Computers for Klutzes, Basics, Email & Internet

About the Book

Are you uncomfortable being classed as a “user” because it denotes exploitation? Is the only mail or monitor you know the one delivered by a postman or appointed by a class-teacher? Do you consider “hardware” as what you buy from a store to fix things at home, or “software” as something made of cloth or any other soft material? For all those who did not grow up with computers or were initiated into the computer mysteries well before the influx of modern-day’s miniature machines, Clark Richmond (Multiple Choice Programming Technique), Doctor of Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, offers a tool-guide to dispel computing fears and to help navigate unexplored territories. Presented in plain and simple terms, with step-by-step instructions and clear, well-labeled illustrations, the book explains the basics of personal computing. Divided into three distinct sections…word processing, e-mail and Internet, the course covers – starting the computer for the first time, creating and saving documents, getting a free e-mail account, sending e-mails, browsing the web, and major search engines along with hints on their usage. The appendix is a single reference area for keyboard shortcuts and frequently used command sequences round throughout the course. A particularly helpful addition is the inclusion of a glossary that demystifies computer jargon by redefining Klutz terms. The large, readable font, plain English, accessible format, profuse illustrations, and keyboard commands given as an alternative to the ones using the mouse pointer, make the manual user-friendly for the targeted audience. BookWire Review November 5th, 2004

About the Author

Charles Clark Richmond’s 8 decades of life have been filled with learning, assimilating, presenting and teaching fresh ideas.  He began his long association with electronic computers in 1956 at which time he recognized a future need for teaching non-technical people how to use these powerful machines.  He and Carl Perry Worthy Ellsworth began exploring ways to explain technical things and complex concepts in ways that non-technical people might understand them.  It wasn’t until he received his doctorate in Instructional Technology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2000 that he commenced work on bringing computer literacy to those who had never worked with computers in school.

This text was assembled after almost a decade of teaching computer skills to students whose ages ranged from 21 to 94.  He used his doctoral research to assemble and test his concepts about how best to present this information to people who had been denied the chance to work with these machines during their developmental years.  He has continued to assemble, present, and analyze new ideas about bringing these skills to those who need it most…  Those who need it to keep or get jobs, those who need it to keep in touch with their loved ones, and those who need it to keep their minds active.

This book is just the beginning, the starting place for the uninitiated.

Email: ccr@crichm.mv.com
Web: www.computersforklutzes.com