Chapter 2. Getting Around

In today's busy world, few people have the time to sit down and really learn to use a computer. Many books and online tutorials don't really help because they assume you already know all the basic concepts and terminology. That's a big assumption because the truth is that most people don't already know those things. Most people don't know a file from a folder from a megabyte from a golf ball. These just aren't the kinds of things we learned about in school or from our day-to-day experiences.

This chapter is mostly about the kinds of things everyone else assumes you already know. It's for the kind of people who bought their first computer and discovered it has this thing called Windows 7 on it. Or the kind of people who were getting by with an older computer but now have a new Windows 7 computer and really want to know more about how to use it.

I often refer to the skills in this chapter as "everyday skills" because they're the kinds of things you'll likely do every time you sit down at the computer. I point out the name and purpose of many things you'll see on your screen. All these things combine into a kind of basic knowledge about how you use a computer, in general, to get things done. And it all starts with logging in.

Terminology for Things You Do

If you're new to computers, the first step is to learn a little terminology about things you do to ...

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