dlloyd
Official Pianist
My Dad and I are both very proficient with computers, he works with them for a living (albeit on PCs), and I started learning to use them when I was about 5.
He taught me a lot of what I know, and he has always been there to answer my questions. I now know more about Macs than he does, and almost as much about PCs, even though I usually try not to use them.
Even with his tutoring, I learned most of what I know through experimenting. He used to have pretty strict rules on what I could and could not to on the iMac, and still does on his PC (he doesn't actually own the PC, his company does. That is reason). Because of these restrictions, I never seriously messed up the computer in any way.
Well, now I have my own iBook I can doing anything I like, without worrying about how badly I screw up (well... that's not quite what I mean, but at least if I mess up now, it doesn't effect anyone else
).
My problem, and the reason I am posting this thread is this:
After I stopped using the old iMac, I reformatted it and installed OS X. At my Dad's request, I set it up so that my sisters (all younger) could use and administrate it autonomously, with a little bit of help from me. They mostly use it for web browsing, checking e-mail, and playing CD titles we borrow from the library.
This was all OK for awhile, I would help them out, oh, maybe once every few weeks or so (usually something simple like "How do I eject this CD, it won't work" or "I can't remember how to restart into OS 9": they are 12, 10, 8, and 6), but they usually ended up forgetting what I told them after a few days, and I had to repeat it. Once I had told them the same thing more than about three times, I tended to get annoyed.
Now part of this is probably the way I told it to them (see this article: Eek! A Newbie!), but I think part of it also has to do with the fact that they are being told by me, and are not finding things out for themselves. They, and my Mom, are all very computer illiterate, and unfortunately seem to be staying that way.
Well, this morning I walked in and found them all together, trying to move one folder into another by dragging the open window of the first folder on top of the open window of the second. I had to quickly correct them and then duck out of the room to prevent myself from bursting into laughter, but when I returned, I suggested that we get some kind or course that they could spend a half hour to an hour a day going through to improve their computer abilities. Mom thought this was a great idea.
Now I might be able to teach them myself, but I'd rather not, if only for the reason that because of the basic-ness of what I'd need to start out with, I'd probably start laughing like manic every time I saw them, and end up needing to retire 40 years early.
Now, after that long monologue, the real question: Does anyone here now of a book/video/computer program that my 'computer dummy' family members could go through that would ease the amount I would have to help them? Something like "The 'I Have a Computer Genius For A Brother And He Is Making me Read This Book So I Don't Make Him Look Stupid' For Dummies"?
If anyone has any ideas, I would really appreciate them!
He taught me a lot of what I know, and he has always been there to answer my questions. I now know more about Macs than he does, and almost as much about PCs, even though I usually try not to use them.
Even with his tutoring, I learned most of what I know through experimenting. He used to have pretty strict rules on what I could and could not to on the iMac, and still does on his PC (he doesn't actually own the PC, his company does. That is reason). Because of these restrictions, I never seriously messed up the computer in any way.
Well, now I have my own iBook I can doing anything I like, without worrying about how badly I screw up (well... that's not quite what I mean, but at least if I mess up now, it doesn't effect anyone else
).My problem, and the reason I am posting this thread is this:
After I stopped using the old iMac, I reformatted it and installed OS X. At my Dad's request, I set it up so that my sisters (all younger) could use and administrate it autonomously, with a little bit of help from me. They mostly use it for web browsing, checking e-mail, and playing CD titles we borrow from the library.
This was all OK for awhile, I would help them out, oh, maybe once every few weeks or so (usually something simple like "How do I eject this CD, it won't work" or "I can't remember how to restart into OS 9": they are 12, 10, 8, and 6), but they usually ended up forgetting what I told them after a few days, and I had to repeat it. Once I had told them the same thing more than about three times, I tended to get annoyed.
Now part of this is probably the way I told it to them (see this article: Eek! A Newbie!), but I think part of it also has to do with the fact that they are being told by me, and are not finding things out for themselves. They, and my Mom, are all very computer illiterate, and unfortunately seem to be staying that way.
Well, this morning I walked in and found them all together, trying to move one folder into another by dragging the open window of the first folder on top of the open window of the second. I had to quickly correct them and then duck out of the room to prevent myself from bursting into laughter, but when I returned, I suggested that we get some kind or course that they could spend a half hour to an hour a day going through to improve their computer abilities. Mom thought this was a great idea.
Now I might be able to teach them myself, but I'd rather not, if only for the reason that because of the basic-ness of what I'd need to start out with, I'd probably start laughing like manic every time I saw them, and end up needing to retire 40 years early.
Now, after that long monologue, the real question: Does anyone here now of a book/video/computer program that my 'computer dummy' family members could go through that would ease the amount I would have to help them? Something like "The 'I Have a Computer Genius For A Brother And He Is Making me Read This Book So I Don't Make Him Look Stupid' For Dummies"?
If anyone has any ideas, I would really appreciate them!
