One of the advantages the Macintosh had over IBM and IBM-compatible computers was that it is easy to use. Macintosh has a screen design (interface) that is very easy to understand and to use -- this is called being user friendly. All Macintosh programs work under this user-friendly interface so all programs have the same commands. It doesn't matter what Macintosh program you are in, printing is always done by pressing cloverleaf-P. Saving a file is always done by pressing cloverleaf-S. Exiting a program is always done by pressing cloverleaf-Q. Etc.
The IBM and IBM-compatible computers did not have this user-friendly interface at first. One program might use Ctrl-Q to quit, another program would use the Escape key, and yet another program would use the F7 key. Unlike a Macintosh program, each new program took a long time to learn.
Windows is a computer program written to create a user-friendly interface for IBM and IBM-compatible computers. Programs written for Windows are now universally understandable. The only disadvantage to Windows programs is that they consume significantly more RAM memory than DOS programs do.
Magazine Review
After Windows became popular for IBM and IBM-compatible computers, Roger Geyer wrote an article about it in The Computing Teacher. In that article he wrote:
As one of the last major entities to brave the technological frontier, public education is only beginning to take notice of Windows 3.1. This, in spite of the fact that Microsoft is currently shipping over one million copies of Windows 3.1 every month, and has an installed base of over 40 million programs. Educators are moving beyond the pale, however, as they look to technology for solutions to their increasingly complex problems.
One factor that builds this awareness is new hardware. More teachers and students are buying computers for use at home. Computers purchased by central office for classroom and administrative use during the 1994-95 school year will surely follow a standard configuration that minimally includes Intel's 486 microprocessor or equivalent, plenty of hard disk space, and enough RAM to run Windows efficiently.
In fact, it is likely that Windows 3.1 will be preloaded, configured, and ready to run. Microsoft claims that over 70% of all new PCs are bundled with Windows 3.1 as part of the manufacturer's total product package. Many of the characteristics that make this program so popular are directly applicable to instruction use. (The Computing Teacher, Vol 22 Num 1, p 16)
Summary of Commands
These commands are for Windows 3.1. Some of the schools in Grand County School District have Windows 3.0 -- its commands are similar but are slightly different.
To start Windows in standard mode (for computers with 80286 or higher processors), type: win /s
To start Windows in 386 enhanced mode (for computers with 80386 or high processors), type: win /3
Mouse v. Hot Keys
Once you are running Windows, you can perform any function two and sometimes three ways. You can use the mouse to access the menus and you can use the Alt key to access the menus. A third way you can often perform a function is to use the "hot key" assigned to that function: If a particular function is used often (such as saving a file or exiting Windows), it probably has a special key or key-combination assigned to it. Pressing this "hot key", quickly performs the function without having to use the mouse or Alt key to access the menus. Below is a list of all "hot keys". In addition to this chart, be sure to read the desktop reference in this notebook (pg 11-12).
Program Manager
Open File Enter
Delete File Del
Cascade Windows Shift + F5
Tile Windows Shift + F4
Get Help Alt + H
or F1
Move Between Groups Ctrl + F6
or Ctrl + Tab
Start a Highlighted Icon Enter
Close a Group Window Ctrl + F4
Exit from Program Mgr Alt + F4
Dialog Boxes
Cancel All But Active Ctrl + \
Exit Box Without Selecting Esc
Move Between Items Tab
or Shift + Tab
Move to First Item Home
Move to Last Item End
Move to Beginning of Line Shift + Home
Move to End of Line Shift + End
Open a List Box Alt + Down Arrow
Select an Item in a Box Spacebar
Select a Check Box Spacebar
Select All Items in Box Ctrl + /
Select an Active Button Enter
Most Applications
Delete Del
Cut Shift + Del
or Ctrl + X
Copy Ctrl + Ins
or Ctrl + C
Paste Shift + Ins
or Ctrl + V
Undo Alt + Backsp
or Ctrl + Z
Cut (delete) line Ctrl + Y
Cut to end of line Ctrl + Q, Y
Cut selected text Shift + Del
Insert ASCII character Alt + ASCII#
Move to next word Ctrl + arrow
Move to beginning of line Home
Move to end of line End
Move to beginning of doc. Ctrl + Home
Move to end of document Ctrl + End
Find text Ctrl + Q, F
Find and replace Ctrl + Q, A
Find next occurrence F3 or Ctrl + L
Bold Ctrl + B
Italics Ctrl + I
Underline Ctrl + U
Page Break Ctrl + Enter
To highlight...
to next line Shift +
to previous line Shift +
to next word Ctrl + Shift +
to previous word Ctrl + Shift +
to begin. of doc. Ctrl + Shift + Home
to end of document Ctrl + Shift + End
to previous screen Shift + PgUp
to next screen Shift + PgDn
