Command Line

Most of the time when you're using your computer, you'll be using the Graphical User Interface (GUI). This just means that you have things like windows, buttons, and icons, and you can carry out operations by pointing and clicking. An alternative to this is the use of the command line, which performs the same functions only using text commands. (Mac OS X has a similar feature called Terminal.)

To access the command prompt window, either go to Start > Run and type cmd, or go to Start > Accessories > Command Prompt. You will get a window that looks like this.

From here, you can type in commands that will carry out various actions on your computer. This can be a little daunting to most users, but sometimes it can be much simpler than going through the GUI. For example, let's say you want to check your IP address? . With the GUI, this process takes four steps. With the command line, you simply type ipconfig to get the same result. If you don't know the commands, though, you're better off sticking with the GUI.