Showing posts with label internet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label internet. Show all posts

Sunday 29 September 2013

What is an App?

what is an appToday’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going attempt answer the question, ‘What is an app?”

Today I will briefly explain:

What is an App?

What is the difference between a Native app and a Web app?

Don’t worry – the difference is easy to remember!


What is an App?

App is short for ‘application’.  A computer application is what most have referred to in the past as a computer program.  Software program even!

When the word app became popular I remember all the commercials going on and on about ‘We have an APP for that!”

My picture above is what most people see on the face of those fancy phone now days.  They are touch screen, and you push on one of the logos – and the program starts up.

Yes, its like doubling clicking on a program to open it up. You use your finger instead, because the screen is meant for fingers – not mouse clicks!

Just last week we had leak in the roof, and the water was coming into one of the teenager’s rooms.  I asked my daughter's boyfriend if he wouldn’t mind looking in the attic to see where the water was coming from, and if we needed to cover the area until the roofers got here. 

Once he was up there?  It dawned me that a flashlight just MAY help him!  He told me it wasn’t needed, and he whipped out his Apple Iphone – clicked on an ‘app’ called flashlight…and there was LIGHT!  The next thing I know he also clicked on another app to take pictures of where the leak was coming from.

Yep, they have an app for that!

App – to me anyway – is internet slang for computer program.  It’s the new and improved LINGO of this generation!

Now keep in mind there are two different types of apps that most people refer to.   Yes, I’m sure there will be more in the future!  Let’s start with the two basic ones!

You have what you call a Native App, or a Web App.  Most of the time people do not use those terms (they just call them an app), but there is a difference.  Read on, and you can impress your FRIENDS and FAMILY! (giggles)

Native App

Most of the software programs that come preinstalled on our computers in the past are Native Apps.  Yes, that could include your operating system – like Vista, or Windows XP.

One small program I use from time to time is called, ‘Calculator’.  Microsoft Word is another one that I use to write letters.  The flashlight app I spoke about?  That also is a Native app.

All I have to do is turn on the computer, and I can use those programs without the use of the internet.  The native app is installed directly into the operating system of the computer. 

No internet required!

In other words, I can write a letter in my word process, use the calculator to balance the check book, and click on flashlight – all without having to be ON the internet!

Yes, you may get updates to your programs online.  The big difference you need to see today is you don’t NEED to be online to use them!

Web App

With a web app you may have to download some software at the beginning, or small updates from time to time.  The big difference here is if you want to use the program? 

Internet Required!

For example, Facebook has an app that people use on their fancy phones we see today.  If they didn’t have access to the internet (internet is turned on)?  They can open the facebook app all they want to, but they can’t ‘use’ it to read the friend’s notes, or post one themselves.

Its much the same principal as clicking on your Internet Explorer Icon on your desktop to go online, and yet if your computer isn’t connected to the internet.   The window may open, but you can’t ‘surf the net’ can you?

I hope I explained it well enough for everyone to understand.  I tried to keep it pretty simple!

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


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Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner, and today’s lesson on “What is an App?”

Sunday 16 June 2013

What is a Hashtag?

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner  We are going to talk about Hashtags!

Topics Covered today are:

  • What is a Hashtag?
  • What does Hashtag Mean?
  • How do you use Hashtags?

What is a hashtag?

What is a HashtagIn a nutshell it’s the number sign on your keyboard.  See my picture?  That symbol is used (Shift Key and Hit 3 on your keyboard), and then you add a keyword or acronym afterwards.  OH, and just so I don’t forget?  NO spaces of any kind…EVER!

Confused yet?  I understand….believe me!

Lets see a couple of examples of ‘what is a hashtag’ in hopes it will help you understand.  Its one of those types of examples of showing you MAY help more than just TELLING you!

What does Hashtag mean?

As I sit writing to you I have a group of young men screaming at the television while watching the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Boston Bruins playing for the Stanley Cup.

Tonight the hashtags people use are #Blackhawks or #Bruins.   Let me show you a tweet I found when I googled for an example.

how do you use hashtags
ABC 7 in Chicago tweeted this to all their followers on tweeter.

Notice #Blackhawks or #Bruins?  Those are hashtags.   They use those for short instead of typing out the entire team name.
So people that are searching for news on either of these teams using those hashtags (#Blackhawk #Bruins)?  They will see this tweet, and at the very end of this tweet this company used a link to their website.

This is a good example on how a company would use a hashtag to drive people to their website.  They will click on the link to read the rest of the article!

What I did next was clicked on the ABC 7 Chicago (at the very top of message), which is the company that put out this message.  If we look at how this company identifies themselves in this case on Twitter its:  @abc7Chicago.  Notice again no spaces, but you can tell they are channel 7, ABC in Chicago.  @ is what they call an ‘at’ sign.   I clicked with my mouse on their company name, and it brought me to their actual news station’s tweeter page.

What does a hashtag meanHere you will see a number of conversations going on with some of their employees.  For our example, lets use the top ‘tweet’ as they call it.  Tweet is basically one statement he (Ravi for our example) put out.

Notice Ravi’s first line?  Tweeter lists his name, and his tweeter screen name.  From the looks of it he is a Channel 7 Employee. 

Ravi Baichwal ‏(@BaichwalABC7 is his tweeter screen name) Notice the ‘AT” sign – @.

People that are looking to have a conversation about the Blackhawks, and search for this hashtag  (#Blackhawks) on twitter?  His conversation will come up!  They can join in, or find another person to talk with.

Keep in mind that on twitter they are only allowed I believe its 140 characters, and that includes spaces.  Tweets are to be SHORT and SWEET!

Now I’m going to click on Ravi’s name to view HIS twitter account, and view the rest of his conversation with his viewers.
how do you use a hashtag
When you hit the expand button under his statement you can view the conversation. 
@BaichwalABC7 totally #onfire like the playoffs song that I can not get out of my head! #lightemup
Here is his first response from someone reading his message.  You notice they used his screen name (@BaichwalABC7) to address him, and they also used two additional keywords or hashtags (#onfire, #lightemup) in their message to him.  This individual wants to have a conversation WITH this employee at ABC Chicago, along with others discussing the game.  As you tell by the picture the conversation continues with other people as well.

In a nutshell, a hash tag is simply a way for people to search for tweets that have a common topic and to begin a conversation.  In the case above?  The hockey game everyone is screaming about here tonight!  Ravi spoke about the Hockey game, and others joined in to have a conversation online.

A hashtag is a word or acronym used to describe a tweet in order for people to easily follow the conversation.  A Tweet is basically very simple message an individual types out and posts on their Twitter account.  Remember their statements themselves are called ‘tweets’. 

So if you have a sports nut in your home, and they watched the game tonight?  They can talk up a storm with their favorite Sports newscaster in this case at Channel 7 news in Chicago, or EVEN the weather man for that matter.  Instead of typing out Chicago Blackhawks or Boston Bruins – they use their hashtags for short.  They also have their conversation in real time with the individual online.

How do you use hashtags?

Celebrities tweet out about their day, and their fans can tweet them back if they want to.  They may talk about about their new movie, or event.  They would use a hashtag to basically abbreviate these events to their fans.

Churches or Companies use social media to get the word out about an event, or something special that happened that day.

Another example would be to get a companies attention if you have an issue with them.

I had a friend of mine that was the President of his Townhouse Association, and they were having problems getting answers from the local cable company.  They were fighting back and forth about WHERE to lay the cables.  The company representatives were being uncooperative (in his view), and he went to twitter to complain about it. 

He used the hashtag with the company name (#cablecompany for example) to tell the world they were NOT cooperating or returning his calls. 

For example:  #cablecompany not returning my calls about problem in our area!

Corporate Headquarters saw his tweet?  They contacted him right away, and his issues were taken care of INSTANTLY!  They didn’t want negative tweets about their company on twitter!  They found him by searching the hashtag and keyword or acronym that they use for their company name – in this case I used #cablecompany for our example here.

Companies, Organizations, or Individuals that want to GET the conversation going make up hashtags, and promote them to start the conversation.

Keep in mind people will announce what hashtag they plan to use.  I wanted to throw in a FUNNY example that I read about this week.  The Southern Baptist Convention happens every year about this time.  They use SBC for short in most of their communication to their members so they don’t have to write out their entire name each time. 

Most organizations will make a unique hashtag for each event or campaign. So in this circumstance many people were using #SBC2013.  It would make sense right?  Their 2013 convention? 

The funny part was another organization was already using this hashtag. (giggles) The ‘Sports Bra Convention’ – can you imagine?  So they were putting out the word to their members what hashtag they wanted them to use for the convention, and ask them NOT to use SBC2013.  (Laughs!)

Here is another example - keeping with my sports theme today I will use a Dr. Pepper commercial that was VERY successful during a SuperBowl Game.  People saw the hashtag at the end of the commercial?  The next thing you know the social media conversation STARTED!  Below I placed an arrow next to their hashtag.

dr pepper hashtag

The spot was part of the brand’s ongoing “Always One of a Kind” slogan, and it aimed to get people excited about their originality and unique traits. The accompanying hashtag was simply #ImA.  No doubt Dr. Pepper loved the attention, and FREE media buzz!

I’m A (insert your personality trait) commerical

Above is the Commercial you can see on Youtube about the Dr. Pepper’s #Ima campaign, and I would bet even to this day you can buy those red tee shirts announcing it to the world!   For example:

“I’m a Gardener!” or
“I’m a Runner!”,
“I’m a Artist!”

You fill in your own unique and wonderful trait!  Yep.  That whole conversation started by using a hashtag.

I know today I spoke about ‘twitter’ a lot, but you will notice that other social media sites at this point use hashtags as well.  I think most people refer to the twitter, because using them became popular on Twitter first from what I remember.  It seems you now see hashtags everywhere!

Some hashtags you can figure out what the conversation is about, other times you need to ask – or google the hashtag and see what comes UP!

Just remember!  No spaces of any kind EVER when using hashtags.  So Yeah at times you have to use your imagination as to WHERE the spaces may be in order to understand what the HECK they are talking about! (been there myself!)

So I hope I helped you figure how your answer to “What is a Hashtag?” today!

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.

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Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner
lesson today on “What is a HashTag?”

Sunday 19 May 2013

What is a Cloud?

Cloud Computing Australia

What is the Cloud?

Today we are going to write about the term ‘The Cloud”.

No doubt you have heard the term before either in print, or in the media.

What is the Cloud?  Its basically a fancy word for online storage space.

Storing something in the cloud is basically storing something on what they call a computer server at a different location.    If you look at the picture those TALL machines (on the right and left) are examples of computer servers.

Confused yet?  Let me give you a more basic example!

Where is the Cloud?

yahoo email old screen grab

Let’s say you have an email account at home with Yahoo, and you sign into your Yahoo account to see if you have any emails (the above picture).  The server at Yahoo SENDS those emails to your account so you can read them (From your web browser or internet browser).  Those emails were basically being stored on the server, and that technically is in the ‘cloud’.  Yahoo’s servers ARE the storage space.  They are the ‘cloud’ in this example.

In this case, Where is the Cloud?  At Yahoo!

email inbox

No doubt you have noticed the folders in your email program similar the ones  I have pictured here.  The inbox, Draft, Sent, Bulk, Trash, and in this case a custom folder the computer user made called ‘purchases’.

Unless you delete the emails in these folders they will forever be stored in the ‘cloud’ at Yahoo.  They will be there each and every time you sign into your yahoo email account online.  Your emails are stored at Yahoo on their computer servers (their cloud), and can be accessed anywhere you sign into your email account.

Yes, ANYWHERE you sign IN!

Other basic examples of Clouds would be Facebook, Google Doc’s, or Flicker.

The all have their own servers, so those are all different Clouds!  People can upload their documents to Google Doc’s, or pictures to Flicker!  Depending on the service access to your files, pictures, etc can be limited to you, a group you choice, or open to the public.  You need to read the terms for each location.

What do you do in the Cloud?

Lets say for example, you are at Fran’s house on vacation.  You are expecting some pictures from your grandchildren’s soccer game, and they were going to email them to you.  Fran tells you to use her computer to see if they have emailed them to you yet, because she wants to see them TOO!

You go to the Yahoo website, and you sign into your account – like you do at home! Since your emails are stored on the yahoo cloud – and NOT your home computer – you can access your new emails from Fran’s house.   Now you and Fran are enjoying the soccer pictures! 

It would be the same principal if you stayed a hotel near Fran’s house, and the lobby of the hotel has a computer with internet connection for their guests to use. Yahoo’s servers (the cloud) will send those emails to you WHERE EVER you are!  As long as you don’t delete the email those pictures will stay in cloud for as LONG as you keep them there!

Another example of how to use the cloud would be to upload those soccer pictures to flicker, or some other site you choose to display your photos!  This would be a separate cloud, because they have their own servers.  Granted, some sites like google have many different aspects to their services.  For example, they are connected to youtube.  So your Google Docs and Youtube Videos are both on GOOGLE clouds – or their servers.

Most of the time when we speak of computer storage it refers to our computer itself!  For example, you are starting to write a article using your Word Program about your trip to Germany for a newsletter.  When you are done working on it for the day you ‘save it’ on the computer’s hard drive, disk drive, or maybe even a CD Rom for example.  All your work is saved, and you can finish it later!

The cloud has the same principal of storage, but the storage is ONLINE! 

What is Cloud Computing?

So you are still at Fran’s house, and she is going to Germany next year.  She wants to see what you have written so far about your trip!  Unless you have your computer with you, or your disk drive, or CD rom you won’t be able to show her.  Right?  You would have to be at YOUR computer at home to open it, and then show her the story for the newsletter.

Now if you have stored your article in the Cloud (online storage server), and your friend Fran has a computer with internet connection?  You can sign into that storage cloud where your file is – place the computer file in HER word program – and she can read it.  In some cases you can even read it online IN the cloud itself (in the computer browser)!

Let me use a more basic example!

So lets pretend that you uploaded your Germany article to Google docs (short for documents).  While you are at Fran’s house you can both read the article, and lets say Fran sees you have misspelled a word.  You can correct your grammar right there, and once you get home the document will still be corrected.  Yes, its similar to how you SAVE your work on your computer as well!  You are basically doing it online!

The cloud is a place some people use as a backup for their computer files.  That way if their computer broke, or a tragedy happened like your house caught on fire?  The computer maybe gone, but your files are still in the CLOUD online.  Think of it as ‘off sight’ storage!

Businesses can use the cloud in a similar way as we saw Fran help you with your misspelled word on your article.  They can have a group project ‘in the cloud’, and the employees can all work on the project in REAL TIME!  For example, Jack wants to add a picture to make the point more clear.  Jane feels a graph is also needed.  Jack could be in New York, and Jane could be in Texas.  Since they are in cloud?  They can both add these things, and they the both can see the additions. 

 

I hope these basic examples of What is the Cloud, Where is the Cloud, What do you do in the Cloud, and What is Cloud Computing helps you understand these terms more.

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner

Tuesday 26 July 2011

How-To Close a Browser Window

Today’s How-to Guide for the Computer Beginner is going to cover:  How-to Close a browser window

If you look at the top right hand side of your web browser?  You will see something similar to this: web browser buttons_thumb

One way to close a web browser window is clicking on the “x”.  Your browser windows should close.  click-x-to-close-browser

browser-file-exit-close


The second way is look to the top, and find the menu bar. You should see ‘file’ (click on it), and as I have pictured you can go all the way to the bottom to ‘exit’.  You would click again on EXIT this time.  This also would close your browser window.











Those two choices maybe the ones you use the most.  Now we will look at different circumstances you may run into as well.

Newer web browsers allow you to open more than one tab in your browser window.  In my picture below I have three tabs open.  I have one for Google, One for Yahoo, and the third is for Bing.

Now I have decided I’m finished with all these web pages, and wish to exit them.  I would click on the X like I did above on the browser window.    click-x-to-close-browser

In this circumstance I would be receiving a warning. 
close-3-browser-tabs
This message is from Mozilla Foxfire.  Its warning me that I’m not only closing the browser window that I’m viewing but closing all the tabs I had opened in this browser window. 

I have two choices.  I can click ‘close tabs’ or ‘cancel’. 

If I click ‘close tabs’ all three: Google, Yahoo, and Bing will close all at once. 
If that is what I want to do – GREAT!

What if I forgot that I had three tabs open, and I just wanted to close ‘google’ alone?  I would click the cancel option.  The browser window would look just like it was before I clicked the X menu option. 

Okay, so how to you close just the one tab for google?

close-one-tab
If you glance at each tab you have open in your browser window you will notice another X for close.  It may not be ‘red’ this time, but it will close the tab.  Notice that all the tabs have this X handy for you to use.


If you don’t like these reminders you can remove the X by clicking in the box next to message, “Warn me when I attempt to close multiple tabs’.

ie-close-all-tabs
This is a similar message that you would receive from Internet Explore (IE).

I can either close the current tab I’m viewing, or close them all.




select-bing-to-closeAs you can see in IE you also have the option of just closing one tab like we did in Firefox above.


Another circumstance you may run into is wanting to close browser windows that have been minimized, and are in your taskbar.  Closing these Browser windows in Windows 7 is a bit different, and we will show that to you last.

This is scenario I have Mozilla Firefox sites minimized, and I have them pictured below.

open-browser
When I hover (don’t click) like in our picture you will see that I have three browser windows minimized on my task bar.


foxfire-3-windows-mininizedIf you look closely at my foxfire logo in the task bar you will see a down arrow.  If you see this down arrow it means I have MORE than one browser window minimized .   If I had just ONE window minimized no arrow would be present.

open-web-browser
If we click once on our browser icon in the task bar you will see a preview titles to remind you of what web pages you choose to place there.

hover-over-browser-icon
Without clicking you can again hover over to get more information, and if you wish to bring the browser window back up on your desktop then you would click on it.  This at times is referred to as restore the window.

What if I wanted to get exit the window,  because I decided I won’t use it again?

close-mininized-window

While you are hovering over it – right click once.

You have a ‘restore’ choice which would open up the window on your desktop, or you have the close option.  In our case?  Click the CLOSE!





taskbar
Here is a picture of another task bar, and you can see the person has a number of different programs open at once.  Restoring those back to the desktop would be a matter of just clicking on one of the rectangles on this task bar.  If they wanted to close them?  Right click, and hit close just like we did above.

Windows 7 (Seven) changed up the task bar even more, and how to handle the web browser windows.

window-7-taskbar

When you hover over the IE (internet explorer) icon as pictured?  You can actually see the page title and a screenshot of the different browser windows you have minimized.  Move your mouse over a thumbnail image (again no clicking) to preview the window full screen, and click it to go open the window.

ie
Notice the browser window icon this time.  There is no arrow like in the past, but it reminds me separate sheets of paper.  If you look real close you will see three sheets, and these represent the three choices.

close-window
What if you decide you wish to close the window in the task bar? 

We will again hover over (remember that means no clicking yet) the IE (Internet Explorer) icon pictured.  Then you need to right click on your mouse.  Notice the picture.  You have the option to click on ‘close window’.  You would click on that choice to close the web browser.
close-bing

Remember the tabs above?
When you hoover all your windows will show as we mentioned.  We want to get rid of bing this time.  Move your mouse over the bing window, and a red X will appear.  Click that read X, and it will close.

If you haven’t noticed closing programs works much the same way.

If something is not clear on our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner on How to close the browser?  Please feel free to leave a comment or question in the spot supplied for you.

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Monday 25 July 2011

What is a web browser? Browser window?

what-is-a-browser When I speak to my friends about computers I sometime forget they may not know the basic terms, since  they are a computer beginner after all.

I get these confused looks and questions like:

What a browser?
What is a web browser?

What is a browser window?

I think to myself, “Oh boy!  I guess that would help huh?”  Dahhhhh to me!

Today’s How-to Guide for the Computer Beginner is, “What is a browser or Web Browser?”  We will also touch on Browser windows.

What is a Browser?  What is a web browser?


Browser is a short name for web browser.   YEP!  They are the same thing.

A web browser is basically a software application (or program) that allows you to get onto the internet, and view web pages.

I have chosen three popular web browsers, and have shown pictures of their icons.

Internet-Explorer
  You may have seen this on your desktop, and this is a web browser called Internet Explorer.  It is also called, IE for short.


Mozilla-Firefox
This is another popular web Brower.  Its called Mozilla Foxfire.  It also has a nickname, “FoxFire” for short.


google-chrome
Lastly, this is called Google Chrome, or just Chrome for short.


At this point and time these three seem to be the most talked about.  There are others.    If you wish to open a browser?  You would click on one of icons, and normally you would have one similar to ones I have picture above. 

You had to click one of these (IE, Foxfire, Chrome) icons to get to our How-To Guide for the Computer beginner page that you are viewing now.

Normally, the next question I’m asked is which one is better.  Honestly?  You will get as many opinions as there are web browsers.  I think it is more personal preference.  Internet Explorer (IE) was my first browser, and now I tend to use Mozilla Foxfire.   I actually have them both on my desktop now. 

For whatever reason there are certain websites I can view better in one browser better than the other. 

When you hear people speak about browser compatibility?  That is one of the aspects they are talking about.  There will be some website you come to, and they will tell you right away to view this in IE, Foxfire, or Chrome.  They are telling you their website is compatible with that web browser.

Another example, would be say you pick IE and it has a heck of time loading in order to see the words and pictures – or just outright refuses to show anything.  I would turn around and open this page in Firefox, and it loads right away. 

Keep in mind:  When you have never been to a website before?  Its normal for the page to take while to load so you can see it.


Other times certain parts of the webpage will never be seen in one web browser, but you can see everything on another.  Lets look at an example of what I’m talking about.

what-is-a-web-browser
what-is-a-browser

These two pictures are an example of two different web browsers viewing the same web page. 

As you can tell browser number one is more compatible to view this web page than the second one.  The second browser is missing huge chucks of information.

What is a browser window?


browser-windowWhen you click one of the icons above?  You are launched into a browser window.    Matter of fact you are viewing our blog in a browser window.

In beginner terms? A browser window is a tool used to view websites on the internet. It acts as a "window" to the world wide web. (otherwise known as the internet).

So when you open your browser by clicking on one of the icons I mentioned?  You will be viewing the internet through a browser window.


Make sense?

I hope you understood my How-To Guide For the Computer beginner today on Web Browser, and Browser windows.

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Thursday 21 July 2011

How-To change mouse cursor or pointer

mouse-properties-screen
In the last couple of lessons we have spoken about the mouse options.  We started with right click, left click, double click, etc.

The last time in our tutorial I spoke about the mouse pointers, or computer pointers.

Today’s How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner lesson is normally asked one of these ways:

How do you change the mouse cursor?

How to change your computer cursor?

How to change the computer pointer?


As you can see people call it different things.  I normally refer to it as a computer pointer.

desktop-to-personalize
Today, I will start with the Windows 7 and Vista, and then Windows XP.  I have had a hard time finding good documentation on older operating systems for this.  I will update later if I found sites for you.

For Windows Vista or Windows 7 you have two ways of doing this.

Find an open space on your desktop, and right click and you will see a menu looking similar to this.   You want to move down to ‘personalize’ to open the next menu. 

We want to go down the list of options until we find ‘mouse pointers’.  Click the blue letters that say ‘mouse pointers’ to open the next menu choice.

mouse-pointers

mouse-properties-selection-screen
Towards the top you will see a tab called ‘pointers’.  I have used a green arrow to point to where I’m speaking about.

The Scheme can be chosen from clicking on the drop down list.  Please see blue arrow this time.  Scroll down the list to pick a theme that you may think you will like.

You can preview what your mouse pointers or mouse cursors will look like before you make your selection.  You see the preview in the section I highlighted in yellow.

You can preview as many as you wish, but when you have settled on the one you like?  Make sure you click the ‘ok’ button at the bottom that I pointed to with a purple arrow.

If you don’t want to change anything?  Click cancel, or the red X at the top to close the menu.

That was easy wasn’t it?  You can change your theme as much as you like now!

start-to-control-panel

I consider that the ‘fast way’ to change the mouse cursor or computer pointer.

The second way?  Click Start Button, and the move over to click on control panel.

control-panel-homeIn the top left hand corner of the ‘control panel’ screen make sure you are on the ‘control panel home’, and not the classic view. 

You can tell by the dot I circled in the picture.  If your dot is next to ‘classic view’ click on ‘control panel home’ white letters to change it.  This way the rest of my instructions will make sense to you.



In the control panel look for the follow sections:

appearance-and-personalizationLook for the ‘appearance and personalization’ section, and click on the green letters that say ‘appearance and personalization’.



personalization
Next look for the section called ‘Personalization’, and click on its green letters ‘personalization’.


mouse-pointers

You will notice the same ‘blue letter’ mouse pointer section we spoke about above is present. 

Just follow the same instructions as we spoke about above after clicking on the blue letters that say, ‘mouse pointers’

Changing the mouse cursors in XP is similar.


start-to-control-panel-xp
We will go to the start button to control panel,

xp-printers-and-other-hardware

and then ‘printers and other hardware’. We are NOT in the classic view for this lesson.






XP-printers-and-other-hardware-mouse

You will click on MOUSE, and then your mouse properties window will open.






Look for Pointers.   You may have noticed this is similar to Windows Vista or Windows 7.   You have the scheme drop down list to make yxp-mouse-properties-pointersour choice, and also your preview section.  The Preview you would just scroll down to see.  Make your choice, and click OK at the bottom once again.  Tech Recipes has additional comments.


At this point I really have not found any reliable information on how to do this with older operating systems.  I will update this lesson if I do find them.

That is our How-To Lesson for the Computer Beginner on how do you change the mouse cursor, computer cursor, or computer pointer.  YES take your pick as to what you want to call them!

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