Computer Underground Railroad Ent.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE A COMPUTER

Hardware

When assembling a computer, it is wise to let common sense be your guide. 

Everything that the computer uses gets plugged into the back of the Central Processing Unit (CPU).  The different plug in sockets are called ports.  

The monitor, printer, speakers, etc., have two cords. They attach  to the central processing unit and a power source.  The ends of the cords are male or female and in the case of computers, opposites attract.  Male plugs into female.  A way to tell what gets plugged in where is by the shape of the plug.  The phone cord will not fit into the printer port, nor will the printer fit into the port where the monitor is plugged into.  A good guideline to follow when plugging in your computer is “if it don’t fit, don’t force it.”  In new computers, the ports have a icon of the item to be plugged into the appropriate slot and color coordination.

Accessories

As in your wardrobe, you want to make your computer environment reflect who you are.  Must have accessories these days include speakers, microphone, disk holders, ergonomic equipment and a comfortable chair.

If you are into games, consider a joystick, which is an accessory for the keyboard.  It looks like the shift in a standard car.  

Power surge protectors are used to keep the current running smoothly in your machine.  

Also, be careful of the environment you create.  Millions of people are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, back problems and exposure to electro-magnetic frequencies that could be causing tumors in people.  A guideline to follow is to make sure to provide adequate support wherever there is stress when on a computer.

Turning The Computer
On and Off

Different computers turn on and off in different ways.  When turning a computer on, there are at least two items, the monitor and CPU that you have to look and find the switch or button for.  When the computer is in the off position, it is a safe guideline to follow that you should try the largest switch or button on each piece of equipment. If that one doesn’t work, try another.  Turn on the Central Processing Unit first because sometimes the monitor is already hooked into its power supply.

1.      Central Processing Unit.  Switches on the front, side and back of various CPU’s.  When you flip the correct one, a light appears on the front of the computer and you hear a sound, usually a mild hum.  As A Course In Miracles says “There Is Nothing To Fear.”

2.      Monitor - Same as the CPU except there is not humming sound...just a light up front.  

3.      Printer - This switch is generally on the side and again, when the light is on, the printer is on.

4.      Speakers - The on-off button is usually on the back and the volume and treble on the front.  Yes, you can play musical CD’s on your computer.  Many computer users have had epiphany experiences at the machine with Marvin Gaye or Billie Holiday crooning through the computer.   

5.      Internet – There are many different ways to turn the Internet on.  If you are using someone else’s computer, ask them for their password or to show you how to connect.  It’s usually START – PROGRAMS – either MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER or NETSCAPE.  Then choose one of those programs.  Some keyboards have an Internet key on them that you push and it brings up the Internet for you.  If it’s your computer, get an AOL or Prodigy or another ISP (Internet Service Provider).  This disk will talk you through the process.  If you don’t have a credit card, use NET ZERO or JUNO or any other free (advertiser based) service.  These free services have limitations, but at least you can get on the net and check your e-mail.

Keys On The Keyboard

Esc: Escape Key.  Located in the upper left hand corner of the keyboard, this key will help you escape from many of the dead end trails you may come across as you go through your computerization process.  For example, if you find yourself in a box, (called a dialogue box in Windows) where the computer is trying to have a conversation with you, hitting the escape key will more times than not make the box go away, for now. 

F1-F12 or 12+ - These are called function keys.  Back in the old days of computers, before the mouse, many of the features in a program could be used by pressing one of these keys.  In modern programs, the mouse’s point and click ability makes function keys similar to the human appendix.  However, future programs may find a use yet for these shorthand marvels of modern computerization.

Numbers Keys - If you want to type out the number just hit the key straight or use the Num Lock key in the upper left hand corner of the calculator..  If you want to type the symbol on top of the number, hold down the shift key then press the appropriate number key.  For example to type a dollar sign, hold down the shift key then press the number 4 key and the dollar sign will appear on the screen.  They are both on the top and side of the keyboard.

Letter Keys – Like a typewriter.

Tab - Use this key if you want to indent one line at a time, like when you are typing a paragraph in a traditional format, indented five spaces.  This key is also used when moving from one column in a table (a box with numbers or information in it, like a calendar or a budget.)

Shift Key - This button changes to capital letters.  It transforms all letters it types to upper case or capitals normally.  When the shift key is used, it causes these letters to appear as lower case, or small letters.  The shift key gives you one capital letter at a time.    

Caps Lock - If you want to type in all capitals,, press the Caps Lock key.  While it’s on, if you want a letter in a lower case, just press the shift key.

Ctrl – Alt - The control and alt keys are magical keys.  They give many other keys on the keyboard a third and fourth level of meaning.  For example, if you press the letter S key, you get a small s.  If you press the shift key then hit the letter s you get a capital S.  While holding down the control key if you press the letter s, the program you are working in may save your work.  (Save means move something from the temporary keyboard memory into the more permanent hard disk memory). Alt S may give you a list of files.  Key usage depends on the program.

Delete – Insert - The delete and insert keys, located to the right of the Backspace key, are about putting things in and taking them out.  Just like the backspace key works as an eraser key in the direction of the arrow, the Delete key takes material out in the opposite direction from the one pointed by the arrow on the backspace key.  The Insert Key either allows you to put in additional material.  The computer assumes Insert is on.  If you want to type over material already on the screen, press the Insert key and you will be typing over what is on the screen.  In Microsoft Word three letters at the bottom of the screen OVR  (which stands for overtype) will appear when you are typing over.

Home – End – Takes you to either the beginning or the end of a sentence or the document you are working on, depending on the program.

Page Up – Page Down – Scroll you through what you are working on one screen at a time.

Space Bar - The space bar, the biggest key on the keyboard, located at the bottom, places one space and is usually used between words.  

Enter - This key is equal to the return key on a typewriter.  You use this key when you want to either insert a line between paragraphs, move to the next line or answer questions your computer poses to you.

Arrow keys - p; To the right of the typewriter keys at the bottom are four directional keys.  These keys move you one line or one letter at a time without impacting on anything it passes.  

During the past few years, some keyboards have additional keys that provide short cuts for some of the tasks you want to perform.  These keys have icons (pictures) on them.  In the Getting Started material that comes with the computer you’ll see pictures that match the icons and an explanation of what they are for.

How To Use A Mouse

The connection between the mouse and the arrow on the screen is like a steering wheel and tires on the road.  The mouse - the part of the computer used to point at what you want to affect on the computer monitor - has a very basic design.  On its underside is a round ball, partially exposed, which when moved against a firm surface, correspondingly moves the arrow on the screen.

To use a mouse you want to have it with the ball side down, the cord pointing toward the computer, with ample room to move in wide circles, left and right, away and towards you.  The mouse does not pick up movement when not on a firm surface.

There are three mouse activators.

Single Click - Point the arrow on the screen in thee middle of what you want to effect and click once.  This usually places the computer’s attention, the blinking line, on the point where you just clicked.

Double Click - Point the arrow on the screen in thee middle of what you want to affect and click twice, relatively quickly. Think of your favorite jazz drummer, then, double-click.

Drag and Drop - Point the arrow on the screen in thee middle of what you want to affect and click, hold the mouse button down, pull the image across the screen.  When the mouse arrow you are moving is where you want it, let the mouse button go.  The image will follow.

The connection between the mouse and the arrow on the screen is like a steering wheel and tires on the road.  

The mouse has two (sometimes three) buttons. 

Generally, it is the left mouse button that you want to press to move the computer’s attention and the right button is used when you want a shortcut menu to appear. 

If one mouse button doesn’t work, try the other.

END OF LESSON I

Practice Material

Organizational Material

HOW TO COMPUTE
CLASS NOTES AND MATERIAL BY:  

J. Nayer Hardin, Founder
Computer Underground Railroad Enterprises (C.U.R.E.)

C.U.R.E. Website:  http://www.compurest.com
E-mail:  [email protected]

 The cost of using this material is that
the knowledge be passed onto at least two other people.

 Published 1994-Present

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