Introduction

Welcome to your guide to using your laptop appropriately and effectively within the NC State network. This guide is designed to not only instruct you on how to use your own computer but how to use the resources available for you provided by NC State. Our hope is that you learn not just how to use your computer but that you understand the underlying concepts of the material you learn. Your goal should be to come out of this course knowing more than you know now and possessing the ability to learn even more on your own. We intend to instruct you in the following areas:

• Vocabulary and Commands
  Proper terminology, definition, usage, software, and syntax of system commands.
• Logical Problem Solving Processes
  Logical step by step approaches to working with the system and solving problems.
• Trouble Shooting
  Being able to solve problems, or knowing how and who to ask questions to solve those problems.
• Play!
  The most important concept of this class! It is important to experiment and put the new knowledge you have learned into practice. According to Dr. Seymour Papert, LEGO Professor of Learning Research at MIT, "Knowledge is only part of understanding. Genuine understanding comes from hands-on experience."

Organization & Layout

This guide is laid out into seven chapters that represent logical break downs of material for this course. There will be times when a given lecture covers multiple chapters or a chapter is divided between several lectures.

Comments & Suggestions

As this is the first use of this guide, any comments or suggestions you have are greatly appreciated and welcomed. Please email those to the E115 Laptop Coordinator.