Windows 98 Essentials

Is this course for you?

This course is intended for anyone wishing to use a PC with Windows 98.

It covers the basics of Windows itself, and also gives a grounding in the Windows-way of working, using some of the applications provided with Windows. It also covers the basics of managing the PC to keep it running efficiently and shows how Windows 98 is able to work closely with the Internet.

You don't need previous experience with a PC or with Windows for this course.

The course includes the following elements:

Lesson 1: The Windows display Lesson 15: Keyboard shortcuts
Lesson 2: Windows basics Lesson 16: The Recycle Bin
Lesson 3: Move and resize windows Lesson 17: My Computer
Lesson 4: Run Programs Lesson 18: Windows Explorer
Lesson 5: Use folders Lesson 19: Find files
Lesson 6: Create/delete folders Lesson 20: File properties
Lesson 7: Get Help Lesson 21: Run MS-DOS programs
Lesson 8: Open and save files Lesson 22: Add/remove programs
Lesson 9: Edit text with WordPad Lesson 23: Prepare disks and send files
Lesson 10: Shortcuts Lesson 24: Control Panel
Lesson 11: Restyle text Lesson 25: Linking and embedding
Lesson 12: Swap information Lesson 26: Customise Windows
Lesson 13: Add pictures Lesson 27: Maintenance
Lesson 14: Page Setup and printing Lesson 28: Windows and the Internet
Pre-defined curricula What you will need to enrol

Lesson 1: The Windows display top list 
Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Use the mouse
  • Find you way round the Windows display
  • Move and resize the taskbar
  • Display ToolTips
  • Open the Start menu
  • Change the taskbar options
  • Change the folder display options
    		• Windows is by far the most common system for working with computers. Once you've learned about Windows you'll be able to work on just about any personal computer. Because all programs designed to work with Windows have many features in common, you'll have a good basis for understanding any Windows program.

    Lesson 2: Windows basics top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Use multiple layer windows
  • Minimise all windows
  • Switch off AutoArrange
  • Select an icon
  • Move an icon
  • Open and close a window
  • Minimise and resize a window
  • Use the right mouse button to display the shortcut menu
  • Use the double-click technique to open a window
    		• This lesson carries on from lesson 1 and looks at the basics of the Windows desktop. Here we focus on selecting and moving icons and windows on the desktop.

    Lesson 3: Move and resize windows top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Move a window
  • Resize a window
  • Make a window active
  • Control the view in a window
  • Display large icons in a window
  • Use the scroll bars
  • Use the taskbar menu to select Cascaded or Tiled views
    		• The Windows desktop is the starting point for a Windows session - you can see at a glance what is available and easily pick it up. However, like real desktops, you have a choice of keeping everything well organised, with everything in its place. Otherwise you can end up with stacks of paper and clutter. In computer terms this would be, dozens of windows open, the windows on top obscuring those underneath. In this lesson we look at organising your windows on the desktop.

    Lesson 4: Run Programs top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Run a program from the Start menu
  • Change the volume control
  • Change the tone control
  • Adjust the volue from the taskbar
  • Display the Accessories menu
    		• So far in this course we've been concentrating on keeping in control of the desktop and you need to be able to do that before you can produce useful work. That involves using programs to carry out specific tasks - such as editing text, creating drawings, playing videos as well as using programs which control how your computer behaves. In this lesson we look at how to start programs using the Windows program which adjusts the volume and tone settings for your computer.

    Lesson 5: Use folders top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Control the view options for a folder
  • Display the toolbar button controls
  • Delete an object
  • Undo an object
  • Display the properties for an object
  • Display status bar information
  • Display and use the Address bar
  • View a folder as a web page
  • Change the view for all folders
    		• So far we have concentrated on controlling the behaviour of the windows and other objects on the desktop without worrying too much about what they do and how to use them. In this lesson we start to look at how to organise your own work on the desktop by using folders, in much the same way that you might use folders in a filing cabinet. In particular, Windows allows you to control how things appear in folders so you can choose what your work will look like on the desktop, and get the best match for the way you prefer to work.

    Lesson 6: Create/delete folders top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Open a folder
  • Close folders
  • Create a new folder
  • Create a document icon
  • Move items
  • Delete folders
  • Use the Recycle Bin
    		• When you start creating your own work you'll need to be able to organise it in a sensible way - just like a conventional filing cabinet. You need to know where to put things and how to find them later on. In this lesson we look in more detail at creating your own folders and how to move, copy and delete files.

    Lesson 7: Get Help top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Display ToolTips for a taskbar button
  • Get Help at a dialogue box
  • Open the Windows Help application
  • Navigate by clicking on book icons
  • Change the width of the Contents panel
  • Select the Help index
  • Look up information for a topic
  • Use the Help window buttons
  • Find information
  • Print help information
    		• You have probably realised that although Windows is simple to use, there is a great deal to learn about, especially if you are starting from scratch. Windows is very flexible and there are usually several ways to achieve a result. Luckily, you don't have to memorise everything because Windows has its own built-in help information. In this lesson we look at the Windows Help system, how to use it and how to find information about specific topics.

    Lesson 8: Open and save files top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Start a new document
  • Rename a document
  • Open a document from the menu
  • Open a program from the menu
  • Open a document file
  • Use dialogue box features
  • Select a file to open
    		• When you work with Windows you use programs like text editors, graphics programs and so on. Even with very different applications like these, many of the procedures are standard. In this lesson we look at opening and saving files, and take a look at the relationship between files, applications, documents and file formats, and how files are organised on disk.

    Lesson 9: Edit text with WordPad top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Move the insertion point
  • Select text
  • Use keyboard shortcuts
  • Cut text from a document
  • Paste text into a document
    		• In this lesson we look at the WordPad text editor which is supplied with Windows. Although WordPad is short of a full-feature word processor, it is a surprisingly useful program for simple jobs. Many of the features of WordPad will be found on other programs. So once you've mastered WordPad, you're at least on the way to understanding the more powerful applications. In this lesson we'll concentrate on moving around a document, selecting text and making simple text changes.

    Lesson 10: Shortcuts top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Understand how Word takes precedence over WordPad
  • Create a Shortcut to launch WordPad
  • Use a Shortcut
    		• We've seen that Windows is supplied with a useful text editor called WordPad, which you can launch from one of the Start sub-menus. However, if you have a more powerful word processing program on your system, WordPad won't be activated - and it won't even appear on some of the menus. In this lesson we see how to create a shortcut which will make it easy to launch WordPad - or any of your other favourite programs.

    Lesson 11: Restyle text top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Restyle text
  • Apply fonts and font effects
  • Align a paragraph
    		• One of the main benefits of working with Windows is that you can prepare a document on screen and get a very good idea of how it will look when it is printed. You may have heard the expression WYSIWYG - what you see is what you get. And that's really changed the way people work with documents. Instead of just concentrating on the text, people now expect documents to be well presented. So in this lesson, we'll be looking at some simple ways to enhance text to make it easier and more attractive to read.

    Lesson 12: Swap information top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Copy text to the Clipboard
  • Paste text from the Clipboard
  • Create a Scrap
  • Insert text from a Scrap into a document
  • Delete a Scrap to keep the desktop tidy
  • Use Scraps or Clipboard
    		• One of the main benefits of Windows is that you can swap information from one program to another. In this lesson we'll see how to run both Notepad and WordPad together and see how easy it can be to transfer information - in this case a name and address.

    Lesson 13: Add pictures top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Open the Paint application.
  • Open a picture file
  • Select and copy an image
  • Paste an image into a text document
  • Move and size a picture
  • Align a picture
    		• The true power of Windows becomes obvious when you start mixing text and pictures. Adding pictures to a document makes a huge difference to its readability - and some messages simply can't be communicated any other way. In this lesson we look at adding pictures to a document.

    Lesson 14: Page Setup and printing top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Change the Page Setup for a document
  • Use the Print Preview option
  • Print a document from the menu
  • Understand the Print Queue
  • Print from the document icon
    		• Most of the time you're working with WordPad, you can print your work simply by using the Print button on the toolbar. Sometimes though you'll want to take more control of the page setup and printer. You can preview your work before it is committed to paper - and of course, if your computer is equipped with a Fax/Modem, you can send a fax direct from the screen, without ever making a paper copy.

    Lesson 15: Keyboard shortcuts top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Select the Start button
  • Open a dialogue box
  • Select and deselect options
  • Switch between options
  • Switch between tabs
  • Cancel a dialogue box
  • Make the desktop active
  • Use keyboard shortcuts for menus
  • Select icons
  • Close a window
  • Make a window active
  • Display the shortcut menu for an item
    		• In the previous lessons we've been working with Windows using a mouse. But there will be times when you need to work without a mouse - they do sometimes go wrong for example; Windows has a range of keyboard alternatives for most mouse actions. Often these are shortcuts which can save you time - especially if you are keying in a lot of text; it's much quicker if you don't have to keep switching from the keyboard to the mouse. In this lesson we try out the most useful keyboard shortcuts.

    Lesson 16: The Recycle Bin top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Delete an object
  • Select multiple icons
  • View the Recycle Bin contents
  • Restore from the Recycle Bin
  • Empty the Recycle Bin
  • Set Recycle Properties
    		• You've seen how Windows helps to make your work more secure by putting anything you delete into the Recycle Bin, so that you can recover it if you need to. But there is a limit to how much you can keep in the Bin. Sooner or later you will need to put out the rubbish and make permanent deletions. In this lesson we look in more detail at the Recycle Bin and how to use it effectively to manage your work.

    Lesson 17: My Computer top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Open the My Computer resource window
  • Open programs from drive C
  • Create a shortcut to a program
  • Display drive Properties
  • Access the disk Tools
    		• So far in the course we've essentially been working from the Windows desktop. But the desktop is just one part of the computer system. In this lesson we take a closer look at the other resources available from the 'My Computer' folder, and see how Windows offers you several different routes to the same result. That can be a little confusing unless you realise that often there isn't a right or wrong method - you can use whichever routes suit the way you work.

    Lesson 18: Windows Explorer top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Open the Exploring window
  • Show and hide folders
  • Select icons using click and drag
  • Move and copy files
  • Understand ways of using Explorer
    		• In this lesson we use the Windows Explorer program which gives you an alternative method for navigating around the files and folders on your system. Instead of opening a succession of folders, the Windows Explorer gives you a single window which displays the complete structure of folders and details of their contents.

    Lesson 19: Find files top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Enter search criteria
  • Use the Browse button
  • Search for text in a document
  • Open a document from the Find window
    		• We've seen that there are several different ways to navigate around your computer resources and display the files in different parts of the system. And I've stressed the importance of organising your work into a logical system of folders. But what if you can't find a file? If you are working on a network, the problem may be even greater, because information you need may be on a completely different computer. Windows has its own Find feature, which can help you locate files even when you don't know the exact name.

    Lesson 20: File properties top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Display file properties
  • Show summary information
  • Display properties for MS-DOS programs
    		• Although the normal windows display does give you some information about files, especially when you set the window to show details, there is more information available. In this lesson we look at how to display the Properties for an item.

    Lesson 21: Run MS-DOS programs top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Run the MS-DOS Prompt program
  • Switch to a full screen view
  • Resize a DOS window
  • Copy from a DOS window
  • Change DOS directories
  • Run a DOS program
  • Exit a DOS program
    		• If you've used computers before the arrival of Windows, then there are times when you might miss the old style DOS command line, which just uses text on screen and none of the nice graphics. The good news is that you can still run DOS while you are running Windows - that means you still have access to the old DOS application programs. In this lesson we look at some of the techniques for using DOS.

    Lesson 22: Add/remove programs top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Install and uninstall programs
  • Run a program from the Start button
  • Use AutoRun
    		• As you work with Windows, from time to time you'll want to add new programs and remove old ones which you don't use. As an example, we'll look at some of the Windows Accessory programs. So far in the course I've assumed that your copy of Windows has been set up with a typical or default installation, which doesn't set up all the programs which are supplied - so there may be more programs available than you currently have set up. In this lesson we look how to install and uninstall programs.

    Lesson 23: Prepare disks and send files top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Format a floppy disk
  • Send files to a floppy disk.
  • Make a Startup disk.
    		• In this lesson we look at the process of preparing a disk for use by formatting it, and then copying files onto that disk so that they could be shared or sent to other people.

    Lesson 24: Control Panel top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Open the Control Panel window
  • Add new hardware
  • Change the mouse settings
  • Change screen background display properties
  • Change Wallpaper options
  • Use Patterns
  • Control Appearance of the desktop
  • Use the Screen Saver
  • Monitor display settings
  • Use fonts
    		• As you work with Windows, you will develop your own preferences about how you want Windows to behave, and what it should look like. In this lesson we look at the Windows Control Panel which is where you change the mouse settings, the colour schemes, the desktop display and the fonts.

    Lesson 25: Linking and embedding top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Use Paste Special to embed a picture.
  • Show an embedded object an icon
  • Edit an embedded object.
  • Insert and link objects
    		• Earlier in the course we saw how to insert a picture into a WordPad document, by copying from Paint via the Clipboard and using the Paste command. In this lesson we look at the techniques of linking and embedding using a Bitmap image. However, the same rules apply to other windows items - or objects - and you will often hear this topic referred to as OLE - Object Linking and Embedding.

    Lesson 26: Customise Windows top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Add items to the Start menu
  • Add items to the Startup folder
  • Customise the taskbar display
  • Customise folder options
    		• Windows is a very flexible way to work with the computer. You can change and adapt it to suit your personal preferences. In this lesson we look at how to customise the menus to give you easy access to any of the programs and how to control what appears on the taskbar.

    Lesson 27: Maintenance top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Use Disk Cleanup
  • Use ScanDisk
  • Defragment the drive
  • Use Maintenance Wizard
  • Schedule tasks
    		• As we've seen elsewhere in the course, Windows is a very flexible way to work with the computer, and you can change and adapt it to suit your personal preferences. In this lesson we look at how to customise the menus, so that you can have easy access to any of the programs as well as control what appears on your taskbar.

    Lesson 28: Windows and the Internet top list 
    Learn how to...Tutor's summary
  • Display Channels
  • Display Links and Media
  • Update Windows
    		• The Internet is playing an increasingly important role in using PCs, and Windows 98 has introduced a number of features which are designed to integrate with the Internet. In many ways Windows treats the Internet as simply another resource, which you can access as easily as you can access your hard disk.

    Pre-defined curricula

    Like all courses at the Reeltime College this course comes supplied with a number of predefined curricula designed to help you go straight to the subjects you're most interested in. Curricula supplied with this course include:

    1. Standard curriculum (all lessons)
    2. Windows basics
    3. Text editing
    4. Shortcuts
    5. Swapping information
    6. Exploring files and resources
    7. Using MS-DOS programs
    8. Managing the PC
    9. The Internet
    10. Personal curriculum (designed by you)

    What will I need to enrol?

    This is what you need to get the most from the course:

    1. A Pentium-class PC with Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000 or XP.
    2. Sound card and loudspeakers or headphones
    3. A CD-ROM drive (or DVD drive) either on the PC or accessible over a local network.
    4. Approximately 10 Mb spare disk capacity. If you have another 30 Mb spare, you can choose to copy introduction movies onto the hard disk.
    5. If you download the course handbook, you'll need approximately 2 Mb spare for the download.
    6. The course assumes you have a copy of the target software (Windows 98) correctly installed on your computer. If not, you'll be able to watch the movie segments, but not complete the hands-on segments.

    You can enrol on the course by using the Reeltime software, which also allows you to preview the course content off-line. For more information, go to the How to join Reeltime College  page.

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