Teach Yourself Basic Computer Skills (Teach Yourself Series) [Paperback]

Moira Stephen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 26, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0071439706 | ISBN-13: 978-0071439701 | Edition: 1

Perfect for any new computer user, Teach Yourself Basic Computer Skills helps beginners get up and running, quickly and simply. A cost-effective alternative to expensive manuals, this user-friendly guide covers all of the most commonly employed computer applications. Readers will learn to use Windows as well as the Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint packages. With step-by-step instructions, minimal jargon, and detailed explanations of all the technical terms, this book will give new users the confidence to move forward and expand their knowledge.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Moria Stephen is a college lecturer and has written many computer books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (January 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071439706
• ISBN-13: 978-0071439701
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,842,266 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars email and browsing should be earlier in the book, June 20, 2006

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This review is from: Teach Yourself Basic Computer Skills (Teach Yourself Series) (Paperback)

Indeed very basic. Stephen starts from scratch and gently guides the reader through the rudiments of computer usage. As in controlling a mouse to navigate thru a windowing system. Simple applications like word processing, spreadsheets and even building a database, are demonstrated. Using the Microsoft Office suite.

The example of using a database seems a little misplaced. Few total beginners would surely have such an explicit need. Even the section on using spreadsheets is questionable.

The last chapter of the book goes into how to use a browser and email. The author made an error by placing this chapter last. Email and browser are the first 2 killer apps of the Internet. Nowadays, when someone goes to a computer for the first time, she is likely to want to use these, instead of a spreadsheet, say. The chapter should have been brought forward to as early in the book as possible.

Plus, more space should have been devoted to explaining email and the browser. Each deserves its own chapter. Along these lines, Instant Messaging should also be prominently discussed. If need be, the section on making a database should be deleted to free up space.

What the author did was blithely go through the Microsoft Office package, and describe the main applications. Ignoring the reality of which are actually likely to be used by pure tyros.