| Glossary
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| Chapter 1
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| Accessories
| Built-in programs that come with Windows 7.
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| Active window
| The window that you are currently using, if multiple windows are open, the window with the darker title bar.
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| Aero
| A Windows 7 viewing option that shows windows as translucent objects and features subtle animations; only available on a computer that has enough memory to support Aero and on which a Windows Aero theme has been selected.
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| Aero Flip 3D
| A Windows 7 feature that lets you preview all open folders and documents without using the taskbar and that displays open windows in a stack; only available if using a Windows Aero theme.
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| Aero Peek
| A Windows 7 feature that lets you point to a taskbar icon representing an open program and see a thumbnail (small version) of the open file; only visible if the computer uses a Windows Aero theme.
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| Application program
| Software you can use to perform a task, such as creating a document, analyzing data, or creating a presentation. Also called a program.
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| Canvas
| In the Paint accessory program, the area in the center of the program window that you use to create drawings.
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| Case sensitive
| Describes a program’s ability to differentiate between uppercase and lowercase letters; usually used to describe how an operating system evaluates passwords that users type to gain entry to user accounts.
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| Check box
| A square box that you click to add a check mark (also known as selecting) or remove a checkmark (also known as deselecting) to turn an option on or off.
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| Click
| To press and release the left mouse button once. Also called single-clicking.
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| Close button
| To quit a program or remove a window from the desktop. The Close button usually appears in the upper-right corner of a window.
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| Command
| A directive that provides access to a program’s features.
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| Command button
| In a dialog box, a button that carries out an action. A command button usually has a label that describes its action, such as Cancel or Help. If the label is followed by an ellipsis (?), clicking the button displays another dialog box.
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| Desktop
| The screen that appears when you first start Windows 7, providing access to your computer’s programs and files and to the Internet.
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| Desktop background
| The shaded area behind your desktop objects; can show colors, designs, or photographs, which you can customize.
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| Device
| A hardware component that is part of your computer system, such as a disk drive or a pointing device.
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| Dialog box
| A window in which you enter information needed to carry out a command. Clicking most dialog box launchers and some buttons on the Ribbon opens a dialog box in which you must select options before the Office program can carry out the command.
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| Double-click
| To press and release the left mouse button twice quickly.
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| Drag
| To move an item to a new location using the mouse.
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| File
| An electronic collection of data that has a unique name, distinguishing it from other files.
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| Folder
| An area on a disk that contains a collection of files and/or other folders that you use to help you organize your files.
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| Gadget
| An optional program you can display on your desktop that presents helpful or entertaining information, such as a clock, current news headlines, a calendar, a picture album, or a weather report.
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| Group
| On a tab on the Ribbon, a set of related commands located together above a name.
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| Highlighting
| When an icon is shaded differently, indicating it is selected. See also Select.
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| Home tab
| The tab on the Ribbon that contains the most frequently used commands in the active Office 2010 program.
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| Icon
| Graphical representation of computer elements such as files and programs.
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| Inactive window
| Refers to a window or program that is open but not currently in use.
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| List box
| A box in a dialog box containing a list of items. To choose an item, you click the list arrow and then click the desired item.
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| Log in
| To select a user’s account name when a computer starts up, giving access to that user’s files.
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| Log off
| To close all windows, programs, and documents, then display the Welcome screen.
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| Maximize button
| On the right side of a window’s title bar, the center button of three buttons; use to expand a window so that it fills the entire screen. In a maximized screen, this button turns into a Restore button.
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| Maximized windows
| To enlarge a window so that it takes up the entire screen. The Maximize button is usually located in the upper-right corner of a window.
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| Menu
| A list of available commands.
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| Menu bar
| A bar near the top of the program window that provides access to most of a program’s features through categories of related commands.
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| Microsoft Windows 7
| An operating system.
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| Mouse pointer
| See Pointer.
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| Notification area
| An area on the right side of the Windows 7 taskbar that displays the current time as well as icons representing programs; displays pop-up messages when a program on your computer needs attention.
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| Operating system
| A computer program that controls the basic operation of your computer and the programs you run on it. Windows 7 is an example of an operating system.
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| Option button
| A small circle in a dialog box that you click to select an option.
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| Paint
| A graphics program that comes with Windows 7.
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| Pointer
| The typically arrow-shaped object on the screen that follows the movement of the mouse. The shape of the mouse pointer changes depending on the program and the task being executed. Also called a mouse pointer.
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| Pointing device
| A device that lets you interact with your computer by controlling the movement of the mouse pointer on your computer screen; examples include a mouse, trackball, touchpad, pointing stick, on-screen touch pointer, or a tablet.
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| Pointing device action
| A movement you execute with your computer’s pointing device to communicate with the computer. The five pointing device actions are point, click, double-click, drag, and right-click.
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| Power button
| 1) The physical button on your computer that turns your computer on. 2) The Start menu button or button on the right side of the Welcome screen that lets you shut down or restart your computer. Click the button arrow to log off your user account, switch to another user, or hibernate the computer to put your computer to sleep so that your computer appears off and uses very little power.
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| Program
| Software you can use to perform a task, such as create a document, analyze data, or create a presentation. Also called an application.
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| Program window
| The window that opens after you start a program, showing you the tools you need to use the program and any open program documents.
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| Quick Access toolbar
| A group of buttons above the File tab that lets you perform the most common tasks such as undoing or redoing an action or saving a file and which is available to use no matter what tab is currently active.
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| Recycle Bin
| A storage area on your computer’s hard disk for deleted files, which remain in the Recycle Bin until you empty it. An icon on the desktop provides quick access to the Recycle Bin.
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| Restore Down button
| On the right side of a maximized window’s title bar, the center of three buttons; use to reduce a window to its last non-maximized size.
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| Ribbon
| A band that stretches across the top of each Office 2010 application program window that contains multiple tabs from which you choose commands to complete tasks.
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| Right-click
| To press and release the right mouse button once.
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| ScreenTip
| A concise description of a button or other screen element that appears when you point to the item.
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| Scroll
| To adjust your view to see portions of the program window that are not currently in a window.
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| Scroll arrow
| A button at each end of a scroll bar for adjusting your view in a window in small increments in that direction.
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| Scroll bar
| A bar that appears at the bottom and/or right edge of a window whose contents are not entirely visible; you click the arrows or drag the box in the direction you want to move. See also Scroll box.
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| Scroll box
| A rectangle located in the vertical and horizontal scroll bars that indicates your relative position in a file and that you can drag to view other parts of the file or window. See also Scroll bar.
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| Select
| To click or highlight an item in order to perform some action on it. See also Highlighting.
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| Select pointer
| The mouse pointer shape that looks like a white arrow oriented toward the upper-left corner of the screen.
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| Shortcut
| A link that you can place in any location that gives you quick access to a file, folder, or program located on your hard disk or network.
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| Shortcut menu
| A menu that appears when you right-click an item.
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| Shut down
| The action you perform when you have finished working with your computer; after you shut down it is safe to turn off your computer.
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| Single-click
| See Click.
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| Spin box
| A box with two arrows and a text box; allows you to scroll in numerical increments or type a number.
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| Start button
| A button on the taskbar that you use to start programs, find and open files, access Windows Help and Support Center, and more.
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| Switch User
| To lock your user account and display the Welcome screen so another user can log on.
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| Tab (Ribbon)
| In an Office 2010 program, an area on the Ribbon that contains groups of related commands for completing a specific type of task. In a Word document, a set position where text following a tab character aligns.
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| Taskbar
| A bar at the bottom of the Windows desktop that contains the Start button, icons for all open programs and files, and the notification area.
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| Title bar
| The horizontal bar at the top of a window that displays the program name and the name of the active file.
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| Toolbar
| A customizable set of buttons that allows you to activate commands using one mouse click.
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| Touch pointer
| A pointer on the screen for performing pointing operations with a finger if touch input is available on your computer.
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| Translucency
| The transparency feature of Windows Aero that enables you to locate content by seeing through one window to the next window.
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| User account
| A special area in a computer’s operating system where users can store their own files.
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| Welcome screen
| An initial startup screen that displays icons for each user account on the computer.
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| Window
| Rectangular-shaped work area on a screen that might contain icons, the contents of a file, or other usable data.
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| Windows Aero
| See Aero.
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