Computer Basics
Learning computer basics is a dreaded nightmare for any new computer user. There are so many things to learn about computers and the fact that they change with new updates every day, the entire learning process seems a little bit crazy. I have been working on computers for more than 25 years and when I first started to use a computer there was no such thing as Windows. You had to navigate around the computer by using DOS command lines, and believe me, computers did not look pretty in those days.
I must say, that learning computer basics now days is a lot easier, as everything is right in front of you on your desktop with a graphical interface. The Windows operating system has made it as easy as possible for you to navigate around your computer and get your job is done.
Computer literacy is the knowledge and ability to use computers and technology efficiently. These computers basics tutorial will help you understand everything you need to know.
A Free Computer Basics Gift
I have a free computer dictionary for you to download for free. It is a basic computer terms dictionary that all of us at Tips4pc put together.
To download, simply right click on the picture and choose “save link as” or “save target as” to download to your computers downloads section. It is a PDF file so you might need the free Adobe PDF reader to view it.
Quick Computer Tips for New Computer Users
1. Enlarge the text on the screen:
Press CTRL and + on your keyboard to enlarge text while using Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Firefox. Press CTRL and - to reduce the size again.
2. Clicking on links:
Sometimes when you click on a link it might open on another tab or even in another window altogether. Often people keep clicking a link because they think it is not opening. When browsing the Internet and you click on the link, it does not always open in the same window.
The First Step in Computer Basics
Basic computer terminology This is the first computer basics article that I recommend that you read as it starts with the computer parts and works its way down. You will learn the difference between hardware and software and some common computer language terminology.
Computer Terms This computer terms page is set out like a dictionary. It lists the most common computer terms that you will need to know when learning computer basics. There is also a 59 page computer dictionary you to download for free.
Computer Terms and their Meanings Here are some extract computer Basic terms that will help you with your learning about computers.
Computer Basics Tips – What Is Software? In 1958, the term ’software’ was first used by John Turkey. Basically computer software consists of digital languages that involve binary values and direct specific instructions to the computer processor. In simple terms software is what makes the computer usable.
Creating, saving, copying, pasting, and moving files or folders on your computer Files and folders are an important when it comes to using a computer because the computers entire existence is made up of files which are stored in folders.
Using a computer mouse This is a beginner’s guide on how to use a computer mouse. It will tell you about the left click the right click the double-click and so on. It can get a little bit confusing when you are trying to follow instructions and do not know the basics about using a computer mouse. It is not that hard when it is explained to you clearly.
Google search tips Searching in Google has become one of the necessary computer basics tasks you will need to know. You can find anything you want on the Internet if you know how to search for it.
10 Basic Computer Tips And Tricks For New Computer Users One of the worst things that can happen when you first start using computers is to have some kid sit down next to you and do everything you’re doing in half as much time, so we’ve put together 10 basic computer tips and tricks for new computer users that will improve your productivity and let you show up that kid.
Computer Basics – What is….
What and where are the folders or directories on my computer? If you can imagine a big filing cabinet with folders in it, all named into sections, with the contents stored in them. In the real world a filing cabinet holds folders which holds papers, filed into sections. The same applies on a computer.
What are file extensions? File extensions basically let you know what type of information is contained in a particular file. For example a note pad file has the .txt extension.
Programs you need to install on your computer There is nothing more annoying than receiving a file you cannot open and view. This is why you should always have these basic programs installed.
How to find out everything about your computer If you are the average computer user you may not remember all the details about your computer, like model of the motherboard, how much ram you have installed, or even the serial numbers of Windows.
What files are safe to delete? Many computer users would like to clean files from their computers but do not know what files to delete. Therefore to avoid deleting the wrong files, the computer is simply left alone to store more and more files.
What is a MP3 and WMA file? Mp3 is an audio file that has been compressed to a smaller size. For example a normal music cd holds approximately 20 songs where as a CD filled with MP3 could contain from 150-200 songs.
What is a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, or a DVD-RW disc We are not going to get too technical as it all just gets too confusing. The point is, we just need to know what suits our needs.
What’s the difference between JPEG, GIF, PNG Sometimes it can get confusing when dealing image file formats. Which file format to use for what picture or graphic? Its all too technical for me so I have tried to explain the difference between them all in my own easy way.
What are Device Drivers and why do I need them for my computer? Many people are unaware that you actually need device drivers to run your computer smoothly. This could include display drivers, network, audio, and chipset drivers. Every device that is on your computer has a driver for it.
What is computer memory or Random Access Memory (RAM) Without getting too technical here, the computer memory stores temporary information for the computer to have easy access to it. The hard drive stores the permanent information. Therefore when you open a program it is loaded to the RAM (Random access Memory) and is stored there while you use it.
Different hard drives of a computer Often people think a hard drive is their entire computer system as they see it, and others think that it is something hard or solid in the computer. It actually is a storage device inside your computer, and yes, it is hard.
What is an external hard drive and why do I need one? An external hard drive is the ultimate computer maintenance backup device. How much data it stores depends on how big the hard drive is inside the external case.
Computer Basics – Common Questions
What operating system do I have? I stumbled across this dilemma when I needed to download a free file from the Microsoft website and was presented with two choices for my download. I could download the file in 32 bit version or 64 bit version, depending on which one suited my operating system.
How to shut down your computer This is a simple tutorial on how to shut down a Windows computer. Windows XP to Windows 8.
How to cut, copy and paste text or pictures Knowing how to cut, copy and paste text or pictures can be extremely useful for everyday computer use. I use these easy tools at least a hundred times a day. You can cut, copy and paste text, pictures, html, emails, and more.
Video tutorial on how to cut, copy and paste text or pictures When you learn to cut, copy and paste text or pictures you will be able to move a text or picture from one place to another. You will also be able to copy pictures and text from the internet to save on your computer.
Lock the taskbar to stop it from being accidentally moved or changed Don’t you just hate it when your taskbar has been accidentally moved to the top or side of your desktop. If you let inexperienced users on your computer that is usually what happens. And if you are a new user yourself, don’t worry because everyone accidentally moves the taskbar at one time or another.
Computer Questions – Whats the difference between disc and disk? How annoying is it when you have two words that sound the same, have slightly different spellings, but can also sometimes mean the same thing. I came across this problem when I started writing articles about computers and was often confused when deciding which word to use, disc or disk?
Top 10 Basic computer user tips There are thousands of basic computer tips on this website alone, however in this article I am going to narrow it down to only the top 10 tips.
Windows shortcut keys Windows shortcut keys are keys on your keyboard that you can press to make things happen. Sometimes you might have to press one key on the keyboard, however usually it will be a combination of keys together.
What is my CPU Speed? Your CPU speed, also known as the speed of your computer processor, determines how fast everything happens on your computer. If your CPU speed is slow, there isn’t much you can do about it (although we will discuss some options later). If your CPU speed is fast, then you’ll enjoy playing the latest games and be more productive than your peers.
Learning computer basics can appear to be hard for some people to grasp. It is not hard to learn computer basics and everyone has to start from the beginning. Do not worry if you do not know how to do something on the computer as the information is all available on this website.
Watch this computer basics video showing how to find your files and folders on a Windows Seven computer.
Free Beginner Computer Lesson – Video Tutorial
Basic Computer Quiz Questions
Hey do not forget to visit our computer quiz question section where you can learn more juicy facts about computing.
This is perfect!
Id like to hire you as one of the Administrators for my business. I really need someone like you with good computer knowledge and since you’ve been with computers for 25 years. All I know is DLL , png , jpg , gif Storing files , And fixing viruses.
Instead of ctrl+, ctrl-, i prefer to use ctrl+mousewheel (up or down)
Akihabara recently posted..Actualites du Japon : Le Café à Calins
I always use Commentluv comments because they provide my latest post feed and whenever I update,they help me bring some traffic.
It sounds like you are using Windows Vista and she is using parental controls. But I think she got it wrong because it should not be used to control parents. its more informative sites to other sites i like it very much.
My daughter just left for college and left her old pc behind. I want to use it but it is full of her stuff and seems to work so slowly. Is there any way to erase her computer of all the extra things she installed on it so that it is faster?
She doesn’t care about her old one because she got a new one for Christmas and she knows I want to clear it off and use it. I just don’t know how to other than to delete things one at a time.
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You can go to the computer maintenance section and you will see tutorials on how to remove stuff and speed up the computer.
Its makes me to remember my first attempt in computer
Always its very interesting to read more about computer basics..while reading,each and every time something is new to read about computer its updating a lot at every time…..
Computer basics are always helpful. For some of us who are on the computer all day we forget some of the simple tasks that can save a great deal of time. Keep them coming and I will keep reading.
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I remember during my first computer encounter, sweating hands and nervousness hehehe!
thanks for the tips and tricks.
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Amazing work! Very well done Mitz
My first time playing with a PC was back when I was 5 years old. I still remember my eagerness when typing the keyboard and suddenly everything appeared on the screen lol!
And you’re right. I know many people at my parents’ ages having troubles using computers. And it could be a major disadvantage at this age of information. This article should be labeled “must-read”
Thanks for sharing!
Duy recently posted..By: black_raven
I performed a disk defrag on my computer and it still shows that I have 36% disk fragmentation. How do I repair this?
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