Fundamentals of Applications

Overview of Programs

Introduction
To interact with the computer, you will be using rectangular objects called windows. A window itself is simply one entity that is part of an ensemble called a computer program, also called a program, a computer application, or an application. All these four words or groups of words
mean exactly the same thing.
Programs are created by human beings. A person who creates a program is called a programmer, or a program developer, or a developer, or an application developer. After a program has been written, it is made available to people like you or me. Some programs are made freely available. Some programs must be purchased. Regardless, the program must be installed in your computer in order to use it. There are various ways the programs get into your computer. However a program gets in there, it is said to be installed.

The Operating System
The first and most important program of your computer is called an operating system. All the other programs depend on it. Everything that works in your computer is in accordance with the operating system. Since our lessons focus on the popular "personal computer", the operating system we use is called Microsoft Windows.
There are various types of Microsoft Windows. A type of Microsoft Windows is referred to as a version. Examples of versions are Microsoft Windows 3.3, Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows NT Workstation, Microsoft Windows NT Server, Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows Millennium, Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, and Microsoft Windows Server 2003
.
How your version of Microsoft Windows was installed in your computer may depend on how you got the computer. If you bought it in a store, the company that manufactured (that put together or assembled the pieces of) the computer also installed the operating system. It you bought it from a friend, a neighbor or a classified section in the newspaper, it had probably been installed one way or another. If you are taking a class in a school or a training center, the administration took care of installing the operating system. If you work in an office, the operating system likely has already been installed in the computer you use. If you built your own computer, then you might have installed the operating system. Regardless, this site assumes that the OS is already installed in the computer you are using and that you are able to start the computer.
Because the basic functionality of all of the Microsoft Windows versions is the same, our lessons don't distinguish the version of Microsoft Windows you are using. Unless stated otherwise, we simply consider that you are using a computer on which a Microsoft Windows version is installed.