Windows Tips

Please click on one of the three underlined topics below for more information

Windows Basics - Focus, Marking & Clicking ( When to Single, Double, and Right click the mouse)

Windows Basics - Resizing a Window ( )

Web Page Basics

Terminology:

"DoubleClick" - Click the LEFT mouse button TWICE in rapid succession
WINDOWS - Start that program
WEB PAGE - Not Used

"RightClick" - Click the RIGHT mouse button ONCE
WINDOWS - Provide a list of appropriate commands for that object
WEB PAGE - Provide a list of appropriate commands for that object

Focus, Marking & Clicking in WINDOWS

We know that if you DOUBLE click the left mouse button on an icon (file), windows will open the item with the appropriate software program.

However, there are some other mouse button functions which you may find useful:

If you point to a file and click the left mouse button ONCE, you will put focus on that file:

You can now click the menu items on the top of the screen to perform operations on that file (like File, or Edit):

You can also click ONCE with the RIGHT mouse button, and windows will give you the commands it figures are appropriate for that item (file):

These actions also work when you are in a software program (like Word):

You can MARK (or put focus on) some data by HOLDING DOWN the LEFT mouse button, and dragging it across the data you wish to mark - then release the mouse button:

You may then use the menus on the top of the screen to perform some action on the marked area:

Or you may click the RIGHT mouse button ONCE for a list of actions which Windows thinks is appropriate for the marked item:

You may also use the short-cut buttons below the menu commands. If you wonder what these buttons do, move the mouse pointer over one of the buttons and wait a little bit – the action will be displayed. To use the action, click the LEFT mouse button ONCE.

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Resizing Windows

When you start up a program (like Microsoft Word), it may start full screen, or not. You can change its size. We will start with Word full screen:

At the upper right hand of the window, you will find the sizing controls:

The red X on the right will end the program, and close the window. The _ on the left will "minimize" the window, removing it from view:

You may restore it to view by clicking the Icon at the bottom of your screen (as shown above).

The middle of the three sizing buttons will make the window smaller, but leave it in view:

To restore it to full size, click the middle button again

If you wish to move the Word window around your desktop, press and HOLD the LEFT mouse button on the blue bar at the top of the Word Window, and drag it to a new location - then release the mouse button:

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Web Page basics

Typing an address yourself

If you are on the Google search page, and you wish to go to CNN, type in CNN's address ( www.cnn.com ) at the top of the page and click "GO":

You will then go to CNN's page. Your mouse pointer will be an arrow , unless it is over a "link":

The mouse pointer and hand

When you are on a web page, the mouse pointer is an arrow most of the time. When you move over a “link” (a way to get to another web page, or part of a page), the pointer turns into a hand:

The link can be a picture, as above, or a sentence, usually underlined.

If you click the left mouse button ONCE when it is a hand, the browser will take you to the link. There is no need to DOUBLE click on a link - in some cases it may take you places you never intended.

So, if you want to read more about "Lebanon government quits", move the mouse there, and it will turn into a hand:

If you then click the left mouse button ONCE, you will go to that link:

To go back 1 "link" or page, click the back button:

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