Computer Basics Introduction

This tutorial is about elementary computer skills.

It may be that even though you can produce text documents and send email, you could better communicate with those who are more technically-minded by learning the terminology. If you want to take a Computer, Internet, or Multimedia course, you will need to know some basics before starting the class. You may think you are prepared, only to discover there are things you didn't realize you would need to know.

Some people seem to understand these concepts without being told, and if you are one of those lucky ones, you will think this basic skills section is obvious. For everyone else, here are some fundamental things you need to know.

The situation is more complicated than it should be, because computer design has changed a lot, but the names for the parts haven't, so it's sometimes difficult to understand what's going on unless you know some of the history.

First of all, the computer consists of three basic parts:
the Keyboard, the Monitor, and the "actual computer" or CPU Box, with some accessories. This is an area that often causes confusion and frustration between experienced technical people and regular human beings. If you need help, but you and the person helping you can't agree on what to call the parts, getting help is going to be unpleasant, particularly if it's over the phone where both of you can't even look at the parts together.

One of the odd things about some of the modern computers is that they need to know what kind of monitor is attached in order to know how to display things on the screen. It is usually best to turn on the monitor before turning on the CPU Box, so the CPU Box can investigate the monitor to see what kind it is. The same thing generally applies to printers and other accessories, although you should follow the directions if you have an accessory with instructions that specify otherwise.

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