I have another new entrant on my must-read book list, and it’s not just because I’m quoted in it! How To Be A Geek Goddess: Practical Advice for Using Computers with Smarts and Style by Christina Tynan-Wood was not only informative, but also funny and entertaining. Much to my surprise, I sat down and read this “how to” book in nearly one sitting. It’s witty and engaging, and you’ll find yourself exclaiming “Oh! I wish I’d known that sooner!”
No matter what level you are with regard to computers, you’ll find help here–for both software and hardware issues. I’m pretty darn good at using computers, but I learned a few new tricks. And I’m even planning to buy a copy for my mom, although I’ll have to caution her not to do what she always does with books, which is to read the end first (the last chapter has tips on finding good girl porn online–yes, this book does cover everything).
Here are a few tidbits:
On pricing of technical stuff: “Tiny and cute costs more than roomy and functional. (Isn’t that also true of underwear?)” But seriously, Tynan-Wood walks you through what type of computer to buy, how to buy it and what all the OS/RAM Ports/Monitor info means and even what type of laptop/desktop you should get.
How to resize a picture. “In either Vista or XP, click on the Start button, look for Accessories, and the Paint. Once you have Paint open, use File>Open to open your image. Then click Image in the menu bar and choose Resize/Skew . . .”
Tips for recycling old computers–go to cristina.org; or freecycle.org/) and data disposal (good thing to do before donating a computer)–tolvanen.com/eraser/.
When downloading software, we always get the choice–save or run. Which should you do? Her answer: Choose save for any program bigger than a few MB, just so you have a backup if installation doesn’t work out. Otherwise, you can just “run.”
Lists of free software.
Explanations of SMTP, URLs and all the other gobbledygook.
For those trying to run a business, she has all sorts of recommendations from grandcentral.com (I’ve already reserved my phoneline there for my company to have a virtual receptionist); to billcollectorinabox.com (if you need to start collection proceedings).
I’ve taken her recommendations and installed netnanny.com on my son’s computer, and she has other suggestions for kid-safe e-mail addresses and how to prevent your kid from downloading software.
And if you read the social networking section . . . you might notice a quote from yours truly!
Top Shelf Bottom Line: If you have ever felt intimidated by any aspect of your computer, go buy this book. It not only covers the fundamentals; it’s also a whole lot of fun.
This entry was posted on Sunday, February 22nd, 2009 at 7:02 pm and is filed under Nonfiction. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.Leave a Reply
