topbanner_forum
  *

avatar image

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
  • Saturday December 14, 2024, 1:14 am
  • Proudly celebrating 15+ years online.
  • Donate now to become a lifetime supporting member of the site and get a non-expiring license key for all of our programs.
  • donate

Author Topic: can u recommend Computer Beginner's book(s)  (Read 3782 times)

tomos

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Posts: 11,964
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
can u recommend Computer Beginner's book(s)
« on: December 18, 2010, 11:47 AM »
getting in late on the christmas pressies:

no access to a book shop till it's too late for xmas - can anyone recommend a book or series of books for absolute-beginners/basic-users on the PC (Windows 7). It is for a 'senior' but doesnt have to have big text but I suppose it's no harm - I was thinking of the Windows 7 For Seniors For Dummies

Another edit/ it's for a couple, she's very mouse centric but he prefers using the keyboard - I suspect a lot of beginner books might ignore this aspect (extensive use of keyboard shortcuts)

thanks in advance :)


[edit] on Amazon I get to look in the book - and see the table of contents and index - super, I've no idea what the thing is really like... [/edit]
Tom
« Last Edit: December 18, 2010, 12:20 PM by tomos »

cranioscopical

  • Friend of the Site
  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 4,776
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: can u recommend Computer Beginner's book(s)
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2010, 11:55 AM »
I always think those For Dummies books are okay to buy for myself (you can guess why!) but a little insulting to give to others.

tomos

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Posts: 11,964
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: can u recommend Computer Beginner's book(s)
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2010, 12:20 PM »
I always think those For Dummies books are okay to buy for myself (you can guess why!) but a little insulting to give to others.
-cranioscopical (December 18, 2010, 11:55 AM)

yes, I know what you mean :D but in this case I think no offence would be taken!


also edited original post
Another edit/ it's for a couple, she's very mouse centric but he prefers using the keyboard - I suspect a lot of beginner books might ignore this aspect (extensive use of keyboard shortcuts)
Tom

kyrathaba

  • N.A.N.Y. Organizer
  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 3,200
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: can u recommend Computer Beginner's book(s)
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2010, 05:57 PM »
I like the "Head First" series, by O'Reilly.

mahesh2k

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 1,426
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: can u recommend Computer Beginner's book(s)
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2010, 10:33 AM »
Annoyances.org has some good books for beginners to learn operating systems. I think O'reilly publishes their stuff.

tomos

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Posts: 11,964
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: can u recommend Computer Beginner's book(s)
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2010, 10:37 AM »

thanks for the tips folks :Thmbsup:
Tom

Renegade

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 13,291
  • Tell me something you don't know...
    • View Profile
    • Renegade Minds
    • Donate to Member
Re: can u recommend Computer Beginner's book(s)
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2010, 12:37 PM »
I always think those For Dummies books are okay to buy for myself (you can guess why!) but a little insulting to give to others.
-cranioscopical (December 18, 2010, 11:55 AM)

+1 for Dummies. It's a good starter.

After that, Microsoft Press or Sams are ok.

Apress and O'Reilly are out as they are way too advanced.

The Idiots series might be worth looking at.
Slow Down Music - Where I commit thought crimes...

Freedom is the right to be wrong, not the right to do wrong. - John Diefenbaker

tomos

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Posts: 11,964
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: can u recommend Computer Beginner's book(s)
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2010, 12:51 PM »
yeah, I went for the dummies book.

That is really odd about amazon "look inside" thing - if I had a seen one page of the actual book (as opposed to just TOC & index) I would have been able to make a decision based on that.
I found a chapter excerpt on the dummies store site (link first post, missed it first time round). First chapter may be a bit too basic but as they have yet to discover windows explorer (and file management in general) I think the book will suit ;)
Tom