This tutorial shows how to open and use the Windows Start Menu. The start menu is the "control center" for your computer. From this menu, you can run programs, change system options, control system functions, and shut down your computer.

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 To open the start menu, click the start button that is usually at the left end of the taskbar, at the bottom of the desktop
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The left half of the start menu shows frequently used programs. If an arrow appears to the right of the program, hovering over it the arrow, or right-clicking the program will show a list of files that were recently opened with that program. This is a windows "jump list". To open a file from the jump list, click it.
If you don't see the program you're looking for in the list, click "all programs" to show a complete list of all programs installed on your computer.
The right half of the start menu shows several system folders, including the "computer", and "control panel" folders.

While you CAN run any program from the start menu, You should create shortcuts on the desktop, or on the quicklaunch toolbar for programs you frequently use.

To create a desktop shortcut, right-click and drag any program on the start menu to the desktop, then select "create shortcuts here". For programs you use daily, you should "pin" a showtcut to the quicklaunch toolbar.
To "pin" a shortcut to a program to the quicklaunch toolbar, right-click the program and select "pin to taskbar". Shortcuts on the quicklaunch toolbar are always visible, and can be executed with a single click.

 Use the search box to find computer options, programs or other files, or folders stored on your computer. To search, click start, and type the name(you can use asterisks for wild cards). If the name appears on the search results list and is hilited, you can press enter to open or run it. Or you can click any item in the search list. You can also right-click an item and select "open folder location" to open the folder containing the item.

 Click the Shutdown button to turn off your computer.
if you click the arrow to the right of "shutdown", you can select several other options, including restart.

Never turn off your computer by pressing the power button, or by turning off an outlet strip the computer is plugged into. That can loss of data, or, in worse case, can destroy your operating system, requiring a reinstallation. Always shut your computer off from the start menu, wait until it has turned off completely (the fans stop, the lights go out) before turning off any other devices connected to the computer, such as external hard drives or monitors.

 And to repeat once again, ALWAYS plug your computer into an UPS (interruptable power supply) to protect it from power failures. A UPS is NOT the same as a surge protector.

 That's the end of this tutorial. Thanks for watching.