Computer Basics

Personal Computers (PCs) are made up of four basic parts: the tower, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Please look at the picture to the right and on the computer to identify these parts.

The Monitor is the square screen which displays the information on the computer.

The Tower is the rectangular box that holds all the information for the computer. There is a button that you push to turn it on.

The Keyboard is the typewriter-like object; you use it to enter data and words.


The Mouse is the small toy-like object connected to the tower by a cord. This is used to help navigate around the computer.

Mouse Practice
The mouse is used by clicking and dragging. Notice how there is an arrow or other small object on the screen. As you move the mouse around, the arrow moves with it. The best way to use a mouse is to put your wrist on the table behind it, with your fingers on the top of it. Use your fingers to navigate the mouse to where you want to go.

Clicking is done by pressing the buttons on the mouse. Notice that there are two: a right and left. Most of the clicking is done with the left button. To select an object, you may left-click on it once. To open an object, like the internet, you must double-left-click it. The clicks should be quick and consistent, or the object will not open. Be sure not to move the mouse as you double-click the object.

Sometimes the cursor will change shapes, depending on where you go on the computer. Most of the time it will look like an arrow, but if you are in a word-processor and are typing, the cursor will look a little bit like an I. This is used so you can go about the document and edit your text. When there is a link on the internet to click on, such as the links on the Garden Terrace blog, the cursor will sometimes look like a hand with a finger pointing. This means you can click on the link, and it will take you to a new website or different part of the website you are on.

Sometimes you need to drag an item around the screen or select text you are writing. To do this,
1. Left-click the item.
2. Hold the button down as you move the mouse where you want the object to be. There should be an outline of the object moving with the arrow.
3. Release the button. The object should be there.

To select text,
1. Move the cursor to the beginning of the text you want to highlight.
2. Left-click, and drag the mouse over the text. The text will begin to be highlighted.
3. Release the button when you have highlighted the text you want.

The right button of the mouse will bring up options for you to do with what you are working on. For example, you can copy text and paste it somewhere else. To do this,
1. Highlight the text you want to copy.
2. Right-click on it.
3. Select "Copy," or "Cut" if you don't want it there at all.
4. Go to the place you want the text to be.
5. Right-click the place.
6. Select "Paste." The text should be there.

If you want to copy an image,
1. Right-click on it.
2. Select "Copy."
3. Go to the place you want the image to be.
4. Right-click the place.
5. Select "Paste." The image should be there.

Sometimes you may want to save an image from the internet for later use. To do this,
1. Right-click on the object (if it lets you; some images are copyrighted).
2. Click "Save."
A screen will come up asking you where you want to save it. Usually it will automatically go to a folder in "My Documents" called "My Pictures." This is usually a good place to save it. There is a bar at the bottom of the screen that has the name it will call it when you save it. If you want to change the name, you can just delete what it has and type in what you want to call it.

The Desktop
When you log on to a computer, the first thing you see is the Desktop. This is the "home" of the computer. It usually has a design that you can decorate it to make it look like your own. You may customize the desktop to suit your own needs and to have quick access to items you use frequently.

There are basic tools on the desktop: the My Documents Folder, the My Computer Icon, and the Recycle Bin. If you would like, you can click and drag items from the "Start" menu at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Items you may want to include are access to the internet, and Microsoft Office.

The Start Menu
The Start Menu is in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Left-click on it once, and a menu will scroll up. It contains programs and information about the computer that you may need to access. For our purposes, we will only talk about programs you may utilize.

If Microsoft Programs (Word, Excel, etc.) are not on the desktop already, you may see an icon for them in the Start Menu. If you want it on the desktop, you can click and drag it there. If you do not see it immediately in the Start Menu,
1. Go to "All Programs" towards the bottom of the menu. Another screen will scroll out.
2. If you do not see the Microsoft Program you are looking for, look for a folder labeled "Microsoft Office."
3. Drag the mouse over to it, and another screen will come up with the programs in it. You can open the program from here, or drag the program onto the desktop for quick access.

You can do the same process with Internet Programs. Most versions of Microsoft use Internet Explorer, but if you do not see it, it may also use programs like Netscape.

If you cannot find what you are looking for on the Start Menu or anywhere else in the computer, there is a search option on the right-hand side of the Start Menu. 1. Select it, and a window will come up.
2. You may type in the name or description of what you are looking for, and the computer will look for it and tell you where it is.
3. You can tell the computer to look in specific parts of the computer, or what type of program to look for if you want your search to be quicker. For example, if you were looking for a document, you would select "Documents." If you want to search the whole computer, you would select "All Files and Folders."

The bar running along the bottom of the screen with the Start Menu is called the "Taskbar." You may see little icons to the right of the Start Menu, too. These are shortcuts that you can click on once to open what you need. You can click and drag items to the Taskbar to make these shortcuts.

On the right side of the Taskbar, you will see the time of day. To adjust the time, double-click on it and use the window that pops up to change the date and/or time. Next to the time, you should see a little arrow. Click on it, and more little icons will come out. These are more shortcuts that the computer puts on there for easy access. You cannot add shortcuts to this, but there may be programs you want to access, like an instant messaging program. You must double-click on these to open them. When you are printing something, a printer icon will come up here. You can double-click on this to see the printing status of your print-out. You can also cancel it, or see if something is going wrong.

Toolbars
Toolbars are located at the top of program boxes, such as Microsoft programs, internet, and other computer functions (My Documents, My Computer, etc.). Look at the top of the screen. You should see, starting in the upper left corner, "File," "Edit," "View," "Favorites," "Tools," and "Help."

The "File" menu has functions such as opening, closing, saving, printing, quitting, etc. You will use this tool a lot for documents, especially saving and printing. You may see functions called "Save" and "Save As." Say you have a document that you have saved, then you change it. You want to save this new version, but you also want to keep the older version.
1. Go to "File," and select "Save As."
2. A window will pop up asking you what you want to save the document as. You will need to have a different name for it than you saved the original as, so the computer can tell the different files apart.

If you are printing a document or something from the internet,
1. Go to "File" and select "Print Preview." This will show you what your print-out will look like. If it is not what you want, you can go back to it and adjust it as you need to. (Note: a lot of times, printing from the internet can look funny. You may want to copy and paste what you want to print into a word processor.)
2. Once you are satisfied with what you want to print, go to "File" and select "Print." A window will pop up.
3. This window allows you to select printing options. You should see a bar at the top showing what printer it will go to. (In the computer lab, you want the one that's called AMERICORPS.) You'll also see functions like the number of copies you want and which pages you want to print. If there are other options that you want to customize, go to the upper right corner of the window and select "Properties." There are tabs that you can select to change the layout of the document, color, etc.

The "Edit" menu has functions like cut, copy, paste, select all, etc. Remember how we copied and pasted using the mouse? The same works here, only you select from the "Edit" menu the functions copy and paste.

The "View" menu lets you choose how you want your screen to look. For example, on the top of your internet window, you may see particular icons or miniature toolbars. If you go to the "View" menu, there are little checkmarks next to the icons and bars that are there. If you want to remove or add these bars or icons, simply select them from the menu.

In Microsoft Office programs, you can change the way your document looks by looking under the "View" menu, called "Normal," "Online Layout," etc. Try selecting some of them to see which one you like best.

Also in Microsoft Office programs, you will see little icons below the toolbar. These icons are shortcuts you can take instead of going to the File or Edit menus. If you place the mouse arrow over each one without clicking on it, a little note will pop up telling you what it is. You should note with the printer icon, the item will print one copy automatically without the option window coming up.

Miscellaneous Program Features
Look at the top right corner of your computer screen. There are three boxes; from left to right they are: a box with a line on the bottom, a box with another box in it, and a box with an X in it.

The first box Minimizes the program that you have on your screen. If you click it, the program will still be open, but it will not be on the screen. To retrieve it, go to the task bar at the bottom of the screen. There will be a description of the program you just minimized. If you click on it, the program will come back onto the screen. You may also right-click on it to restore it or close it altogether.

The middle box Maximizes the program that you have on the screen. For example, say you have an internet page open, but the box is not taking up all the screen, and you cannot see all of the page. You can click this box, and the shape of the page will adjust. When you do this, the shape inside the Maximize box will change to two boxes overlapping each other. If you click on it again, it will Restore back to the original shape. Double clicking on the bar above the task bar will also maximize and restore the shape. You can also adjust the shape of the box you are working on by moving your cursor along the outside edge of the window until it takes on the form of an arrow pointing two directions. Click and drag until you get the shape that you want for the program.

The third box with the X in it simply closes the program you are working on. Be sure to save everything before closing.

Look to the right of the screen. There is a bar with two arrows on the top and bottom edge. If you click on the arrows, the page will "scroll" up and down. Notice how there is a bar that moves along with you as you move up and down the page. You may also click on this and drag to move up and down. If you click in the blank areas between the arrows, the page will go directly to the spot associated with that area that you clicked on.

Look at your mouse. There may be a little ball between the left and right buttons. This is a scrolling tool. If you push it up and down, the program you have selected will scroll for you without having to click on the arrows on the side of the page. Not all mice have this, however.

There are often spaces on the internet where you have to fill out information, such as when you are logging into your email account. Instead of entering the information in one bar and clicking on the next one, you may hit the "Tab" button in the upper left corner of the keyboard. This will move the cursor so you do not have to click on it.

You may also hit "Return" on the keyboard to select an option such as "OK." For example, if you are logging into an email account, you would enter your name and password, then hit return to enter the account instead of clicking on "Log In."



Floppy Discs & CDs
You can use floppy discs and compact discs (CDs) to save items, then take the items to another computer. A floppy disc is a thin, square-shaped plastic disc that is inserted in a slot on the computer tower. Please look at the image to the left. There is a metal rectangle-shaped part on one end of the disc; this end should go in the slot first. There is also a circle-shaped metal part on the bottom of the disc; this should be facing down as you insert the disc.

To access the items on the floppy disc,
1. Insert the floppy in the drive on the tower by gently pushing it in the narrow slot with the button next to it.
2. Open "My Computer."
3. There should be an icon called "3 1/2 Floppy." Open it. You will see the items that are on the disc.

To save items to a disc,
1. Insert the floppy in the drive on the tower by gently pushing it in the narrow slot with the button next to it.
2. Open "My Computer."
3. Find the item you wish to save to the disc. Click on its icon and drag it to "3 1/2 Floppy." The icon will highlight.
4. Release the mouse button. Open the "3 1/2 Floppy." The item should be there.

You can also save to a floppy disc by,
1. Insert the floppy in the drive on the tower by gently pushing it in the narrow slot with the button next to it.
2. Open the item you want to save to the disc.
3. Go to "File."
4. If this is the first time you are saving the item, click on "Save." If you have saved the item before, go to "Save As."
5. A window will pop up asking you where you want to save it. Click the window with the downward-pointing arrow. Select "My Computer."
6. The window will list the items in "My Computer." Select "3 1/2 Floppy" and click "Save."

There are three types of CDs that may be used on computers: an audio CD, CD-R, and CD-RW. DVDs may also be used, but they must have a DVD player on the computer.

Audio CDs are the same CDs you play in your stereo. Most computers come with an audio player that acts as the stereo. To insert a CD,
1. Press the button next to the CD drive, a small rectangular-shaped door on the tower. A tray will open.
2. Carefully put the CD face-up in the circular part of the tray.
3. Gently push the tray, or press the button to close the door.

To access the information on the CD,
1. Follow the steps for opening the floppy disc, only click on the icon that's labeled "CD Drive."

If the CD is an audio CD, you can open the Windows Media Player or any other music player to listen to the music.

If you want to store information on the CD, your computer must have a burner on it. To burn information on the CD is the same as saving information on a floppy. However, on CD-Rs, the information cannot be removed. On CD-RWs, they may.

How to use Craig's List

HOW TO POST

* go to the home page for the craigslist city in which you want to post
* click on the "post to classifieds" link in the top left corner
* select the category in which you would like to post
* make the appropriate selections in the next few screens, until you get to the main post form
* fill in the blank fields as needed, and select "continue"
* review your post, back up and edit if necessary, then select "continue"
* review the Terms of Use on the next page (at least glance at it!), then click "ACCEPT the terms of use" if you agree
* review the information in the confirmation screen
* check your email for the self-publishing email message that should have been sent to you
* use the link in that email message to access the publishing form for your post
* make any last-minute changes, then click the "publish" button
* once you publish your post, it will appear on the site within 15 minutes
* keep the email that contains your self-publishing link, because you can use it later to edit or delete the post.
* if you lose or delete this email, you can have the edit/delete link resent

HOW TO REPLY

To reply to a post, click on the highlighted reply email address in the upper left corner of the posting.

If it is an anonymous email address ( example: anon-22222@craigslist.org ) your email will still be received by the poster.

If you get an error message when you click on the address, or you do not recognize the email program that pops up, simply copy the email address and paste it into an outgoing email from your own email account.

If the poster has not provided a reply email address, look for an alternative method of contact at the bottom of the post under "Other ways to contact poster:"

If you want to remain anonymous when replying to a post we recommend setting up an online email account (hotmail, yahoo, etc.) and using this when replying. We only provide the option to remain anonymous when posting on craigslist.

EDIT AND DELETE

If your post was submitted while you were logged in, you can edit or delete it from your account page.

If you were not logged in, go back to the email that you initially used to publish the post and click on the highlighted web address. If you've deleted this email or can't find it, try having it re-sent.

To edit the post, make any changes that you need to the title or body and then click on "edit this posting." The changes will take effect immediately. Make sure that you refresh/reload your browser to see the changes on the site.

To delete the post click on "delete this posting."

HOW TO REPOST

If you would like to repost an existing post, please first delete the current post, and then submit a new one.

We ask that you do not repost ads more often than about every 48 hours. This is referred to as "top-posting" and is considered a form of spamming.

NOTE: This does not apply to paid job listings! If you would like to re-post a paid job, you must submit (and pay for) a new ad.

HOW TO INCLUDE A PICTURE

Currently you can add pictures to your post in the housing and for sale categories by selecting "Add images to this posting" at the bottom of the posting form.

You will be given the option to include four images. By selecting "Browse" you can search through your computer's directory and select the file path to your picture. Selecting "continue with this posting" will bring you back to a review screen of what your posting will look like with the picture included. If everything looks ok, select "continue."

For all other categories your picture must be uploaded on to a server (not on a disk or your hardrive). Once on a server you can either provide the URL (web address) for your picture for people to click on or use an an HTML image tag to have your post appear in the post.

Search Engines

Nearly anything you are looking for on the internet can be found by using a search engine. A search engine is simply a website that helps you find the information you are looking for. Two popular search engines are Yahoo! And Google. Here are some steps to help you search the internet:

1. First you will click on one of these links: Google.com or yahoo.com
.

2. Once you click the links, another screen will come up that will be the website that you chose. Both of them have an area where you can type that will say “search the web” on yahoo, or it will have a “search” button below it on google. In this box, you will type key words of what it is you are looking for. For example if you were trying to cook spaghetti, you could type in “spaghetti recipes”.

3. This will bring up lists of websites that match the keywords you have entered. You can look at different websites by clicking on the blue words, which are links to the sites, until you find the one that you want. If you click on one and realize that it is not the one that you want, you can use your mouse to click the “back” button at the top left hand corner of your screen and it will take you back to the list of websites to find a different one.

Using Email

Yahoo.com is one of the many sites that provides free e-mail services, and is fairly simple to use. First of all you will need to set up an account. Here is how you do that:
1. Go to Yahoo.com
2. Find where it says “Free mail: Sign up” and click the blue words “sign up”
3. Then click the button that says “sign up for Yahoo! Mail”
4. A form will come up that you will need to fill out all of your personal information in the assigned boxes.
5. Next you will read the terms of service agreement at the bottom of the page, if you understand and agree with all of these terms, select “I agree”
6. In the section that asks you for an alternate email account, you can put another account that you have used previously, or you can use GardenTerraceProject@yahoo.com
7. You will then go to the alternate email account and follow the directions in order to activate your new account.

Once you have activated your account, in order to send and receive emails, you will need to again go to Yahoo.com.
1. Start by clicking on the blue link where it says “check your mail status: Sign in”
2. Then in the provided boxes you will enter your user i.d. Name that you have chosen and your password. Then click the “sign in” button.
3. Once you are signed in, there will be a picture of an envelope at the top of the screen that says “mail” and you will click on this to go to your mailbox.
4. To check your new emails, you will click on the blue link to the left of your screen that says “inbox”
5. All of your new emails will be listed there and you can click on the blue links to read the messages.
6. You can then click reply to write back or you can click on “inbox” again to return to your mailbox

To write an e-mail:
1. You will click on the “compose” button
2. In the space provided for the “To:” section, you will type the email address of the person you are sending the message to. You can send this to more than one email address as long you separate them with commas.
3. In the space provided for the “Subject:” section, you will write a brief phrase for the subject of the message.
4. In the large white text box, you will type the message you want to send to the person or people you are writing too.
5. Once you are finished typing your message you will click the “send” button on the bottom of the page.

How to use Powerpoint

HOW TO USE BASIC POWER POINT



Start PowerPoint by either of two methods:
1. Go to the Start menu. Choose Programs and then click on Microsoft PowerPoint.
2. Double-click the icon of any PowerPoint document. When you double-click a PowerPoint document, PowerPoint opens with the document already loaded.
A PowerPoint presentation consists of slides that can contain text, graphics, charts, and other data types. When you start PowerPoint, you can start with a blank presentation, or you can begin from a template or use the AutoContent Wizard.
The AutoContent Wizard is series of step-by-step instructions designed to assist you. The Template button accesses slide templates to help create a consistent, professional look for your slide presentation.


Choose Blank Presentation if you want to start with a clean slate. This method is recommended because it provides the most flexibility and lets you focus on content first rather than appearance.
After you choose Blank Presentation, select the layout of your slides from the New Slide dialog box. Choose from slides with titles and bullets, titles only, titles and clip art, and other options. For example, choose the Title Slide and click OK.

[IMG]http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g219/d75215/pp_slidelayout.gif[/IMG]
Changes you make to a document are not saved to disk until you issue a Save command. Saving is quick and easy, and you should save often to minimize the loss of your work. PowerPoint has two save commands, Save and Save As, that work similarly. Both commands are on the File menu.
Save
When you save a new presentation for the first time, PowerPoint displays a dialog box similar to the Open dialog box. Select the disk in which to save the presentation and specify a name for the file. When you save an existing document that you have been editing, the newly saved version replaces the older version.
Save As
This command displays a dialog box where you can choose a document name and destination folder or disk. Use the Save As command whenever you want to save a copy of the current document with a different name or in a different folder or disk. The newly saved copy becomes the active document
A presentation is normally saved as _name.ppt_ file type. However, PowerPoint Show with the extension of _name.pps_ is also a useful file type so that your file is able to run regardless of OS. You can also create your own template and save it as _pot_ file.

Standard Toolbar
The Standard toolbar, located beneath the menu bar, has buttons for commonly performed tasks like printing, saving, inserting clip art, and other operations. You can customize the toolbar or even display multiple toolbars at the same time.

Formatting toolbar
The Formatting toolbar, located beneath the Standard toolbar bar, or possible to the side of it, has buttons for various formatting operations like changing text size or style, changing alignment, formatting bullets, and animation.

Drawing Toolbar
The Drawing toolbar on the bottom of the PowerPoint window contains drawing and text tools for creating graphics.

PowerPoint Views
PowerPoint has three different views. Normal View provides a comprehensive view for each slide with notes and outline. Slide Sorter View displays multiple slides and lets you quickly change their order in the presentation. Finally, the Slide Show view is also called preview. It is used to run the whole presentation.
Use the three buttons at the bottom left of the window to change slide views. For example, you can switch from Normal view to Slide Sorter view by clicking one of these buttons.

Edit and Format a Slide

Enter and Edit Text in Outline View
PowerPoint's Outline Area lets you focus on the content of your presentation, by typing up the outline prior to laying the presentation out. After you type an outline, you can concentrate on how your presentation looks.
The boundary of the Outline Area can be resized by dragging the vertical seperation to the right. This will make it easier to enter your outline.
Entering Slide Titles and Bullets
Typing in PowerPoint's Outline view is similar to using a word processor. Type your slide title or bullet point and press Return to start a new slide or bullet. To force a line break within a slide title or bullet, press Shift-Enter (Shift-Return on the Mac). This starts a new line for the same title or bullet.
Promote and Demote Text
In Outline view, text is either a slide title, bullet point or sub bullet. To change a bullet to a slide title, select the text and click the Promote button (a green left-pointing arrow) on the Outlining toolbar. The Demote button (a green right-pointing arrow)will change a title to a bullet point or sub bullet under the previous item.

Copy and Move Data
Use the Copy and Paste commands to copy selected text and graphics from one slide to another. If you want to move data instead, use the Cut and Paste commands. To do this:
• Select the text you want to cut or copy by highlighting it.
• Go to the Standard Toolbar to choose the Cut or Copy short cut icon.
• Move and click your mouse to the place where you want the text to go. Note the cursor is blinking.
• Go to the Standard Toolbar to choose the Paste short cut icon.
Move Slides in the Outline Area
It's easy to change the order of your slides and bullets in the Outline Area. Press the mouse button on the item you want to move and drag it to the desired location. You can also select the item you want to move and click on the Move Up or Move Down buttons.

Delete Slides or Bullets
While working in the Outline Area, you can delete a slide by clicking on the slide icon next to the title and pressing the Delete key. Delete bullets and sub bullets similarly.

Undo Mistakes
If you make a terrible mistake (accidentally deleting a slide title or bullet point, for example), use the Undo command on the Edit menu or the Undo tool. You can undo multiple mistakes with the Undo tool. If you are unsure what action you will be undoing, the Edit menu will display the action it will undo.
Edit and Format a Presentation

Apply a Template to a Presentation
A template is a PowerPoint presentation that defines how your text and slide background will look. A plain presentation is simply black text on a white background.
A template might include a blue background with bold yellow letters and a particular graphic.
To apply a template to your presentation, choose Slide Design from the Format menu. The available templates will appear in the Task Pane, and once you select one, PowerPoint will apply it to all the slides.
Define Slide Transition and Animation
Transition effects help define how a presentation move from one slide to the next. Animation defines how you want your listed information to come in and out of the presentation.
Apply transition effects in Slide Sorter View or by selecting the Slide Transition command on the Slide Show menu. Keep in mind that the Transition command only sets the desired transition for the selected slides. We will explore in more depth custom transitions and animations in the advanced-level class. Now let us just do the following to quickly apply the transition as well as animation effects to our project here:
• Switch to the Slide Sorter View.
• Move your mouse over the slide you want to apply transition effects.
• Click once to select the slide.
• Go to the Slide transition drop down menu on the toolbar. Choose Box Out.
• Note that preview is immediately applied on the selected slide.
• Apply some effects to other slides if you like.
Edit the Slide Master or Individual Slides
The Slide Master in a template is a slide that controls the formatting, text, and objects that appear on every slide in your presentation. For example, if you want a small picture of the world to appear on every slide, place that picture on the Slide Master. To display the Slide Master, choose Master/Slide Master from the View menu. You can then edit this slide. Changes you make to the Slide Master also appear on each slide in your presentation.
It is easiest to edit the text of a slide in the Outline Area. However, to modify a slide's appearance, switch to Slide View. If you want your changes to apply to every slide in the presentation, choose Master/Slide Master from the View menu.
In Slide View just click on an object to select it. Then use the Format menu to apply the change you want. For example, to change the font or color of the slide title, select the slide title and choose Font from the Format menu. The Format menu also has commands for centering or left aligning text (Alignment), and changing colors (Colors and Lines). You can even change the format of slide bullets using the Bullets command on the Format menu. PowerPoint also has a Formatting toolbar to simplify basic formatting tasks.

Slide Background
Choose Background from the Format menu to change a slide's background color or gradient. Click on the color rectangle near the bottom of the dialog box, and select either More Colors or Fill Effects. As shown in the Colors and Fill Effects dialog boxes below, you can change the color, gradient, texture, or pattern, or you can use a picture file.

Again, if you want this background to apply to all slides, make sure you select Mater/Slide Master from the View menu before making the change. Click on the Apply button when you are done.


Before you print your slide presentation, make sure the slide size and orientation is correct. Also, decide whether you want to print in color or black and white.
Change these settings using the Page Setup and Print commands on the File menu.

Slide Setup
The Slide Setup dialog box has controls for slide size and orientation. Choose the appropriate slide size and orientation before you do significant formatting in your presentation. Changing slide orientation from portrait to landscape or vice versa may require editing and reformatting slides.

Printing
To print your slide presentation, choose Print from the File menu, or click the Print button on the toolbar. In the Print dialog box you can choose how many copies you want to print. Use the Print What: drop-down list to select whether you want to print just the slides, notes, or handouts with multiple slides per page.
Note on color printing: To print your presentation in color:
• Mac: click the Color/Grayscale radio button in PowerPoint's print dialog box, and choose a color printer using Print Services from the Apple menu.
• PC: select a color printer from the print box.

Powerpoint Help

How to Use Microsoft Word

Word Concepts

HOW TO USE BASIC MICROSOFT WORD
Step 1: Start by opening Microsoft Word
If you want to work through the steps on this page, it might be useful to print out this page. Alternatively, arrange the windows on your screen so that you can see this page and Word at the same time.
Open up Word. How you do that may depend on your machine. Click the big blue W logo on the Office Shortcut bar in the top right hand corner of the screen. If you can't see a blue W logo there, try clicking the Start button. If you don't see a blue W Word logo there, choose Programs. Click the blue W Word logo to start Word.
Step 2: Create a new document
In Word, on the main menu choose File > New.
If you have Word 2002 or Word 2003, you'll see a pane on the right of the screen. Click Blank Document. In earlier versions of Word you won't see the task pane. Instead, you see a dialog box. Click on Blank Document, then click OK.
Professional users wouldn't use Blank Document. In Word 2003, they would click "On my computer" and choose an appropriate template. In Word 2002, they would click "General Templates" and choose an appropriate template. In older versions of Word, they would choose an appropriate template from the dialog box. But for now, let's just click Blank Document.
You can now see your new, empty document on the screen.
You will notice three important things about your new document:
• there may be a rectangle drawn in a dotted line on the page
• there's a flashing cursor at the top of the page
• the top highlighted bar says "Document1" or something similar.
Step 3: Type within the dotted lines
If you don't see a rectangle drawn with dotted lines, do this. On the main menu, choose Tools > Options. Click the View tab. Now, tick the box that says "Text boundaries" then click OK. And, choose View > Print Layout or View > Page Layout (the terminology changed in recent versions of Word).
You can see dotted lines that show you the text boundaries. When you type, you'll type within these boundaries. They are showing you the margins of your page.
Step 4: Type where you see the cursor or Insertion Point
At the top left of the text boundary area, you see a flashing cursor. It's called the Insertion Point, because if you type, your typing gets inserted at the Insertion Point. (Just to make the point, move your mouse around. You'll see that the Insertion Point didn't move.)
If you make a typing mistake, use the Backspace key to reverse what you've done, and try again. (You'll learn about niftier ways to edit mistakes later.)
About foxes and lazy dogs|

Step 5: Save your document
In the far top left corner of the window, the highlighted bar next to the Word logo says Document1 (or some such). This is because you haven't yet saved your document and given it a more useful name.
Even though you haven't typed much yet, it's a good idea to save your document now, and save it again every few minutes, so you don't lose your work.
So on the main menu, choose File > Save. The Save As box will open, where you can give your document a name. So type a name in the "File Name" box, and click Save.
You can now see your own file name in the top highlighted bar next to the Word logo.
It may not say a lot, but you have created and saved a new document in Word.

Basic Computer Functions and Trouble Shooting

Basic Computer Tasks and Trouble Shooting:

What to do if your computer freezes?

One way to end programs if they are slow or “frozen” is to hit the CTRL + ALT + DEL buttons all at once. This will prompt up the “Windows Task Manager”. From here, you can “end the tasks” under the “applications” tab. MAKE SURE TO ONLY END THE TASKS OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE FROZEN. Ending a task under the tab “processes” can seriously damage the computer. This tool should be used very cautiously and only when necessary.

Always remember to save your work in case your work freezes and you are forced to shut down your computer unexpectedly.

Keyboard shortcuts

You can copy text from any document (for example from an internet page) to another using the keyboard by highlighting what you want to copy, and clicking CTRL + C at the same time. Then you can paste the text into another document (for instance Word) by clicking CTRL + V at the same time.

If your mouse has a “Right click” button, you can highlight the text and right click on it. “Copy” and “Paste” will come up as options when you right click.

CTRL + O will open a program. CTRL + S will save a document. CTRL + P will print a document. To start a spell check, hit the button F7 located above the numbers on the keyboard.

Search/More Help

To find a specific document, file, folder or even for help, click the “start” button in the bottom left corner of the screen. When the menu pops up, click “Search” on the right hand side of the menu. This will prompt up a menu, allowing you to search for anything, and also includes a help/support center.

Downloads

You should not download anything to a computer unless you are sure that the files are virus-free. Few sites can guarantee that its files are not corrupted. Viruses can damage computer’s memories, slow down their processes and upload Spywear into the system. If you are going to download something, be sure that it is from a secure network.

Once you have checked that a file is clean, begin downloading by clicking the “install” button. It will prompt you to “save as” the program. You should make sure you save it on the “desktop”, by scrolling through at the top of the “save as” screen. After the download is through, you then should open up the new program, and click “install”. This should start a series of steps in reading the program for use. Sometimes it can take minuets, sometimes hours—it just depends on the program.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel—Basic Uses:

Microsoft Excel can be used for many uses, from simple everyday organization to highly complicated math equations used by engineers. The following will explain some of the more basic ways to use Excel spreadsheets. To get started, double click “Microsoft Excel” under “Office”.

Data Storage

The easiest way to Excel is for data storage or organization. You can enter addresses, phone numbers, e-mails or just about anything into each cell and organize it. To begin, use the first row (A1, B1,C1, etc) as starting points. Use these as column Titles. For example, if your spreadsheet was organize your family’s addresses, cell A1 could be First Name. Then, the A column becomes a data entry point for all first name’s in your family. Column B could be “Last name”. Some find it helpful to bold the column Titles. To do this, highlight the cell and hit the CTRL button + “B” key at the same time.

Repeat these steps to make columns for as many data points as you’d like. When you enter the points, you will often find that the words are too large for the cell. To fix this, double click on the line that separates that column from the next (ie the line between the A and the B).

Charts

Excel will also create some very nice graphs and charts, based on the data you put into the cells. To begin, enter the data you’d like to use into the cells. Make sure to use different columns for the different axis or sides you want to use. Once all of your data is entered correctly, click on “Chart” under “Insert”. This option uses the information in the spreadsheet to create any graph or chart you want. It will prompt you to select what kind of graph/chart, as well as how you would like your data arranged (by row or by column). Then it will allow you to title the graph. Finally, click on “Finish” and your graph will pop up.

You can edit the numbers, type of chart, or text on the chart by double clicking on the graph after it is made. Changing the data in the Excel cells that you have used for the charts will also change the charts.

The easiest thing to do is to copy (CTRL + C) and paste (CTRL V) the graph into a Microsoft Word document. This will make it convenient to print. However, make sure the graph is how you want it before you put it into Word—you can not edit the data from Word.


Mathematical Functions:

While you could take a semester’s worth of classes to teach all of the mathematical functions of Excel, here a few basic ways to calculate formulas using excel. To begin, we’ll start with addition equations: enter the numbers you wish to use into different cells. Then, in a separate cell, enter the phrase =sum( . Then, click on the cell you wish to add, then the + sign and the other cell you want to add. Your formula cell will look like this: =sum(A1+C1) . One you click enter, the values in A1 and C1 will be added. To subtract, simply replace the + with the – sign.

To Multiply, replace the word “sum” with “product” and the + sign with a *. It is important to use the same form, however—using the equal sign, as well as parenthesis. A Multiplication cell will look like this: =product(A1*B1)

This is useful if you are working with a bunch of numbers that have already been given to you in excel. You can create a new column from the data given and put the data through a new formula. This is relevant when researching stock information (manipulating company information into helpful investment ratios), tax information (turning total income into taxable) and loan payments (figuring how much certain interest rates will result added payments).

With experience, Excel can be one of the most helpful tools on a computer. Click on the “fx” box above the table to explore all of the mathematical functions of Excel. The advanced modes include averaging, matrix multiplication and trigonometry among other functions.

Online Banking

Online Banking

Wells Fargo:
111 CONGRESS AVE,
AUSTIN, TX 78701
Tel: 5123447109

To log on to Wells Fargo’s banking site, go to www.wellsfargo.com on your internet browser. If you have an account, log in on the upper left hand corner of the page. Your log on will be your Social Security Number.

If you do have a Wells Fargo account, but not an online account, click the “Sign up Now” link, located directly under the log in area (shaded in blue). Have your account information ready and answer the questions on the page.

If you do not have a Wells Fargo account but would like to apply for one, click “Apply” towards the bottom of the page on the left, under “Open an Account Online”. This will give you several options of banking with Wells Fargo—including Checking and Savings accounts, as well as loan applications.

Once logged in, your account information will appear on the screen. To see how much money you have in your account, click “Available Balance". This shows your account history. If you have a credit card account, it will also appear on this page. To see its history, click "Outstanding Balance". Bill pay is another option. For $6.95 a month, Wells Fargo will directly transfer funds from your account to outstanding bills (up to 25 a month). Contact Wells Fargo for more details.

From the “Transfers” tab you can switch money between checking, savings or credit card accounts. These transactions may or may not be free, dependent on the account opened. To transfer money, enter the account you want to take money from in "Transfer From Account" and the account you want the money to go in to in "Transfer to Account". Then put the dollar amount you want to transfer in "Amount" and hit "continue".

Other pertinent information under "Account Services" tab.

Washington Mutual:
600 CONGRESS AVE
AUSTIN, TX
78701
512.322.9225

To log on, visit www.wamu.com. Current users log in on the right under “View Your Account”. If you have an account at Washington Mutual, but not an online account, click “New User Sign up” under the log on. If you do not have a WaMu account, click under “Open a New Account” on the right side of the page, below the log in. This will guide you through questions to open a new account.
Once logged in, you will be under the “Account Balances” tab. Click the name of the account to view the details and history of each of your accounts. If you click on the account name, the new page will also let you search for a transaction. For example, under "Keyword" you can search for a specific item you purchased at one time.

On the left side on the page, Click "Transfer Funds" to switch money from one account to another. From here you can pick which account receives and gives money, what amount, and when the transaction should be executed.

Bill pay is also available for free. Click under “Pay Bills and Loans”. It will ask you a series of questions including which account you'd like the bills to be paid from.

Under “Account Services”, also on the left, you can order checks, order copies of checks, stop payments on a check, change your mailing address or log on information.

At the top, under “My Accounts”, click “Apply and Get status” to apply for loans. The “Customer Service” tabs have contact information and troubleshooting advice.

University Federal Credit Union

Downtown Branch
702 Colorado St
Austin, TX 78701-3032
512.467.8080 – Austin

To Log in, visit www.ufcu.org. Log in on the left side of the page. Your log in will be your account number. If you do not have an account, click “Join” at the top of the page to apply for membership.

Once you are logged in, you will be taken to your account summary. Click on the title (ie “Savings”) to view the history/details of each account. Checking, savings, credit card, money market and any other accounts will be listed.

At the top, click “Transfer” to switch money between accounts. This option lets you choose which accounts transfer to and from, as well as the amount. Dependent on your account plan, you may have a limited number of transfers.

Click “Withdrawal” at the top to withdraw money from your account, via check. You also may have a limited amount of these, based on your account.

“eStatement” is a feature (tab also at top of page) that allows you to view or print up a complete bank statement from any month in the last 6 months. It allows you to search any of you accounts and gives detailed information on money spent, place it was spent, when it was spent and balances.

On the left side of the page are links to other UFCU services that are add-ons—such as “Bill Pay”, which is about $5.00 a month. It allows you to electronically pay from any of your accounts to a company on a designed day. “eDocuments” allows you to look at checks that have cleared, the bank of bank statements or online bank forms.

Under “Account Services”, you will find the stop payments and purchase bonds actions. Finally, “Reorder Checks”, “Contact Us” and “Alert Center” all give contacts to UFCU for customer service or trouble shooting.

Find a capital metro route

Click here to find your capital metro route: Capmetro.org

Use this website to find a capital metro route that will take you where you need to go when you need to go there.
Trip Planner:

This feature allows you to type in your starting location, your desired destination, your desired departing or arriving time, and whether you would like extra consideration applied to minimizing time, traveling, or walking. It then gives you several routes that you can take to get there and you can pick which one suits you.
1. On the left hand side of the home page type in the information I have listed above in the appropriate blanks.
2. It may not recognize one of both of the addresses you type in. If this is the case it will give you several choices of addresses that it does recognize that are similar to what you typed in. Find the one that is where you want to go and click on it then click “resubmit”.
3. Now a list of routes will come up. Each route choice will give you departure and arrival locations and times as well as how far and in what direction you need to walk. It also tells you the name and number of the route.

Route and Map Listings:

This feature allows you to look at the maps of the capital metro routes.
1. Click on the “Riding Capital Metro” on the left hand side of the side of the screen.
2. Then click on “Schedules and Maps”
3. The routes are listed in groups in numerical order. Click on the one that contains your route.
4. The routes in that group are listed in numerical order. In each row there is a “route description” link which describes where the bus goes and a “Map and Schedule” link which gives a map of the route and the times it is at each stop. Click on which ever feature meets your needs better.

Need a map? This is what you need

Click here to find your map or directions: Mapquest.com

On mapquest’s home page you have two options: you can get a map of an area or you can get directions from one place to another.

1. Maps: This is what you should use if you just need a map of a certain area or location. It is the top option on the main screen.
a. For this setting you fill in the address or intersection, city, state, and zip code. However, it will still work if you only know some of that information.
b. Here a map will come up, if you need to get a closer look at an area or you need to see more of the surrounding area you can zoom in or out. To do this press either the + for closer or the – for farther on the left side.
c. Also, above the map there is a search that says “find nearby: “. If you need to find nearby grocery stores, movie theaters, banks, etc… all you need to do is type whatever it is into that box and press search and it will bring up a listing for you.


2. Directions: This is the setting you should use if you are trying to get from one place to another. This is the lower option on the main screen.
a. Here you type in the address, city, state, and zip code of both your starting location and your desired ending location and press “get directions”. Again, it will still work if you only have some of the information.
b. It may not recognize an address the way you typed it. If this is the case it will give you many similar addresses and you click on the one that you need.
c. Then it will give you directions, miles traveled, and estimated traveling time. If you need to see a step more closely click on it and it will show you a map for that step.

Find a Job Online

Click here to begin your job hunt: Monster.com

Searching for a job
On the home page under "Find the Right Job" You can search for a job the following ways:

1. Keywords-
a. In this box you would type in a keyword for the type of job you're looking for. For example, if you wanted to work in a retail store you would type in retail. If you wanted to find a teaching job you would type in teaching.
b. When you get to this page look in the top left hand corner and there will be a box that says "refine this search by:" here you need to type in your zip code and how many miles from it you are willing to travel. Otherwise, the job listing will include jobs all over the country.
c. When you have narrowed your search a listing of all the related jobs will come up in chronological order. This page will show you the job title, company, and location.
d. If you see a job that interests you click on it. Then a more detailed of the job will come up along with contact information for the person you would need to reach about the job.

2. Category and City-
a. If you don't know exactly what kind of job you are looking for it might be better for you to use this method. Click on the drop box that says "select job category" and scroll through the categories until you find one that interests you. When you do click on it.
b. The next step is to click on the drop box labeled "select job location". Scroll down and find your state and city. When you find it click on it. Then press the search button.
c. When you get to the job listings it would be a good idea to narrow your search with your zip code just like with the keyword option so that you are looking at only the jobs in your area.
d. When you have done that look through the jobs listed and see if one interests you. If it does click on it and it will give you more detailed information and contact information.




Posting a resume

In order to post a resume you have to create an account on the website. To do this you go to the top right hand corner of the home page under where it says "My Monster" in that box there is a link that says "sign up today". Click on that link and it will bring you to the sign up page. Fill out all the information it asks for; the ones with red asterisks by them are required in order to create an account. In the "Career info" box it gives you the option to have them email you job postings that are relevant to what you have posted. If you want these emails check the box at the bottom. When you are done filling in all the information press the button at the bottom right hand corner to continue. It will then take you to the resume form you fill out and post. Employers who are hiring can search for prospective employees who fit their needs and contact them.



Career Advice

At the top of the home page there is a tap that says "career advice", if you click on it they have many helpful options. Such as a random interview question generator, this gives you common interview questions so you can practice answering them. To get to this click on "virtual interview" under the interview section. From there click on "random question generator". Then press "begin interview" and it will start to give you questions.

Good luck with your job hunting!