Installing and removing programs safely
Programs have to be put on a device before we can use them; this is called installing. Some programs install by themselves. For example, when a new printer is connected, the operating system can find the little helper program that the printer needs, and the printer works at once. Other programs we choose to put on, with a grown-up. When we no longer need a program, it can be removed through the settings. Removing a program frees storage space and keeps the device tidy. Think of a wardrobe: if it is full of clothes you never wear, there is no room for new ones. Settings also hold hardware and software choices, such as adding a printer or a new font. The steps are different on each system, so ask a teacher. A safe rule: install only what a grown-up approves, and never remove anything you do not understand.
| Way to get a program | Example |
|---|---|
| installs by itself | a new printer’s helper program |
| installed with a grown-up | a drawing program for school |
| removed in settings | a game nobody plays now |
| Storage boxes | Number |
|---|---|
| all | 10 |
| full | 8 |
| free | 2 |
| free after removing the old program | 6 |
Wardrobe game. Draw a wardrobe with ten shelves. Colour eight shelves for programs and files. A new program needs three shelves. Can it fit? Which old program could you remove (an invented game that uses four shelves), and how many shelves are free afterwards? Then write three safety rules for installing and removing programs.