Topic: How did you learn ?

[macmac]

I was helping a friend with her new laptop today and it got me wondering...
How did you folk learn how to use your computer ?
I have grandchildren and a fab S.I.L and the mind of a terrier after a ferret  ;D
I google every question,you tube loads and as other A4 members will have seen ask copious questions here.
So how did you work it out ? ???

[jimtheworzel]

just google the qs  at the last count you have 8 billion pages to look at 

[Squash64]

When I had my computer, about 13 years ago, apart from being able to touch-type I didn't have a clue.  I joined a Yahoo group for dog-owners and 'met' some lovely people who were able to answer most of my questions. (a bit like here)

I was so clueless that I didn't even realise you had to be online before links would work.  (dial up connection in those days)

I loved it from the beginning though and over the years seem to have worked out most of the things I need to know.  If I can't work it out, I ask for advice here or google it.

[sunloving]

tongue out one letter at a time!

When i taught my parents i wrote note pages for each of the things they needed to do so that when i wasnt there they could just read the book.

and left them fund things to do .. make their own calander page with a picture and the numbers table in word and print it out, buy something on ebay etc and we got a program called mavis beacon teaches typing which uses games and timed lessons to help you type faster.

 :) x sunloving

[shirlton]

Just muddled along with a little help from windows for dummies

[birdsrfun]

still learning ???

[BarriedaleNick]

I was a hobbiest for a while and a mate asked me if I wanted a job doing IT work for a charity.
So i left my job and took a leap - had several months of sweat and tears and I am still doing it now.
Mind you this was when the web was a very very minor part of the internet and forums like this didnt really exist...

[Larkshall]

still learning ???

So am I, even after 24 years. I was thrown into using a computer (hands on, mainframe) when working for BT (1986). went on to buy a Sinclair QL, joined the Q L Users ANd Tinkerers Association and learned much from them. Moved on to Amiga's (600 & 1200), then PC's with Windows until XP. When Vista got such a bad name I moved to Ubuntu/Linux (2006). Computer life is much easier now.

[goodlife]

Ohh..I can remember when my sister got our family's first puter..apple..one day when nobody wasn't home I had a go...I was able tell where to switch it on and with no-fear attitude I just started to press buttons with hope something will happen ;D
Then about 20yrs ago I had my first one..and you just learn as you go along..I'm quite keen of intruction booklet etc. anyway..so normally I find my way round if needs to be...often very long way round ::). It is end result that matters..who said life should be easy ::)

[Borlotti]

At work, learned mouse control by playing spider solitaire (good excuse for playing), which I still do whilst waiting for the internet to load (it is very slow). Learnt to touch type on a manual typewriter to music, then a golf ball typewriter, then word processing (Rank Xerox 860, very large machine), then eventually everyone got their own computer and I was no longer word processing supervisor as lots of youngsters joined firm and had to ask IT manager for help, then I retired.  Well you did ask.  Still learning but what I know is sufficient for my needs.  I can remember letters going out covered in tippex.  I got extra pay for volunteering to go on a word processing course and thought I was 'the bees knees', happy days. Nowadays my grandchildren help me with problems on computer.

[djbrenton]

I started out at work with an Altos which ran on MP/M with compiled MBasic programmes. Then moved onto MS-DOS with GEM before Windows 3.1 came around. I taught myself to program using MBASIC then C and COBOL. By the end of the 90's I had a computer consultancy specialising in the textile trade.
Back in 1983 we used Visicalc then Supercalc ( both precursors to Excel)  with Wordstar and the rest of our software was bespoke.

[macmac]

I started out at work with an Altos which ran on MP/M with compiled MBasic programmes. Then moved onto MS-DOS with GEM before Windows 3.1 came around. I taught myself to program using MBASIC then C and COBOL. By the end of the 90's I had a computer consultancy specialising in the textile trade.
Back in 1983 we used Visicalc then Supercalc ( both precursors to Excel)  with Wordstar and the rest of our software was bespoke.

BLIMEY ! I suppose I did ask  :)

[jennym]

Learned by reading the books that came with the computer!

(Back in the good old days when the only mouse was the one living behind the skirting board  ;D )

How times change though - me and my colleague Dave spent about 2 hours each night after work trying to suss out this computer that I'd begged my boss for, and the flak we got from our families - SO much time spent on a computer - 2 hours - kids think nothing of spending 2 hours on a computer now.

Oh crumbs, forgot about spending all night playing The Hobbit on a Sinclair Spectrum  :-[

[elvis2003]

Sheer determination,sweat.blood and tears,all self taught and still learning. Being at college for the last three years has forced me to learn even more. In the first year I was in a class of 18 year olds (at the time I was 38) and we had to produce a double sided three folding leaflet,me on a mac,only comps in college were PCs,didnt have any available programme or anything,no one could help (except my neighbour who talked me in from the doorstep one evening when he found me there crying  :'( and reminded me it wasnt worth getting so upset over) but I got there,and now can produce all manner of posters ect at the drop of a hat for the lottie  ;D  ;D

[rugbypost]

The grand children come for there tea every day from school. IT was why dont you have a computer my son in law helps me but i sent for the free book from (Which magazine) and am only a beginer but its great to be able to learn new things plus everyone is so helpfull

[manicscousers]

learned to use them before menu driven computers, always remember, re-boot, syntax error and having to type in code on a double 6" screen and the biggest we could get were Tandon with a pitiful memory and a removeable hard drive  ;D

[landimad]

Just like I did with swimming, Jumped in without looking and started to drown.
After a few lessons got the basics and went on from there until now.
All the new generations are way ahead of the rest of us.