Start Menu, Launching applications, Windows Explorer, Help

The Start Menu

If you click on the Start Menu, which is located at the bottom left of the screen, you will see a popup menu, which will give you access to the applications that you require. Where you are in a faculty room, there will be faculty specific software available, but if you are using a general room only the core set of applications will be present.

• Change your password gives you access to UWE Password Manager to change your password
• Internet Explorer is the most widely used World Wide Web browser
• myUWE is the UWE student and staff portal
• Programs will show a list of applications.
• Log off will log you out of the computer.

Launching Applications

To start up an application, having clicked on the start button, simply slide the mouse up to the application you require. If the menu entry has a left arrow next to it, sub-menus will appear when the pointer is resting over the application. Continue to move your mouse until you locate the application that you require. Click with the left button of the mouse and the application will start.

On the right is an illustration of the expanded Start Menu which lists all the applications.

Windows Explorer

On the illustration above under Accessories, a very important application is visible - this is the Windows Explorer (this is not the same as Internet Explorer).

Windows Explorer is an application that provides detailed information about your files, folders, and drives. You can use it to see how your files are organised and to copy, move, and rename files, as well as perform other tasks pertaining to files, folders, and drives.

The window that you see is split into 2 sections. In the Folders section on the left hand side is a hierarchical list of drives, folders and subfolders available to this computer. In the right-hand section is a list of folders and subfolders present in each area with file names attached. Depending on the view that you have chosen this may be presented as large icons, small icons, lists or detailed lists. The view may be adjusted in exactly the same way as with My Computer, i.e. using the menu options as the top of the explorer screen.

The view shown here is in Details mode (see under the View menu).

Files can be copied or moved to other folders or drives by dragging and dropping them from their source to their new destination.

If you use the right mouse button you will see a menu of operations that could be performed on the object you have selected.

Help

If you are having problems you can use the online Help option.

This may be accessed from the Help Menu within most applications, or by pressing F1.