Microsoft Windows XP

1. My icons keep disappearing. What should I do?
   If all of your desktop icons disappear it's because Windows XP offers an option to make your icons invisible. To make them reappear, right-click on the desktop, choose Arrange Icons By, and then select Show Desktop Icons. Your icons should reappear.
2. Is there a way to block pop-up sounds?
   If a site tries to send a pop-up ad or message, Internet Explorer puts a strip along the top that says: "A pop-up was blocked. To see this pop-up or additional options, click here." It also makes a pop noise when it stops a pop-up. To silence the noise: Choose Pop-up Blocker from Internet Explorer's Tools menu, choose Pop-up Blocker Settings, remove the check mark from the Play a Sound When a Pop-up Is Blocked box.
3. What is the Print Screen key?
   When using Windows XP, if you click on the Print Screen key (on your keyboard) it sends a picture of the things on your screen to its memory, where you can paste it to other windows. If you hold the Alt key while pressing the Print Screen key, Windows XP sends a picture of the current window---not the entire screen---to the Clipboard for pasting.
4. How do I put a digital picture in a document?
   To insert an image into your document: From the Insert menu, choose Picture. Then choose File, locate the file, then click Insert. Another method is to simply copy a picture you have open in a graphics application or from Explorer, then paste it into your Word document.
   
5. What is the difference between Save and Save As?
   When you are saving something for the first time the Save and Save As commands are identical. Both make you choose a fresh name and location to save your work. The Save As command gives you a chance to save your work with a different name and in a different location. For example, you could give the same document two different names or save it in two different places.

Microsoft Windows Vista

1. What is tabbed browsing?
   You can open multiple websites in a single browser window, with each web page on a separate tab. To open a blank tab, click the New Tab button. Scroll down and click Close to clear the tab. To switch between tabs, click the page tab on the tab row or click Quick Tabs button and select the page. When you close Internet Explorer you are asked if you want to close all tabs. Click Show Options, and select Open these next time, if you need to continue working with the same set of web pages.
2. How do I customize the taskbar?
   You can customize the Taskbar so that it is automatically hidden when you are not using it. You can lock it to prevent accidental resizing or moving, or unlock to make changes. Right-click an empty part of the Taskbar. Click Toolbars to add or remove specific toolbars. Click Lock the Taskbar to lock the Taskbar. Select Properties from Taskbar menu, and select Auto-hide the Taskbar. The Taskbar is hidden but reappears when you move the mouse pointer over its position. Unlock the Taskbar, then click an empty part of the Taskbar and drag it to the top edge of the desktop. Also, with the Taskbar unlocked, point to the edge of the Taskbar. When the pointer becomes a double-headed arrow, drag it up or down, to adjust Taskbar size.
3. What is sleep mode?
   Windows Vista's default power-off state is Sleep mode, which records the contents of memory to the hard disk (just like Hibernate) but also maintains the memory for a period of time (as in XP's Standby mode.
4. What is the View Menu?
   There are a number of ways to look at each and every document, file or folder. You control this with the View Menu. For example, you might want your photos in a large icon format. This will give you a preview of each of your photos while still in the folder view. For documents, you may want a title list instead. You can choose your views for each and every folder from the View menu. To change how you view inside any Folder, click on the View Tab on the toolbar. Then adjust the settings as necessary. The Organize Button also provides you with ways to adjust how your folders look and react.
5. Can I switch between windows?
   To look at a window that is not on top of the stack, either click on the window you want, or click on its Taskbar button or click on the Aero quick launch button and then select the window you want. When you select the window by any of these methods, the window will jump to the top of the stack. The re-sizing button allows you to look behind the document you are working on.

Microsoft Windows 7

1. How do I display additional items in the taskbar?
   To display additional items in the taskbar, right-click the application in the Start menu or on the Desktop and then choose Pin to Taskbar.
   You can also drag a desktop icon to the taskbar.
2. What should I do if my computer freezes up?
   If your computer freezes up, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete twice in a row. Or, you can press the power button on your CPU and hold it until the computer shuts down. Keep in mind that if you simple turn off your computer at the power source when it freezes up, Windows may not start up properly the next time you turn it on.
3. How do I add a sticky note?
   To add sticky notes: Choose Start, All Programs, Sticky Notes. A Sticky Note will appear, type a note or cut/copy/paste text into the note from another document. To add another note, click the New Note button. With a Sticky Note on the Desktop, you can click the title bar across the top of a note and drag it wherever you wish. To delete a Sticky Note, click the Delete Note button and choose Yes from the Delete Note dialog box.
4. How do I change the printing properties?
   To modify printing properties, right-click a printer in the Devices and Printers window and choose Printing Preferences. This same dialog box is available from most Windows-based software programs.
5. How do I import photos?
   Windows 7 detects your newest pictures, and does not import duplicates of pictures that you have previously copied to your computer. Portrait style photos will be automatically rotated. Click More Options to change this and other settings use during the import process. The files on the camera or media card are copied to a subfolder in the Pictures folder (using the name provided), and Windows Live Photo Gallery opens with that folder selected.

Apple Mac OS X Snow Leopard

1. What is the Quit command?
   The item "Quit" is always the last command in the application menu. If you don't see Quit in this menu, you are probably at the Desktop/Finder. In every application you can use the keyboard shortcut instead: Command Q.
2. What is the Dock?
   Single-click icons in the Dock to open them. Press on the Dock icon to get its menu. The tiny triangle underneath a Dock icon indicates that particular application is already open; single-click on it to bring it forward and work in it.
3. What is the Clipboard?
   The Clipboard is an invisible container. It temporarily holds whatever you have cut or copied. Once something is on the Clipboard, it waits there until you paste it somewhere.The most important thing to remember about the Clipboard is that it holds only one thing at a time; that it, as soon as you cut or copy something else, whatever was in the Clipboard to begin with is replaced by the new selection.
4. Windows-speak and Mac-speak
   Here is a short list of terms that describe the same interface:
   

   Windows Control Panel Internet Explorer My Computer My Documents My Music Notepad Recycle Bin Settings Shortcut Icon Taskbar Windows Explorer

   Mac OS System Preferences Safari Finder Documents Music Text Edit Trash Can Preferences Alias Dock Finder Window

5. What is the Show Icon Preview?
   The Show Icon Preview check box controls whether the Finder displays previews for graphics files or regular icons. Previews help you identify files but may slow down the desktop redraw.

The Internet

1. What is a Web browser?
   A web browser is the key piece of Internet software needed to access and navigate the Web. The interface enables you to ask for and view web pages.
2. What is a newsgroup?
   A newsgroup is an online discussion or forum group, dealing with a wide range of topics.
3. What is a chat room?
   Chat rooms are the equivalent of meeting rooms in which you carry on live keyboard conversations with everyone in the room as a group or with particular individuals.
4. What is Web Mail?
   Web Mail is e-mail that you look at with a web browser, rather than an e-mail program.
5. What is uploading?
   Uploading is the process of putting a file onto a website.

E-mail

1. Is e-mail private?
   No. E-mail is never confidential. Without encryption, the possibility exists that e-mail can be accessed and read by others.
2. What is shouting?
   Typing in all upper case signifies shouting. You can use upper case for emphasis in a word or two. ANY MORE THAN THAT AND YOU'RE SHOUTING!!!
3. What is spamming?
   Do not post the same message to hundreds of newsgroups. Do not forward mail in bulk to everyone in your contacts list. Be selective what you forward and who you forward it to.
4. What is flaming?
   When another online person posts an opinion that you think is outrageous or ridiculous, do not respond with excessive outrage. Keep your temper and language under control.
5. How does e-mail work?
   When someone sends you a message, that message is sent to your Internet Service Provider, and stored there. When you log on and check for mail, the message is sent from the server to your computer.