Newydd Housing Association



Digital ResourcesBasicsIndex1. Cover page and index1.1 What is a PC, tablet and laptop? Pg.21.2 Turning on and shutting down a computer. Pg.31.3 Health and safety. Pg.41.4 External storage devices. Pg.5-71.5 Navigation (keyboard and mouse). Pg.8-111.6 Opening and closing programmes. Pg.121.7 Computer viruses. Pg.131.8 Cookies and pop ups. Pg.14-151.9 Installing anti-virus software. Pg.16-181.10 Internet predators. Pg.191.11 Parental controls. Pg.201.12 Passwords. Pg.211.13 Protect your personal details. Pg.221.14 Protect yourself. Pg.231.15 Protecting a file. Pg.24-251.16 Safe shopping online. Pg.26-271.17 Scanning your computer for viruses. Pg.281.18 Virtual bullying. Pg.291.1 What is a PC? Laptop? Tablet?A PC (Personal Computer) is designed to fit comfortably on top of a desk, typically with the monitor sitting on top of the computer and a keyboard in-front. Desktop model computers are broad and low, whereas tower model computers are narrow and tall.A laptop is a portable computer that is about the size of a large binder and has the same abilities as a standard home desktop computer, but is small enough for easy mobility. A key difference between a PC and a laptop is that a laptop has a touchpad which can be used instead of a mouse however you can still connect a mouse to your laptop if you prefer.Tablets are small, flat computers with touchscreens that are between a book and a magazine in size. They're like large versions of a smartphone.4371292154940001.2 Turning on / shutting down a computerTo turn your computer on you must press the power button as shown here, this will be located on both the computer and monitor of a PC as these devices are separate, and normally around the corner of a laptop and tablet.112091841096500To shut down your computer you must first left click on the start button, the start button is located at the bottom left of your screen and will look something like depending on what PC you are using.278620056540600This will bring up a menu option, left click on the shutdown button to begin this process.It is important to shut down the computer in this way and not simply to switch off the power. If you do not shut the PC down properly it will take much longer to start next time you switch on.1.3 Health and SafetySome health problems may be caused by careless use of computers and bad posture when using them.Follow these guidelines to keep yourself safe:To avoid eyestrain:Sit 60 cm (24 inches) from your monitor to reduce the strain on your eyes.Work in good light that is not too bright and doesn’t reflect off the screen.Don’t sit facing the window or turn the screen contrast up too high — the high contrast between the screen and the rest of your field of vision can cause eyestrain.Use a glare filter on your monitor.Give your eyes a break by looking away from the monitor at times.To avoid headaches:Make sure there is good ventilation and fresh air.Take frequent drinks of water to prevent dehydration.Work in good light — natural daylight supplemented with good quality artificial light is best.To avoid backache:Sit with your eyes level with the top of the monitor.Use a well-adjusted, stable chair that supports your back. A proper computer operator’s chair will help you to avoid back and shoulder pain.Sit upright, and avoid slouching or hunching over. Good posture will protect your back and help you avoid fatigue.1.4 Accessing external storage devicesExternal storage devices are stand-alone devices that are separate from the computer. The main advantage of external devices is that they are portable and therefore data can be easily moved from one location to another. Examples of external storage devices include:CD’s and DVD’sUSB pen / Memory stickPortable hard drives36748534877600To access your external storage device:Insert the device into a USB connection port on your PC, laptop or tablet. Most USB connection ports can be found on the front of PCs and to the side or at the back of laptops and tablets.Your computer may automatically recognise the device and therefore an ‘Autoplay’ box will appear asking you to select an option, as shown below. In this instance, if you wish to open the external storage device you will need to double click on ‘Open folder to view files’ which will take you directly into the device.3743864-11300If the ‘Autoplay’ box does not appear, you will need to single click on the Start icon, and then single click on ‘Computer’ in the menu option box which appears, you will see an additional drive ‘Removable Disk’ listed under 'Devices with removable storage'.You can now save or copy files to your USB memory stick in exactly the same way you would do to your computer.If you unplug any storage device or removable drive from your computer while it's transferring or saving information, you could lose data. To avoid this, make sure that when you unplug your memory stick, the computer has finished saving any information to it. If your memory stick has a small light that shows when it's in use, wait a few seconds after the light has finished flashing before unplugging it. You can also check by looking for the 'Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media' icon in the notification area, at the far right of the tray at the bottom of the screen. This is an indication that your devices have finished all operations in progress and are ready to be removed.???If you don't see the icon in the tray, click the Show hidden icons button to display all the icons in the notification area. To safely remove your USB memory stick, click the Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media icon.???? A list of devices will appear. Simply click the one that you want to remove.Windows will display a notification telling you, either that the drive is in use and that you should close any programs or windows that might be using it and try again, or that it's safe to remove the device.???You can also safely remove devices from the Computer folder. Click the Start button, click Computer, right-click the device you want to remove, and then click Eject.?1.5 Using a mouse5624315109793300The mouse is the main tool that you use to control your computer. When you move your mouse on a flat surface, it moves a pointer on the computer screen. In some instances, your cursor will change shape depending on what you are doing, the most common changes are:562431538036500An arrow lets you select things and move them around.563054537973000A hand lets you open a link on the internet.An hourglass is asking you to wait while the computer is loading.You give instructions to the computer by placing the pointer on words or pictures on the screen and clicking a button on the mouse. Most mouse devices will give you two opportunities for clicking; left click and right click.Click the left mouse button once to select a task from a menu or to use a tool on the toolbar.Click the left mouse button twice (double click) in quick succession on an icon to start a task from the desktop or to open a file or folder. If you click on the right button accidentally, click the left button once off the menu box for it to disappear.Click the right mouse button once and a menu will appear with options that are relevant to what you are doing.Click and hold the left button to move something on the screen.A mouse will often have a small wheel between the buttons, when you roll this wheel the page will move up or down.Using a keyboardMany programmes have places where you can type words or numbers, these are called text boxes. A text box is normally a rectangle with a small vertical line that flashes on and off. This is called the cursor and its role is to highlight where the text will appear if you type on the keyboard.If you think a box on a page should be a text box, but there is no cursor, put the mouse pointer on the box and single left click on the mouse button, the cursor will begin to flash.A typical computer keyboard is shown on the next page. The main part of the keyboard has letters and numbers like a typewriter however there are also some keys that have special uses when you are typing into a document.Esc (escape) clears any text that you have typed in a text box.Tab moves the cursor to the next box in a form.Caps Lock locks the keyboard so that it types capitals.Shift key allows you to access the symbols on the upper part of a key, e.g. the ! above 1.Ctrl (Control) keys are used for keyboard shortcuts, e.g. holding down Ctrl and pressing A (Ctrl-A) will select everything on a page. If you think that you may have used a Ctrl key by accident, try using Ctrl-Z. This is the undo button, and will often get you back to where you were.Windows Key brings up the Start Menu and can also be used in combination with other keys for shortcuts.Alt is used in similar ways to Ctrl. If you have several windows open on your computer, you can press Alt and Tab together to switch between them.Space Bar inserts a space between words.Menu Key brings up a menu of commands, like clicking the right mouse button.Back space deletes the last letter to the left of the cursor. You can use it to correct any mistakes as you type.Enter is used to submit a form when you have completed it. Enter is also called Return. In word processing or e-mail, it is like the carriage return on typewriter. Press it to move down one line and over to the left margin.Scroll keys are used to move around a document:- Home takes you to the top of the page you are viewing- End takes you to the bottom of the page- Page Up and Page Down move you up or down by one screenArrow Keys also move the page up or down, and left or right if it is wider than the screen.Number Keys let you type numbers quickly. The Number Lock button must be pressed for this to work – there will be a light above it to show that it’s on. There is also an Enter key in the Number Keys. It works just like the one on the main keyboard.1.6 How to open / close programmesTo open a programme on your computer first click on the start button, this will bring up a menu option. In the left hand column you will see your most recently used applications, the list on the right hand column will show fixed programmes including My Documents, My Pictures, Computer etc.Windows provides this list so that you can easily access your favourite programmes. Each user's list is unique, and reflects the software installed on that particular computer.If the application you currently want is on that list, then double-click to open that particular piece of software to open the programme. If the desired programme is not on the start menu option, then you will need to search for the specific programme.Say, for example, that you want to open Microsoft Office Excel and notice it is not currently in the favourites group. You would then:Single click on All Programs in the start menu option.Single click on the solid black arrow to the right of the words "Microsoft Office". Whenever you see one of the little arrows, it tells you that there is an additional menu of choices available.Move your mouse over "Microsoft Office Excel 2003" (you might not have the same software version on your computer, but move the mouse over whatever name contains "Excel"). When the application name turns blue, it is available to be opened therefore by single clicking on the programme it will open the desired file.2437765145415001.7 Computer VirusesA virus is a malicious program that can damage the files on your computer and, in extreme cases, even make the hard disk of your computer unusable. Some viruses are little more than annoying pranks, but even these may make your computer run slower. A virus may delete files, close down an application or the computer unexpectedly, bombard a website or another computer with constant messages, or make multiple copies of a document, filling your hard disk.Many computer viruses are spread over the internet, either as attachments to e-mail messages or downloaded with files from the web. This makes it easy for viruses to spread around the world, causing a lot of disruption. A virus can also infect a removable storage device such as a USB pen. You won’t know your computer has got a virus until things start to go wrong.1.8 Cookies and pop upsCookiesSome web pages keep information about what you have done on your visits to them. They save a file, called a cookie, on your hard disk. Next time you go to the site, the web page checks the contents of the cookie. It can help the web site to ‘remember’ the topics you are interested in, and customise the site for you. Many online shopping sites have cookies, and store information about your preferences and past purchases to help you find products you might like. If you are worried about the security implications of cookies and how they may be used, you can tell your web browser to block cookies.You can block or limit cookies by changing the settings in Internet Explorer. To do this open the ‘Tools’ menu and choose ‘Internet Options’, then click on the ‘Privacy’ tab. You can move the slider to change all security settings. If you choose the highest security setting, all cookies are blocked. This is not necessarily a good idea, as you may not be able to carry out any online shopping if you block all cookies.Pop upsPop-ups are small windows that open automatically when you visit some web pages. They are often used for advertising. As they can be annoying, covering the content you want to look at and taking you to advertising sites, you might want to block pop-ups.To block all pop-ups, you can click to put a tick in the box by ‘Turn on Pop-up Blocker’:1.9 Installing antivirus softwareTo protect your computer from viruses, you should install and run antivirus software. This will check all information coming into your computer and quarantine or delete any viruses or suspicious files or programs. It will also prevent your computer passing on viruses by email or infected disks.New computers are often preloaded with a trial version of antivirus software – for example, Norton or McAfee antivirus. This will only protect you for a limited period, after this period has ended you will need to either pay a subscription to continue using it or install one of the popular free programs.?If you decide on having a free program, you’ll need to make sure that you uninstall any existing antivirus software first. To do this you will need to go to Control Panel > Add and Remove Programs.Windows Security Essentials is a free antivirus software program, to download this you must:Step 1: Using a search engine, search and open ‘Microsoft security essentials’Step 2 : Once you have opened Microsoft Security essentials, click on the ‘download now’ to begin downloading the anti-virus software.Step 3: At the bottom of the screen, a dialogue box will appear asking if you would like to run or save mseinstall.exe, click ‘Run’Step 4 : Microsoft Security Essentials installation guide will open on your computer, to successfully complete the installation Wizard the user must read and accept all information.1.10 Internet predatorsOnline games and communities are often used, too, by people who want to befriend young people or children, intending to harm them. They might build up a relationship online with a young person and then try to arrange to meet in the real world. It is easy for anyone to pretend to be another teenager online, so the target may not even realise they are talking to an adult.1.11 Parental controlsMany parents worry about their children’s safety online. It is possible to buy special software to allow parents to control what their children do and look at online, and ISPs and operating systems often offer their own measures to control access to websites.Internet control programs let you block certain websites so that they can’t be used. They are often used to block sites with adult content, or those that discuss or promote use of drugs or violence. They can also be used to block access to forums, chat sites and social networking sites. It’s possible to set time limits on when or for how long a child can access the internet, perhaps preventing them using it during the night time or set homework times. Parents sometimes restrict access to particular programs, such as chat software, games or internet browsers. Setting Parental controlsStep 1: Open Parental Controls by clicking the ‘Start’ button > ‘Control Panel’ > ‘User Accounts and Family Safety’ > ‘Set up parental controls’.Step 2: Select the standard user account that you wish to set Parental Controls for.Step 3: Under Parental Controls, click ‘On’ to enforce current settingsStep 4: Once you've turned on Parental Controls for your child's standard user account, you can adjust the content controls, time limits and block specific programmes.1.12 PasswordsYour password is what tells the computer that you are who you say you are. As your password is like a key to your account, you need to safeguard it. Anyone who has your password can get into your account, and your files. Anyone who can guess your password has it and therefore can pose as you. A safe password would be one which is hard to guess. Using a combination of upper case and lower case words, punctuation marks and numbers will make your password even stronger. UK Government Internet Security site ‘Cyberstreetwise’ suggests making passwords around sentences. This should make your new password easier to remember and more secure. An example of this would be taking a sentence like ‘This is a strong password’ and modifying it so that you still understand the meaning but others wouldn’t be able to guess it. eg: Th5is@str0NGpa$$w0rd!1.13 Protect your personal detailsIt is important to keep your personal information secure when communicating online. The most common ways of communicating online are:Email: e-mail messages are used to send text, but you can also attach files such as documents, pictures and sound files. E-mail is sent between computers connected to the internet.Instant messaging: this is a way of communicating instantly with someone else who is online at the same time. An indicator shows when people you know are online, and you can ‘chat’ using text.Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, WhatsappOnline dating websites: Plenty of Fish, Tinder, Match, ZooskBe carefulMessages sent over the internet are not usually secure. The person you send the message to may send it on to or share it with other people, and a message may even be intercepted in transit. Firewalls and anti-spam software are not enough to protect your personal details — you also need to be careful yourself. Phishing, for example, involves sending scam e-mail messages that try to trick you into responding to an e-mail or logging on to a fake version of a web site, such as a bank web site, and giving personal details like your password or financial details. To avoid this, you may decide not even to open unexpected messages and e-mails.If you are part of a distribution list or group, make sure you know who else is in the group and so who will see your messages. And remember that text and pictures can always be forwarded to someone you don’t know or wouldn’t want to see them.You should always respect the confidentiality of any messages you are sent, and not send them on to others.Don’t harass anyone or reveal personal information, and remember that you or your organisation can be taken to court if you send offensive messages. If you receive a threatening or abusive e-mail, report it.1.14 Protect yourselfIt is important to be very careful with your personal details online. When you join an online community, you often have to fill in details about yourself. It’s not a good idea to give your full address or phone number, and you might prefer to use a nickname rather than your real name. Always assume that any details you give can be seen by anyone else on the internet. Some people might want to use them to harm or cheat you. Think carefully before putting your photo online, too it can be copied by anyone and used in contexts you may not like for example fraud.If you ever wish to meet up with someone you have only ever spoken too online, it is advised that you meet in a well-lit and busy public place and always inform a friend information about the meet e.g. Where you are going? Who you are going to meet? What time you are likely to be back?1.15 Protecting a fileSometimes you might want to protect a file so that it can be looked at but not changed. To do this, you need to make it read-only. Right-click on the icon for the file and choose properties from the shortcut menu.A dialogue box will appear, click to place a tick in the box beside Read-only and then click apply and then ok.From the moment Read-only has been applied to a document, anyone who now opens the file (including you) will not be able to save it with the same name. If an individual wants to save any changes, they will need to save the file with a new name. When you open a Read-only file, the title bar shows (‘Read-Only’) after the name of the file.To remove Read-only protection from a file, making the file Read-write, you will need to go back into the documents properties located in the shortcut menu and remove the tick beside Read-only. Anyone can change this; therefore Read-only status does not offer a high level of protection.1.16 Safe shopping onlineYou can buy many things on the web, often a lot easier and cheaper than you can buy them by going shopping in a town or city. But you need to be careful when shopping online to keep your data and your money safe.Shopping online is rather like shopping in the real world. You select the items you want, put them into a ‘shopping basket’ and go to the ‘checkout’ to pay. The checkout is a secure web page, where you give details of your payment and delivery address. The goods are usually sent to you through the post. (For some purchases, such as airline tickets or music downloads, there may be no physical object sent to you however you may wish to print off the confirmation email as evidence, this is known as an E-Ticket.) You need to keep your personal and financial information safe when shopping online. Shop only from reputable web sites you have heard of. The address of the web page may be a long list of letters and numbers if it is a phishing site. Don’t buy from a site if you are suspicious.A secure web site has a web address that starts with the letters https://. It will show a padlock symbol on the page.A secure web site has a digital certificate. The certificate shows that the web site really belongs to the organisation that claims it and that the organisation’s identity has been verified. It can reassure you that you are dealing with a reputable organisation. A secure web site encrypts your personal and financial information when sending it from your computer to the business computer. Encrypted data is turned into a secret code, which no one else can decipher. It protects your data from being interrupted and read on its way over the internet.Buying onlineTo find the items you want to buy online you will probably have to use a search engine on the shop’s web site. This works in the same way as any other search engine, type the details of the item you want and click on the ‘Find’ or ‘Search’ button. Click on links in the search results to find the items you want. When you have found what you want, click on the link or button to add the item to your ‘basket’.When you have chosen all the items you wish to purchase, click on a link to pay for your goods. There will be a form you will need to fill out with payment and delivery details. A web form is the same as a paper form, just fill in the spaces. The fields marked with an asterisk (*) beside them are mandatory fields.When you have finished giving details and confirmed the payment, a confirmation email will get sent to your email account and your screen will show your order number. It is advised you keep this information in case you have any questions or problems.1.17 Scanning your computer for virusesWhen you first install anti-virus software, and at regular intervals afterwards, you should scan your hard disk for viruses and deal with any that are found. You should also scan any disks you put into your computer, and any files you are sent as e-mail attachments or that you download over the internet. It is possible to scan just one folder, too. There will be an option to choose an area of the computer and scan just that.If the anti-virus software finds a virus, you can tell the computer to delete it. To run anti-virus software, select it from the All Programs menu. You will need to choose which disks or files to scan. When the scan is complete, the program will list any infected files. There will be a button to click to delete or disinfect the file. Sometimes, the computer is not able to delete the virus or the file. In this case, there is an option to quarantine the infected file, or move it into a vault, a safe area from which it can’t harm the computer.Just installing anti-virus software will not protect your computer permanently, you need to keep your anti-virus software up to date so that it can check for the newest viruses.1.18 Virtual bullyingVirtual bullying is the use of computers and mobile technology (such as phones) to harass or bully someone. It may involve abusive text messages or e-mails, or posting unpleasant text or embarrassing pictures online. If you receive an abusive e-mail, don’t reply to it. You can report the sender to your ISP. On a site with a moderator, you should report anyone who is abusive. If someone harassing you does something you think might be illegal, keep evidence (such as messages or screenshots) and contact the police. Workplaces, schools and colleges should all have rules and guidelines to help prevent and deal with bullying of all kinds. ................
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