using, most likely your folder in the staff folder of your building server, then click OK. Once you are logged onto the network server or have mapped a network drive, you can browse to a specific folder on the server during the save as process. Mac users may need to click the down arrow next to the save as field to be able to browse to the correct folder.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 14 of 16 Dealing with a Frozen Application or Computer Help! My computer is frozen, nothing works! What should I do? What to do when a program will not respond. PC: 1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete (see Use Control-Alt-Delete section below for more details) 2. Click on Task Manager 3. Click on the Applications tab, 4. Click the task that you want to end. 5. Click End Task TIP: If you are experiencing problems with an application. It will often show a not responding status at this screen. Mac: Force Quit If an application isn't working and you can't get it to quit, you can force it to quit. When you force an application to quit, you lose any unsaved changes to documents that are open in the application. IMPORTANT: If you force a Mac OS 9 application to quit, the Classic environment may also close, which automatically quits all other Mac OS 9 applications. There are several ways to force an application to quit. 1. Choose Apple menu > Force Quit, select the application in the list, and click Force Quit. 2. Hold down the Apple key and Option keys and press Esc. Then select the application in the list and click Force Quit. 3. Hold down the Option key and press the application icon in the Dock. After you force an application to quit, try using it again. If it still doesn't work, try restarting your computer. If you continue to have problems, you may need to install the application again or contact the application's maker for more help. Powering Off a "Hung" Computer (when it is not responding) or when nothing else works. If you are shutting down your computer abnormally, or while troubleshooting, the computer may not power off when you just press the power button. You will need to actually hold the button down for approximately 5 seconds to turn the power off. If you are still having troubles with your computer, contact your Tech Support.
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 15 of 16 Use Control-Alt-Delete (PC) When the Control - Alt - Delete keys are pressed together several options are available to the user. Lock Computer: Used when you must leave your computer in an insecure situation and do not want to log off. Your computer can only be unlocked by your password or by a network administrator. Log Off: This allows you to log off as the user of the computer and then allows another person to log on using their own username and password. It is not necessary to restart the computer to let another user log in and use your computer. Make sure you log off or lock your computer when away from your desk. Shut Down: This allows you to turn your computer off. It also has options for logging off, restarting, or putting your computer on stand by (to sleep). Shutting down refreshes the memory (RAM) of your computer. You should restart your computer at least once a day. Shutting down each night will accomplish this task. TIP: Click the arrow to view more options. You may choose to Shut Down, Restart, Log off or Stand by. Task Manager: Use the Task manger to end programs that are not responding (frozen or "hung"). Even if the mouse will not move try pressing control - alt - delete and see if it will open task manager. Highlight the program that is not responding and click on the "End Task" button. This should end the frozen application and you can continue. TIP: If you are experiencing problems with an application. It will often show a not responding status at this screen. Any data entered or changes made in that program and not saved, will be lost. Cancel: This is used to get out of the Control - Alt - Delete screen and back to your desktop. Basic Care and Maintenance All computer users must do some basic things to take care of their computers and ensure proper working conditions. 1. The computer should be shut down when you are done using it. This will not only save energy, but will keep your files secure. 2. Food and drink should not be placed in a position that might cause damage if it were to spill or fall into any part of the computer. 3. Occasionally check your cables and connections for wear and tear. 4. If you disconnect or connect anything to your computer, make sure it is OFF. (Of course there are exceptions, but follow this guideline just to be safe.) 5. Practice good posture and proper computer positioning for the good of your health. Cleaning the Mouse To clean the outer surfaces 1. Dampen a lint-free cloth with mild soap and water. 2. Wipe the surfaces clean. To clean the ball
Computer Basics - Tutorial - Level 1.2 Page 16 of 16 1. Turn off your computer. 2. Remove the ball from the mouse 3. Use a lint-free cloth and rubbing alcohol to clean the ball. 4. Carefully clean the two black rollers inside the socket with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. Be careful to remove any dust or lint from inside the trackball Tips If your pointer isn't moving smoothly on the screen, try cleaning your trackball. To ensure that your trackball and pointer move freely, it's a good idea to clean your trackball on a regular basis. General Tips If your computer comes up with a virus, Please contact Tech Support immediately. If your computer is not printing, check to make sure that you have the printer setup and it is your default printer. If your monitor is not working, double-check the cables. They may be loose. If so, tighten them. There are some monitor settings you can configure on the front of your monitor. If you make changes in a program and you do not see the changes, you may need to quit the program and restart it. (Such as changing your default printer) Virus-protection software A virus is a program that attempts to spread from computer to computer and either cause damage (by erasing or corrupting data) or annoy users (by printing messages or altering what is displayed on the screen). Virus protection software helps prevent this from happening. SWSD has standard antivirus software for all systems. Contact Tech Support if needed. Viruses are usually delivered via email attachments. It is advisable that you never open an attachment from someone you do not know or an attachment that is unknown to you. You can take other steps to help prevent viruses on your computer. Educate yourself about viruses and how they are commonly spread. You can unwittingly bring viruses into the network by loading a program from a source such as the Internet, online bulletin board, or e-mail attachments. Learn the common signs of viruses: unusual messages that appear on your screen, decreased system performance, missing data, and inability to access your hard drive. If you notice any of these problems with your computer, contact tech support immediately. Use Technology in an Ethical Manner Ethical use of technology is the responsibility of the user. All users are encouraged to follow the licensing agreement that comes with software and use the Internet according to the guidelines set forth by the district networking policies. Users should make informed decisions about using technology resources and services. We trust that you will choose to demonstrate and advocate for legal and ethical behavior when using technology information.