by Technophobes;the Kicking;Screaming Is This Thing On?: A Computer Handbook for Late Bloomers
new, unpacking, 91
“on” switch, 100
ports on, 19
sizes and weights, 34, 35
space saving appeal, 35, 37
top manufacturers, 65
upgrading hardware for, 78
vs. desktop computer, 34–37, 55
wired Internet connections, 229
wireless connections, 17, 229
left-handed mouse, 95, 146, 147
letters, underlined, 114
LinkedIn, 290–292, 399, 421
links
about, 178, 421
clicking on, 327
embedded in e-mails, 239–241
embedded in tweets, 284
noticeable, on websites, 325–326
sponsored, 327
liquids, near computers, 43, 411
livejournal.com, 296
llbean.com, 341–346
login name, 421. See also user name
login password, 421. See also passwords
log off, 133, 421
log on, 421
lonelyplanet.com, 357
M
Mac
Apple ID, 116
Apple Mail, 234
backing up information on, 261–262
buying, from Apple store, 51
checking for firewall on, 217
click and drag maneuver, 134
creating folder on, 308–309
desktop on, 117–118
error messages, 409
initial setup, 115–117
keyboard shortcuts, 426
manipulating mouse on, 118–132
opening folder on, 134
operating system on, 136–163
operating system updates, 317
pros and cons, 49
restarting, 409
routine maintenance, 313
shutting down, 133, 134
soft boot, 406–407
startup screen, 116
vs. PC, 48–51
window parts on, 124–126
Macintosh computer. See Mac
MacWarehouse customer service, 414
Mac Zone customer service, 414
magazine websites, 417
magnets, near computer, 43, 411
mail order purchases, 81
manuals, instruction, 99
mapquest.com, 329–330
maps and directions, 329–330
maximize box, 113–114, 140, 422
mayoclinic.com, 331–332
McAfee customer service, 414
medical information, 331–332
medication, prescription, 349
megabyte (MB), 16, 422
megahertz (MHz), 15, 422
memory. See hard drive; RAM
memory card reader, 257
memory cards, 255, 256–257, 264
menu bar, 113, 198–200, 210–211, 422
menu box, 112
message boards, online, 292–294
metacritic.com, 366
Microsoft, 48. See also Windows (Microsoft)
customer service, 413
Digital Image Suite, 263
Excel spreadsheet (.xls or .xlsx), 246, 306
Office, 30
operating system updates, 316–317
Outlook, 234
PowerPoint Presentation (.ppt), 246, 306
Word, 69, 197, 198, 213–214
Word 2010, 199
Word document (.doc or .docx), 246, 306
minimize box, 113, 115, 422
modems
about, 16–17, 422
external, 419, 420
internal, 17, 421
speed measurements, 77
troubleshooting, 404
money-back guarantee, 59, 62
monitor
about, 12, 422
brightness control, 107, 117
external, for laptops, 37
freezing up, 405
“on” switch, 99–100
placement of, 41
size, 57
troubleshooting, 403, 405
turning off, 135
mouse
about, 12–13, 422
buttons, defined, 422
click and drag maneuver, 130, 131, 134, 141, 155, 419
click, drag, and drop maneuver, 310–311, 318
customizing, 146–147, 160
desk space for, 135
double-clicking, 110–111, 122–123, 124, 419
double-clicking, alternative to, 123, 164
external, for laptop, 37, 135
freezing up, 405
function icons, 109, 123
on laptop, 36
learning to use, 104–115, 118–132
for left-handed people, 95, 146, 147
Parkinson’s disease and, 22
positioning hand on, 95
practice exercises, 110–115, 123–124, 126–127
reversing functions on, 147
right-click features, 111, 147, 261, 423
scrolling without, 164
single-clicking, 110, 120, 122–123, 124, 419
troubleshooting, 403, 405
types of, 58–59
wireless, 13, 403
mouse arrow. See arrow (cursor)
mouse pad, 83, 104, 422
moviefone.com, 365
movies
buying from iTunes, 393
buying movie tickets online, 364–365
DVD rentals, 366–368
on iPod, 390
live streaming, 368
online databases, 335
watching on computer, 366–368
.mov (Quick Time movie), 246, 306
music
buying from iTunes, 393
on iPhone, 388
on iPod, 390, 393–394
on iPod Touch, 388
playing on computer, 151–152, 162–163
m-w.com, 335
mysimon.com, 350
N
netbooks, 37, 422
netflix.com, 366–368
netiquette, defined, 422
.net (network business websites), 176
newbie, defined, 422
newspapers, online, 372
news, up-to-the-minute, 370
news websites, 417
nonprofit websites (.org), 176
Nook, 395, 396, 422
notebook computer. See laptop
Notepad, 197
notifications, Facebook, 277
nytimes.com, 372
O
Omidyar, Pierre, 353
123greetings.com, 241
123people.com, 329
online services. See also Internet Service Provider (ISP)
busy signals, 17, 172
choosing, 168–169
customer service numbers, 414
error messages, 173
free trial period, 168
offering virus scanning with attachments, 412
signing on and off, 171–172
software, 70–71
oovoo.com, 269
operating software
about, 24, 422
preinstalled, 60, 66, 67, 92
updating, 316–317, 409
upgrading, 28–29
operating system
on Mac, 48, 136–163
on PC, 48, 136–152
updates, 316–317, 409
orbitz.com, 358
organization software, 24, 68
organizing file folders
creating new folder, 307–309
deleting folders, 311–312
files never to alter or delete, 312–313
files vs. folders, 304–307
finding lost files, 317–318
moving files or folders into existing folders, 310–311, 318
moving files to new computer, 318
moving folders onto Desktop, 318
renaming file or folder, 309
retrieving files and folders from trash, 312
routine computer maintenance, 313–317
.org (nonprofi
t websites), 176
oxforddictionaries.com, 335
P
padlock, on browser window, 346
Parkinson’s disease, 22
passwords
choosing, 170, 171, 218–219
Facebook, 276
for initial computer setup, 103, 116–117
LinkedIn, 290
login, defined, 421
privacy considerations, 184
safety precautions, 218
Skype, 270
Twitter, 285
website registration, 347
writing down, 294
paste, defined, 422
patch, defined, 422
PayPal, 356
PBKC (“problem between keyboard and chair”), 164
PC and Mac Connection customer service, 414
PC compatible, defined, 422
PC (Personal Computer)
accessing Solitaire on, 134
backing up information on, 260–261
checking for firewall on, 217
creating folder on, 307–308
DOS prompt on PC screen, 408–409
initial setup, 101–103
keyboard shortcuts, 426
manipulating mouse on, 104–115
Microsoft system updates, 316–317
“Microsoft Windows Startup Menu” on, 408
operating system on, 136–152
origins of, 47
pros and cons, 49
restarting, 408–409
routine maintenance, 313–317
shutting down, 133, 134
soft boot, 405–407
vs. Mac, 48–51
window parts on, 113–115
writing down make and model, 413
.pdf (Adobe Acrobat portable document file), 246, 306
Peachtree customer service, 414
people.com, 372
people, searching for
on Facebook, 275, 280
on Internet, 328–329
recommended websites for, 329, 416
people.yahoo.com, 329
peripherals. See also specific types
about, 19, 422
compatibility of, 62, 93
personal computer, defined, 422
phishing, 221–222, 423
phone. See telephone
photo printers, 63
photos
backing up, 260
copying to new computer, 318
editing software, 262–263
on Facebook, 275, 280, 302
for Facebook profile, 280
on iPod, 390
for online dating sites, 298, 300
pixels and, 257–258
renaming, 258–259
saving to websites, 263, 264
scanned, 264
searching, on Internet, 324–325
taken by cell phones, 383
transferring to computer, 256–257
uploading to websites, 263, 264
websites, 417
picasa.com, 264
pirated software, 30, 423
pixels, 257–258, 423
PlayStation, 373–374
podcasts, 390, 393
pointer (cursor), 12, 423. See also arrow (cursor)
ports. See also specific types
about, 18–19, 423
examining, 93
on Mac and PC, 49
post, defined, 423
posture, 40, 44
ppi (pixels per inch), 257, 423
.ppt (Microsoft Power Point Presentation), 246, 306
prescription medication, 349
pricegrabber.com, 350
printer
about, 19, 423
customer service numbers, 414
manufacturers and technical support, 414
multi-featured, 20
“on” switch, 100
photo printers, 63
stopping print jobs, 409–410
styles and sizes, 19–20, 63
Test-Drive Form for, 60–62
turning off, 135
used, buying, 77
wireless, 13
print icon, 212
print window, 211–212
privacy
Facebook settings, 278, 279
social networking sites and, 278, 297
Product ID, 102
Product Key, 102
profiles
defined, 423
Facebook, 276, 280
LinkedIn, 290–291
for online dating sites, 298, 300
Twitter, 285
programs. See also software
accessing, on PC, 111–113
punctuation, in file names, 305
Q
QR code, 387, 423
Questions & Answers
arranging workspace, 44
buying computers, 64–65, 86
cell phones, e-readers, and tablets, 401
computer hardware, 22
computer safety, 228–230
desktops vs. laptops, 37
digital cameras and photos, 264
e-mail, 249–250
entertainment websites, 373–374
Internet searches, 338
introduction to computers, 8–9
Mac vs. PC, 51
online services, 72
operating system, 164
organization tools, 317–318
sending e-mail, 196
setting up computer, 97
shopping and banking online, 363
social networking, 302–303
software, 30
surfing the net, 185–186
turning off computer, 135
word processing, 213–214
Quicken customer service, 414
quick response code. See QR code
Quick Time movie (.mov), 246, 306
R
RAM (random access memory), 15, 57, 76, 423
Reader (Sony), 395, 396
rebates, 80
recipe websites, 335
Recycle Bin, 311, 312
red circle box, 120–122
refdesk.com, 335–336, 338
registration cards, 93
repair, mail-in, 80
repair, on-site, 60, 62, 80
reply vs. reply all, 193
research websites, 417
resolution measurements, 254, 256, 423
restore box, 114, 140
return key, 13–14, 420
return policies, 85
reversephonedirectory.com, 328
rhymezone.com, 335
right-click, 111, 147, 261, 423
ringtones, 390
round spinning ball, 116, 123, 158
routers, 218, 423
S
Safari, 226, 227, 404
safe mode, 408
safeshopping.org, 347
salespeople, working with, 83–85, 86
scanner
about, 20, 251–252, 423
installing software for, 252
scanning instructions, 252–255
science websites, 417
screen savers, 101, 149–150, 161–162
scrolling
with scroll bar, 139, 142–144, 156–157, 423
with scroll box, 143, 157, 423
without mouse, 164
search engines
about, 180, 321–323, 423
internal, 330, 341
recommended websites, 321, 417
shopping-related, 350–351
typing search terms, 180–182
searches. See also search engines
case sensitivity, 325
choosing keywords, 323–324
choosing letters, 325
clearing browsing history, 338
encyclopedic, 333–334
example of, 325–327
excluding words from, 324
guessing website addresses, 336–337
homework assignment, 337
interesting websites, 334–336
maps and directions, 329–3
30
medical information, 331–332
optimizing, 321–338
reverse phone lookup, 328–329
in sentence form, 325
using exact phrase, 324
your own name, 324–325
zip codes, 329
secondlife.com, 372
seniors websites, 417
serial numbers, 91–93
“server not responding” message, 404
shca.org (Siberian Husky Club of America), 335
shift keys, 102–103, 423
“shills,” 355
shipping costs, 343
shopping.com, 350
shopping for computers
accessories, 82–83
new equipment, 78–86
test-driving, before buying, 9, 52–65
used equipment, 75–78, 86
working with salespeople, 83–85, 86
shopping online, 339–359
advantages of, 340
auction websites, 352–356
basic procedures for, 341–346, 349–350
free stuff, 356–357
group coupon discounts, 363
practicing restraint, 362–363
prescription medication, 349
price comparisons, 350–351
recommended websites, 417
registration process, 343–344, 347–348
safety considerations, 346–347
store policies, 341, 363
travel arrangements, 357–359
shopzilla.com, 350
shut down, 133
shutterbug.com, 263
@sign, in tweets, 286
SIM cards, 380
size box, 125, 155
skepter.com, 356
skyauction.com, 353
Skype, 269–272, 399, 424
“sleep” or standby mode, 101
smartphones, 383–389, 424
adding apps to, 384–385
Android (Droid), 388–389
BlackBerry phones, 385–387, 388
Bluetooth technology, 387, 401
buying advice, 383
driving and, 389
etiquette, 389–390
features on, 384–385
iPhones, 387–388, 389
online information about, 389
syncing information on, 386–387
vs. cell phones, 383–384
SMS (short message service), 401, 424
snail mail, defined, 424
social networking
about, 272–273, 424
blogs, 295–297
dating websites, 297–301
Facebook, 273–282, 399
future of, 301
LinkedIn, 290–292, 399
list of sites, 301
message boards and discussion groups, 292–294
privacy issues, 297
safety precautions, 273, 300–301
Twitter, 283–290, 399
Social Security numbers, 184, 218, 219–220, 273, 361
soft boot, 405–407, 424
software
about, 23
application (See application software)
bundled, 67
buying considerations, 29
cost of, 30
customer service numbers, 414
for Mac to run PC applications, 48
manufacturers and technical support, 414
operating (See operating software)
pirated, 30, 423
registering, 28
store-installed, 30