Computer+Basics

= = =The Basic PC Keyboard Layout= PC [|keyboards] are anything but [|standard]. Customized keyboards, with special buttons and features, seem to be the rule, not the exception. Still, the basic PC keyboard layout has 104 keys common to all PC keyboards. There are four main areas on your PC’s keyboard (as shown in this figure):
 * **Function keys:** These keys are positioned on the top row of the keyboard. They’re labeled F1, F2, F3, and on [|up] to F11 and F12.
 * **Typewriter keys:** These keys are the same types of keys you find on an old typewriter: letters, numbers, and punctuation symbols.
 * **[|Cursor]-control keys:** Often called arrow keys, these four keys move the text cursor in the direction of their arrows. Above them are more cursor-control keys — the six-pack of Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down.
 * **[|Numeric] [|keypad]:** Popular with accountants, bank tellers, and airline ticket agents, the numeric keypad contains calculator-like keys.




 * Website Resources:**

Mousercize - Practice Using a Mouse...[|Click Here!] A Beginner User Tutorial...[|Click Here!]

Mousemanship and Typing **New User Tutorial** [] / Designed to guide those who have never used a computer before. **Mousing Around** [] Little tutorial that teaches the nuances of mousemanship **Learn2Type** [] Practice keyboarding for free! **Navigating the Internet** Learnthenet.com’s The Web at a Glance [] Excellent Internet tutorial. Simple, easy to understand, covers the basics. **net.TUTOR** [] Collection of tutorials about Internet and email. Includes WWW, email and chat basics, searching and researching and evaluating web sites. **Geekgirl’s plain English Computing** [] Comprehensive. Excellent. webwise : The BBC’s beginner’s guide to the Internet [] From the British Broadcasting Company. Nicely designed but you need to understand hyperlinks to use it. Includes email, getting connected, searching.

**Searching and Evaluating Web Sites** Four Nets for Better Searching [] **Finding Information on the Internet : A** **Tutorial** [] Detailed and comprehensive resource from University of California/Berkeley. Covers Internet, WWW, browsers, search strategies. **Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply** **and Questions to Ask** [] Includes printable checklists to evaluate web sites. **searchenginewatch.com** [] Reviews, ratings, tests. Everything you ever wanted to know about search engines. **Glossary** Glossary of Internet & Web Jargon [] Guides/Internet/Glossary.html **Skype** [|www.skype.com] Free online video. Watch and talk live to your loved ones!

The Frustrations of Not Understanding the Internet 80% of the cyber world uses the Internet without formal training. By using the trial-and-error technique of "fumbling successfully", so many people fumble their way through searching, emailing, downloading, blogging, chatting, and posting.

Granted, many self-taught users manage to fumble through email and Web page searching using trial-and-error, but they are destined to have ** five negative experiences ** every time they go online:


 * 1. Self-taught users spend their online time without a feeling of true confidence or clear direction. **Like watching television without a TV guide, people will find Internet destinations that interest them, but more through random chance than through directed choice.


 * 2. Self-taught users cultivate bad Internet user habits. **Unnecessary URL typing, cluttered bookmarks, confining oneself to a single search tool, using only one browser window, failing to install the latest plug- ins, mistakenly trusting spam email... all of these lead to inefficient browsing and wasted hours of searching and fumbling.


 * 3 . Self -taught users will unwittingly misrepresent themselves in email and online conversations **. Obscure cultural points like "Netiquette", "emoticons", "flaming", use of abbreviations like "RTFM", lack of non-verbal cues, and blind carbon copy are some of the important nuances that elude most self-taught users.


 * 4. Self-taught users experience frustration when the unknown overwhelms them. ** They don't understand things like pop-ups, unsubscribing, acronyms, Zip, peer-sharing, and URLs. As a result, a feeling of "being left out" festers, and confidence evaporates.


 * 5. Worst of all: self-taught users miss out on so many Internet experiences because they do not know the full scope of available choices. ** Often called "unknown-unknowns", these are the great discoveries that are sitting at your fingertips, but are hidden from you because of ignorance. Things like dynamic data-driven news pages, Push- and Pull-Technology, mailing lists, special interest forums, online financial trading, trip planning, FTP, freeware, consumer reviews, peer sharing, academic archives, and online communities... these are tremendous opportunities that are hidden beneath a thin veil of obscurity. Sadly, these five experiences are daily for 80% of the Internet public.

This cheat sheet is specifically written for mature people like you, folks who are relatively new to using a computer and want to discover the basics of buying a computer, efficiently searching the Internet, and using Windows keystroke shortcuts. Also included are several useful websites for you to visit as you venture into the World Wide Web. When you're shopping for a new computer, check for the following features to make sure it will serve you well into the future as software and graphics become more powerful and complex: As you begin to use your computer, you might find the following sites to be good starting points for various types of online activities that you might want to do every day.
 * Computers For Seniors **
 * Checklist for Purchasing a Computer **
 * **Memory: ** Your computer should have at least 1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM for a 32-bit computer and 2 gigabytes for a 64-bit computer.
 * **Processor speed: ** Look for a minimum of 2.8 GHz processor speed.
 * **Size/footprint: ** If you're short on space, a minitower or laptop or even a tablet might be better.
 * **Price: ** Set a budget that you're comfortable with — you can get pretty inexpensive computers that work for most folks these days.
 * **Keyboard: ** Make sure the keyboard feels comfortable to you.
 * **Monitor: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Monitors come in different sizes and qualities. A 15-inch monitor is comfortable for most people, but if you do work with higher-end images or watch videos, consider a larger monitor as larger screens may be easier on your eyes. Consider getting a touchscreen monitor to take advantage of all of Windows 8 touchscreen features.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Input ports and drives: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Computers might come with CD or DVD drives, USB ports for connecting peripherals and USB sticks, and ports to connect to monitors and printers. Tablet computers don't normally offer a lot in the way of input ports.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Wireless capability: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> To connect to wireless devices and networks, you need wireless capability.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Included software: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Some computers come with utility programs, such as antivirus software, or productivity software, such as Microsoft Works.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Manufacturer support: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Check the warranty and technical support available.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Graphics and sound cards: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> If you want to use multimedia or game software, ask for more sophisticated sound and video features.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">A webcam: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If you will be calling your friends or grandchildren over a service such as Skype, it's useful to have a built-in webcam to transmit video images while talking.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Ten Useful Web Sites for Seniors **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Address || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Description ||
 * www.cnn.com || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">News site ||
 * www.fool.com || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Financial news and advice ||
 * www.grandparents.com || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Resource for things to do with your grandkids ||
 * www.dowjones.com || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Stock prices ||
 * www.britannica.com || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Online encyclopedia (fee based) ||
 * www.consumerreports.org || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Consumer advice and comparisons ||
 * www.flickr.com || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Photo sharing ||
 * www.eharmony.com/senior-dating/ || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Senior-oriented social networking site ||
 * www.ssa.gov/retirement/ || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Social security retirement planning help ||
 * www.movies.com || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Information on current movies and stars ||

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If you’ve never owned a computer and now have one for the first time, figuring out what your computer can and can't do may be a somewhat daunting experience. The following list walks you through some things you can use your computer to do: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">You can also chat with others by typing messages and sending them through your computer using a technology called [|__instant__] [|__messaging__]. These messages are exchanged in real time so that you and your grandchild, for example, can see and reply to text immediately.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20px;">How to Know What You Can Do with Your Computer **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Keep in touch with friends and family. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> The Internet has made it possible to communicate with other people in a variety of ways, including
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">E-mail
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> [|__Webcams__] (tiny, inexpensive video cameras that capture and send your image to another computer)
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> [|__VoIP__] ( [|__Voice__] [|__over__] [|__Internet__] [|__Phone__] ), which uses your computer and Internet connection to place phone calls.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Research any topic from the comfort of your home. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Online, you can find many reputable Web sites that help you get information on anything from expert medical advice to the best travel deals. You can read news from around the corner or around the world. You can visit government Web sites to find out information about your taxes, Social Security, and more, or even go to entertainment sites to look up your local television listings.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Create greeting cards, letters, or home inventories. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Whether you’re organizing your holiday card list or figuring out a monthly budget, computer programs can help. For example, have a look at a graph that Microsoft Excel created from data in a spreadsheet.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If you’re artistically inclined, you can create digital drawings. Many popular Web sites make sharing digital movies easy, too. If you have a digital video camera and editing [|__software__], you can use editing tools to make a movie and share it with others. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">New to Windows 7? You can quickly take charge of the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system by knowing how to use the Start Menu and taskbar, Windows Explorer, new features (for Windows XP and Vista users), and keyboard shortcuts for common Windows 7 tasks. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Use the Windows 7 Start menu and taskbar to run programs such as Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer, and Windows 7 accessories. The menu and taskbar will also help you find documents and manage your computer, printers, and other peripherals. Use this visual guide to help to start exploring: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">In Windows 7, use Windows Explorer to discover what your computer has to offer. With Windows Explorer, you can navigate through Windows 7 libraries and folders, preview content details, and use keywords to search for specific documents. Here's a look at the Libraries folder: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Using keyboard shortcuts while working in Windows 7 minimizes keystrokes and saves time. Many of the following shortcuts work in any Windows 7 program or document, although a few apply only to specific circumstances, as noted:
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Pursue hobbies, such as genealogy or sports. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> You can research your favorite teams online or connect with people who have the same interests. The online world is full of special interest chat groups where you can discuss your interests with others.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Play interactive games with others over the Internet. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">You can play everything from shuffleboard to poker to action games in virtual worlds.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Share and create photos, drawings, and videos. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> If you have a digital camera, you can transfer photos to your computer (called [|__uploading__] ) or copy photos off the Internet and share them in e-mails or use them to create your own greeting cards.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Shop online and compare products easily, day or night. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> You can shop for anything from a garden shed to travel deals or a new camera. Using handy online features, you can easily compare prices from several stores or read customer product reviews.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Handle your financial life. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">You can do your banking or investing online and get up-to-the-minute data about your bank account, credit card balances, and investments.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20px;">Windows 7 **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Explore the Windows 7 Start Menu and Taskbar **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">How to Use Windows Explorer in Windows 7 **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Useful Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Keys || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Action ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Ctrl+A || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Selects all text or objects in a document or window ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Ctrl+C || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Copies the selected text or objects to the Clipboard ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Ctrl+X || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Cuts (removes) the selected text or objects to the Clipboard ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Ctrl+V || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Pastes text or objects from the Clipboard to the cursor location ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Ctrl+Z || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Undoes the most recent action ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Ctrl+S || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Saves the current document ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Win (the Windows logo key) || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Opens the Start menu ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Win+D || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Displays the desktop (minimizes all windows); repeat keystroke to restore open windows ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Win+E || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Opens Windows Explorer on the Computer ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Win+G || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Displays desktop gadgets on top of open windows ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Win+X || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Opens the Windows Mobility Center on laptops ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Win+Tab or Alt+Tab || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Switch between open applications ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">F11 || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Display window full-screen (not all applications) ||

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If you're upgrading to Windows 7 from Windows XP or Windows Vista, you'll find pleasant improvements with the new features in Windows 7. Here’s how those new features stand out in Windows 7: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Many people are dragged into using Windows 7 without a choice because their new computers probably came with Windows 7 installed. Working in Windows 7 isn't so hard if you consider the helpful hints in this list. You'll save time and prevent a headache or two! <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">While working in Windows 7, you may end up with a screen overflowing with open windows. Organize those open windows in Windows 7 by using the hints in this table: || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">To Do This. ..
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">New in Windows 7 — For XP or Vista Users **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Search the Start menu: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">XP users have to hunt for programs on the Start menu. Windows 7 improves upon Vista’s feature for typing into the Start search box what you want to open (program or document name or content). Opening anything could hardly be faster or easier.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Taskbar icons: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">You can now start a program that is pinned to the taskbar (always there). Taskbar icons indicate the number of windows open in a program and the progress in its background activities.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Jump lists: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">With a right-click or click and drag, taskbar icons display lists of recently opened documents and shortcuts to common tasks for that program, such as creating a new document or playing all your music.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Fewer UAC alerts: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">User Account Control security alerts occur much less often than in Vista but still provide essential security from programs you don’t intend to run.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Action Center: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Security and maintenance alerts appear in the Action Center, making it easier for you to assess your computer’s condition and take appropriate action.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Aero Peek: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Open windows turn transparent with Aero Peek so that you see through to the desktop, gadgets, and other windows that you might want to switch to (with Alt+Tab).
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Themes with automatic background changes: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Instead of having one static background picture on your desktop, you can use themes to change the picture regularly in a new kind of slideshow on the desktop.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Calculator history: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Like the paper tape of old, the new calculator displays each of the steps you take in a calculation, and you can copy this history for pasting elsewhere.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Device Stage: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Devices such as printers and flash drives can display more detailed information and options than ever before.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Improved Backup: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Windows 7 provides a built-in backup program that can automatically backup your most important documents or your entire computer to a flash drive or portable hard drive.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Helpful Hints for Working in Windows 7 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Don’t know what a certain button does in a program? Rest your mouse pointer over the button for a few seconds. A helpful box often pops up to explain the button’s purpose.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If you’re baffled, try pressing F1, that “function key” near your keyboard’s upper, left corner. A Help window appears, often bringing hints about your current problem.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">To see what you can do with something in Windows, right-click it. A menu appears, listing all your available options.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Press Alt to reveal any hidden menus in any program, including Media Player.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">To find lost windows on the desktop, hold down Alt and press Tab. Windows displays thumbnail images of open window. Keep holding down Alt, press Tab until Windows selects your desired window, and then let go of Alt to bring that window to the top.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">To share files with all the users of your computer, copy them into one of Windows’ Public folders: Double-click the name of any of your libraries, and two folders appear. The folder named Public is accessible to everybody on your PC (and even a network).
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If your computer acts weird after you install new hardware or software, use System Restore to set it back to a time when it worked. Click All Programs from the Start menu, click the Accessories menu and choose System Tools, and then click System Restore.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Retrieve accidentally deleted files and folders by opening the Recycle Bin on your desktop. Right-click the deleted item and choose Restore to return it to its original location.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">To return to an older version of a file you’ve changed, right-click the file and choose Restore Previous Versions. When Windows lists the date of the version you want to retrieve, click the Restore button.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Organize Your Open Windows in Windows 7 **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Do This . . . ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">See a list of all open windows || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Look at the names on the taskbar along the screen’s bottom. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Move from one window to another window || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Press Alt+Tab+Tab or click the window’s name on the taskbar. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Tile the windows across the screen || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Click the taskbar’s clock with the //right// mouse button and click Show Windows Stacked, or Show Windows Side by Side. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Cascade the windows across the screen || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Click the taskbar’s clock with the //right// mouse button and then click Cascade Windows. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Shrink all open windows || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Click the Show Desktop icon at the taskbar’s far right edge. ||
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Make a window fill the screen || <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.33px;">Double-click the title bar along its top edge. Or, shake the window violently with the mouse. ||

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Protect yourself in Windows 7 by practicing safe computing —after all, the best defense is often a good offense. Consider these safe-computing tips: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Keyboard shortcuts save time and show off your Windows 7 prowess. Make Windows 7 do your bidding faster by using these handy keyboard shortcuts:
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Practice Safe Computing in Windows 7 **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Windows comes with a built-in antispyware program, Windows Defender, but no antivirus program. You need to buy your own program and pay its subscription fees so that it will keep recognizing the latest viruses.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Windows 7 comes with a backup program. For easy backups, buy a portable hard drive, and tell the program to use that drive for backing up your pictures, music, documents, and other important things on your PC.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Only open e-mailed attachments that you’re expecting. If you receive something unexpected from a friend, e-mail or phone to see whether he or she really sent you something. A virus may be sending that message from an infected PC.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If you receive an e-mail from a financial institution saying that something’s wrong with your account, and you need to fix the problem by clicking the link and entering your name and password, don’t do it. That e-mail came from a fraudster trying to trick you. Ignore it. If you have questions, visit the institution’s Web site by manually typing the link into your Web browser.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Here are some Windows 7 setup tasks to complete immediately to make your computer more effective to use and safeguard against viruses and spyware: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Here are the five most common problems that Windows 7 users face — from missing files and cursors to bad Internet connections — and how to fix each one: =**<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 30px;">How to Use Microsoft Paint **= <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">The Paint window opens. Maximize the window, if it isn't already. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">The canvas is the area you draw on, below the Ribbon. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If your computer uses a pen or has a touch screen, you may be able to draw directly on your screen. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Hover your mouse pointer over each brush to see a tooltip that describes it. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">The new line will reflect the new brush and color you chose. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">You can also use Paint's premade Shapes tools. Click the Shapes button on the Ribbon; click a shape on the panel that [|__drops__] down; and click and drag in the canvas to draw that shape. Then click the paint-bucket [|__icon__] on the Tools panel to change the inside (or //fill// //color//) of the shape. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Notice that a new Text tab opens above the Ribbon.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Set Up Windows 7 and Protect against Viruses and Spyware **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Show filename extensions. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Windows 7, by default, hides the //filename extension// — that’s the last (usually three) characters at the end of each file’s name. This extension dictates how Windows treats the file and is a key piece of information that can help you identify and avoid viruses. So set up Windows 7 to show the filename extensions.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Create a password reset disc. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If you have a password on your Windows account, drop everything and go make a Password Reset Disc so that you can regain access if you forget your password.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Protect your PC from scumware and spyware. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">UsePC Safeguard to clean up after computer users who install smiley face programs and other spy-versus-spy scumware.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Clear out any messages in the Action Center. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Click the flag in the Windows 7 notification area, next to the clock. Then choose Open Action Center from the resulting menu. The Action Center lists the tasks that Windows 7 wants you to take care of, and you can do so one by one.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Turn off Automatic Updates. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Let Windows 7 tell you when updates are available, but don’t download or install them until you’re good and ready.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Get the rest of what you paid for **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">— **Windows Live Essentials.** Microsoft tore three major applications from Windows 7 and put them on the Internet; you have to download and install them. If you use instant messaging, download Windows Live Messenger. If you want to put mail on your PC and you didn’t buy Outlook, download Windows Live Mail. Windows Live Photo Gallery has a few features that make it better than Google Picasa, but if you already know Picasa, stick with it.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">How to Cure Common Windows 7 Problems **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Cursor doesn’t show or move. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If no mouse cursor appears on the screen or the cursor doesn’t move no matter how much you move the mouse, shut down Windows 7, make sure that the mouse is plugged in, and restart the computer. If that doesn’t work, flip the mouse over and use your fingernail to scrape off built-up gunk, and wipe off the laser hatch with a Q-tip dipped in isopropyl alcohol. If the cursor still doesn’t move, get a new mouse. (Mice are cheap.)
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Internet service is interrupted. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> If you suddenly can’t access your e-mail or get on the Web even though you could get to it yesterday and you haven’t changed a single thing, chill. Chances are good that nothing is wrong with Windows 7 but that your Internet service provider (the place your computer connects to) is having problems. Come back in a few hours. Don’t change your settings in Windows 7.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">A file is lost on the computer. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> If you can’t find a file that was sitting around yesterday, chances are good that either it’s in the Recycle Bin or you dragged it somewhere weird. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon. If your file is there, double-click it and then click Restore. If your file isn’t there, click Start, type anything you can remember about the file into the Start Search box, and press Enter.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Hardware installation isn’t working. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> If you spend the money to buy an expensive piece of hardware — a new video card, a second hard drive, a fancy force-feedback mouse, or a different cable modem — spend a little more money and have the retailer install it. Life’s too short.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Computer user’s nerves are frazzled. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> If the stupid computer won’t work right, turn it off. Go read a book or watch a movie. Get some sleep. Come back when you’re not so tied up in knots. Few pursuits in the history of humanity are as frustrating as trying to get a recalcitrant computer to behave itself.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20px;">How to Draw a Picture in Paint for Windows 7 **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Click the [|__Start__] [|__button__], type **** paint ****<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">, and click Paint in the search results. **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Click and [|__drag__] your mouse over the white canvas to draw a black squiggle using the default brush and color; then release the mouse button. **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Click the down arrow on the Brushes button in the Ribbon to see a panel of brushes. Select one you like. **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Click one of the small color boxes at the right end of the Ribbon to select that color. **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Click and drag your mouse over the canvas again. **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">To add text to your drawing, click the A button on the Tools panel; then click the canvas and start typing in the text box that appears. **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Select the text you just typed and choose options in the Text tab to size and format your text. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">You can change [|__fonts__], colors, sizes, and so on. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">You can also save the drawing by clicking the Save button — the tiny disk icon in the Paint [|__title__] [|__bar__].
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Save your drawing by pressing Ctrl+S. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">With the new version of WordPad that works with Windows 7, you can now create a formatted document without having to use a full-blown word processor like Word. Microsoft beefed up the capabilities of the WordPad program to include a [|__Scenic__] [|__Ribbon__] full of editing and formatting tools. Windows Live WordPad provides a virtual pad for jotting down ideas, making notes, creating small documents, or entering programming code. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Although WordPad isn’t as robust as some mainstream word processors, it’s a great choice for creating simple documents with a few formatting bells and whistles. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10px;">**Enlarge** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">The WordPad window opens with a blank document.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20px;">How to Use the New WordPad in Windows 7 **
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14px;">Choose Start→All Programs→Accessories→WordPad to open the WordPad window. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">The [|__font__] settings and most of the formatting settings are on the Home tab.
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14px;">Enter text into the document. Click and [|__drag__] to select the text, and then click the Home tab. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">You can change the Font, Font Style, and Size, as well as apply subscript or superscript effects. You can also modify the font color and change the font background color, by clicking the appropriate buttons.
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14px;">Adjust the font settings to your liking. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">The selected text will change to accept the new formatting.
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14px;">Click various other formatting tools, such as the alignment buttons or the Bullets button on the Ribbon. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">The Select Picture dialog box appears.
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14px;">Click the Picture button in the Insert area of the Home tab on the Ribbon to insert a picture. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">You can also search for an image stored elsewhere on your computer using the folder pane on the left.
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14px;">Click an image in your Picture [|__folder__] and then click Open. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">For example, you can [|__move__] it or resize it.
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14px;">Modify the inserted object however you want. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Your file will be there to open and edit (like correcting the spelling of //favorite//) when you need it. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">E-mailing a copy of your WordPad document is simplicity itself. Just click the WordPad button and click Send E-mail. An e-mail form appears from your default e-mail program with the file already [|__attached__]. Just enter a recipient and a message and click Send. It’s on its way!
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14px;">When your document is complete click the Save button. Select a name and location and then click Save. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">To create, edit, and view digital movies in Windows 7, you must [|__download__] Windows Live [|__Movie__] [|__Maker__]. Windows Live Movie Maker — a stripped-down version of the movie-editing program that came with XP and Vista — works best for creating short videos. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Download Movie Maker from Microsoft's **Live Essentials** Web page. You also need Windows Live [|**Photo**] [|**Gallery**] to import the movies from your camcorder. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">To make a movie, you follow three basic steps: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">For some reason, Windows Live Movie Maker can't import your video from your video camera. You must import it through Windows Live Photo Gallery, instead. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">This step combines your video clips, music, and pictures into a structured movie. Edit each clip down to its best moments and add // [|__transitions__] // between the clips — the way one clip fades into the next. Toss in a soundtrack, as well. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">When you finish editing, Movie Maker combines your batch of clips or photos into a complete movie, ready to be played back on your computer or saved to a DVD. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Creating movies requires a //lot// of free hard drive space. A 15-minute movie can consume 2.5GB. If Movie Maker complains about space, you have two choices: Create smaller videos or upgrade your computer with a second hard drive. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If you've already imported footage from a digital camcorder, jump ahead to Step 4 in the steps in this section and begin there. You're several steps ahead of the pack. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">But if you're importing video from a digital camcorder, you must work a little harder. Before Movie Maker can edit your digital camcorder's video, you must copy the footage onto your computer through a cable. Most digital camcorders connect to a computer's FireWire or [|__USB__] 2.0 port. (FireWire ports, also known as IEEE 1394 ports, work the best.) <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">When importing video through FireWire (IEEE 1394), you need only connect a single cable between the camcorder and FireWire port. With that one cable, Windows 7 grabs the sound and video, //and// controls the camera. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">To copy digital video into your computer, follow these steps: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If this is your first time [|__plugging__] [|__in__] the digital camcorder, Windows 7 should recognize it immediately. To catch Windows 7's attention, [|__switch__] your camcorder to the setting where it plays back — not records — video. (Some camcorders label that setting as VCR.) <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">First, name your incoming video after the event you've filmed, be it a vacation, wedding, or visit to a skateboard park. Next, choose one of the three ways Windows 7 offers to import the video into your Videos [|__folder__] : <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Let your computer work uninterrupted while it's grabbing video, because it needs lots of processing power for smooth captures. Don't work with other programs or browse the Web. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Windows 7 saves your video in your Videos [|__library__], visible when you click the taskbar's Windows Explorer icon:
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20px;">Windows Live Movie Maker: Create, Edit, and View Movies **
 * 1) **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Import. **
 * 1) **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Edit. **
 * 1) **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Publish. **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Step 1: Import video, pictures, and music **
 * 1) **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Download and install Windows Live Photo Gallery, described earlier in this chapter. Connect your digital camcorder to your computer, Open Windows Live Photo Gallery, click the File button and choose Import From a Camera or Scanner. **
 * 1) **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Choose the [|__icon__] for your camera in the Import Photos and Videos window. Then click Import. **
 * 2) **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Enter a name for your video, choose how to import the footage, and click Next. **
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Import the Entire Video: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> This option imports all the video on your tape, breaking each shot into a separate segment. The best choice, this lets you grab the good shots for your finished product and leave the rest on the cutting room floor.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Choose Parts of the Video to Import: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Choose this laborious option for importing only a few portions of the tape. Windows 7 displays a playback window with on-screen controls. Fast forward to the section you want, click the Import button to record your desired snippet, and then click Stop button. Repeat until you've gathered any other shots you want and then click Finish.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> [|__Burn__] the Entire Video to DVD: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Choose this to copy your entire video, unedited to a DVD. Although convenient, this forces your audience to see everything you've shot, even the excruciatingly boring portions.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">To summon Movie Maker Live, click the [|__Start__] [|__menu__], choose All Programs, choose Windows Live, and select Windows Live Movie Maker. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">The menu in Movie Maker Live lets you add a few things:
 * 1) **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Open [|__Windows__] [|__Movie__] [|__Maker__] Live if it's not already running. **
 * 1) **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Gather the videos, pictures, and music you want to include in your video. **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Every item you add immediately appears in the right pane. If you add any items by mistake, click them and click the Remove button. (That just removes the items from the list, it doesn't delete the originals.) <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">At the end of this step, Movie Maker Live's right side will be stocked with all the video, photos, and music you need to assemble your movie. In the next step, editing your movie, you begin combining them all into a finished work. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">At this step, you're finished, if you want. The program splices together the clips, photos, and songs in the order you've added them, and creates a movie. Click the Play button — the blue triangle along the bottom — to watch it. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">If you're feeling creative and have some time, however, edit your movie in any of the following ways: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Don't worry that your edits will harm your original video. You're only working with a copy, and you still have the master copies in your Videos library. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">As you work, feel free to play back your movie at any time. Just click the Play button on the preview window. Also, hover your mouse pointer over any confusing buttons or icons; Windows quickly explains the button's purpose or shows you how the effect alters your movie. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">When you've finished editing your clips into a movie, click any icon in the Sharing section of the Movie Maker toolbar. The program can save or upload your movie in any of these formats:
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Add videos and photos: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Click this button, select the videos you want from your Videos library, and then click Open: Your selected videos appear in Windows Live Movie Maker's right pane. Repeat the process to add photos from your Pictures library.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Add music: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Click the Add button in the Soundtracks section to add any music files from your Music library.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Add title, captions, and credits: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">These three buttons add a blank screen for you to type in words, making your movies look more professional.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Step 2: Edit your movie **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Change the playback order: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> [|__Drag__] clips and photos to different positions on the right pane, changing when they'll play back.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Remove bad shots or photos: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Spot a shaky camera angle or blurry photo? Right-click the item and choose Remove.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Add text: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Your title, captions, and credits appear as black squares. Click one and start typing to add information you want to see on-screen.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Trim clips: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> To trim a specific clip, click it, choose Edit from the menu, and click Trim. When a bar appears on each end of the blue timeline, start trimming: Slide the bars in from the front to trim the beginning; slide the rear bar in to trim the ending. Satisfied? Click Save and Close.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Add visual effects: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> These change the colors of your video or photos. Use them sparingly.
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Add animations: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Animations, also known as //transitions,// dictate how shots flow into each other. To add one, click Animations. Rest your mouse pointer over a transition to see a preview of how the current clip will flow into the next. When you spot one you like, click it to add it to your movie.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Step 3: Save your edited movie **
 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">YouTube: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Click this icon to [|__log__] [|__on__] to your YouTube account and post your final movie for the world to see:


 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">High-Definition (1080p): **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Choose this if you intend to watch the movie only on high-definition TVs:


 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">DVD: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> This option saves your movie as a WMV file and then loads the file into the Windows DVD Maker program for you to finish the DVD-creation process:


 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">High-Definition (720p): **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> This saves the movie in a lower-quality high-definition format:


 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Wide-Screen (480p): **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> Choose this to play the movie on a wide-screen TV:


 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Standard Definition: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> This option works well for viewing on older TVs:


 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Portable Device or Mobile Phone: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> This option creates a small file for playback on portable [|__gadgets__] like the Zune or cell phones. (The program can't save videos in a format for playing back on an iPod.):


 * **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">E-Mail or Instant Messaging: **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;"> This option creates a tiny, low-quality movie able to be sent through e-mail:

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">After you choose an option, type in a name, and click Save, Windows creates your movie, choosing the appropriate file size and quality for the destination you choose. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12px;">Publishing movies can take a //long// time. Windows needs to arrange all your clips, create the transitions and soundtracks, and compress everything into a single file.