Computing Made Easy For The Over 50s...

Computing Made Easy For The Over 50s

 
One of the biggest demographics now getting into computing and internet surfing is the grey generation, those over 50 and with both disposable income and time to explore the technology that many people take for granted.  The biggest problem with computing though is that for many beginners it can be quite daunting to sit behind a keyboard and try to work out what you can actually do.  There is a myriad of software with an even greater myriad of features, the majority of which will almost certainly never be used by most.  Faced with this, it's no wonder that so many either struggle or turn away.
 
But don't despair, heavyweight consumer magazine Which? has created a guide to computing that will help.  Aimed specifically at the over 50's, this guide takes the reader through the veritable maze of topics that face anyone with an interest in computing.  Split into small topics that are colour coded and well-indexed, easy objectives are set with step by step instructions in how to achieve them.  A lot of thought has gone into the layout with text kept to a minimum and plenty of illustrations so that the reader can grasp a better understanding of how they can maximise their computer experience, whether just surfing or creating video.
 
Jargon is kept to a minimum but as with most subjects, you can't avoid it.  Any jargon used comes with an explanation and is then repeated in a separate glossary.  This books also comes with an offer to access to the Which? on-line computing helpdesk whereby any issues that the reader comes up against that can't be answered within the book will be looked into by the Which? computer experts.  That in itself is an added incentive to pick this up for those still baffled by RAM and ROM.
 
I class myself as a fairly experienced computer used, having grown up through the dawn of the home computer age but even I found things within this book that I didn't know.  Recently I bought a laptop with Vista on it and purely by chance whilst reading this book discovered the existence of a sidebar and the ability to place widgets on the desktop to monitor the PC or import headlines and weather summaries from the internet.  Not a huge thing admittedly, but one I quite like the idea of and utilised for my PC.  Cheers for that.
 
Superb reference guide that is extremely easy to read and should help those currently held back to free the shackles that bind them and prevent them from journeying through cyberspace.
 
Recommended.