Technology for dummies

[Sweet Melissa]

This is somewhat related to my thread about the e-mail virus.

So, how does someone who is not tech-savvy get up to speed with the technology out there? It really, really is not cool to feel this dumb.

I'm not in the workforce anymore, so it's even harder to keep up with the changes. I've been behind the times since the mid-90's, and just never got caught up, except for some specific programs which I used a lot in college.

[SlimeyLimey]

As you know, there's TONS of info available on the web. Search for specific topics/discussions. Can't absorb it all at once, so figure out what your after and start the learning process.

Also, there are some very smart iFishers here that readily answer specific problems and issues, so keep posting as you need.

S

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by Sweet Melissa

So, how does someone who is not tech-savvy get up to speed with the technology out there?

Have a 23-year-old granddaughter.

[txaggie]

Originally Posted by Sweet Melissa

This is somewhat related to my thread about the e-mail virus.

So, how does someone who is not tech-savvy get up to speed with the technology out there? It really, really is not cool to feel this dumb.

I'm not in the workforce anymore, so it's even harder to keep up with the changes. I've been behind the times since the mid-90's, and just never got caught up, except for some specific programs which I used a lot in college.

Read, Read, Read, Read, Read...there is so much information available on the internet now. You'll eventually develop what I call your own "mental filter" for what is garbage vs. what is relevant which takes time but will save you time in the future when trying to find and process all of the info at your fingertips.

[wthr4d]

I know Chemeketa (sp?) offers classes in Mac. the one here at LBCC cost about $20 a series. they are geared directly for adult ed developement. what you can't find on the web through tutorials etc they will help with.

Also if you use windows Microsoft does a bunch of very basic tutorials both through the "not so" help function and even better ones online.

paul

[ajfishfinder]

I have found that a 18-20 year old nephew is really nice to have close by for anything from cell phones to computer help.

[Sweet Melissa]

Originally Posted by ajfishfinder

I have found that a 18-20 year old nephew is really nice to have close by for anything from cell phones to computer help.

Yep, grandkids, nieces and nephews. For me, it is my 19 and 22 y/o cousins (the babies of the family.)

Me: "Can I download my cassette tapes to an MP3?"
Them: (In their heads, because they're too nice to do it to my face.)

I will look into taking classes at Chemeketa. Thanks for that idea, wthr4d. A lot of times, classes tend to be either very general or very specific to certain programs. I'll check it out, though.

[JustCallMeDave]

If you have a line out on your cassette player and a line in on your sound card, you CAN turn your cassettes into mp3s. It's faster, cheaper, and easier to just buy them as mp3's though.

[Sweet Melissa]

Originally Posted by JustCallMeDave

If you have a line out on your cassette player and a line in on your sound card, you CAN turn your cassettes into mp3s. It's faster, cheaper, and easier to just buy them as mp3's though.

If you have a line out on your cassette player and a line in on your sound card, you CAN turn your cassettes into mp3s. It's faster, cheaper, and easier to just buy them as mp3's though.

[Silver Hilton]

Originally Posted by Sweet Melissa

So, how does someone who is not tech-savvy get up to speed with the technology out there? It really, really is not cool to feel this dumb.

You pick a thing you want to do, and start there. You want to know about viruses, start by googling viruses, and read. Every time you find a term you don't understand, google it, or look it up on wikipedia. If you come across an error message, google it.

Try building a web site. Try writing a program in some language. Try changing your windows configuration. Try making computer music, or ripping and burning CDs. Hit the view source button on your browser for a web page, look at all the stuff, and figure out what it means.

What you will eventually find out is that there is a LOT to know about technology, and there is always someone who knows a lot more than you do. I feel ignorant about three times a day, and I know about seven computer languages, three operating systems, and a whole bunch of miscellaneous stuff that would peg your geek meter and glaze your eyes. Most of the clients I work with are amazed; while I feel like there are at least three new things I need to learn each month. And I'm kind of backwards and slow, compared to the young guys I work with.

Unless you do computers professionally, or live eat and breath them recreationally, it's going to be pretty hard to get deep in them. I've been working in the field for 20+ years, and I still feel ignorant. That said, it's never been easier to figure them out, thanks to your friend google.

At the end of the day, the important thing to understand is that a computer only does what it is being told to do. Just like a dog, you have to figure out how to talk to it.

[Silver Hilton]

As a starting point, you might look up the following in Wikipedia.

CPU
Operating system
Computer Program
Computer Language
Web Browser
Network
Internet
TCP/IP
HTML
HTTP
XML
Javascript
Client/Server

[DirectDrive]

Video Professor, for 3 easy payments of 39.95......
Just kidding. I agree with wthr4d, check your local adult education classes.
Hands on is best and you can learn together with your peers.

My 79 year young mom, for instance, teaches PhotoShop at her local community center.
The curriculum is great and the classes are always full.
Learning the basics of digital photo editing can be very satisfying.

Have fun.

[Sweet Melissa]

Originally Posted by Silver Hilton

As a starting point, you might look up the following in Wikipedia.

CPU
Operating system
Computer Program
Computer Language
Web Browser
Network
Internet
TCP/IP
HTML
HTTP
XML
Javascript
Client/Server

I did just that today. Mostly Google searches on a couple terms, but I did learn some things. Like how much I prefer Google over some of the other search engines. MP3 technology has got me a little baffled, so that will probably be the next thing I do some research on.

I 've enjoyed taking computer programming classes in the past. The last one I took was a degree requirement in college, and I was one of the few in my major who didn't drop it. Got an "A," actually. So, I'm not an idiot, I just play one on TV. Or something like that.

[Silver Hilton]

Originally Posted by Sweet Melissa

I did just that today. Mostly Google searches on a couple terms, but I did learn some things. Like how much I prefer Google over some of the other search engines. MP3 technology has got me a little baffled, so that will probably be the next thing I do some research on.

I 've enjoyed taking computer programming classes in the past. The last one I took was a degree requirement in college, and I was one of the few in my major who didn't drop it. Got an "A," actually. So, I'm not an idiot, I just play one on TV. Or something like that.

MP3 is just a file format. An MP3 file is a file, is a file, is a file. You can do anything to it that you can do to any other file, like copy it, send it in email, or open it with a text editor. The text editor won't make sense of it, but you can do it.

You use MP3 encoding software to grab music from a music source and store it in/create the file. You can either capture music from a playing source, like a radio or a music card or an instrument, or you can translate previously captured music, such as a CD. Music CD's store the music in a different format than MP3, which is why you need something to read the CD and translate, or 'rip' the music into MP3 format. Then you can copy the file to an MP3 player, which is really just a disk drive with buttons on it. Or you can send it to a friend like a word document.

I Tunes and Rhapsody store music in their own formats which are not MP3. Their format has a special additional bit of encoding which allows them to control how the music is played. They do this to restrict copying of the music without paying for it. This is commonly deferred to as DRM, or digital rights management.

You can create MP3's relatively easily with Windows Media Player, among many other tools. Let WMP read the CD onto your hard disk, and then use it to store the song from the library to your MP3 player.

Hope that helps.

[crazyinoregon]

ok,,,this is as non-techi as it gets....

[Sweet Melissa]

Ugh, I don't even want to see that. We've been having trouble with that system lately, too. Overflow problems with the CPU. But I digress...

[crazyinoregon]

there are several PC magazines out there that offer some very cool tips and tricks....in fact one of them has a column called just that. they usually do a very good job at showing step by step-- complimented with a pic or two. the main thing is to narrow your topics and start from there since there will be a lot of things that overlap eachother. you might want to learn more about the internet and them move towards word processors or something. I used to assist in a "computers for seniors" class at our local community college and we would give the students examples of differents part of personal computing such as word processors, spread sheets, internet and email, and home publishing. this class would not cover any of these topics completely but would give enough of a taste to them to maybe spark further interest. most of the seniors (55+) were in the class to learn just email since grand kids preferred that method of communication and they were also interested in digi cams etc.
hope this helps