Class Session 2
Dropdown Page Menu
Windows XP Basic Operations

1 - The desktop is analogous to your physical desktop. After the system is through booting, it displays an electronic desktop with items laid out on top of it:

  • icons (small representative graphics that implement a command when clicked), 
  • a desktop color or background graphics
  • the mouse pointer,
  • and Windows XP operating system controls, as a taskbar at the bottom of the screen, including the Start Button, Status Bar and icons for programs you are running .

The mouse and the keyboard are used to give commands and otherwise interact with your computer. The mouse and keyboard are operating system tools. Windows allows the user to have a mouse with multiple controls built into it:
    * a left button for initiating an action
    * a right button for clickable command menu actions
    * a scroll wheel on top for manipulating scroll bars in an open window
The Mouse, Menus and Left Clicking

2 - The mouse appears as a pointer (arrow) and can be used in place of the keyboard to give commands and otherwise interact with your computer. You left click once (single click) or twice (double click) to implement actions and choices. You right click once to get a menu of command options related to that particular item you clicked on. These options are called a sub menu.

Let's use the mouse to interact with your desktop and the items on it.

Demo 1 - Left Clicking: single clicks

  • click on the desktop
  • click on the taskbar
  • click on an icon to select it (What happens to the icon you select?)
  • click on an icon, hold and drag it to move it to a new position
  • select several icons and move them
        Ctrl click
        Shift click
        Use cursor to draw a rectangle
  • drag an item into the "Recycle Bin" then undo the action (keyboard shortcut:
    Ctrl +Z to undo)
The Mouse, Command or Short cut Menus and Right Clicking

3 - You can use the right mouse button to get command choices (options in a short cut menu) by right clicking on any object to select it (an icon, the desktop, an open file, etc.). In each case, the options you are given will be similar but different, depending upon the nature of that object.

When you right click on an object, it opens a command menu next to the mouse. You can move the mouse away and the menu stays visible and active. To use the command menu you will left click (single click) on the choice you want to implement. This command menu is often called a shortcut menu. Greyed out command choices are not selectable.

Demo 2 - Right Clicking: single click

right click an icon (What choices do you have?)
right click an icon and choose "Properties" (What are its "attributes?")
right click the desktop (What happens when you select "Properties?")
right click the taskbar (What does "Tile Windows" do?What happens when you select "Properties?")
Using the mouse to open and manipulate software windows.

4 - Using the mouse to open and manipulate software windows. Some icons on the desktop represent software. You can double click with the left mouse button on an icon on the desktop to start the software (run) it represents. Other icons on the desktop represent files. You can double click with the left mouse button to open the file and edit it in the software that was used to create it. Windows XP recognizes the file by its extension and knows what software to open.

Sometimes double-clicking will open the file in a "player," a small piece of software that runs (plays) a such as digital video, digital audio, animations, or displaying a graphic. The player can't be used to create or edit the file.

If you click a file with an extension that Windows XP doesn't recognize (.doc, .xls. .dwt, XP will open a window that lists your software programs and players and lets you choose what software you want to try to use to open, edit or play the file.

(Try some of the following)

FireFox Logo | eCOmmerce logo | Sound File | 3D tour | Digital Video | animated GIF

Icons on the Taskbar can be run by single clicking with the left mouse button rather than double clicking.
Common file extensions .***

5 - Common file extensions. File extensions are 3 or 4 characters that follow the dot (filename.xxx) at the end of a filename. You choose the filename. The filename helps you remember what the file is. The software you are using automatically assigns a file extension that usually allows XP to recognize what type of file it is and what software can be used run, play or edit the file.

Examples of common file extensions.

Plain Text: .txt
Word Processing: .doc, .wpd
Database: xls
Executable: .exe
Graphics: .bmp, .gif, .jpg or .jpeg
Acrobat: .pdf
Sound: .wav, mp3, midi
Video: .avi, .mov or .qt, .mpg or .mpeg
WWW: .htm, .html, etc.
Opening and Manipulating windows

Demo 3 - to open a window

  • left click: double click on desktop or in a window; single click on the taskbar.
  • double click the "My Computer" icon on the desktop (What can you do to the window?)
       * move it
        *resize it
        *maximize and minimize it
        *close it
  • single click the "browser" icon on the taskbar (What happens? Can you manipulate the window)
  • right click the "Start" icon on the taskbar and choose the "Explore" (Windows Explorer not Internet Explorer) option
  • left click the "Start" icon on the taskbar, go to "Programs" and Find FireFox and Internet Explorer and open them. (Can you have many windows open at once? 2 browsers open?)
  • reopen "My Computer" window, open the "Control Panel" folder and find and open the "Mouse" options. (Why are the icons different for "My Computer" "Control Panel" and "Mouse" options?)