Computers For Seniors For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/computersforseniors to view this book's cheat sheet.

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Foolish Assumptions

Why You Need This Book

How This Book Is Organized

Get Going!

Part I: Get Going!

Chapter 1: Buying a Computer

Understand All You Can Do with Computers

Understand Hardware and Software

Explore Types of Computers

Choose a Version of Windows

Choose a Price Range

Select a Monitor

Choose an Optical Drive

Understand Processor Speed and Memory

Determine How You’ll Connect to the Internet

Buy a Customized Computer

Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Computer

Connect the Monitor, Keyboard, and Mouse

Use the Mouse

Work with a Touchscreen

Use Shortcuts

Log on to Windows 8

Set the Date and Time

Create a New User Account

Switch User Accounts

Change the User Account Type

Shut down Your Computer

Chapter 3: Getting around Windows 8

Understand Changes in Windows 8

Work with the Start Screen

Display the Charms Bar

Search for Files, Settings, and Apps

View Recent Apps

Work with Windows 8 Using a Touchscreen Device

Explore the Desktop

Work with Frequently Used Programs

Arrange Icons on the Desktop

Empty the Recycle Bin

Find a File or Open an Application with File Explorer

Create a Shortcut to a File or Folder

Switch between Programs

Resize Windows

Chapter 4: Setting Up Your Display

Customize Windows’s Appearance

Set Your Screen’s Resolution

Change the Start Screen Background and Color

Change the Lock Screen Picture

Change Your Account Picture

Change the Desktop Background

Choose a Desktop Theme

Set Up a Screen Saver

Chapter 5: Getting Help with Vision, Hearing, and Dexterity Challenges

Use Tools for the Visually Challenged

Replace Sounds with Visual Cues

Make Text Larger or Smaller

Set Up Speech Recognition

Modify How Your Keyboard Works

Use the Onscreen Keyboard Feature

Set Up Keyboard Repeat Rates

Customize Mouse Behavior

Change the Cursor

Chapter 6: Setting Up Printers and Scanners

Install a Printer

Add a Printer Manually

Set a Default Printer

Set Printer Preferences

View Currently Installed Printers

Remove a Printer

Install a Plug-and-Play Scanner

Install a Scanner Manually

Modify Scanner Settings

Chapter 7: Getting Help

Search Windows Help and Support

Get Help Getting Started with Windows 8

Find Information about Using the Start Screen

Get Answers from the Windows Community

Switch between Online and Offline Help

Connect to Remote Assistance

Part II: Getting Things Done with Software

Chapter 8: Working with Software Programs

Launch a Program

Move Information between Programs

Set Program Defaults

Remove a Program

Chapter 9: Working with Files and Folders

Understand How Windows Organizes Data

Access Recently Used Items

Locate Files and Folders in Your Computer

Search for Online Content

Move a File or Folder

Rename a File or Folder

Create a Shortcut to a File or Folder

Delete a File or Folder

Create a Compressed File or Folder

Add a File to Your Favorites List

Back Up Files

Chapter 10: Working with the Weather, People, and Calendar Apps

Display Weather Views

Specify a Place in Weather

Explore Weather around the World

Add a Contact

Edit Contact Information

Send E-mail to Contacts

View Contacts’ Latest Postings

Pin a Contact

Add an Event to Your Calendar

Invite People to an Event

Part III: Going Online

Chapter 11: Understanding Internet Basics

Understand What the Internet Is

Explore Different Types of Internet Connections

Set Up an Internet Connection

Practice Navigation Basics with the Start Screen IE App

Practice Navigation Basics with the Desktop IE App

Understand Tabs in Browsers

Understand Home Pages

Set Up a Home Page in Desktop IE

Chapter 12: Browsing the Web with Internet Explorer

Understand Differences between the Two Versions of IE

Search the Web

Find Content on a Web Page Using Start Screen IE

Pin a Web Page to the Start Screen

Add a Website to Favorites

Organize Favorites

View Your Browsing History using Desktop IE

Customize the Internet Explorer Toolbar

View RSS Feeds

Print a Web Page

Chapter 13: Staying Safe While Online

Understand Technology Risks on the Internet

Use Suggested Sites

Download Files Safely

Turn on InPrivate Browsing

Use SmartScreen Filter

Change Privacy Settings

Understand Information Exposure

Keep Your Information Private

Spot Phishing Scams and Other E-mail Fraud

Create Strong Passwords

Chapter 14: Keeping In Touch with Mail

Set Up an Internet-Based E-mail Account

Set Up Accounts in Mail

Get to Know Mail

Open Mail and Receive Messages

Create and Send E-mail

Send an Attachment

Read a Message

Reply to a Message

Forward E-mail

Make Account Settings in Mail

Chapter 15: Working in the Cloud

Use Applications Online

Add Files to SkyDrive

Share Files Using SkyDrive

Create a New SkyDrive Folder

Share a SkyDrive Folder with Others

Turn On the Sync Feature

Choose which Settings You Want to Sync

Chapter 16: Connecting with People Online

Use Discussion Boards and Blogs

Participate in Chat

Send and Receive Instant Messages (IMs)

Work with the Messaging App

Use Webcams

Get an Overview of Collaborative and Social Networking Sites

Sign Up for a Social Networking Service

Understand How Online Dating Works

Select a Dating Service

Share Content with Others

Part IV: Having Fun

Chapter 17: Getting Visual: Using Windows Media Player, Video, and Camera

Work with Media Software

Buy Video Content at the Windows Store

Play Movies with Windows Media Player

Upload Photos from Your Digital Camera

Take Pictures and Videos with the Windows 8 Camera App

View a Digital Image in the Photos App

Share a Photo

Run a Slide Show in Photos

Chapter 18: Playing Music in Windows 8

Set Up Speakers

Adjust System Volume

Make Settings for Ripping Music

Find Music with Windows 8’s Integrated Search

Buy Music from the Windows Store

Create a Playlist

Burn Music to a CD/DVD

Sync with a Music Device

Play Music with Windows Media Player

Chapter 19: Going Shopping Online

Search for Items

Compare Prices

Verify If a Store is Trustworthy

Read Customer Reviews

Buy through Auction Sites

Find Coupons

Manage a Shopping Cart

Use Various Payment Methods

Understand Shipping Options

Part V: Windows Toolkit

Chapter 20: Working with Networks

Join a Homegroup

Make a Connection to a Network

Specify What You Want to Share over a Network

Set Up a Wireless Network

Make Your Computer Discoverable to Bluetooth

Connect to Bluetooth Devices

Go Online Using Your Cellular Network

Chapter 21: Protecting Windows

Understand Computer Security

Understand Windows Update Options

Run Windows Update

Set Up Trusted and Restricted Websites

Enable Windows Firewall

Change Your Password

Allow Firewall Exceptions

Chapter 22: Maintaining Windows

Shut Down a Nonresponsive Application

Create a System Restore Point

Restore Your PC

Refresh Your PC

Reset Your PC

Defragment a Hard Drive

Free Disk Space

Delete Temporary Internet Files by Using Internet Explorer

Schedule Maintenance Tasks

Troubleshoot Software Problems

Cheat Sheet

Computers For Seniors For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

by Nancy Muir

Computers For Seniors For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Published by
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

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Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012949806

ISBN 978-1-118-11553-4 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-22425-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-23243-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-26249-8 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

About the Author

Nancy Muir worked in regional theater and video production, as well as teaching English in Japan before starting her career in technology. She worked at Symantec and then in computer book publishing starting about 20 years ago. She runs two websites (iPadMadeClear.com and TechSmartSenior.com) and writes on a variety of technology topics. Nancy also writes a column on computers and the Internet for Retirenet.com. With almost 100 books to her credit, Nancy continues to enjoy learning about new technologies and gadgets and helping others enjoy them as well.

Dedication

To Allegra Clarkson with thanks for supporting me throughout the writing of this book.

Author’s Acknowledgments

As with all books this book was a team effort. Katie Mohr is the person who led the vision for the book and is kind enough to continue to work with me on this and other projects. Leading the team in the trenches was Blair Pottenger, the best editor I’ve ever worked with. Thanks for your usual stellar job, Blair. The copy editor Heidi Unger and tech editor Sharon Mealka helped to make sure the book is accurate and literate. Finally, thanks to readers who have offered suggestions in the past so we can try to make this book better in each edition.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions and Editorial

Project Editor: Blair J. Pottenger

Acquisitions Editor: Katie Mohr

Copy Editor: Heidi Unger

Technical Editor: Sharon Mealka

Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner

Editorial Assistant: Leslie Saxman

Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case

Cover Photo: © Joshua Hodge Photography/iStockphoto.com

Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Patrick Redmond

Layout and Graphics: Joyce Haughey, Corrie Niehaus

Proofreaders: Melissa D. Buddendeck, John Greenough

Indexer: Potomac Indexing, LLC

Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies

Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher

Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director

Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director

Publishing for Consumer Dummies

Kathleen Nebenhaus, Vice President and Executive Publisher

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Introduction

Conventions Used in This Book

This book uses these conventions to help you find your way around:

⇒ When you have to type something in a text box, I put it in bold type. Whenever I mention a website address, I put it in another font, like this. Figure references are also in bold, to help you find them.

⇒ For menu commands, I use the ⇒symbol to separate menu choices. For example, choose Tools⇒Internet Options. The ⇒symbol is just my way of saying,“Open the Tools menu and then click Internet Options.”

⇒ Callouts for figures draw your attention to an action you need to perform. In some cases, points of interest in a figure might be circled. The text tells you what to look for; the circle makes it easy to find.

Tip icons point out insights or helpful suggestions related to tasks in the steps list.

Computers for consumers have come a long way in just 20 years or so. They’re now at the heart of the way many people communicate, shop, and learn. They provide useful tools for tracking information, organizing finances, and being creative.

During the rapid growth of the personal computer, you might have been too busy to jump in and learn the ropes, but you now realize how useful and fun working with a computer can be.

This book can help you get going with computers quickly and painlessly.

About This Book

This book 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, working with software, and getting on the Internet. In writing this book, I’ve tried to take into account the types of activities that might interest a 50-plus year old who’s discovering computers for the first time.

Foolish Assumptions

This book is organized by sets of tasks. These tasks start from the very beginning, assuming you know little about computers, and guide you through the most basic steps in easy-to-understand language. Because I assume you’re new to computers, the book provides explanations or definitions of technical terms to help you out.

All computers are run by software called an operating system, such as Windows. The latest version is Windows 8. Because Microsoft Windows–based personal computers (PCs) are the most common type, the book focuses mostly on Windows 8 functionality.

Why You Need This Book

Working with computers can be a daunting prospect to people who are coming to them later in life. Your grandchildren may run rings around you when it comes to technology, and you might have fallen for that old adage, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” However, with the simple step-by-step approach of this book, you can get up to speed with computers and overcome any technophobia you might have experienced.

You can work through this book from beginning to end or simply open up a chapter to solve a problem or help you learn a new skill whenever you need it. The steps in each task get you where you want to go quickly, without a lot of technical explanation. In no time, you’ll start picking up the skills you need to become a confident computer user.

How This Book Is Organized

This book is conveniently divided into several handy parts to help you find what you need.

⇒ Part I: Get Going!: If you need to buy a computer or get started with the basics of using a computer, this part is for you. These chapters help you explore the different specifications, styles, and price ranges for computers and discover how to set up your computer right out of the box, including hooking it up to a printer. These chapters provide information for exploring the Windows 8 interface when you first turn on your computer, to customize Windows to work the way you want it to. Finally, I provide information on using the Help system that’s part of Windows.

⇒ Part II: Getting Things Done with Software: Here’s where you start working with that new computer. I explain the preinstalled apps that come with Windows 8 as well as how to buy new apps in the Windows Store. This is also the part where you explore how Windows organizes files and folders. Chapters in this part also introduce you to the built-in Windows apps People, Calendar, and Weather.

⇒ Part III: Going Online: It’s time to get online! The chapters in this part help you understand what the Internet is and what tools and functions it makes available to you. Find out how to explore the Internet with a web browser; how to stay in touch with people via e-mail, instant messaging, chat, and blogs; and how to use tools stored in the cloud to share files and connect with others.

⇒ Part IV: Having Fun: Time for a break to play movies, take and view photos and videos, and play some toe-tapping music. That’s all covered in this part of the book.

➟ Part V: Windows Toolkit: Now that you have a computer, you have certain responsibilities toward it (just like having a child or puppy!). In this case, you might start by connecting it with other computers in a home network. Next, you need to protect the data on your computer, which you can do using Windows and Internet Explorer tools. In addition, you need to perform some routine maintenance tasks to keep your hard drive uncluttered and virus free.

Get Going!

Whether you need to start from square one and buy yourself a computer or you’re ready to just start enjoying the tools and toys your current computer makes available, it’s time to get going, get online, and get computer savvy.

Part I

Get Going!

Chapter 1

Buying a Computer

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!