Basic Concepts Of Windows

1.1 Development of Windows 95

a) Personal computers (PC) are developed from the 8-bits Apple in 1976 to the 16-bits PC/AT/XT in the 80ÐŽ¦s, then to the 32-bits 386/486/586/Pentium today.

b) In the past, MS-DOS, a 16-bits operating system (OS), dominates the OS for PCs. For those 32-bits computers i.e. 386/486/586/Pentium, processing speed are reduced because of under-utilize of the other 16-bits.

c) Besides slow in processing speed, the usable memory of DOS is limited to 640K. This cause computer hangs up easily as programs compete themselves for memory.

d) As DOS is a command driven interface, users have to remember and type in a lot of long and clumsy commands before the computers can work.

e) To resolve the shortcoming of DOS, Microsoft launched Windows 3.0 in 1990. Besides breaking the 640K memory limited, it also provided a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and multitasking environment to the users. Mouse is used to operate the OS instead of memorizing commands. Colorful icons and windows screens greatly enhanced the ease of use of the OS.

f) However, Windows 3.X is still work on top of DOS, i.e. DOS is needed to boot up computer before using Windows 3.X. Therefore, strictly speaking, Windows 3.X is an operating environment instead of an operating system. In addition, Windows 3.X is 16-bits OS that is not the perfect match with those 32-bits computers.

g) Windows 95 was launched in 1995 with the following benefits:

Ñ"Ь True operating system: it no longer needs DOS to boot up the computer.

Ñ"Ь 32-bits OS: processing speed is much improved with 32-bits computer.

Ñ"Ь More stable working environment: the memory of each program is separated. If one program is hanged, others programs will not be affected.

Ñ"Ь More friendly user interface: the use of ÐŽ§Start ButtonЎЁ, ÐŽ§Task BarЎЁ and ÐŽ§Program ShortcutЎЁ greatly enhance the ease of use.

Ñ"Ь Plug and Play: different hardware drivers are installed automatically.

Ñ"Ь Network and Communication: by using telephone line, users can send and receive fax or E-mail and gain access to Internet, and even share information by connecting with computer server or other PCs.

1.2 Starting Windows

After login into the computer network, choose 'Windows 95' from the network menu.

1.3 Understanding the Desktop

a) The total screen used by Windows is called Desktop. After you started Windows all the works are then performed on desktop. You can add, move or remove object in desktop. The objects in desktop can be icons or windows. These objects can overlap each other.

b) Icons are pictures that represent programs, files, printer information, and computer information.

c) The My Computer icon gives you access to a window in which you can browse through the contents of your computer or find out information about the disk drives, control panel, and printers that you have on your computer.

d) The Recycle Bin serves as your electronic trash can. You drag unwanted files, folders, or other icons to the Recycle Bin, and the Recycle Bin appears to have papers spilling over the top of it.

e) You click the Start button to display the Start menu, which contains a list of commands that enable you to get to work quickly and easily.

f) For each application that you open, a button appears on the taskbar. When you use more than one application at a time, you can see all the names of all the open applications on the taskbar. At any time, you can click the appropriate button on the taskbar to work with an open application.

g) Depending on what task you are working on, other indicators can appear in the notification area on the taskbar, such as a printer representing your print job or a Chinese character representing the Chinese input method.

h) A clock at the right end of the taskbar displays the current time.

1.4 Working with Mouse

a) A mouse is a pointing device with two or three buttons. You can use the mouse to quickly select any object on-screen, such as an icon or a window.

b) To point to an object, move the mouse across your desk or mouse pad until the on-screen mouse pointer touches the object.

c) To click, point the mouse pointer at the object you want to select, and quickly press and release the left mouse button. If the object is an icon or window, it becomes highlighted.

d) When you are pointing at an object, you can also click the right mouse button (right-click) it to bring up a menu of actions you can perform on the object (a short-cut menu).

e) To double-click an item, you point to the item and press and release the left mouse button twice in rapid succession. Double clicking performs an action.

f) You can also use the mouse to move an object to a new position on-screen by dragging. To drag an object, point to the object, press and hold the left mouse button, move to a new location, and release the mouse button. The object moves with the mouse cursor.

g) The mouse pointer may assume different shapes when pointing to an object.

1.5 Components of a Window

a) A window is a rectangular area of the screen in which you view program folders, files, or icons. Every window is composed of some basic components. Each component has its own function.

b) Control Menu Icon: It locates at the left upper corner. This icon can help to control the size, move, minimized and close the window.

c) Title Bar: This bar shows the name of the window. If there are several windows on the desktop, the active window title bar usually has a deeper color, so that it can be identified from other non-active windows. If the window is not maximized,