Windows XP – Working with the Desktop |
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We kick off this video training series on Microsoft Windows
XP with general layout of the Desktop including Start Button, Quick Launch area,
Active Programs and System Tray. Next we cover the actual desktop area and
properties like Theme, Color Scheme, Layout, Background, Screen Saver,
Resolution and Appearance. Using the Desktop Cleanup Wizard you can optimize the
Desktop area. Shortcuts make it easy to work with commonly used files and
folders. We demonstrate multiple ways to create shortcuts and manipulate desktop
icons. You can have several applications running at the same time in XP and we
go over such topics as switching between applications, closing program groups
etc. Recycle Bin is the holding place for files before they are permanently
deleted. We end the tutorial by highlighting features like the context menu
(right mouse button) and My Computer icon (Running time 21:30 mins)
Windows XP – Word Processing |
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In this video lesson, we cover three different ways to do
word processing in Windows XP. First we talk about Notepad which is installed by
default. This is a simple application to use but does not give you a lot of
formatting functionality. The files are saved as text (.txt) and typically are
small in size. Next we move onto WordPad which is also installed by default.
With this you get a little more formatting options compared to Notepad. You will
also have access to a limited Toolbar for quick changes. Files can either be
saved as Rich Text Format (.rtf) or Text document (.txt). Finally we move onto
Microsoft Word which by far is the most common word processing application in
the market. You do have to buy it as it is not installed by default. With
Microsoft Word, you get robust formatting and an extensive toolbar
functionality, not to mention compatibility with applications like Excel and
Outlook. Files are saved as .doc and are much bigger in size compared to the
other two formats. We end the video training with keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl +
Home, Ctrl +End, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V, Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, Alt + Tab
and Alt + F4. (Running time 19:26 mins)
Windows XP – My Documents |
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My Documents is the default location when working with
files in Windows XP. We start this video tutorial by going over the hierarchy of
folders in My Documents, parent and child folder structure. Next we move onto
general navigation concepts including menus like Title bar, File Menu, Toolbar,
Address, Task Pane, Details Section and Status Bar. We demonstrate how to create
a new folder, copy files from a source folder to a destination folder, sort
objects by different parameters. We cover a little bit about My Computer where
you can browse other local disks and applications on your computer. Shortcuts
are an important productivity tool and we explain how to create them in
different ways. This discussion also talks about keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+A
to select all and Shift + Click to select multiple files. We explain dragging
and dropping files and context menu functionality. Finally we end the session
with Recycle Bin and how to recover deleted files. (Running time 17:50 mins)
Windows XP – Searching Files and Folders |
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In this Windows XP video tutorial, we cover searching files
and folders on your machine. The default Search feature can be launched from the
Start button. We first search for a file with the text bmw in it so we make use
of wild characters like this *bmw*. We also give you an idea about how to
search for a phrase or expression. Next we search for an Excel file type (*.xls)
in our computer. From the results section, you can sort by modified date, file
type, size and name in an ascending or descending manner. Using advanced option,
you can search by case sensitivity and sub folder option. Next we discuss Google
Desktop which is a powerful alternative to native Windows search. You can
download this application from http://www.google.com. We search for the same files with much faster speed
and additional functionality. Options like preview file, file type sort, open
folder, date and relevance are exposed next. With Google Desktop, you can toggle
between desktop and Internet search. (Running time 17.22 mins)
Working with Media in Windows XP: |
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Working with Media involves playing music or movies, moving
pictures to and from a digital camera/recorder, working with external drives or
USB flash drives, and finally copying data to and from a computer. We start off
the lesson with Windows Media Player. We talk about the music library, ripping,
media center and other features. Next we look at a Sony digital camera and
download pictures to our computer. We cover different views like Filmstrip and
Slide Show. We rotate print, copy, paste the pictures and show you how to open
them with different applications. We move onto a USB flash drive which is
helpful in moving data back and forth. We use Windows Explorer to get to the
flash drive content and copy a file to My Documents folder. After we make
changes, we move the file back to the flash drive. Last topic is burning
(copying) a DVD using Sonic Digital Media. We go over the steps of copying some
files from the computer to the DVD using the Data Disc option. In addition, we
discuss read write vs. read only disc options. (Running time 22 mins)
Windows XP – Control Panel |
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In this video lesson, we cover Windows XP Control Panel.
Here are some of the main topics we discuss: Appearance tab, Display settings
for start menu, Screen Saver and Desktop, toggle between Window Classic and
Window XP layout, tweak the Taskbar settings and modify the Folder Options.
Using Network and Internet configuration, you can modify your network
properties. An important characteristic in Control Panel is adding and removing
a program which is also illustrated. Next we discuss the Performance and
Maintenance tab. Some of these topics are discussed more in detail in the
Administrative Tools video. We review the System Tab where you can change
computer hardware settings using the Device Manager. Next we demonstrate how to
add a local printer using the Add Printer Wizard. This leads us to the section
on User Accounts, Regional Settings and Security options. We end this training
session by going over Firewall, Automatic Updates and Virus Protection. (Running
time 20:07 mins)
Windows XP – Administrative Tools: |
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This is an essential video training lesson on
Administrative Tools. We start off with data sources (ODBC) which let you access
other types of databases. In our demo we create a data source to an Access
database and then use an Excel sheet to import the data from Access tables. We
go over the Event Viewer which gives you vital system information at the
application and security level. Performance Monitor will let you gain an insight
into physical counters like CPU, Memory usage and Disk I/O utilization. The logs
and alerts can enable you to manage your machine in a proactive manner. The
Computer Management tab has a wealth of knowledge on your computer. We review
the Shared Folders, Device Manager, Storage tab and Services area. Device
Manager is essential to troubleshooting hardware issues and updating drivers.
Services tab gives you insight into what all is running on the machine so you
can shutdown unnecessary ones. Finally we look at the Component Services which
is an advanced utility for managing COM objects. (Running time 15:30 mins)
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