Computer Software for beginners
Operating System:
This is an essential item that you need, as without it you will not easily be able to navigate your computer. Not generally known as software but as an operating system. Which often includes items of software as part of the package? Common OS’s are XP, Vista, Linux, and Mackintosh for Apple computers. They usually have email software included and other treats such as Paint or Works.
If you buy a new computer nowadays, you will usually have installed already, an operating system and an anti virus, and browser. You will need to check what programs your computer has installed but you will always have an Operating System unless of course you made your PC yourself. To find out what your computer software’s are, click on the start button and then Programs all these programs are included in your OS. Operating Systems have a graphical user interface, which means that they include desktop pictures/text/icons/links etc. to aid your understanding and make it easier to use.
Your OS will come with folders such as My Documents, Pictures, Videos, Computer, Recent Items, Network, and more, generally if you are unsure of what you are doing it is best to work with the folders in the start bar only.
Photo Editor:
Is a program that basically manipulates and stores your photos. Such as re-sizing photos, blurring, blending, adding graphic s, or text, to a photo and the many other options that are available depending on your program or software. Popular photo editors are Photoshop, Gimp, and Paint which is provided free with any windows computer. If you scan photos into your machine, the scanner will have its own software too, your camera, and your video machine but you do not need all the different software if you use a good photo editor that can import your files from your camera, video and fax.
For software that you use a lot of, such as Office, instead of going to the programs list each time, right click on the program item. Click on send to desktop (create shortcut)on Vista, or similar for other OS, you will then be able to access your Office software from the desktop.
When you browse the internet, your computer keeps a cache of all the sites visited, if you do not want anyone else to view your visited sites, click on tools and then browser options and you can delete the cache and set other options for your PC such as security for sites and child controls.
Do not rely on your anti-virus to detect viruses, worms and Trojans, software available does not always pick them up, you still need to run a scan about once a week.