COASTWEEK - - IN THE past weeks I have been talking mostly on the Internet and it's relating usage.

From this week I shall deviate to a more computer learning basics.

One thing is for sure, if you don't know much about your computer than browsing or e-mailing is pointless.

Before we embark on computers two important points I wish to point out:

• Remember your computer is not a plaything.

Many of us use computers 'roughly'.

By 'roughly' I mean that by installing programs that can cause harm to your hard drive or software examples are pirated or illegal programs, games etc.

Treat your computer with the respect it deserves.

• It's not only expensive in terms of monetary value but it contains some very very important data which you cannot afford to lose.

Make sure you keep it clean and away from dust and heat, switch it off after use and once in six months take it to a reputable computer workshop for maintenance.

Treat it well and it will give you good mileage and many interesting hours of study and play.

Now let's learn some basics:

How to set the screen resolution on your screen to a higher setting that will give you more space to work with multiple windows.

• Click on the 'Start' button.
• Select 'Settings'.
• Select 'Control Panel'.
• Double click on the 'Display' icon.
• Click on the 'Settings' tab.
• In the area that says, 'Screen Area' slide the bar over to the right, to the next setting.
• Click on the 'Apply' button.
• Click 'OK' to the pop up window that says, 'Windows will now resize your desktop....'
• If it is acceptable to you, click on Yes to the pop up window that says, 'you resized your desktop. Do you want to keep this setting ?'
• Click the 'OK' button.
• Close the 'Control Panel'.

Remember the higher that you set your screen resolution, the smaller the items on your screen will appear.

If you would like to look at something different on your desktop, you can change it quickly and easily.

Here's How:

• Click on the 'Start' button.
• Select 'Settings'.
• Select 'Control Panel'.
• Double click on the 'Display' icon.
• Click on the 'Background' tab, if necessary.
• Click on one of the preinstalled options or "browse" to take you to your hard drive where you might have some of your photos stored, click on another until you find one that you like.
• Click on the photo you like and say 'OK' it will display in the monitor image.

If an image displays like a little square in the middle of the screen, select 'tile' in the Display options.

• Once you find one you like, click on 'Apply' button.
• Click on 'OK' button. This will close the menu.
• Close the 'Control Panel' window.
• If it does not fully fit in the window, select 'stretch' in the Display options area.

How to copy and paste text from one application to another.

Here's How:

• Move your mouse cursor to the beginning of the text that you want to copy.
• Hold down your left mouse button and glide your cursor along the text that you want to copy.
• Once you have all text highlighted that you want to copy, hit the CTRL key and 'C' key simultaneously.
• To paste the text that you just copied, move your cursor to the area that you want to place your text.
• Click your left mouse button.
• Hit the CTRL key and the 'V' key simultaneously.
• Remember when highlighting text, you can move your cursor to the left or right.
• Instead of hitting the CTRL together with the 'C' or 'V', you can right click on your mouse and select 'Copy' or 'Paste' from the pop-up menu.
• You can also delete a block of text by highlighting, then hitting the 'delete' key or select 'Delete' from the pop-up menu.

Next week I shall write more about how to look for lost files.

• VIPUL PATEL is Sales and Marketing Executive with AfricaOnline Mombasa.