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Windows Terminology

The following are just some of the terms used to describe the Windows desktop you are likely to run into. Most are indicated in the diagram below the list:

Desktop refers to the background of your screen on which the various programs run. Think of your computer screen as your electronic desk.

Icons are those small pictures on the desktop and inside folders that represent various programs and sometimes folders.

Folders are containers that can contain icons, programs, data or other folders (sub-folders). The default folder icon looks like a Manila file folder.

Title bar refers to the bar at the top of an open window that will tell you what the folder/window is (the title) and contains the minimize, maximize and close buttons. You can
also use the title bar to move a window around.

Cursor is the graphic which indicates where the mouse is and what sort of action it is performing. The cursor will change from the default arrow to various shapes according
to the purpose it is serving at the time. For instance, it may form an I-beam shape when you are selecting text in a document or a double-arrow when you are resizing a
window.

Task bar refers to the bar usually at the bottom of your Windows screen (it can be moved) with the Start Button on the left and the clock on the right.

The Scroll Bar appears when there is more information in the window than can be displayed. This is usually a vertical scroll bar, but a horizontal scroll bar may display if the
width of the window is too narrow.

The Address Bar allows you to navigate up and down a series of windows by double-clicking on a folder. The folder with the Back/Fwd Buttons in Windows 7 would allow
you to return to the previous folder.

The Window
The window (from which the term "Windows" is derived) has various elements. The most common are labelled in the Windows 7 diagram below:

This folder is one of the optional desktop folders called the User Files. Some of these folders are not standard in Windows 7 such as Dropbox and Screen Captures.

The Navigation Pane provides quick links to various folders and locations on your computer.

The Title Bar contains no text although it still provides the method for moving the folder.

My Documents contains most of your user documents and files (except for music, pictures and videos).

The Address Bar has a bread crumb menu. Clicking on any of the listed items (shown here as Russ ) takes you to that folder. Clicking behind the address transforms it
into the C:\Users\Russ\ format.
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A longer address example would be Russ Pictures Family which would transforms into C:\Users\Russ\Pictures\Family.

Clicking on Pictures would take you back to the Pictures folder.

Clicking on Russ would take you to the folder shown in the diagram above.

Mouse Clicks
Right or Left?
You'll see at least two buttons on your mouse and most current mice have a middle button as well. The type of click means the button you push when you click. Left-handed readers will
have to reverse these instructions.

The left-click selects items and will be used most often. If no button is specified, this will be the one you use.

If you right-click on an item you will get a context-sensitive menu with a list of the things that you can do with the item you clicked on.

When you right-click to obtain a menu, you will select the menu with the left button (generally just referred to as selecting or clicking the left mouse button click is assumed).
Context Sensitive?
This refers to the fact that the menu varies when you place it on different items:

Right-clicking an icon on your desktop will include the option to open it.

Right-clicking on the background (desktop) will give you options to arrange icons or refresh the desktop.

Properties
A very useful selection is Properties option when you right-click on an object. This will give you information about the icon or object you are selecting. The menu options differ between
various versions of Windows.
Some of the more useful Windows 7 options and properties available are found byright-clicking key icons on your desktop (if they don't appear on the desktop, look under the Start
button). Unless you understand the consequences, you shouldn't change anything.

Right-clicking the Desktop provides access to


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Screen Resolution where you can set screen resolution and some other display preferences; and

Personalize where you can modify your desktop icons, background, sounds and screen saver.

Right-clicking Computer provides access to


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Properties which opens System Properties (for information about your computer's hardware including the Windows Experience Index) as well as links to
the Device Manager (hardware) & Remote Settings (remote assistance connections to your computer); and

Manage which opens Computer Management (including Device Manager under System Tools).

Right-clicking the Task Bar provides access to


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Properties which allows the management of your Taskbar and Start Menu including Aero Peek, power button default action and options for the icons and
notifications that appear next to the clock; and

Start Task Manager includes Applications (running programs) and Processes (program components) which is particularly useful in closing programs that are not
responding (hung).

Right-clicking Network Properties gives you your Network and Sharing Center which includes managing your Internet connection.

There are other management tools accessed via these menus but only knowledgable users should access these. You can seriously damage your Windows installation or stop it from
running altogether if you misconfigure the settings.

Menus
The Windows Menu System
Consistent Menus

Where available*, there is a consistency to Windows menus across various programs. You will almost always see the File, Edit, View and Help menus in the same order although other
menus specific to the program you are using may be in between some of these.

File: contains the filing options as you might expect such as open and close documents, but also the printer options and usually others such as page setup or import/export
options.

Edit: contains copy and paste as well as other selection items. It sometimes contains the options for the program you are viewing.

View: contains options to change the items you are viewing, including toolbars options.

Help: contains help, but clicking on the About sub-menu will give you the program version.

* Beginning with Office 2007 and Windows Vista there is a move away from the default inclusion of text menus. You can see this trend in recent versions of Internet Explorer, Office and Firefox.

Sub-Menus
You'll often see sub-menus indicated by a small arrow (like a triangle) at the end of menus with additional choices. If you hold your mouse over the menus, they will open up to display
their contents or you can click on them.
Keyboard Alternatives
I briefly mentioned menus in the screen shot of the window, above. If you look closely, you'll see that some of the letters are underlined*. By using the Alt key in combination with the
indicated letter, you can navigate the menu without a mouse something that is useful if your mouse is not working or if you are typing a document and don't wish to leave the keyboard
to use the mouse.
You'll also see other keyboard shortcuts listed to the right of menu items. For instance, Ctrl+p (press and hold the Ctrl key, then press the "p" key) will print the current document.
* With the trend towards tablets and touch screens, the physical keyboard is a dying breed (replaced with an on-screen touch-board) so these alternatives are bound to die.

Windows & File Extensions


File extensions are the part of the filename that is after the dot in Windows. For example, a text file like readme.txt has txt as its extension.
Old DOS programs used to be limited to eight letters/numbers before the dot and three after (hence the term 8.3 was commonly used) but no spaces and many characters were
"reserved." Current Windows systems allow spaces and can use up to 256 characters before the dot and at least four behind (e.g. Letter to Mary December 25, 2009.docx).

Extensions Tell What Type of File


The extension tells Windows how to deal with a certain file by identifying the type of file it is. By associating a certain extension with a default program to deal with that sort of file, you
can open the program by double-clicking on the filename. The type of file is usually indicated by its icon as well.

Common Extensions
There are hundreds of extensions, many of which are proprietary (e.g. specific to a particular program) and quite a few that are legacy (no longer in active use). Some of the more
common ones are:

.txt text file

.doc Microsoft Word document

.docx Microsoft Word open XML document Word 2007 or later

.xls Microsoft Excel spreadsheet

.xlsx Microsoft Excel open XML spreadsheet Excel 2007 or later

.ppt Microsoft PowerPoint presentation document

.pptx Microsoft PowerPoint open presentation document PowerPoint 2007 or later

.html Web page (Hypertext Markup Language) file

.mp3 audio (music) file

.pdf Adobe Portable Document Format file (Adobe Reader)

.jpg JPEG image file (usually a photo)

.iso Disc Image File used to create a CD or DVD

There are many more of these that you are likely to see. If you wish to learn what a file is used for, you can visit FileInfo.com's list of common file extensions (if you don't see the
extension in the common files, click a letter at the top that the extension you're looking for begins with). Remember, if you're unsure it is better to ignore a file than to get yourself into
trouble by clicking on it.
Dangerous Extensions
Some Windows extensions can indicate programs that can do harm to your computer. You should always be careful with files that have the following extensions, particularly if attached to
an email message, because they can be used to install malicious or unwanted programs:

.pif program information file

.exe executable (program) file

.bat batch file can call other files including program or scripting files

.scr scripting file sometimes mistakenly called a screen saver file

Most users should not see any of these sorts of files attached to emails. While any of these could be legitimate files it is more likely that its purpose is to infect your computer with a virus
or other malicious program.
Hidden By Default
Windows hides "known" extensions by default (Windows "knows" what the extension is you may not).
This was probably done to make it look less intimidating, but you should re-enable the display of these extensions (see Folder Options). Many file extensions are not safe to open
unless provided by a trusted source.
For example, if you see a file attached to an email, you may not know that the attachment is unsafe to open:

If extensions are hidden, Windows displays phonelist.txt.scr asphonelist.txt, hiding the actual .scr extension) allowing you to assume (mistakenly) that it is a text document
and therefore safe to open.

However, as noted earlier, the .scr extension is not safe to open especially when you are unsure of the source.

Even if you received the message from a friend, it may not be safe (or could have been attached by a virus on their computer or someone with unauthorized use of their email
address).

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