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| First. . . Let me say, that this is intended as a sort of chatty introductory course in computers. "Chatty" is about the only way I can think of doing it because let me tell you. . . computers are one of those things where there is no starting place and no final place where you know all there is to know. You just have to jump in there and no matter where you begin there is always something more you need to learn and something else you missed learning so that you have to go what seems like backwards to see what that is all about and so on and so on. . . 'Fraid that's just the way it is!
It is also true that learning about computers does require some study, some paying attention, some work. You don't it to come easy do you? Most things worth anything do not. And computer knowledge, at least to most of us, is worth something. It can mean extra dollars in the paycheck. It can mean extra esteem. Computers can be very entertertaining as well. This course will mostly concern Windows '98 and Windows XP since I expect most of my readers to be using those operating systems. So. . . A little about me: I am not the last word on computers. There is a lot that I do not know; but I have been using these contraptions for almost sixteen years and in that time have learned a thing or two. In the late summer of 1991 I bought a little Tandy 1000. It had 512K memory, that is about half a MB, and a 20MB hard drive. Don't laugh! Most computers back then did not even have hard drives! Most computers back then were not capable of running Windows either. Oh Windows were around, but most computers could not run it. That included mine. Instead we used DOS. That is D*O*S. Disk Operating System. The disk is your hard disk, your floppy disk, even your CD and DVD drives.. The DOS is a set of instructions that tell your computer what to do. It is that way that you talk to your computer and tell it what you want; or if you are using a graphical user interface like Windows, DOS is the way that the graphical interface gives instructions to the computer. DOS is still there even in the newest computers. It is that black screen and white print that comes on before Windows starts whenever you start or re-boot your computer. You can also have a look at DOS by clicking START - ACCESSORIES - COMMAND PROMPT Anyway. . . . back in the old days when it all began, at least for me, we typed in DOS commands and the computer then obeyed those commands: deleting files, changing directories, opening programs. It wasn't as bad as it sounds. DOS is a lot faster than Windows and it can be fun; but, it is also VERY UNFORGIVING. You delete a file in DOS and it is gone. . . fineto! finished! There is no re-cycle bin in DOS. But then. . . . along came Windows and for all practical purposes you don't need to learn about DOS. . . Next |