Absolute Beginners Guide to Computer Basics (2nd Edition)

I hope that this book is easy enough to figure out on its own, without requiring its own instruction manual. As you read through the pages, however, it helps to know precisely how I've presented specific types of information.

Menu Commands

Most computer programs operate via a series of pull-down menus. You use your mouse to pull down a menu and then select an option from that menu. This sort of operation is indicated like this throughout the book:

Select File, Save

or

Click the Start button and select All Programs, Accessories, Notepad.

All you have to do is follow the instructions in order, using your mouse to click each item in turn. When there are submenus tacked onto the main menu (as in the All Programs, Accessories, Notepad example), just keep clicking the selections until you come to the last onewhich should open the program or activate the command you wanted!

Shortcut Key Combinations

When you're using your computer keyboard, sometimes you have to press two keys at the same time. These two-key combinations are called shortcut keys and are shown as the key names joined with a plus sign (+).

For example, Ctrl+W indicates that you should press the W key while holding down the Ctrl key. It's no more complex than that.

Web Page Addresses

There are a lot of web page addresses in this book. (That's because you'll probably be spending a lot of time on the Internet.) They're noted as such:

www.molehillgroup.com

Technically, a web page address is supposed to start with http:// (as in http://www.molehillgroup.com). Because Internet Explorer and other web browsers automatically insert this piece of the address, however, you don't have to type itand I haven't included it in any of the addresses in this book.

Special Elements

This book also includes a few special elements that provide additional information not included in the basic text. These elements are designed to supplement the text to make your learning faster, easier, and more efficient.

caution

A caution will tell you to beware of a potentially dangerous act or situation. In some cases, ignoring a caution could cause you significant problemsso pay attention to them!

note

A note is designed to provide information that is generally useful but not specifically necessary for what you're doing at the moment. Some are like extended tipsinteresting, but not essential.

tip

A tip is a piece of advicea little trick, actuallythat helps you use your computer more effectively or maneuver around problems or limitations.

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