Sean Byerley
Are you one of the many who are apprehensive about computers? Well, here is a guide that will help. For those of you who do not know what a CD-ROM is – be apprehensive no longer. This book should make it easy for you to learn and appreciate computers. Welcome to “It’s Not Too Late To Learn Computers”.
Sean Byerley is a college educated young man who has been around computers for most of his life.
He has over 15 years of computer experience and wanted to pass some of that knowledge on to others who might need it. He has a nice flair to his writing.
He wanted to put out a book about computers and the internet that everyone (even the non computer user) could understand.
CHAPTER 1 – A WORD ABOUT COMPUTERS
I know that there are many people out there that want nothing to do with computers. Despite what most people who want to have nothing to do with computers will tell you, your computer will not explode or stop working just because you push the wrong key or something.
You may be saying, “I’m too old to learn computers!” Not so. Whether you’re in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, or 70’s, you aren’t too old to learn computers.
You might be speculating about how this book came to be. Well, about 1990 or so, people started telling me, “You should write a book!” because I was always (or almost always) able to answer their computer questions. So, here I am seven computers and many friends later, finally putting it down on paper.
Without further ado, here’s our first question of many….
· WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS DOES THIS BOOK COVER?
This book covers questions about PC’s, the internet, and many other computer related questions.
· I DON’T NEED A COMPUTER. WHY WOULD I WANT ONE?
Computers are around to make our life easier. Do you write many letters? Good. Let’s say, however, that you don’t print or handwrite very well. A computer can help you type an extremely neat letter to your sister, favorite aunt or uncle, mother, father, etc., faster and easier than you might have thought possible. Just print it out and send. In addition, I know that many people buy a computer just to send e-mails (see the question, “WHAT IS E-MAIL?”) to their relatives.
You can make greeting cards. You can also make an album of all your favorite photos, play movies, music, games, all on your computer.
· BUT, I DON’T TYPE!
You don’t have to be able to type to use a computer, although it is helpful.
· WHAT IS SOFTWARE?
Software is the programs (games, word processing programs, etc.) that you put into the computer from the outside of it.
· ARE ALL COMPUTERS MADE BY THE SAME COMPANY?
No. There are many companies out there that make computers.
· DO COMPUTERS TAKE UP A LOT OF ENERGY?
No. Years ago, when home computers were in their infancy, they were a lot louder, a lot larger, and took up a lot more resources, including energy. Today, they take up only a portion of that energy.
· WHAT DO I DO IF I CAN’T AFFORD A COMPUTER?
No problem! You can buy a computer with your credit card and pay it off little by little until you have paid it off completely -- and use it while you’re doing it.
· I RECEIVED SOME MANUALS AND OTHER THINGS WITH MY COMPUTER. I DON’T NEED THEM. CAN I THROW THEM OUT?
No. You must keep them. The manuals may come in handy later, and the rest are software disks (that you already paid for and might need to use or install the software again). A couple of the disks contain most of the software that came on your computer – including the software that makes it run. So, you must hang on to these items.
· I THOUGHT HARDWARE WAS FOUND AT MY LOCAL HARDWARE STORE.
Well…this is a different kind of hardware. In this case, hardware is everything that is not software (all the internal parts of your computer).
· WHAT DO THESE COLORS ON THE BACK OF MY COMPUTER MEAN?
When you’re hooking up your computer, the cables and the hardware should match. That way you don’t have to wonder what connects to what.
· WHAT IS SPEECH RECOGNITION SOFTWARE?
Let’s say you want to type a letter, but your hands hurt, or you just plain don’t feel like it. This software will let you say what you want to say in your letter, and it will end up on your computer screen – typed for you. All you need is a good microphone.
Here comes the question I most often come across…
· OKAY, HOW DO YOU TURN THE THING ON?
There is a button on the front of the computer tower. Power buttons for computers have moved around and changed a little bit over the years. On the smaller computers of the early 1980’s, the power buttons (or switches as they were then) were mostly small black switches on the back left hand side of the computer. In the late 80’s, they were long switches on the front right hand side of the computer. The power switches on today’s computers are usually located on the front right hand side of the computer.
· WHAT’S THAT BEEPING I KEEP HEARING?
That beeping is when your computer is booting up. No, it doesn’t mean kicking it when it doesn’t do what you want it to. Booting up your computer (or your hard drive) means turning it on. When you hear that beep shortly after you turn your computer on… that’s the point at which you are booting up your computer.
