The TASK BAR is the area at the bottom of your WIN9x screen that shows the applications that are currently running. The active application will show differently, while the others will show the names of the applications. Clicking a non-active application will cause the application to be displayed on the screen; on top of whatever else you may have displayed.
The TASK BAR on all WINDOWS systems can be relocated to the side or to the top of your screen if desired. To move it, just click and drag on a blank area on the TASK BAR and let go when your mouse is located within about one inch from either side or at least halfway up the screen from the bottom.
The TOOL BAR is a row or column of icons that appear, typically, at the top of the application screen. The functions will vary according to the application being used. For example, the tool bar for my Internet Explorer shows the BACK and FORWARD icons, as well as the STOP, REFRESH, HOME and others. Netscape COMPOSER shows the NEW, OPEN, SAVE, PUBLISH, PREVIEW, and others
Generally, the TOOL BAR is displayed below the MENU BAR which is located in the topmost area, under the title and which contains the names like FILE, EDIT, INSERT and others.
Q: What are the shortcuts to Windows Explorer and to Find? Also, what wildcards will work with the Find command?
A: Here is a list of some of the methods to access EXPLORER
Here is a list of some of the methods to access FIND-
For example, let's search for the filename EXPLORER. First type in the "NAMED" window the characters EXPLORER. Now type in the window "LOOK IN:" this drive letter and path name C:\. Be sure the check mark is in the INCLUDE SUBFOLDERS option and now click the FIND NOW button to start the search. As you will see if you try this, many possible results will be displayed. But, we're looking for the WINDOWS EXPLORER filename icon and it must be an icon, not a (yellow) folder. It's located in the C:\WINDOWS directory (folder) and is named EXPLORER.EXE.
If you had typed in EXPL* and searched, less results would appear and the name EXPLORER.EXE would still appear. This is because the * replaces ALL characters from the position it is placed to the 8th character of the standard DOS 8.3 format filename notation. But, if you have long file names, as allowed in WINDOWS, anything that STARTS with whatever you type in, up to the * will be found. And that can be MANY names. For example, if I had typed LOW*, then any filename or folder with LOW, in either uppercase or lowercase would be found. On my system, on just my C: drive, 1986 names were found. That's Nineteen hundred and eighty six file names and folder names. Try this one. Type ME* and see what results you get.
Q: What are the functions of the Windows key?
A: The WINDOWS key is an additional key found on certain keyboards that allows the user to select functions without having to use the normal, multiple, keystrokes to accomplish a task. The functionality of the keyboard WINDOWS key is implemented when the OS recognizes the special keyboard and installs drivers, or by manually installing the special drivers that came with the system.
Here is a list of the shortcuts assigned to the WINDOWS key.
Q: Should I turn off my computer at night?
A: Only if you are not working on it! Seriously though, if you have the PC connected to the power through an UPS you can safely leave it on all the time, but be sure to turn the power off to the monitor.
WHY you ask? Well, each time you power ON the computer, which consists of electronic circuits, the surge of the electricity through the circuits in the system and the drives has the potential to cause something to burn out. I use the following analogy to help understand this when I present to my hardware troubleshooting class. When do you generally see a light bulb burn out? When you turn the switch ON of course. The electrical surge causes a temperature change as well as the filament being subjected to the electrical flow and this has the potential to burn out the filament in the bulb. (Of course this does not apply to fluorescent lamps.)
So, if you have an UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply), and not just a SURGE Protector, you can safely leave the power ON. If the power happens to fluctuate during the night, or even go off for a short period of time, the UPS continues to power the PC. It has a battery that constantly converts the DC power to the AC power used by the PC. This battery allows the PC keep running for a time.
I ran a BBS (Bulletin Board System) for 10 years and of course the PC had to be left ON all the time so callers could connect to it. Hmmmm, did my mention of BBS happen to DATE me? These were the method of communicating with other PC users through one central PC, much like the Internet, but on a smaller scale. Anyway, I left the PC ON all the time, except for periodic shutdowns for upgrades and maintenance.
To sum it all up, leave the PC ON but turn the monitor OFF, or at least have a screen saver running to prevent the possibility of the image being burnt into the monitor screen.
Q: What is Wallpaper? How can I change it? Can I use a picture from the Internet or a picture that I have scanned?
A: The background on your desktop is called WALLPAPER. The picture, or graphics displayed are found in the system or can be added from other sources. Mine is a space shot showing the shuttle and arm of an astronaut looking down on the Great Lakes.
To change the wallpaper, RIGHT click the desktop, select PROPERTIES and select the WALLPAPER TAB or BACKGROUND TAB as some systems name it. In the displayed window there will be a list of installed wallpaper scenes to select from. Scroll through the list, and if you have a favorite, select it. You also can have it centered in the desktop window, or tiled--multiple images of the picture or graphics used to fill the screen. I prefer CENTERED. These images can be .BMP, or JPG files; pictures of the kids, or your favorite ski trail, or whatever you desire can be used.
If you find a picture on the Internet and would like to use it as a wallpaper background, here's how to install it. Right click the image and the selections SET AS WALLPAPER, or SAVE PICTURE AS are available. I prefer to save the picture and then access the desktop properties as explained above to later try it. Save the picture in the C:\WINDOWS folder and you are all ready to change it when you want a different wallpaper setting.
Scanned pictures can be used in the same way that Internet images are stored and used.
Q: What are Screen Savers? Why do we need them? Can I download screensavers from the Internet and run them on my PC? How?
A: The image on a monitor has the potential to burn itself into the inside surface if kept there for a long period of time. (Newer monitors are much less likely than the monitors of 5 - 10 years ago.) Electrons exciting the phosphor on the inside of the display glass create the monitor image. The persistence of the phosphor (the ability to 'light it up', and keep it light so it can be seen), is much less with today's monitors than with those of yesteryears. With this persistence being lower, the chance of the phosphor actually being burned is much less also.
Screensavers today are more of a personal choice of what you want to see when you are not using the PC, but still want to keep the monitor turned on. They are used more for cosmetic, than for protection against burning the screen. Swimming fish, the Frank & Louie Budweiser scene and others are solely for your enjoyment.
There are many FREEWARE and SHAREWARE screensavers available nowadays. With an Internet Connection, users can quickly download a new ones, with seemingly unlimited choices! To see which ones you currently have, use the FIND command to search the C:\WINDOWS folder for *.SCR files. SCR is a screensaver type file. When downloading new ones, place them directly in the WINDOWS folder so your DISPLAY PROPERTIES can see them when you want to change the one you have running to a different one. (If they are not in their SCR format, you may want to download them to a different location, extract them from whatever format they were in--ZIP or EXE--and then place them in the C:\WINDOWS folder. Some others yet will require 'installing' them if they are of the type that include special features--like the Frank & Louie Budweiser frog one.)
Q Can I change the words under my Desktop Icons? How about the color behind the words? Also, can I make the words bigger so I can read them?
A Yes you can change the wording. One way is to RIGHT click the icon and select RENAME. Another is to LEFT click the name twice, in slow succession--at least two seconds between each click-- or you'll launch the program associated with the icon. The name will change to a box showing the entire name and be highlighted in BLUE. Use the ARROW keys to, position the cursor where you want to insert new text and start typing. While the text is BLUE, pressing the BACKSPACE key will remove all the current text. Then just type new text, keeping in mind there is a limited amount of characters that will display when your finish, and press the ENTER key.
To make the color behind the words different, do this. In the CONTROL PANEL access the DISPLAY and double click it. Select APPEARANCE. Look in the lower half of the open DISPLAY PROPERTIES window for the ITEM: and the word DESKTOP should be there. If not, select it. Then off to the right is the COLOR: selection. The current color shown is what you see as the color behind the desktop words; change the color to suit your desire.
To make the desktop icons text bigger, while still in the DISPLAY PROPERTIES window, select ICON in the ITEM: window. Notice just below is the FONT: setting window? Select a larger font than the default SIZE 8, click APPLY and see if it's the size you want. If not, change it until it is.
Q: What is a Folder? Can I create new folders with my own titles? How do I move files in and out of folders? Can I get rid of folders I don't need?
A: A folder is much like the manila folder you may use for storing your monthly receipts and bills. Each folder contains different information in your file cabinet. Each folder in your computer also has different information that has been placed there. NOTE: A computer folder may contain the same information that exists in other folders--if the information has been COPIED there. Each system has some folders that are named the same--like WINDOWS, PROGRAM FILES, etc. just as some homes have the same folders found in everyone's file cabinet--i.e. PUBLIC SERVICE, GREELEY GAS, TELEPHONE. Folders contain program files, data files and files used to support a program--like WORD is a program file that has DLL and COM files to support the WORD program when it is executed.
Folders can be created with whatever title the user wants. For example, to create a folder names TEST on the C: drive, several methods can be utilized to accomplish this. Right click MY COMPUTER and select EXPLORE when the drop-down menu appears. Now click ONCE on the C: drive ICON. Now, go up to the menu bar and select FILE | NEW | FOLDER. A new folder ICON is created and now you can just type the name you want. When the name of the folder is BLUE and highlighted, just typing text causes the name to change to the newly typed text.
To remove a folder, click it once to highlight it, then press the DEL key on the keyboard. You have just deleted the folder and ALL THE CONTENTS of the folder. So, be sure what is in the folder, if anything is there, is not wanted. Once you have deleted the folder, all the files and folders within that folder go away as well.
This article is brought to you by the Editorial Committee of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG), an International organization to which this user group belongs. Lowell Shatraw is Secretary to the Computer User Group of Greeley, in Greeley Colorado. Lowell has worked in computer support call centers supporting Macintosh and PC environments; has developed and taught computer troubleshooting and repair; and is currently a UNIX system Administrator who also works with WINDOWS 9x, NT and WINDOWS 2000.
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