Tangerang, Kartunet - Windows 10, or its full name Microsoft Windows 10, is the latest operating system produced by Microsoft, which is starting to rival the popularity of Windows 7. This operating system began to be widely used due to Microsoft's policy of offering free upgrades to Windows 10 for Windows 7 users in the first year. Additionally, Windows 10 is also claimed by Microsoft to be more stable and faster than previous Windows versions. Advantages of the Windows operating system:
- Easy to use compared to other operating systems like open-source Linux.
- Software (software) installation is easier compared to installation on other operating systems.
- Many supporting software applications are Windows-based.
- More driver support.
Disadvantages of the Windows operating system:
- License price is relatively expensive and cannot be transferred to another device by the same owner.
- It is closed-source.
- Vulnerable to viruses that attack the Windows operating system.
- Security system is still lacking.
- Sometimes the system is unstable, for example, issues like hang/crash occur.
Overview of the Windows 10 Desktop
In general, the Windows 10 desktop does not differ significantly from previous versions. The desktop is divided into two main parts: the top and bottom. The top part consists of the background, Recycle Bin, and icons representing specific programs/applications or files. The bottom part consists of:
- Start menu; a menu display containing a list of programs installed on the computer.
- Taskbar; a menu display containing a list of active programs.
- System Tray; a feature located on the Windows taskbar, usually in the bottom right corner, consisting of icons for running programs, and the date and time indicator. The System Tray makes it easier for users to access programs by navigating using the Tab key.
To navigate the desktop, press Windows+M to hide all active application windows and move the cursor to the Desktop. To browse the desktop content, press the arrow keys or press the first letter of the icon's name you want to navigate to. For example, to find the Recycle Bin, you can press the letter 'r'.
Overview of the Windows 10 Start Menu
The Windows 10 Start Menu has 4 sections, and you can move between each section by pressing the Tab key.
- Search box. The Search Box can be used to launch programs, open folders, and activate other Windows 10 features by typing. Example: activate the Start Menu, type "word", and the computer will read out menus containing the word "word". For instance, when the computer reads "Word 2016", press Enter to open that application. You can also type a few characters of what you're looking for until the computer reads the complete menu. Press the down arrow to see other menus containing the searched word.
- Navigation menu. This section contains several icons: User account, File Explorer (replacing Windows Explorer in previous Windows versions), Settings (replacing Control Panel), and Power (containing options to shut down, restart, or sleep the computer). To move, press the up/down arrow keys.
- Apps View. Contains a list of applications installed on the computer. Applications are sorted alphabetically and are the most frequently used applications. To move, press the up/down arrow keys.
- Pins View. This section contains several entertainment and utility applications, including calculator, calendar, mail, weather, and various games.
Working with Submenus and Collapse/Expand
Some items within the Start Menu are identified by screen readers with the words "Submenu" and "Collapse." On the screen display, the words "Submenu" and "Collapse" are not written. For example, when navigating within the Start Menu and encountering "Microsoft Office 2016 tools" in the Apps View, the screen reader will say "Microsoft Office 2016 Tools Collapse." The text on the screen will only show "Microsoft Office 2016 Tools." The word "Collapse" indicates that the item has further options within it. To display these options, you can press the right arrow or Enter. Within the Apps View, you will find several items marked with the word "Submenu." "Submenu" also indicates that there are several options within it. Press the right arrow or Enter to display the options within.
Checking Date and Time
The Date and Time appear in the System Tray. With NVDA commands, you can read it by pressing Insert+F12 to read only the time, or Insert+F12 twice to read the day, hour, date, and year. To change the time and date settings, follow these steps:
- Activate the Start Menu, then type "Date". The computer will automatically read "Date and Time settings". Press Enter.
- Once "Date and Time" is active, press Tab until you reach "Change Date and Time", then press Enter directly.
- The Date and Time dialog box will be displayed. When the Date and Time dialog box is first opened, the cursor will be positioned at the date setting. Use the right/left arrow keys to change the date day by day, and the down/up arrow keys to change it week by week.
- If the month is incorrect from the date setting position, press Ctrl+up arrow once to move to the month setting. Use the right/left arrow keys to change it month by month, or the up/down arrow keys to change it by four months.
- If the year is incorrect, from the month setting position, press Ctrl+up arrow once, or Ctrl+up arrow twice from the date setting, to move to the year setting. Press the right/left arrow keys to change it year by year, or the down/up arrow keys to change it by four years.
- Press Tab once to go to the hour setting, use the up/down arrow keys to change it.
- Press Tab again to move to the minute setting, use the up/down arrow keys to change it.
- Press Tab once to move to the second setting. This section can be ignored.
- Press Tab once to go to the Time Marker setting. Here, select AM or PM.
- After everything is set, press Tab until you reach “change”, then press Enter.
Adjusting Computer Volume
Here are the steps to adjust the computer's volume:
- Activate the Start Menu, type “volume”, and “adjust system volume” will appear. Press Enter.
- Press the up/down or left/right arrow keys to gradually increase or decrease the volume. Press Page Up or Page Down to quickly increase or decrease the volume.
- If you press Tab, there will be many application options whose sound volume can be adjusted. For example, if you want to set the music volume lower than the screen reader's volume, you can adjust it in this volume control.
- Press Enter or Alt+F4 to exit the volume control dialog.
This concludes the general overview of the Windows 10 interface. It's true that sometimes when using a new operating system, there's a concern about difficulty adapting. But let's return to the basic concept that technology and innovation serve to simplify human tasks. So, it's unlikely that a new innovation would make things more difficult for you. Such a product might not even sell well in the market. So, there's no need to worry; learn diligently, and you too will be able to enjoy the convenience of using Windows 10.(DPM)