So what do you do with it?
If you have followed the recent articles - Buying a PC, you may be sitting there wondering just HOW you can become productive on your new PC. Even if you haven't just bought a PC, you may find this article sheds some light. This article is about ways in which you can learn on your PC with the pros and cons of each method.
I've given each method a rating from 1 to 5 with 5 being one of the best ways to learn and 1 being the least. You have to remember that this is only my personal opinion and should only be used as a rough guide. If you have a personal preference for a particular method that you know that works, then stick with it.
Do it by the book
One of the most obvious ways to learn how to use your PC is by buying a book (or, more likely books). The trouble here is that computer books are often expensive and tend to be on the weighty side. They are also often full of computer jargon that can be off-putting. However, most good books will have a glossary of the terms and phrases used within the book.
Only some people can learn by this method and it is not suitable for all. However, the advantages and disadvantages are:
· You can read the book whilst using the PC without having to juggle help screens around.
· Books often contain highly detailed descriptions - often of every aspect of a program. This is a mixed blessing as it can be quite difficult to find the bits you HAVE to know as opposed to the bits that you don't. Look for books that contain a "hands on - getting started" section.
· You can't ask a book questions. Personally, I think this is the biggest failing of a book. You come across something you don't understand and try as you might; you simply can't understand it. This can occur when you are running a different version of a program.
· Which book do you choose? Another problem. Go into a bookstore and look at the books available for something like Microsoft Office. There will be a plethora of books on this subject. Often the only way you can tell a "good book from bad" is to read short extracts and try to get a feel for the author's style. If it's a style you like - go for it! Thing is - you still don't know if it's a good book!
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