REAL beginners guide to pcs.....

[philg]

OK, I am sure there is something out there, but.....

My wife (unbeknownst to her) is about to join the compter masses

Well, given that she is COMPLETELY igornant of the world of pcs and Windows, I am looking for a real beginners guide

One that covers such topics as "double-click", "resizing & moving Windows", "My Computer exploration" etc. - in other words, all of those things that the rest of us (and most of the beginners books) take for granted

Anyone have any suggestions??

Many thanks

Phil G

PS Just as with driving, she doesn't fancy taking lessons from me :(

[ChuckFickens]

The "dummies" books are really good at explaining things in a easy to understand way.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/computers-softwa re/operating-systems/windows-xp-vista.html

[philg]

Yeah, I looked at those

Snag is - she scares easily, and there is a LOT of Windows XP she doesn't even need to be aware of at this point - these Dummies books seem to go into too much detail

The more information I give her, the more likely it is she will "not understand" :(

[daniela31]

Get her an ID on here........................and we will teach her a few basics.
:-)

[philg]

That's the problem you see

She'd have to know the basics just to GET here :)

We take WAYYY too much for granted

Phil G

[Ethel]

You could do one yourself and print it off. :)

Solitaire is on every Windows pc (as far as I know) and is an excellent way of getting a beginner used to handling a mouse in a familiar and non-scary game.

This is a fabby site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/abbeg/abbeg.shtml

[daniela31]

This is true.
can she use a keyboard? Let her sit and watch you for a while. I found it hard at first, but she is not going to learn unless she actually has a go herself.
Just don't be too critical. maybe she won't let you teach her becuse you have no patience?
start off with one of the games, like spider solitaire or something like that.

[VHG]

Most colleges do free classes for computer beginers.

Ask at your local college or library.

Some of these courses do start from absolute basics.

[ACtheTROLL]

The ideal is sit her down and show her
patience is good to get the hang of mouseing

start simple ... a bit of surfing
but you need to think of something she'll find interesting ....
the BBC website is good ..... here - (god forbid) facebook

you get her there ... show her how to get round ... leave her to it
then
put her sites on the toolbar or create shortcuts - let her open the browser - get to the site leave her to it.

gently gently

then it's got to be the dummies book ....
let her buy it for herself online

set up her e-mail ....

[Groupie]

The rough guide to PCs&Windows
By Peter Buckley &Duncan Clark
Done the job for me i was a real dummy but now not so much of a dummy

[rosyposy]

I think the site suggested by Ethel (how DO you find just the right thing, Ethel?) would be perfect for your wife to learn how to handle the mouse and keyboard. It is so easy it will help her to relax and get used to things before going on to more serious stuff, it is so easy to be put off by being nervous, especially if someone (anyone) is watching you too closely! Then maybe the Microsoft EASY books which say 'see it done,do it yourself'' and shows you page by page in full colour how to do all the tasks. I find the Dummy books have too much writing and not enough pictures.If she takes her time I'm sure she will get to love it. (Until it goes wrong, of course, then don't we HATE it!!) Rosy

[philg]

Ethels link is FANTASIC - I think this will do nicely for starters (many thanks)

Nikki (the as yet un-named wife!) is also left handed, so I don't know yet whether she will want to be a sinister-mouse-user or whether she'll cope with right-handed-mousage......

Phil G

[dabees]

Just set up a different profile for her in XP and change the mouse settings to left handed.

[dabees]

Forgot to say......

Start, Control Panel, User Accounts, then make her a new account.

The under her account settings, Start, Control Panel, Mouse, and switch the Primary Button settings.