Computing for the Everyman - Part 2 - The Least You Should Know

Listen to Computing to the Everyman - Part 2 - The Least You Should Know

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We live in a high-tech world these days, whether we like it or not. That said, you don't need to know "everything" about your technology, but you should know "something." Below I have listed some information and a series of skills that you should know in order to allow yourself to be productive with your computer. If you find that you are missing one or two of these items, let's get together to complete your technology education so you can start doing even greater things with your computer.

System
Speed of Computer
Amount of Memory
Amount of Hard Disk Space
Version of Windows or Mac OS X
Important user names and passwords

Applications
Know how to create a new, blank document
Open an existing document
Save a document
Save as... (and why you might want to do that)
Know WHERE you saved the document
Print a document
Create a PDF of a document

How to properly restart and shutdown (and know why)

Delete a document (safely)

Access a web site
Navigate a website i.e. follow links, go back, etc.

Download a file/program
Install a program
Remove a program

Access email (that has been pre-configured with email account settings)
Send email
How/when to use CC
How/when to use BCC (very important)
Reply (and when to use)
Forward (and when to use)
Delete
File email into folders
Why to organize files into folders

File Management
Create new folders
Move/save files into folders
Why to organize files into folders
Copy/Save As... a document to floppy, CD, network drive, etc.
Burn documents to CD for sharing or backup

There are probably a few more items I could include here, but I consider these the basics. If you are familiar with this information and these operations, you are well on your way to computer mastery. Over the next few weeks, I will start to breakdown this list and give you specific examples on how to acquaint yourself with each and every one.

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