Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics, 5th Edition

Everything casual users need to know to get the most out of their new Windows 7 PCs, software, and the Internet The best-selling beginner's guide, now completely updated for Windows 7 and today's most popular Internet tools - including Facebook, craigslist, Twitter, and Wikipedia Easy step-by-step instructions cover setting up a new PC, getting online, working with digital media, using productivity tools, and much more By the world's #1 author of beginning technology books, Michael Miller This year, you may be one of the millions of casual computer users that will buy a new Windows 7 notebook or desktop PC. You'll want to know how to find your way around, get comfortable, and get the job done - without jargon, complexity, or hassle. There's a book for you: Michael Miller's Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics, Windows 7 Edition. It's the one book that covers everything today's beginners and near-beginners need to know: not just about Windows, but also about software, hardware, and the Internet. Through 90+ books, author Michael Miller has established an unparalleled track record in explaining complicated concepts simply and clearly, and empowering beginners. Now, he's thoroughly updated his best-selling Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics to cover today's user experience - with Windows 7, Internet Explorer 8, and today's hottest online tools, from craigslist and Facebook to Twitter, Wikipedia, and Google Docs. Miller offers step-by-step instructions and friendly, practical advice for making the most of Windows 7's improvements, including the new taskbar, Action Center, and Aero Snap. He walks through setting up a new computer; connecting to the Internet; working with digital media; burning custom CDs; watching DVD movies; using Microsoft Office and other popular software; managing money online; setting up home networks; keeping PCs running reliably; and protecting them from spam, viruses, and spyware. This is the one indispensable book for today's PC novice QUE - Absolute Beginners Guide to Computer Basics 5. Edition (10-2009) (ATTiCA)......Page 6 Introduction......Page 24 How This Book Is Organized......Page 25 Menu Commands......Page 26 Special Elements......Page 27 Let Me Know What You Think......Page 28 I: Getting Started......Page 30 1 How Personal Computers Work......Page 32 What Your Computer Can—and Can’t—Do......Page 33 Getting to Know Your Personal Computer System......Page 34 Inside a Personal Computer......Page 38 Desktop and Notebook PCs......Page 47 Beyond the PC: Printers and Other Peripherals......Page 51 2 Setting Up Your New Computer System......Page 54 Before You Get Started......Page 55 Connecting a Desktop PC......Page 56 Turning It On and Setting It Up......Page 58 II: Using Windows......Page 62 3 Getting to Know Windows 7......Page 64 Introducing Microsoft Windows......Page 65 Working Your Way Around the Desktop......Page 67 Important Windows Operations......Page 68 Using the Start Menu......Page 76 Using the Taskbar......Page 77 Switching Between Programs......Page 80 Using Windows Explorer......Page 81 All the Other Things in Windows......Page 84 Shutting Down Windows—and Your Computer......Page 86 4 Personalizing Windows......Page 88 Changing the Look of Your Desktop......Page 89 Organizing Shortcut Icons......Page 96 Changing the Way the Start Menu Works......Page 98 Setting Up Additional Users......Page 99 5 Working with Files, Folders, and Disks......Page 102 Viewing Files and Folders......Page 103 Navigating Folders......Page 105 Searching for Files......Page 106 Creating New Folders......Page 107 Copying Files......Page 108 Deleting Files......Page 109 Working with Compressed Folders......Page 111 Copying Files to Another Computer......Page 112 Backing Up Your Important Files......Page 114 III: Upgrading and Maintaining Your System......Page 116 6 Adding New Hardware and Devices to Your System......Page 118 Most Popular Peripherals......Page 119 Understanding Ports......Page 120 Adding New External Hardware......Page 122 Connecting Portable Devices to Your PC......Page 123 7 Setting Up a Home Network......Page 126 How Networks Work......Page 127 Setting Up a Wired or Wireless Network......Page 128 Configuring Windows for Your New Network......Page 130 Setting Up Wireless Security......Page 131 Sharing Files and Printers Across the Network......Page 132 Adding Your Computer to a HomeGroup......Page 135 Managing Your Network......Page 136 Sharing an Internet Connection......Page 137 8 Performing Routine Maintenance......Page 140 Free Up Disk Space by Deleting Unnecessary Files and Programs......Page 141 Perform a Hard Disk Checkup with ScanDisk......Page 143 Using the Windows Action Center......Page 144 Backing Up Your Important Data with Windows Backup......Page 145 Keeping Your Hardware in Tip-Top Condition......Page 146 Maintaining a Notebook PC......Page 149 9 Dealing with Common Problems......Page 152 How to Troubleshoot Computer Problems......Page 153 What to Do When Windows Freezes......Page 154 Dealing with a Major Crash......Page 156 Undoing the Damage with System Restore......Page 157 10 Protecting Your PC from Viruses, Spam, and Other Online Nuisances......Page 160 Safeguarding Your System from Computer Viruses......Page 161 Hunting Down Spyware......Page 163 Defending Against Computer Attacks......Page 164 Fighting Email Spam......Page 165 Resisting Phishing Scams......Page 167 Shielding Your Children from Inappropriate Content......Page 169 IV: Using Computer Software......Page 172 11 Installing New Software......Page 174 Installing Software from the Internet......Page 175 12 The Suite Spot: Working with Microsoft Works and Microsoft Office......Page 178 Working with Works......Page 179 Introducing Microsoft Office......Page 182 13 Letters, Memos, and More: Working with Microsoft Word......Page 186 Exploring the Word Interface......Page 187 Working with Documents......Page 189 Working with Text......Page 190 Printing a Document......Page 192 Formatting Your Document......Page 193 Working with an Outline......Page 194 Working with Pictures......Page 195 14 Crunching Numbers: Working with Microsoft Excel......Page 198 Understanding Spreadsheets......Page 199 Inserting and Deleting Rows and Columns......Page 200 Using Formulas and Functions......Page 201 Sorting a Range of Cells......Page 204 Creating a Chart......Page 205 15 Presenting Yourself: Working with Microsoft PowerPoint......Page 208 Understanding Microsoft PowerPoint......Page 209 Creating a New Presentation......Page 210 Formatting Your Slides......Page 212 Adding Graphics......Page 213 Applying Slide Animations......Page 214 Start the Show!......Page 215 V: Using the Internet......Page 216 16 Connecting to the Internet—at Home and on the Road......Page 218 Different Types of Connections......Page 219 Before You Connect......Page 220 Sharing an Internet Connection......Page 221 Connecting to a Public WiFi Hotspot......Page 222 17 Surfing the Web with Internet Explorer......Page 224 Choosing a Web Browser......Page 225 Using Internet Explorer 8......Page 226 Basic Web Surfing......Page 227 Advanced Operations......Page 228 Internet Security with IE8......Page 231 Managing Cookies......Page 232 InPrivate Browsing......Page 234 18 Searching the Web......Page 236 How to Search the Web......Page 237 Where to Search......Page 238 Searching for People and Businesses......Page 240 19 Researching with Wikipedia......Page 242 Reading Wikipedia Articles......Page 243 Searching Wikipedia......Page 244 Contributing to Wikipedia......Page 245 Is Wikipedia Good for Research?......Page 246 20 Shopping Online......Page 248 How to Shop Online......Page 249 How to Find the Best Prices Online......Page 252 How to Shop Safely......Page 254 How to Book Travel Reservations Online......Page 255 21 Buying and Selling on eBay......Page 258 How Does an eBay Auction Work?......Page 259 eBay Bidding, Step-by-Step......Page 261 Buy It Quick with Buy It Now......Page 263 Protecting Yourself Against Fraudulent Sellers......Page 264 eBay Selling, Step-by-Step......Page 265 22 Buying and Selling on craigslist......Page 268 Browsing the Listings......Page 269 Buying on craigslist......Page 271 Listing an Item for Sale......Page 272 Making the Sale......Page 274 23 Banking and Paying Bills Online......Page 276 Web-Based Banking......Page 277 Software-Based Banking......Page 279 Paying Your Bills Online......Page 280 24 Watching Videos on the Web......Page 282 Looking for Videos on the Web......Page 283 Viewing Videos on YouTube......Page 285 Uploading Your Own Videos to YouTube......Page 288 Downloading Videos from the iTunes Store......Page 289 25 Using Web-Based Applications......Page 292 Web-Based Calendars......Page 293 Web-Based Task Management......Page 294 Web-Based Office Suites......Page 295 Web-Based Word Processing......Page 296 Web-Based Presentations......Page 297 26 Creating Your Own Web Page......Page 300 Building a Web Page at a Home Page Community......Page 301 Using Page-Building Software......Page 304 Uploading Your Pages to a Web Host......Page 305 27 Exploring Other Cool and Useful Websites......Page 306 News, Sports, and Weather......Page 307 Medical Information......Page 308 Maps and Travel Guides......Page 309 Religion......Page 310 Education and Reference......Page 311 Sites For and About Kids......Page 312 Sites for Seniors......Page 313 VI: Communicating via the Internet......Page 314 28 Sending and Receiving Email......Page 316 POP Email Versus Web Mail......Page 317 Using Gmail......Page 319 Sending Files via Gmail......Page 322 29 Sending and Receiving Instant Messages......Page 326 Using AOL Instant Messenger......Page 327 30 Social Networking with Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter......Page 332 How Social Networks Work......Page 333 Using Facebook......Page 334 Using MySpace......Page 337 Using Twitter......Page 341 Protecting Your Children on Social Networks......Page 343 31 Exploring Blogs and Podcasts......Page 346 Welcome to the Blogosphere......Page 347 Reading—and Commenting on—Blogs......Page 348 Tracking Your Blogs with Feed Reader Software......Page 349 Creating Your Own Blog......Page 350 Blogs on the Radio: Listening to Podcasts......Page 351 VII: Exploring the Digital Lifestyle......Page 356 32 Organizing and Editing Your Digital Photos......Page 358 Transferring Pictures from Your Camera to Your PC......Page 359 Storing Your Photos in Windows......Page 360 Choosing a Photo-Editing Program......Page 361 Editing Your Photos with Windows Live Photo Gallery......Page 362 Printing Your Photos......Page 366 33 Sharing Your Digital Photos Online......Page 370 Emailing Digital Photos......Page 371 Sharing Photos at an Online Photo Site......Page 372 Printing Photos Online......Page 374 34 Playing, Ripping, and Burning CDs......Page 376 Using Windows Media Player......Page 377 Using Apple iTunes......Page 382 35 Downloading and Playing Digital Music......Page 388 Understanding Digital Audio Formats......Page 389 Dealing with DRM......Page 390 Downloading from Online Music Stores......Page 391 Playing Digital Music on Your PC......Page 394 Listening to Internet Radio......Page 397 36 Using Your PC with an iPod or iPhone......Page 400 Getting to Know the Apple iPod......Page 401 Managing Your Music with iTunes......Page 402 Downloading Music from the iTunes Store......Page 403 37 Playing DVDs and Videos on Your PC......Page 404 Using Windows Media Center to Play DVDs......Page 405 Playing Other Video Files......Page 406 38 Making Your Own Digital Home Movies......Page 408 Choosing a Video-Editing Program......Page 409 Burning Your Movie to DVD......Page 410 A......Page 414 B......Page 416 C......Page 417 D......Page 419 E......Page 420 F......Page 421 H......Page 423 I......Page 424 M......Page 427 N......Page 429 O......Page 430 P......Page 432 S......Page 435 T......Page 439 V......Page 441 W......Page 442 Z......Page 449 "This year, you may be one of the millions of casual computer users that will buy a new Windows 7 notebook or desktop PC. You'll want to know how to find your way around, get comfortable, and get the job done - without jargon, complexity, or hassle. There's a book for you: Michael Miller's Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics, Windows 7 Edition. It's the one book that covers everything today's beginners and near-beginners need to know: not just about Windows, but also about software, hardware, and the Internet. Through 90+ books, author Michael Miller has established an unparalleled track record in explaining complicated concepts simply and clearly, and empowering beginners. Now, he's thoroughly updated his best-selling Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics to cover today's user experience - with Windows 7, Internet Explorer 8, and today's hottest online tools, from craigslist and Facebook to Twitter, Wikipedia, and Google Docs. Miller offers step-by-step instructions and friendly, practical advice for making the most of Windows 7's improvements, including the new taskbar, Action Center, and Aero Snap. He walks through setting up a new computer; connecting to the Internet; working with digital media; burning custom CDs; watching DVD movies; using Microsoft Office and other popular software; managing money online; setting up home networks; keeping PCs running reliably; and protecting them from spam, viruses, and spyware. This is the one indispensable book for today's PC novice."--Publisher's website Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics is written to be an all-in-one solution to help users get up and running on their computer and learn all the software applications that come pre-loaded on their systems. This book is a cost-effective alternative for the user who does not want to purchase several books, because it covers hardware, software, peripherals, the Internet, and troubleshooting all in one resource. It's completely updated for 2003, and includes coverage of Windows XP. The book assumes no prior knowledge, and is perfect for those who've just taken their first computer out of the box. At only $18.95, it's priced well below the competition to give the reader a great value.