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Courses >
Basic Computer Literacy > Introduction to Windows XP
 Windows XP is one of the most stable and popular versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system. Whether you're new to Windows or an experienced PC aficionado, there's a lot to learn if you're just starting to work with Windows XP.
For the Windows newbie, there's never been a better time to learn. The XP interface is designed to make the learning curve easier than ever. Experienced Windows users will also appreciate the frictionless interface that makes a computer quicker, easier, and more productive. This course covers all the basic skills and concepts needed to use a computer to do anything - be it surf the Internet, write a book, day trade stocks, manage your finances, play music, edit photos, or just do e-mail. You need only know enough to get connected to the online course. Basic buzzwords and concepts of drives, directories, files, and so forth are explained in depth, as well as all the skills you need to get help when you need it, back out of awkward situations gracefully, and take advantage of the Internet like never before.
You'll also learn to use and customize the interface; work with texts, pictures, photos, sound, music and DVD, Interactive TV and video; create shortcuts to favorites; get the most from the Internet; and even build your own local area network (LAN).
This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Alan Simpson.
 With over 100 published books to his name, award-winning author Alan Simpson is widely regarded as a PC and Internet guru. His books have been published throughout the world in over a dozen languages. As a seasoned veteran of the computer industry, Alan's books and online courses cover virtually all aspects of the computer industry, including Web development, operating systems, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, programming, networking, and security.
To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
Requirements:
Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins (two free and simple downloads you obtain at http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and Get Adobe Reader). A computer equipped with a copy of Windows XP is recommended. Students who want to learn about the product before purchase are also welcome.
Syllabus:
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
| Week One |
| Wednesday - Lesson 01 |
In this first lesson, we'll start at the beginning by defining all the terms that everybody else assumes you already know. You'll discover the simple meanings behind words like keyboard, mouse, shortcut, click, right-click, drag, desktop, menus, scrollbars, title bars, toolbars, the taskbar, dialog boxes, and more. By the time you finish this lesson, you'll know how to apply what you've learned to opening and closing programs, working with multiple programs, and much more.
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| Friday - Lesson 02 |
With some basic skills and terminology under your belt, you're ready to go through the process of creating, printing, editing, saving, and reopening you first document. In this lesson, you'll learn valuable skills for working with text and how to copy and paste. You'll learn how to place a document in a folder, then find and reopen it again at any time in the future with ease. You'll also learn tricks of the trade for finding lost files on your system.
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| Week Two |
| Wednesday - Lesson 03 |
Have a digital camera or scanner? Looking to get some pictures into the computer, or work with the pictures you already have? Then you'll love this lesson. Here you'll learn about opening, editing, cropping, and resizing pictures. Undo the changes you don't like, and keep the changes you do like. Organize your pictures so they're easy to find. Print your pictures or view them in a slide show. Send pictures to family and friends through e-mail. And use your own pictures as you Windows desktop background!
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| Friday - Lesson 04 |
In today's lesson, you'll learn about making music with Windows XP. You'll find out how to control the sound volume on your PC. Then we'll go over how to create your own collection of favorite songs and play them right from your computer. Finally, we'll discuss how to make your own custom music CDs of favorite songs and how to copy songs to a portable music player. It's easier than you'd think!
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| Week Three |
| Wednesday - Lesson 05 |
Most people have heard of viruses that can infect your computer. In today's lesson, you'll learn all about protecting your computer from those and other threats to your computer's security. You'll discover the importance of using free automatic updates to keep your computer secure. You'll learn to use the free Windows firewall to protect your PC from Internet hackers. And you'll see how to use antivirus and other programs to shield your PC from harmful programs and irritating ads.
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| Friday - Lesson 06 |
In this lesson, we'll take a tour through the network of files and folders on your computer's hard disk. You'll see how everything that's in your computer is actually stored in files, and those files are organized into folders. You'll learn about tools and techniques for navigating and exploring your computer's folders and the files within them. You'll also find out about external computer disks like floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs. You'll even learn how to create your own folders!
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| Week Four |
| Wednesday - Lesson 07 |
In today's lesson, we'll build on the tools and terminology you learned in Lesson 6 to take your skill level to new heights. Here you'll learn what words like kilobyte, megabyte, and gigabyte really mean. You'll learn how to move and copy files between folders and different kinds of disks. And you'll discover the tricks to renaming and deleting files, as well as recovering files you erased by accident. As an added bonus, you'll learn how to create your own custom shortcut icons, making it easy to get to the files and folders you use most.
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| Friday - Lesson 08 |
Don't like something about the look and feel of your computer screen? In this lesson, you'll learn how to personalize Windows XP. First, you'll learn about Control Panel, where most options for personalizing your PC are stored. You'll see how easy it is to change the appearance and size of things on your screen. And you'll discover techniques for customizing your mouse and keyboard to you own needs. You'll even learn to create user accounts, which allow each person who uses a computer to have his or her own personal files and settings, separate from others who share the same computer.
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| Week Five |
| Wednesday - Lesson 09 |
In today's lesson, we'll get into some of the technical hardware that makes the whole computer work. You'll learn about RAM, the CPU, and other major computer components. You'll learn to discover the capabilities of your own computer, and how to keep it in peak condition. You'll discover new ways to troubleshoot problems and get the information you need, when you need it, without always having to ask some knowledgeable person.
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| Friday - Lesson 10 |
Did you know that there are over 100,000 different programs available for Windows XP? Nobody has them all or needs them all. But it's nice to know you have choices. In this lesson, you'll learn about acquiring and installing new programs. You'll also learn how to remove any programs you don't want. And you'll learn about adding hardware devices like printers, scanners, and cameras to your computer.
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| Week Six |
| Wednesday - Lesson 11 |
Pictures are fun, but did you know you can also create your own movies with Windows XP? In today's lesson, you'll find out how to use the Movie Maker program that's built right into Windows XP. With it, you can create your own slide shows and videos complete with custom titles, credits, background music, and special effects.
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| Friday - Lesson 12 |
These days, it's not unusual to have two or more computers in a household. In our final lesson, we'll discuss the art of networking, or getting multiple computers within the home to talk to each other. You'll learn how several computers can share a single Internet account, printer, and even files.
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To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
Student Reviews:
"Alan Simpson was a excellent instructor and made the course feel like a classroom, by the way he handled the discussions. You can learn a lot by what happens to others."
"Each lesson was very helpful. I really appreciated being able to print the lesson up for future reference. The format was easy to follow. I enjoyed it a lot!"
"Great course- great introduction. I cannot believe all the capabilities that Windows XP has. I got far more from this course than I had anticipated. The instructor was very good and it was obvious that he would continue trying to find answers to discussion questions if he didn't have them right away. I think sometimes he went "above and beyond" what he was expected to do. He seems to really enjoy working with computers. Thanks a lot!!"
"I am a beginner and a senior citizen and I enjoyed the course very much. If I can understand it than anyone can!"
"I am strictly a beginning in the computer world. This class was extremely helpful for this reason. It got down to the basics and information was explained in a language understandable to a beginner."
"I have impressed my family and friends with all the knowledge I received from this course. They think I'm an expert!"
"My husband and I had fun discussing this class and learning together. He liked all the technical stuff and I enjoyed the more creative chapters. We both learned a great deal and will definitely take more online classes (I did the quizzes by myself!)"
"Taking this course is one of the best decisions I have made. The lessons were easy to understand and I was able to follow along. When I had a question it was answered very quickly and had step by step instructions which was needed."
"Thank you for helping me overcome my unfounded fears of computers. What fun a computer can be!"
"The course covered all the essentials (and more) of XP in a comprehensive language not found in the commercial texts. Made learning and application easier and gratifying."
To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
Recommended Courses:
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