Technological Onion –
Operating Systems (OS)
Sources: Patricia Setser
and GO! Microsoft Office 2003 Brief
Copyright (c) 2004 Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
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Relationship of OS to
Hardware and Software
ONION ANALOGY
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What is Windows 7?
 Windows 7 is an operating system
 An operating system controls:
The appearance of your screen
Opening and closing programs
Startup and shutdown procedures
General navigation techniques
Controls the hardware attached to your computer,
including its memory, disk drive space, attached
devices such as printers
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Types of Operating Systems
Windows
Linux
Mac OS
We will use Windows 7 in this class.
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Get Started with Windows 7
 The Windows desktop (GUI*) is the
working area of the Windows 7 screen
 The working area is called a desktop because on it
you can place electronic versions of things you have
on your regular desk
*pronounced “goo-ee”
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Get Started with Windows 7
Icons
Desktop
Taskbar
Start button
Notification
area
Get Started with Windows 7
 Windows Screen Elements
(GUI) Desktop
 The working area of the Windows 7 screen
consisting of program icons, a taskbar, and a Start
button
Icon
 A graphic representation of an object that you can
select and open, such as a drive, a disk, a folder, a
document or a program.
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Get Started with Windows 7
Icon (continued)
 Computers in HPER 154 have only four icons:
Computer, Recycle Bin, Tech Help, and Logoff.
 You can access the computer through the Start button
or the Computer icon.
Copyright (c) 2004 Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
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Get Started with Windows 7
Examples of Icons:
 Computer
 Recycle Bin
 Logoff
 Microsoft Word
 Microsoft PowerPoint
Copyright (c) 2004 Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
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Get Started with Windows 7
Examples of Icons:
 Folders. Look like small manilla folders. Folders can
hold folders and files.
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Get Started with Windows 7
Windows Screen Elements (Con’t.)
 Mouse
 The arrow, I-beam, or other symbol that moves
when you move the mouse or other pointing
device, and which indicates a location or position
on your screen – also called the pointer




Click - click left button once
Double-click – click left button rapidly twice
Right-click – click right mouse button
Click and drag – click to select an object, then
slide mouse to move object
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Get Started with Windows 7
Start button
 The button on the left side of the taskbar that is used
to start programs, change system settings, find
Windows help, or shut down the computer
Task bar
 Displays the Start button and the name of any open
documents
 The taskbar may also display shortcut buttons for
other programs
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Get Started with Windows 7
Close button
Organize
button
Search
Navigation
pane
Content
pane
Details
pane
Copyright (c) 2004 Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. Updates Margaret Lion 2010
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Get Started with Windows 7
A drive is an area of storage that is formatted
with the Windows file system and that has a
drive letter such as C, D, E, and so on
Copyright (c) 2004 Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
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Get Started with Windows 7
Drive C: selected
USB drive
DVD drive
Details of
the
desktop
computer
Folder panel
Copyright (c) 2004 Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
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Resize, Move, and Scroll Windows
 A window opens on your screen in the same size and
shape as it was when last used
 You can increase or decrease the size of a window, or
move a window so that you can see the information
you need
 Using the horizontal scroll bar, you can move left
and right
 Using the vertical scroll bar, you can move up and
down
 To drag is to move the mouse while holding down the
left mouse button and then release at the appropriate
time
Copyright (c) 2004 Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
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Maximize, Restore, Minimize, and
Close a Window
 You can maximize a window, which enlarges the
window to occupy the entire screen
 You can restore a window, which reduces the window
to the size it was before being maximized
 You can also minimize a window, which reduces the
window to a button on the taskbar - without actually
closing it
 When you need to view the window again, you can
click the taskbar button to bring it back into view
Copyright (c) 2004 Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
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Windows Makes it Easy!
Just use the
Taskbar to keep
track of open
windows.
Open windows are listed here
Copyright (c) 2004 Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
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