More seniors are learning how to use computers and the Internet. The Internet is a truly a vast collection of information and it offers a lot of conveniences. Instead of going out to the store to buy something, you can order it from your computer, right from your home or anywhere else. On the Internet, you will also be able to find almost any movie, book, song, products, services or anything else you can imagine. Some seniors may feel that they are too old or slow to learn how to use computers but report by the American Psychological Association reveals that computer use actually improves the mental health of seniors, resulting in fewer depressive symptoms. There are many clubs and discussion groups as well as materials which are specially created for seniors. If you want to learn how to use the computer and access the Internet, there are lots of resources to help you along.
Getting Started
To begin, you will have to buy a desktop or laptop. To decide if you need a desktop or a laptop, you have to know that you can carry a laptop with you to any place but it’s very hard to carry a desktop around because it’s quite bulky. After you have acquired your desktop or laptop, you need to establish an Internet connection to access the Internet. To do this, you have to buy a modem. Some of the modern cell phones also allow you to connect to the Internet. Then, you have to contact a service provider to set up the connection and find out about the various packages.
- Should I Buy a Laptop or Desktop?
- Laptop vs. Desktop
- Guide to Buying a Computer
- What is a Modem?
- How to Connect to the Internet
- Some Things to Consider
Computer Basics
After the Internet connection is set up, it’s time to learn how to use the computer and the Internet. It’s very easy to use the computer because you can do a lot by just clicking the mouse. Initially, you may find it a little tough to master the mouse but with a tutorial or two, it should not be such a big problem. Other than the mouse, there’s the keyboard, which is similar to the keys on a typewriter so it should be easy for people who have used a typewriter previously. Even if you have not used a typewriter before, there are tutorials to help you learn how to use the keyboard easily. To use the Internet, you have to turn on the modem and you will be connected, automatically.
- Computer Basics
- Mouse Exercises
- New User Tutorial
- Basic Computer Tutorial
- Keyboard Tutorial for Beginners
Using Software
The computer is great because there’s software to help you do bookkeeping, photo and video editing, word processing, and more. On the Internet, you can buy software like Microsoft Word for word processing, Microsoft Excel for spreadsheets, Adobe Illustrator for graphic design, and so on. There are tutorials to help you learn how to use the software so it should be no trouble at all. If you have purchased the software from a neighborhood store, you can follow the instructions to install the software, which usually comes in a disc. There are also tutorials to help you do this.
- Word Tutorial
- Microsoft Word Tutorial (PDF)
- Microsoft Excel Tutorial 2010 Tutorial (PDF)
- PowerPoint Tutorial
- Abode Illustrator Tutorial (PDF)
Internet Essentials
If you are just starting to use the Internet, you will be discovering a brand new world. Learning how to use the Internet is very easy. Firstly, you need a browser and you will have Internet Explorer which comes with the Windows operating system. Other browsers include Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Safari. With the browser, you can access the Internet and start exploring all the available web pages.
- Finding Information on Internet
- T is for Thinking
- How to Search the Web
- Best Web Browsers
- New to the Internet?
Computer and Laptop Maintenance
One thing you should be wary about when you use the Internet is viruses. Some viruses can cripple your computer or laptop so it’s always good to learn about virus protection. To prolong the life of your computer or laptop, you should learn about maintenance so here are some tutorials to show you how to do it.