Getting Started with Your Computer

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Getting Started with Your Computer

Welcome to Digital Literacy Essentials — the free course that gives you the confidence to use computers and the internet effectively, whether for work, learning or everyday life.

Anatomy of a computer

  • Hardware: the physical parts — screen, keyboard, mouse/trackpad, and the processor and memory inside
  • Software: the programs — the operating system (Windows or macOS) and applications like browsers and word processors
  • Storage: where your files live (the hard drive or SSD) versus memory, which holds what you are working on right now

Your first steps

  1. Turn the machine on and sign in with your account
  2. Use the mouse/trackpad for pointing and clicking; use one finger for left-click
  3. Locate the Start menu (Windows) or Dock (Mac) to open applications
  4. Get comfortable opening, minimising, resizing and closing windows
Key takeaway: A computer is just a tool. Learn the basics of hardware, software and how to open and manage programs, and everything else becomes easier.
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