What is desktop?
Desktop is the first user interface that appears when the computer finishes booting.
There are three main items that are usually found on the desktop which are termed features of the desktop. These three main features of the desktop are; icons, wallpaper and taskbar.
What is an icon?
An icon is a small image on the desktop that represents a program or file.
Icons on the desktop can be selected, moved and hidden. Selecting and moving an icon on the desktop is a bit different from selecting and moving multiple icons.
HOW TO SELECT AN ICON OR ICONS ON THE DESKTOP
Selecting an icon is done by simply clicking on the icon or clicking beside the icon, holding down the left mouse button and hovering the mouse pointer over the icon.
Selecting all the icons on the desktop can be done in four ways;
1. By clicking on a blank space on the desktop, still holding down the left mouse button and hovering (in other words, moving) the mouse pointer over all the icons.
2. By using the keyboard shortcut, control + A (Ctrl + A). This is done by pressing down the Ctrl key and also pressing the A key at the same time. (After pressing the Ctrl key do not leave it before pressing the A key)
3. By clicking on the first icon on the desktop, pressing the Shift key and using the arrow keys to select the rest of the icons. (Do not leave the shift key as you press the arrow keys)
4. By clicking on one of the icons, pressing down the Ctrl key and then clicking on the rest of the icons one after the other. (Do not leave the Ctrl key while clicking on the rest of the icons)
[Teacher’s tip; it is good to take your pupils through all the ways above but I suggest you help them practice 1 and 2 per their level.]
Selecting multiple icons on the desktop but not all
There are three ways to select multiple icons on the desktop;
1. By clicking on a blank space on the desktop, still holding down the left mouse button and hovering the mouse pointer over the icons you want to select.
2. By clicking on one of the icons you want to select, pressing the Shift key and using the arrow keys to select the rest of the icons you want to select.
3. By clicking on one of the icons you want to select, pressing down the Ctrl key and then clicking on the rest of the icons you want to select one after the other.
MOVING ICON/ICONS ON THE DESKTOP
Moving an icon means moving the icon from one location to another.
There are two basic ways to move an icon or icons from one location to another on the desktop;
1. Drag and drop
2. Copy and paste.
To drag and drop an icon, click on the icon you want to move and without leaving the mouse button, move the icon to the new location on the desktop and then leave the mouse button.
To use the copy and paste method to move an icon,
- Right-click on the icon and click on Copy from the pop-up menu.
- Move the mouse pointer to the new location and press the right mouse button.
- Click on Paste from the pop-up menu.
To drag and drop multiple icons on the desktop, select the icons you want to move (we have already learned how to select icons above), click on one of the icons selected and move them to the new location.
To use the copy and paste method to move multiple icons,
- Select the icons you want to move
- Right-click on one of the icons selected
- Click on Copy from the pop-up menu
- Move the mouse pointer to the new location and press the right mouse button
- Click on Paste on the pop-up menu.
HIDING AND UNHIDING ICONS ON THE DESKTOP
Hiding icons on the desktop means making all the icons on the desktop disappear and to do that;
- Right-click on the desktop (blank space)
- Put the mouse pointer on View on the pop-up menu
- Click on Show desktop icons on the drop-down menu
To unhide icons on the desktop, use the same steps used to hide them.
SAMPLE EXERCISE/HOMEWORK
- What is desktop in computing?
- Name three features of the desktop.
- Define icon.
- How do you select an icon on the desktop?
- How do you select multiple icons on the desktop but not all?
- How many ways can icons be moved on the desktop?
- Write down the process of moving an icon using the drag and drop method.
- How do you copy and paste an icon on the desktop (state the steps)?
- List down the steps for hiding icons on the desktop.