Whether you're a PC user, a Mac fan, or a Linux guru, there are some fundamentals that tie all operating systems together. These basic skills enable each person to start mastering their computer and transform it from a box of circuits into a powerful assistive tool. Without the knowledge of the basics, our computers can not truly help us at their maximum potential. Instead, we will struggle to get by and hope that errors won't come our way (often ignoring them when they do).
What follows are some of the very important fundamentals of good computer use. All of these examples come directly from my book Computer Zen: A Journey to Better Computing (available in the Resources area of this site), and they are divided into the following categories:
In each of these categories you will find a handful of short articles to get you started and make you aware of some of the common challenges that all computer users face. By becoming aware of how computers should be used, how they can be optimized, and how they can be made into efficiency enhancers, you will start opening your eyes to the frustrations and threats that you face on any given day of computer use. You will hopefully realize that those challenges can be eliminated by adopting the practices suggested in the articles and making them habit.
After you have done so, continue to read about other fundamentals, delve into more advanced topics, and explore the many other resources available on this site. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I want to see you learn and succeed so you can share your knowledge with others and help make good computer use universal. Click here to get started.