Executing (Opening) a Program

There are several ways to open programs in either operating system. Use whichever method is quickest for the given program.

Method 1: Through Start bar: The Start bar is usually at the bottom of the screen. Sometimes it won't appear until you move the mouse pointer over it. Somebody could also have moved it to another side of the screen. If this is the case, click and hold down on the bar, then drag it to the bottom of the screen. To start a program, click the "Start" button. On the resulting menu, move the pointer over the desired selection. A new menu appears to the right. You may have to continue choosing submenus to the right. When your program is listed, move over it and double-click to start it.

Method 2: Through My Computer: Double-click the "My Computer" icon (usually in the upper left corner of your screen). This opens a window with the computer's drives listed. Double-click the drive where the program resides. Each double-click on a drive or folder moves you another level deeper in the substructure. Keep opening new folders until you find the name or icon of the program you want. The file to run usually is program name followed by ".exe." When you find the program you want, double-click and it starts.

Method 3: Through Shortcut icons: If somebody has made a Shortcut (we'll show you how later), it appears on your desktop. Double-click this Shortcut icon to launch the program.

Method 4: Through the Run line: Click on "Start." Choose the "Run" option. Type the pathname to the program (we'll explain pathnames in more depth later) and hit "Enter."