computer skills

Computer

Computers come in all shapes and sizes and can be used for home or business uses.

Personal Computer

A personal computer

The most common form of computer is the PC (Personal Computer), this is made up of a number of components:

  • base unit - the brains of the computer, memory and connections
  • monitor - the computer screen
  • keyboard - used to type words, numbers, characters and press for action
  • mouse - used to move a pointer on the screen and 'click' for action

Find out more:

 

Laptop

A laptop

A laptop is a portable PC that can provide the same range of functions as a full size computer.  It has:

  • a slim profile base unit
  • a hinged lid with it's own screen inside
  • a built in compact keyboard
  • a trackpad that mimics the use of a mouse.

 

Apple Mac

Mac computer

An alternative to the PC is the Apple Macintosh computer, known as a Mac.

The Mac has exactly the same parts as a standard PC, but the main difference is the software that is provided with the computer, particularly the operating system. Because both the hardware and software in a Mac are built by Apple, it makes the Mac a completely integrated computer.

There is a wide range of desktop and laptop mac computers and other devices, such as the iPod and iPhone, details are found on the Apple website.*

* Hampshire County Council is not responsible for the content of external websites.

 

Other devices

As well as computers and laptops there are also other devices which you can now use to access the Internet and read and write e-mails and other documents.

PDA

A PDA (personal digital assistant) is a handheld computer.

PDAs can store data and connect to the Internet. Software that you usually get with a PDA includes an appointment calendar, a to-do list, an address book for contacts and some sort of program to make notes. PDAs which can connect to the Internet also typically include email and web support.

Newer PDAs also have colour screens and audio capabilities, enabling them to be used as mobile phones and portable media players.

A PDA

Blackberry

The BlackBerry is very similar to a PDA but is mainly known for its ability to send and receive e-mail wherever it can access the appropriate wireless network. It has a built-in keyboard and a scroll ball in the middle of the device which is used to navigate its systems.

A Blackberry

Mobile phone

In addition to the normal function of a mobile phone (ie a telephone), they can also support many additional services such as email, the Internet and sending and receiving photos and video.

A mobile phone

MP3 Players

The main use of an MP3 player is to store and organise music, photos and videos. However, with some of the latest models, such as the iPod Touch, you can read your e-mails and connect to the Internet.

The iPod Touch MP3 player

 

Passwords

When creating passwords for anything on your computer always use strong passwords.

A strong password:

  • doesn’t need to be a word at all. It can be a combination of letters, numbers and keyboard symbols
  • should have at least seven characters - longer passwords are harder to guess
  • does not contain your user name, real name, or company name
  • contains a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers.

A good site that enables you to check the strength of your password is the Microsoft password checker. It can help you to gauge the strength of your password but is for personal reference only.

Do's and don'ts

Green tick

Do

 Red cross

Don't

  • Make your password at least 8 characters long

  • Include different characters in your password eg capitals, punctuation or symbols

  • Consider using a phrase rather than a word

  • Have a different password for every account

  • Frequently change your passwords

  • Write down your password

  • Disclose your password

  • Use personal information as your password eg pet names, date of births, street names

  • Use an alphabet sequence (lmnopqrst), a number sequence (12345678) or a keyboard sequence (qwertyuop)

  • Use the same password for all of your accounts - if someone finds out one of your passwords they will then try it on every website that they can think of

* Hampshire County Council is not responsible for the content of external websites.

 

Buying a computer

Computer

Buying a computer is no easy task. There are so many choices available and so many points to consider:

  • What will you be using a computer for
  • How much money you want to spend
  • Do you want a laptop or desktop computer
  • Any added extras ie monitor, keyboard, mouse, software.

There is a lot of useful information on the internet to get you thinking about what sort of computer you require. The links below will help you get started

 

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