Abby Stokes Read online

  Without adding to your possible confusion, you should also know that you can connect to the Internet wirelessly. Almost all new laptops offer this feature. Wi-fi (wireless fidelity) is discussed in greater detail in Chapter 16. Hang tight and it will all make sense to you as you keep reading.

  NO BUSY SIGNALS

  A DSL or cable connection to the Internet will not cause your phone to be busy and will provide a faster connection.

  How Does It All Get Connected?

  Let’s review the hardware on a desktop computer before we get into how it is connected. There is a monitor, mouse, and keyboard. There is also the computer case, which houses the brain of the computer, the modem, and the disk drives. The pieces of hardware must be connected to have information conveyed from one part to another.

  • The monitor, like the keyboard and mouse, is connected to the computer case by a cable.

  Ports

  Desktop computers have a bunch of ports at the back of the case where the cords that connect each piece of hardware are plugged in. For example, the monitor must be connected to the case before you can view the information that your computer has stored. The connection between the monitor and the computer case is made by way of a port. A cable coming from the back of the monitor is plugged into a port on the computer case. The same is true for the keyboard, mouse, and any additional equipment you may choose to have, such as a printer. On the computer case there is also a place to plug in an electrical cord to bring electricity to the computer.

  • The cables that connect the various parts of the computer are plugged into ports in the back of the computer case. Thank heaven the ports have different shapes. It makes plugging in cables a whole lot easier.

  Each piece of hardware has a different-shaped plug to match a specific port. This makes it difficult to plug things in incorrectly, which makes connecting the parts of a computer easier than you would expect. Laptop computers have fewer ports because most pieces are already connected, but what ports there are are on the side or back.

  * * *

  “With every e-mail from my kids that I print out for my mother, she gets closer and closer to wanting a computer of her own.”

  —Evelyn

  * * *

  Peripherals

  Peripherals are pieces of hardware that you can add to your computer above and beyond the basic pieces we’ve already discussed (for example, you might add a scanner or webcam). These can be added at any time, so there is no urgency to buy them when you make your computer purchase. But a printer is pretty essential and I think you’d regret not having one from the get-go.

  Printer

  The printer will print whatever you ask it to print from the computer. For example, you can print the letters or recipes you’ve written or an e-mail you’ve received. You can also print the information from the websites that you’ve pulled up on the Internet or a photo you’ve taken digitally or received in an e-mail. Perhaps you have accessed a website that sells antique weathervanes. Before you make your purchase, you might print out several that appeal to you so your spouse can have a say in the decision.

  • Printers, like the two here, are designed in a variety of styles and sizes.

  • A combination printer, scanner, copier, and fax.

  Scanner

  A scanner is a bit like a photocopier. It scans an image and sends a copy of that image to your computer. Once the image is in your computer, you can make changes to it, print it, or even send it as e-mail. I have a student who is building a new house. She scanned her first pictures of the construction crew’s progress into her computer. Then she wrote an e-mail to each of her children and attached the pictures to the e-mails so they could see the house. It was really exciting and not very hard to do.

  A scanner can also scan documents. This same student scanned all of the letters her husband had sent her when he was stationed in Europe during World War II. The letters were beginning to fall apart and she didn’t want to risk losing them forever.

  • A flatbed scanner.

  Webcam

  A webcam records sounds and moving images just like a video camera does, but it can send the video spontaneously over the Internet in what is referred to as “real time.” Some computers have a webcam built in. It enables you to see and hear a person who also has a webcam and the reverse, in the moment that it is really happening. If you have relatives or friends who live far away and you rarely get to see one another, a webcam can bring everyone into the same room at the same time. See page 268 for more about communicating using a webcam.

  • A webcam.

  Let’s Review

  arrow keys

  features of the keyboard; allow movement of the cursor around the screen

  bytes

  measurement of space

  CD

  contains software to be installed, documents, images, or music to listen to on the computer

  click

  depressing the mouse button to take an action

  computer case

  contains the CPU, hard drive, RAM, modem, and disk drives

  CPU (central processing unit)

  the processing part of the computer

  D: drive (or E: drive)

  the place to insert CDs or DVDs

  DVD

  contains software to be installed, documents, images, music to listen to, or a movie to watch on the computer

  Enter or Return and function keys

  features of the keyboard; hitting them allows you to perform desired actions

  hard drive (or C: drive)

  where information is permanently stored

  hertz

  measurement of speed

  keyboard

  used to type information into the computer

  modem

  communicates through a phone line or TV cable to connect to the Internet

  monitor

  houses the screen where information is viewed

  mouse

  device to move the pointer on the screen

  peripherals

  additional pieces of hardware such as a printer or scanner attached to the computer

  pointer

  appears on the screen and moves according to the manipulation of the mouse; also referred to as the cursor

  port

  where cords that connect the different computer parts are plugged in

  printer

  prints information from the computer

  RAM (random access memory)

  temporary memory used when the computer is on

  scanner

  copies images and text into the computer

  wi-fi (wireless fidelity)

  allows access to the Internet without wires or cables

  webcam

  sends and receives video in real time through the Internet

  Don’t fret if you feel overwhelmed by the technical aspect of this information. How many of us can actually describe how our telephone works? Do you have any problem using a telephone? I don’t think so!

  * * *

  Q: Can I use my TV set instead of buying a monitor?

  A: Some new TVs allow you to use them as a computer monitor, and some computer monitors allow you to watch TV on them. But keep in mind: Where is the TV in relationship to your using it as a computer? Can you really read an e-mail comfortably from your sofa?

  Q: Is there a keyboard designed for the visually impaired?

  A: Yes, there are keyboards designed to make viewing and use easier for the visually impaired. Contact the American Foundation for the Blind (1-800-232-5463) or the American Council of the Blind (1-800-424-8666) for advice about where to order or buy exactly what you require.

  Q: I’m not sure I can use a mouse because of my Parkinson’s. Are there any other options?

  A: Yes, you do have options. Computers didn’t always use a mouse to navigate. Before the mouse came along, the keyboard was used for all tasks on the computer. There are keyboard shortcuts that allow you to use a mouse-free c
omputer. At the back of the book is a list of shortcuts and some recommended websites where you can find even more shortcuts.

  CHAPTER 3

  Software: Feeding the Computer Brain

  An explanation of software and how it is used

  For a computer to function, it must have software added to the brain. Think of it this way: Hardware is the machinery and brain of the computer. The machinery and brain are useless unless intelligence or information is added to it. Software is the information or intelligence of the brain. Without software, a computer is nothing more than an oversized chunk of plastic. It’s like the telephone: The phone is the hardware; our voices are the software.

  You do not need to completely understand software to be able to use a computer. My guess is that, unless you are a brain surgeon, you’ve been using your brain all this time without really understanding how it works in any detail. Again, the goal is to be able to use the computer, not dismantle and reassemble it!

  WHY CAN’T I STICK WITH MY OLD UNDERWOOD?

  If you make a mistake on a typewriter, you have to remove the error with correction tape or Wite Out, or, even worse, type it all again. With a computer you can make tons of changes on a document and view it in its entirety on the screen to make sure it’s just the way you want it before you print it out. The computer will even check the spelling and grammar for you.

  Operating Software VS. Application Software

  There are two types of software: operating software and application software. Your computer will come with operating software already stored on the hard drive. (Remember, the hard drive is the permanent memory of the computer.) Operating software organizes and manages your computer. Think of it as the computer’s filing system and library.

  In Chapter 2 we became familiar with the central processing unit (CPU)—the hardware that organizes the flow of information. Well, the operating software works hand in hand with the CPU. A computer would not be able to function without operating software. It would be like having the lumber (hardware) to make a house, but no foundation and no blueprints (operating software).

  Application software, with the help of the operating software, enables you to perform certain tasks (type a letter, create cards, design a website, chart your family genealogy). For example, word-processing application software allows you to use the computer as a typewriter with advanced editing tools. Other application software teaches you to speak Spanish, set up your taxes, or play chess. There are hundreds of thousands of different application software programs on the market.

  Different Kinds of Application Software

  Word Processing

  lets you type and edit letters, recipes, a novel

  Financial Management

  helps you track accounts, print checks, pay bills, figure out taxes

  Organizational

  helps you maintain a calendar, address book, home inventory

  Communication

  enables you to send e-mail, travel the Internet

  Educational

  offers you typing instruction, language lessons, reference materials, and much more

  Graphics

  lets you create pictures and design cards, invitations

  Entertainment

  games, music, photographs, video

  How Does the Software Get into the Computer?

  Software needs to be transferred to the brain of the computer. This is done by way of a CD or DVD or by transferring (aka downloading) the software from a website onto your computer. The CD or DVD drives of the computer read the information off these disks and store it in the brain. The CD or DVD drives are the bridge between software and the computer.

  CDs and DVDs

  Regardless of which type of application software interests you, it will come in the form of either a CD or DVD. A CD and DVD look just like a compact disc for a stereo. However, unlike a compact disc for your stereo, which contains only sound, a CD and DVD are capable of holding sound, text, and images (even moving images), which we can access on our computer’s monitor and speakers. A CD can store the equivalent of an entire set of encyclopedias, about 400 times the information on a floppy disk—its predecessor. A DVD can store up to 26 times the information on a CD. By the way, CDs and DVDs aren’t just for installing software. A CD can also hold music for your listening pleasure or photographs for you to see. A DVD can do all that and let you watch movies on your computer.

  • CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks all store information. A CD stores 400 times as much as a floppy. A DVD stores 26 times as much as a CD.

  Installing Software from a CD or DVD

  Before you can use application software, it needs to be added to the brain of the computer. To add software to your computer, your computer transfers the information stored on a CD or DVD onto the hard drive. This process of transferring the software to the hard drive is referred to as “installing” software. Once the software has been installed, it is stored permanently on the hard drive.

  To install software, you first insert either the CD or DVD into its proper drive (see the illustration to the left).

  The drive for the CD or DVD works one of two ways. There may be a button you push to open the drive. What looks like a shallow cup holder in your car will slide out. You will place the CD or DVD on this tray, label side up, and push the button again to close the tray. This particular piece of the computer can be quite fragile. You never want to force the CD or DVD tray to close. Always use the open and close button. Alternatively, your computer may not have a button to open the drive but instead a slot where you insert the CD or DVD (label side up). After part of the disk is inserted, the computer will grab the CD or DVD. You don’t need to use any force.

  Once the disk is inserted, you will either follow the instructions that will automatically appear on the screen of your computer or the written instructions included with the software. Through this process the hard drive will transfer and store the information from the CD or DVD into the brain of the computer. You may also hear people refer to this transferring of data as “reading” the software onto the computer.

  • A CD or DVD is inserted into the D: drive. Once the disk is inserted, the computer can read its contents.

  Downloading Software

  Another option for installing software onto the computer is to transfer it from the Internet or “download it.” There are some computers (the MacBook Air, netbook computers, and tablets, for instance) that don’t have a CD or DVD drive. With these devices, your only option for installing a program is to access a website that offers the software program you seek and follow the instructions for downloading or copying the software from the site onto your computer. (You can download software even if you don’t have a CD drive.)

  Where to Get Software

  Software Stores

  • Often have competitive prices.

  • The good ones have informed salespeople.

  • Offer face-to-face contact.

  • Generally have a fair return policy, but do check it out.

  Mail-Order Catalogs

  • Often have competitive prices.

  • Generally have well-informed salespeople you can talk to on the phone.

  • Be sure to ask if they have a money-back guarantee!

  Online

  • You can often sample the software on your computer.

  • Can be purchased and transferred from the Internet onto your hard drive.

  Pirating

  • Accepting unauthorized copies of software is unlawful.

  • You will not get technical support from the manufacturer.

  How Else Can a CD or DVD Be Used?

  We’ve discussed putting information into the computer, but what if you want to take information out of the computer? A CD or DVD can work in two ways. Information can be transferred from the CD or DVD onto the computer. The reverse is also true; you can take information from the computer and store it on a CD or DVD.

  Let’s say that you want to give your publ
isher a copy of the autobiography you’ve typed on the computer. You could print out the whole book and lug it to the publisher’s office. Or you could copy it (aka burn it) onto a CD, slip the disk into your pocket, and stroll over to deliver it. At that point your publisher would copy the information from the CD onto the hard drive of his or her computer.

  On an older computer the CD is a one-way operation. Information can be transferred from a CD onto your computer, but the old ones do not let you transfer information onto the CD or DVD. Now there are writable CD and DVD drives on the market that allow information to be transferred onto them both.

  Upgrading Software

  Even as you purchase your new software, a group of diligent computer researchers (aka computer geeks) may be fast at work improving that software. So within a relatively short period of time, there might be a new and improved version of what you have purchased. This is true for application and operating software. Both are constantly being improved and changed to better meet your needs. It may be that the upgrade (another term used for an upgrade is update) is just cosmetic or that the company corrected glitches people complained about. Rather than buying a whole new version of the software, you can buy an upgrade from the manufacturer. Some manufacturers offer their upgrades at a greatly reduced price; others may offer them for free.

  An update or upgrade can come in the form of either a CD or DVD and is installed on the computer as you would install any application software. Alternatively, some upgrades can be installed directly to your computer from a website. Once you install the upgrade, it will automatically make changes to the existing software on your hard drive to reflect the improvements.