IT Services

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Windows basics

The desktop

The majority of the ITS PCs have the same desktop, which is shown below. Windows XP is the operating system. It will provide everything you need to manage your programs and files.

XP desktop

Desktop

The working area of the PC screen containing icons, folders, files and the Taskbar

Icons

Small pictures representing programs, folders or files

Short-cut toolbar

A row of icons representing the most commonly used programs. The program name appears as you run the mouse pointer over each icon.

Taskbar

Is the panel containing the Start button, Shortcut toolbar and System tray. It has Task buttons that correspond to any open applications

System tray

Has a number of icons which represent different functions

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Using Windows

Using Windows relies on the efficient use of the mouse. The mouse is used to point to different parts of the screen. The pointer changes shape depending on its position on the screen and this allows you to perform different tasks.

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Running a program

Point to the required application, click the left mouse button and press the Enter key. Alternatively you can double click the left mouse button.

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Working with programs

When you open an application on the desktop it will be opened in its own application window. There are standard features that appear on all application windows

Title bar

Title bar

A title bar will appear along the top of the window. It will tell you the name of application and the name of the document you have opened. There are three buttons at the right end of the Title bar:

  • minimise buttonMinimise button
    Clicking the minimise button removes the application from the desktop but leaves a button on the task bar which represents the application, so that you can return to it later.
  • Restoring a minimised window
    Click on the application button in the Taskbar to restore an application to the desktop
  • maximise buttonMaximise button
    Clicking the Maximise button causes the application window to be resized so that it occupies the whole desktop. It will then have a restore button in the top right hand corner
  • restore buttonRestore button
    Clicking the restore button returns the resized application window to the size which does not take up the whole desktop

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created on 2010-01-01 by IT Services
last updated on 2010-06-30 by Rich Colburn