Your Computer Desktop

The first thing you see when you turn on your computer is your desktop.  Sitting on the desktop, you will see Icons or small pictures that act as shortcuts to link/take you to executable files for different programs in your computer.  Executable files are what open the programs or execute their opening.  Some programs are for creativity or entertainment and some are for use by your computer, only.  You will not find Icon Shortcuts to programs in your computer that are not meant for you to work with.  Programs that came installed/inside your computer when you purchased it, meant for your use, have shortcuts under the tabs in your start menu or under the icons on your desktop. 

Desktop Icons decorate your desktop the first time you view it.  The Icons act as shortcuts to folders and program files in your computer.

Desktop Icons
icons = the small pictures sitting on your desktop act as links to pages on the world wide web or to Programs and folders inside your computer.  A warning about desktop Icons, your desktop does not like to be filled with icons.  It makes your computer run more slowly and it takes longer to finish its startup.  The less on your desktop, the better.

The picture above shows the icons on my taskbar (the total area pictured above is my taskbar) and my quick launch bar (the smaller rectangle to the right-hand side with icons and the time and date).  The icons shown are all designated as shortcuts that will take me into the program I want to use inside my computer or to a page on the World Wide Web.  They are called shortcuts because you do not have to navigate inside your computer to the folder for the program but can instead open the program from outside its folder by using the shortcut that sits on your desktop or on your desktop toolbar or in your shortcuts folder you have made for them on your desktop (New Folder:  right click on desktop and find on the window, new folder and click. Right click on the folder to rename it if it sets or firms up on the screen).  The shortcuts themselves connect to the startup file of the individual programs they belong to.  If you right click on any icon and then read the properties it will tell you where the shortcut will navigate you to after clicking on it.  You will also see other options on the open window, including usually, an area you may type some notes into for your own information about the shortcut.  Don't be afraid to study the options or to click on "find target".  Clicking on find target will take you to the software's file folder.  Looking inside the folders won't hurt anything and you may learn something but, "DON'T TOUCH".  I would advise not clicking on things in the file folder and definitely, do not move or rename any of the files or folders.  To lose or change a .dll file or an executable file will result in disaster.  I speak with experience as I changed the name of an identity folder in our computer. I wanted it in a more accessible spot.  It took quite sometime for my better half to fix the problems I created as a rename is the same as a move.  If I had tried to move anything besides a folder things could have been a bit more tricky.

Files you create yourself, such as a piece of written poetry in a text file may be renamed.  You write the file, you name the file and you save the file into the folder of your choice inside your computer.  You name it so you can recognize it when you want to find it.  You can rename any of these files or folders you make.  To rename a file:  put your cursor on the file, right click on it to highlight and when the pop up appears, select rename.  At this point it should look highlighted and loose, you can now type into the highlighted area the new name.  Always, without fail, use or keep the same extension tag .txt or .doc or .jpg or whatever it was. 

If you rename it incorrectly:

#1 your computer should ask you if you are sure you are doing what you want to do and

#2 if you finished the rename incorrectly, go to the edit tab at the top of the page click on it and then click on undo.  At this point it should have the name it had and you can start over with the rename.  Remember, every file must keep it's proper extension as no program can recognize the file without it's proper extension and if you put an improper extension after the file and don't repair it right away you will forget what it was and the file is the same as garbage as nothing will recognize it to open.

Sometimes a shortcut loses it's way in your computer because you may have renamed a folder or moved it to another spot.  If you click on a shortcut icon and it says it can not find the targeted file, you can right click on the now lost shortcut and click on the properties then browse or look your way to the new location in your computer for the file.  After finding the correct folder apply that to the shortcut and it will work again.  Another choice is to delete the non-usable shortcut then navigate to the program find the executable file which is what starts each of the programs (they each have their own) and right click on it, select create a shortcut then move the new shortcut to your desktop or preferred folder of shortcuts.  Shortcuts and files and folders you make or create can all be moved by the cut and paste method or by drag and drop.  You can lose things  accidentally by drag and drop into the wrong folders so be aware at all times what you are doing when you are moving about inside your folders or files.  If you think you put something into the wrong folder, click on the edit tab and undo the move. 

Just for the fun of it

To make your desktop less tiresome to view, visit some desktop wallpaper sites on the internet.  Here are a couple of desktop wallpaper sites I have found I like.  If you think you might enjoy re-decorating your desktop, check on these 2 sites (#1 CLICK HERE) and (#2 CLICK HERE). Both sites are fairly easy to navigate and there is a lot of nice free wallpaper.  The second one has downloads for your cell phone also.

I keep my desktop set to view as a webpage or with no icons in view  so I don't have to look at the mess.  I enjoy viewing a clean desktop as I have many icons sitting on it.  To view your desktop without the mess, do this: right click on the desktop with your mouse and look thru your options.  Find hide desktop icons and click on it.  You can switch the view back and forth at will. If you have a lot of icons on your desktop, which you shouldn't, switching back and forth may not be worth the trouble.  Avoid the switching by opening the desktop toolbar for use on your taskbar.  The task bar is the bar that either pops up and down with a free movement feature or you may have it locked in place and most people have their taskbar in plain site sitting at the bottom of their computer screen.  That bar is movable by a drag and drop method.  I keep mine at the top of my monitor but move it at times for convenience.  Your taskbar also has what is called the quick launch, a square shape probably with your computer clock running on it and your programs that open when you start your computer.  Right click on a free area of the taskbar and you should get a window with some options.  Put a checkmark beside the desktop toolbar.  All of your icons will be available now thru the use of that toolbar.  Everything that sits on your desktop can now be viewed on the desktop toolbar. You may see small black arrows leading to icon shortcuts.  Any small black arrow is worth investigating.  It is legal to click on arrows and tabs to see what is available for your computer to do for you.  Click and learn.  You can always back out of a program by hitting cancel. 

See the illustration I made of my desktop by clicking on the link below. It shows my desktop dropdown and it also has written in balloons some text that may help you to understand my explanations better.

Click to view Wallpaper graphic of my desktop

To change your desktop background, right click on the desktop then select properties.  You can get to the background and themes and screensavers from the tabs on the window that pops up.  The browse button will take you to any folder in your computer.  Find the folder you keep your wallpapers in, open the folder and select the wallpaper you want.  Hit apply and okay and you should have a new background on display.

Switch your desktop back and forth at will by right click and uncheck the view as a webpage or show desktop icons.  Do this a few times for practice and you will have it down pat.  Or, use the desktop toolbar.  You will find it very convenient and will love it once used to it.  It takes a little while for the computer to make the desktop change if the desktop is filled with these little files called icons.  If you do set your desktop so icons are hidden and you don't want the inconvenience of switching back and forth, don't forget about the desktop toolbar.

All pages have been designed, thought out and compiled as helps for use by Seniors and persons new to computing by: RSBlain aka LittleEgypt of http://www.flyingpigwebdesign.com 

*Scripts used are from:  Dynamic Drive