INTRODUCTION TO EASY COMPUTER BASICS

Computers don't have to be scary or difficult. Computers can be easy if you know what to do.

That's where this book comes in. Easy Computer Basics is an illustrated, step-by-step guide to setting up and using your new computer. You'll learn how computers work, how to connect all the pieces and parts together, and how to start using them. All you have to do is look at the pictures and follow the instructions. Pretty easy.

Once you learn the basics, I'll show you how to do lots of useful stuff with your new PC. You'll learn how to write letters and memos, send and receive email messages, and search for information on the Internet. We'll even cover some fun stuff, including listening to music and working with digital photographs.

If you're worried about how to keep your PC up and running, we'll cover some basic system maintenance, too. And, just to be safe, I'll show you how to protect your computer when you're online against viruses, spam, spyware, and computer attacks. It's not hard to do.

To help you find the information you need, I ve organized Easy Computer Basics into 13 parts.

Part 1, "Understanding How Your Computer Works," describes all the pieces and parts of a typical computer system. Read this section to find out all about hard drives, keyboards, sound cards, and the like.

Part 2, "Setting Up Your Computer," shows you how to connect all those pieces and parts together and get your new computer system up and running.

Part 3, "Using Microsoft Windows XP," introduces the backbone of your entire system the Microsoft Windows operating system including how it works and how to use it.

Part 4, "Working with Files and Folders," shows you how to manage all the computer files you create by moving, copying, renaming, and deleting them.

Part 5, "Using Microsoft Works," walks you through the popular program included free with most new PCs.

Part 6, "Using Microsoft Word," shows you how to use this popular word processor to create letters and other documents.

Part 7, "Connecting to the Internet," is all about getting online and doing stuff when you get there. You'll learn how to set up a new Internet connection, surf the Web, send and receive emails, and use instant messaging programs. You'll even learn how to search for information on the Internet, shop online, and bid on eBay auctions!

Part 8, "Playing Music and Movies," shows you how to download and play digital music files, how to listen to CDs on your PC, how to burn your own audio CDs, and how to watch DVDs on your computer screen.

Part 9, "Working with Pictures," helps you connect a digital camera to your PC and edit your digital photos.

Part 10, "Adding New Devices to Your System," shows you how to upgrade your computer system with new internal and external peripherals.

Part 11, "Setting Up a Wireless Home Network," helps you connect all the computers in your house into a wireless network and share a broadband Internet connection.

Part 12, "Protecting Your Computer," is all about stopping spam, viruses, spyware, and the like.

Part 13, "Taking Care of Your Computer," shows you how to keep your PC running smoothly and how to recover from serious crashes. And that's not all. At the back of the book you'll find a glossary of common computer terms so you can understand what all the techie types are talking about!

So, is using a computer really this easy? You bet just follow the simple step-by-step instructions, and you'll be computing like a pro!