Computer Help Please!!

[DramaQueen]

A good friend of mine just got her first computer for Christmas. She is totally clueless about computers but she knows I am computer savvy and wants me to help her. This will take forever and she'll forget most of what I teach her.

Is there a site or book that will explain what the different funtions of a compter are and what they do? Questions like "what is a browser" "how do I send an attachment" stuff like that. She can't understand her manual. A simple book would be great but I can print out the site if I could find one. Anyone out there know?

 

[Lefty7887]

I use Howstuffworks "Computer Channel" (how stuff works) when I want to understand something new to me.

 

[GB]

Look for one of the xyz for dummies books. They are usually excellent at teaching the basics.

 

[miniman]

I would go along with GB. The dummies books are very good. The other possibility is to investigate local learning centres. Over here, they often run computer basics courses to get people up and running. There may also be someone local who is very computer savvy and will help her learn her way around the computer. DW and I run a computer company that offers this service - there may be someone nearby who does something similar

 

[Jeekinz]

First things first: Google


Then: Basics of Windows-tutorials

 

[pacanis]

What about that guy that's always doing the commercials and saying you can try the first CD free. Video Professor - Computer Learning Software and Online Training Lessons

 

[Lefty7887]

On second thought, do you have any adult learning coarses at a local community college around you? That may be a good way of not feeling alone in learning the basics.

 

[GB]

On second thought, do you have any adult learning coarses at a local community college around you? That may be a good way of not feeling alone in learning the basics.

I was just about to suggest the same thing. Our local community college is always offering adult ed classes with titles exactly like what you put in your first post DQ.

 

[DramaQueen]

Wow, every one of your suggestions are excellent sources of information. I could learn a few things myself.
Now another question. When I post the link to my blogsite on an e-mail to someone or on this site, some people cannot click on the link and others can. Why is this? Why doesn't the link work for everyone? Does it work for you?

 

[Adillo303]

Personally, I think the first problem was in your first post. If she is at "what is a browser", none of the online helps will work, she won't know how to get there.

If she is a good friend, I would suggest that you go to her house, help her unpack and put her computer together and get her on the internet. Set Google has her home page and show her how to get there and ask questions. If you can present her with a "how to for dummies" at the same time, she is off and running. Maybe set her up with a few favorites to the sites mentioned here.

AC

 

[pacanis]

Wow, every one of your suggestions are excellent sources of information. I could learn a few things myself.
Now another question. When I post the link to my blogsite on an e-mail to someone or on this site, some people cannot click on the link and others can. Why is this? Why doesn't the link work for everyone? Does it work for you?

Maybe their email is set to only read emails in regular text. I'm just guessing here. You could always send yourself emails and change your settings on each one to see.

 

[Adillo303]

Maybe I can help here, If the recipient of your e-Mail has a mail client that is set to text only, then the link will not come through. For hyperlinks to work, you have to be using html.

HTH
AC

 

[DramaQueen]

Now why didn't I think of that? I have mine set to html and assumed everyone else did too. Never dawned on me that they might not. Great. Now I have to walk them through the process of setting changing their settings. These people are all seniors and it's going to be hard. Thank you so much for the heads up on that one.