Almost everything you do on your computer requires using a program. For example, if you want to draw a picture, you need to use a drawing or painting program. To write a letter, you use a word processor. To explore the Internet, you use a software called a Web browser. Thousands are available for Windows.
Starting a program
The Start menu is the gateway to all programs on your computer. To open the Start menu, click the Start button. The left pane of the Start menu contains a list of programs, including your Internet browser, e-mail, and recently used programs. To start a program, click it.
If you do not see the program you want to open but know its name, type all or part of the name in the search engine at the bottom of the left window. For example, to find Windows Photo Gallery, type photo or gallery in the Search box. The left pane instantly displays search results. Under Programs, click on a program to open it.
To browse a complete list of your software, click the Start button, then click All programs. For more information, see the Start menu (overview).
Tip
You can also start a program by opening a file. Opening the file automatically opens the program associated with this file. See open a file or folder.
Using commands in programs
Most contain dozens or even hundreds of commands (actions) that you use to work program. Many of these commands are organized under menus. Like a restaurant menu, a program menu shows you a list of choices. To keep the net screen, menus are hidden until you click on the titles in the menu bar, located just below the title bar. For example, clicking on "Image" in the paint menu bar displays the Image menu:
To choose one of the commands in a menu, click it. Sometimes a dialog box appears, where you can select other options. If a command is unavailable and can not be clicked, it is shown in gray, as the crop in the picture.
Toolbars provide access to frequently used commands in the form of buttons or icons. These orders usually appear in the software menu, too, but toolbars let you choose a command with a single click. Toolbars usually appear just below the menu bar:
Click a toolbar button performs a command. In WordPad, for example, clicking the Save button saves the document. To find out what a toolbar button has at this point. The name of the button or function appears:
Creating a new document
Many programs let you create, edit, save and print documents. In general, a document is any type of file you can edit. For example, a word processor is a type of document, as is a spreadsheet, an e-mail, and a presentation. However, the terms of documents and files are often used interchangeably, pictures, music clips, videos and you can edit files are usually called, even if they are technically documents.
Some software, including WordPad, NotePad, and paintings, open a blank, untitled document automatically when you start the software, so you can start working immediately. You will see a large white area and a generic word like "Untitled" or "Document" in the software of the title bar.
If your program does not open a new document automatically when it starts, you can do yourself:
Click the File menu in the software you use, then click New. If you can open more than one type of document in the software, you might also need to select the type from a list.
Saving a document
As you work on a document, your additions and changes are stored in your computer memory (RAM). The storage of information in RAM is temporary, if your computer is switched off or fails, all information in memory is erased.
Saving a document allows you to appoint and store them permanently on your hard disk. In this way, the document is retained even when your computer is off, and you can open it again later.
To save a document
On the File menu, click Save. If this is the first time you save the document, you will be asked to provide a name for herself and a location on your computer to make.
Even if you saved a document once, you need to keep the backup as you work. This is because the changes you made since your last save the document is stored in RAM, not on the hard disk. To avoid losing the work unexpectedly because of a power outage or other problem, save your document every few minutes.
For more information, see Save a file.
Moving information between files
Most allow you to share text and images between them. For example, you can copy text or a picture from a Web page in Internet Explorer to a document in WordPad. When you copy information, it goes into a temporary storage area called the clipboard. From there you can paste into a document.
Before you start moving information around, you must understand how to switch between open windows on your desktop.
Cancel your last action
Most allow you to cancel (reverse) actions you take, the mistakes you make. For example, if you delete a paragraph in a document accidentally WordPad, you can get by using the Undo command. If you draw a line in the painting that you do not cancel your line straight away and he disappears.
To cancel an action
On the Edit menu, click Cancel.
Get help with software
Almost every program comes with its own in-aid system for those times when you're confused about how the program.
To access a software support system:
In the Help menu in the software, click the first item in the list, such as "Show Help", "Help", or similar text. (The name of this item may vary.)
- Or --
Press F1. This function key opens aid to almost any software.
In addition to program-specific aid, some dialog boxes contain links with their specific functions. If you see a question in a circle or square, color or text and underlined the link, click it to open back up.
Out of a program
To exit a program, click the Close button in the upper right corner. Or in the File menu, click Exit.
Remember to save your document before leaving the program. If you do not work and try to exit the program, the software will ask you if you want to save the document:
To save the document, then quit the program, click Yes.
To exit the program without saving the document, click No.
To return to the issue without leaving it, click Cancel.
The installation or uninstalling programs
You are not limited to use the programs that came with your computer, you can buy new programs on CD or DVD or download programs (free or fee) of the Internet.
Install a program meant to add to your computer. After software is installed, it appears in your Start menu in the list all programs. Some software can also add a shortcut on your desktop.
