Learning the Basics

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Starting a program

Starting a program

The easiest way to start a program is to click the name of the file that contains the information you want to work on. To find the file, use My Computer or Windows® Explorer.

If you prefer to open the program first, you have four options:Double-click the icon for the program on your desktopUse the Start menuUse Windows® Explorer or My Computer to locate the program fileUse the Run dialog box

The Windows® XP operating system’s tutorial chapter gives step-by-step instructions for starting a program from the Start menu. See “Lesson 6: Starting programs” on page 140.

Saving your work

Before you turn off the computer, save your work to the hard disk drive or a diskette. This is one of the most important rules of computing.

NOTE: Save your data even when you are using the Stand By command, in case the battery discharges before you return to work. Your computer can be configured to warn you when the battery is running low, see “Setting battery alarms” on page 107.

Many programs offer a feature that saves documents at regular intervals, such as every 15 minutes. Check your programs’ documentation to see whether they have an automatic save feature.