- PC HARDWARE -

Mice and keyboards are your primary "input devices" - and they are the only ways for you to communicate with your PC.  This looks like a nice wireless set that sells for $8 at Geeks.com.  The odds of it working though are pretty slim (I know).

MICE

In the set is the world's most popular mouse design - left/right buttons and center roller.  The "scroll" roller lets you scroll through a long document or web page instead of using the scroll bars at the left of the screen - and is an extremely useful feature.

Why do they call a mouse a "mouse"?  I think they should have named them a "HOID" (for Hand Operated Input Device).  The main thing to remember about a mouse is that clicking the `left' button is the same as hitting `enter' on your keyboard - and clicking the `right' button will invoke a pull-down-menu (and the menu will vary depending where you are and what you are doing).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

If rodents ever took over the world, a `mouse' could be named a `human'!!

KEYBOARDS

With the mouse at the top is an internet keyboard.  Beyond a standard keyboard, it has features such as "My Computer", "Back", "Forward", "E-Mail", "Home Page", etc. which come in handy while you are navigating the Web.  

For brand new PC users, I have included a description of the functions of the `standard' keys on a PC keyboard:

The `arrow' keys on your keyboard number pad usually allow you to move your cursor up, down, left or right.  The greatest advantage of a mouse is that it eliminates the timely and tedious process of going from one part of your screen to another by pushing your arrow buttons up, up, up, up, left, left, up, up, left, left, left, left, left, whoops!, right, right - etc. etc.

The "Esc" (escape) key will usually take you back to your previous screen or get you out of something you have started and don't want to finish.  Usually, the right button on your mouse performs the same function.

The "Del" (delete) key usually deletes the character to the right of the cursor.

The "Backspace" (left-arrow - not the one on your number pad) key will let you erase backward over text and/or move text to the left.

“PgUp" and "PgDn" will let you "scroll" forward and backward through a document you are creating or through a menu or tutorial with several pages.

 "Enter" and "Return" are the same key.  This command usually finalizes an action such as agreeing to a screen prompt from a program asking you for a `yes’ or `no’ answer.

 "Home" followed by one of the arrows on your number pad, will move the cursor to the top, bottom, right or left of the text on your screen.

 “Shift" plus "PrtSc" (print screen) will make a screen capture of what you are looking at and send it to your clipboard.   Then you can paste it to a program like Paint Shop Pro and save it as a graphic.

"Tab" will jump your cursor to the next tab setting in a word processing program - or between windows in a lot of menu screens.

The "Spacebar" is used with different software programs for different purposes - but it's primary function is to move your cursor one space at a time in a word processing program.

"Alt", "Shift", and "Control" usually, by themselves, don't do anything!  They are used in conjunction with the `Function' keys (F1, F2, F3, etc.),  with each other, or with another key to perform hundreds of different operations.

The `slash' (/) and `backslash' (\) keys are used to invoke menus in some software programs, and to set DOS and Windows "path" commands.

"Anykey" is just what it says, ANY KEY on your keyboard.  When you see a message that says "Hit any key to continue', DON'T START LOOKING FOR IT!

Finally, everyone should know what this key is for: