Ok, I have the idea...now I'm ready for some basics.

   All right, I'll start out as simple as possible and work my way up. You have two basic ways to tell your computer what to do; the mouse and the keyboard. Since the mouse gets used the most, we'll start there. Almost every mouse there is has at least two buttons, right and left. Each has some basic functions:

   Left click - this is a fancy way of saying you press and quickly release the left mouse button.

• On web pages you would left click on something to make something happen. Usually what you're clicking on is a link, or a way to send you to a different web page. You'll know you can click on something when your pointer turns into the "hand" ( ). There are other things you can click on too, things like buttons and controls for media players.
• On your computer a single left click is a way of selecting* a file or folder. That's like saying "hey, you there". It lets Windows know that you're about to do something (like rename or copy or delete), and you want it to happen to a specific file or folder. You'll also see the pointer turn into the "hand" ( )

   Right click - yes, you guessed it; a right click means you press and quickly release the right mouse button (see, you're good at this!) In general, a right click will also act as a way to select something...in other words, you usually don't have to left click on something and then right click it; the right click alone is normally enough.

• On a web page, right clicking on something gives you a list of all the things you can do with the thing you clicked on. See, a web page isn't one big image; instead, it's a whole bunch of pieces being displayed in a set way. So, for example, if you see a picture you like on a web page, you can right click on that picture and save it, or send it to someone...whatever you'd like.
• On your computer a right click has a similar function. It gives you a list of options for the thing you right clicked on. Since it's on your own computer there are usually a lot more options, things like copying and pasting (do what now? We'll get to it) and deleting. Please don't use this new-found knowledge to delete anything unless you absolutely positively know you don't need it...bad things can happen.

   Double click - even though it doesn't say so right in the name, a double click always means with the left button, since there's never a time you'd want to double right click. A double click is a press-release-press again-release again of the left mouse button, and you have to be a bit quick about it (if you dig around in the settings for the mouse, there's a way to allow a slower double click).

• On a web page, there's no use for a double click. All the browser will see is two left clicks really close together.
• On your computer, a double click tells a file or folder "do whatever it is that you do". If you double click on a folder, it opens that folder and shows you what's in it. If it's a movie, a double click tells Windows to open the proper program and play it. If it's a text file, it opens the proper program and shows you the contents. Windows keeps a list of what program opens each type of file, and when you double click on the file it opens that program. If it doesn't know what to do with the file, it pops up a window that asks you what to do...don't worry, you probably won't have that problem.

   How does it know what program to use? Every file name is made up of two parts: the name, and the extension. If you have a text file named "example", Windows would see it as "example.txt" (usually the extension is three letters, but not always - and it would be pronounced "example dot text"). The name is the part before the dot, and the extension is the part after it. The way Windows is set up when installed is to use a program called "Notepad" to open text files, but that can be changed (it's also set up to not show the extension for file types that it "knows", causing much confusion). So if you double clicked the file "example.txt" (which you would see as "example" with a text document icon) , Windows would open Notepad and show you the contents.

   Click and drag - this means you press and hold down the left button and then move the mouse. When you first click and then hold down the left button Windows realizes that whatever you're doing starts here, but there's more to come.

• On a web page the result of a click and drag depends on where your pointer starts out. If you start with the regular pointer (the arrow - ) a click and drag selects everything in the path of the movement. If you start out over some text (with the text pointer - ) dragging will select text from that point on.
• On your computer a click and drag has a similar use, selecting multiple items, but it also has another use.  If you click on a file or folder and drag it, you can tell Windows you want it moved or even deleted (if you drag it to the recyle bin). Again, be careful with this new ability. If you click and drag with the right mouse button, it will pop up a window that gives you some options.

   Hover - This just means you stop the pointer over something for a few moments.

• On a web page, if the webmaster has specified it, hovering over a link will pop up some text. Usually it's a bit of information about the link, or the image used to make it.
• On your computer, a hover does a similar thing; pops up an information bubble about the thing you're hovering over. It might tell you things like the size of the file, when it was created or other things.

* - When something is selected, it gets "highlighted"...usually shown by some type of color change.