I've used computers as a power user since I was a little kid, although I am byu no means an expert. What I would say is this: depending on how well you learn, be careful what kind of computer course you take. I am required to take a course called Introduction to computers if I want to get a degree in accounting. Some on the taldren boards suggested i test out, which I was reluctant to do. In the end, it wasn't even an option, i learned, because the teacher of the course won't even consider letting me test out unless i can prove that I constantly use windows XP, MS office XP (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Access) and can prove expertise in each program prior to testing. Now, I've used each of these programs at least once- I can even remember using the first version of Office, and had been taught word processors, spreadsheats and databases since I was 6 (one of the few things my school district did well), but this is besides the point. Since I never bothered to learn the shortcuts for these programs, and sometimes take a few minutes to funble through to remember the nuances of MS Office (my primary program for this stuff is Appleworks) I can have no expertise, and therefore will not be allowed to test out.
Here's the real catch: the teacher has the idea that since the catalog says we should study a minimum of 15 hours per week for this class, she has taken it upon herself to make sure that even the most learned student in this area will studdy the minimum amount and then some. Case in point: one student this last week spent more than 40 hours on the weekend trying to finish the homework for our first week.
COmputer courses are only as good as the teacher, and if you know nothing about the teacher, you know nothing of the course.
I first started learning computers on a Mac. macintosh, unlike most PC vendors, provided a thourough manual with an excellent glossary and index which allowed me to learn things well at my own pace and in my own way. Add to that that Macs had a built in interactive help system in the OS that i could use to learn how to do things- something that PCs didn't have at the time.
These days, however, PC, while they don't have much in the line of manuals, DO have an excellent system built into the OS in the start menu labelled "Help" that will teach you much. SUe this, it will help you leanr your OS, and that is the basis of using a computer- knowing your OS.
Topic: Can some of you computer guys recomend good books for beginners? (Read 3774 times)