Care and Use of Computers

Students should NEVER touch the screen of the monitor with their finger or pencils They may not look like they are made of glass, but they are, and they are breakable with too much pressure. Students attempting to "clean" their screens have actually broken them. Do Not use cleaners that contain ammonia, like Windex. If the screen needs cleaning, use a soft cloth that is damp with water only and gently wipe the surface.

Computers should NEVER be out or used when liquids or food are present. Spilling liquids or food on the keyboard will damage it. The keyboards and computers can be dusted with a soft bristle brush.

Always have clean hands when using your notebook Clean hands make it easier to use your notebook touchpad and there will be less risk of leaving dirt and other stains on the computer. In addition, if you clean your hands before use, you will help reduce wear and tear on the coating of the notebook caused by contact with sweat and small particles.

When notebooks are not being used, they should be closed. They are much more durable when they are closed and are far less likely to get knocked off a desk or other surface.

Don't set the notebooks anywhere but on a desk, table, or counter. They will get broken if left on seats, on the floor, etc.

Be aware of yours and your notebook's surroundings Don't place them near the edge of a desk or table, or in a cluttered space. You are far more likely to accidentally push a notebook off of a desk or table with lots of books, supplies, and other items on it. If there are a lot of people moving about the classroom, close your notebook, if you can, or at least move it to the center of your desk/table to prevent someone else from knocking it off your desk.

Do not place anything on top of or underneath a notebook Pressure from items on top can lead to broken screens and items underneath the notebook will dramatically increase the likelihood of a fall. Anything on top of the device will obscure it from view (or damage it if the object is heavy) and out of sight = out of mind.

Be extra careful when transporting notebooks The notebooks are far more likely to break if they are dropped on a hard surface than a soft one.

When moving a notebook from one location to another, always close it first. An open notebook is difficult to handle safely and is easily dropped and/or broken.

Hold and lift the notebook by its base, not by its monitor (LCD display, screen) If you lift it by the screen part alone, you could damage the display or the hinges attaching it to the base. The display is also easily scratched or damaged by direct pressure – avoid placing pressure on it.

Never put anything between the screen and base when you close the notebook; hard objects can break the screen. Hard objects can break the screen and paper and books can damage the hinges.

Do Not Rely On Hard Booting Sometimes people are tempted to turn their computer off by simply holding down the power button until it powers down. Although quick, this method is very harmful to your computer and can cause you to lose data. A hard reboot should be used as a last resort.

The proper way to shut down a Computer is: First, save your work. Close any programs, files and folders that are open. Then, press the windows key on the keyboard or click the start button. A list of options will appear. From the list, choose “shut down”.