1. OVERVIEW

2. LOGGING IN

(If you have not already done so) your tutor will guide you through the process of logging in to the computer system. To do this you will need a username and a password which you were issued with before your first tutorial. If you make a mistake while logging in the system will tell you and you should try again. Ask your tutor if you have any difficulty. (Should any "warning" windows appear, simply acknowledge these.)

Once you have successfully logged on you will be presented (on the screen!) with what is known as a desk top. This comprises a series of icons on the left hand side listing a number of directories, files and common applications: `My Documents', `My Computer', `My Network Places', `Internet Explorer', `Acrobat Reader 7.0', Microsoft Office Word 2003', `UNIX' (Exceed), `WinZip' and a Power Point

file called Blank timetable (do not worry if you do not understand what any or some of these are supposed to do). There will also be a `Recycle Bin' icon on the lower right hand side.

At the bottom of the screen (desk top) is a task bar which indicates which applications you are running. On starting up you will find that you are already running one application:

1. Message of the Day --- read this it may be important!

You will also see a "start" button; and, at the right hand side, a number of smaller icons and a clock on the task bar. Close the Message of the Day application (after having read the "message") by clicking on the "X" close icon (top right hand corner).

3. ACCESSING THE COMP101 COURSE MATERIAL

All course material for COMP101 is available in the form of a hierarchy of World Wide Web (WWW) pages (or simply web pages). To access the notes you must invoke a web browser. We provide Internet Explorer, but there are many others.

To run Explorer double click on (select) the Internet Explorer icon (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The Internet Explorer icon

Once invoked explorer will automatically take you to the Department of Computer Science at the University of Liverpool's home page (Figure 2).

Experiment with the interface:

1. The "back" and "forward" keys allow you to navigate through the most recent sequence of WWW pages that you have looked at (as yet you have not looked at any so they will be "greyed out").

2. By deleting the address of the current web page (known as a URL --- Universal Resource Locator) in the address window, typing in a new address and pressing return you can move to a new location. Try the following URLs:
   • http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/ department.html to go to the Department WWW page where you will find links to regulations, academic policy and safety information.
   • http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/ ~frans/COMP101/comp101.html to access the COMP101 course notes.
   
   If you get a message to the effect that the desired page has not been found this usually means that you have made a typing error when entering the address (in some cases it may mean that the desired Web page is no longer available).
3. If you find an interesting page you can add it to your favorites. Click on Favorites and then the Add ... button. This will add the current page to your favorites list.
4. Now go onto Part 2 of this tutorial which is located at http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/ ~frans/COMP101/week2/tutorial1cont.html.