[Summer6]

Computer is quite a large field, and I just don't know how can I know more about it!
My boss always said that, such kind of knowledge you should have. But, I don't know at all! Could anybody share me his experience in learning computer?

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pick somethin about the computer u wanna learn and search it on youtube and wikipedia

[Shaggs]

pick somethin about the computer u wanna learn and search it on youtube and wikipedia

[dsenette]

right....pick the two least reliable sources of information on the internet and search those...

go to the book store, buy books about various computer related subjects. or go to the library and check them out. take some online courses, or enroll in a local college or community college.

[Cold Titanium]

I got started in computers by hanging around various internet forums. I started at TomsHardware. You can learn a lot just by reading through different topics and stuff.

[zorba the geek]

I got started in computers by hanging around various internet forums. I started at TomsHardware. You can learn a lot just by reading through different topics and stuff.

Well said !!!!
I've spent the last years reading through the topics here at G2G,there is a wealth of knowledge and knowhow available.It helped me not only to understand the workings of my computer,it saved my butt (and my computer) by simply having read somewhere that not all software is good or will help the performance.Reading about other peoples problems has helped me to maintain my computer in good health,beabled me to even solve soft/hardware problems without to much panic.Moreover,it has prevented me from screwing up in the first place
The vast knowledge,provided by the G2G staff and members,is truly priceless.Nevermind how many books you may read,nothing beats a step by step solution given by a tiredless staffmember! Reading the topic is like looking over his/her shoulder and trust me,you're learning from the best!

Just as an exsample,the other day i interviewed a couple of mechanics,fresh from the academy.
When asked what do they know about a alternator,i was flooded with circuitdiagrams,gear-rations to ensure charging at idle speed............! However,when i asked them to show me the alternator under the bonnet,they failed miserably! First it was hidden under the enginecover,and secondly they had no idea how to take the cover off.That you don't read in books or learn at the academy!

So my advise is to stick around and take advantage of the wealth of info found right here at G2G

[Tigereye]

Hm. I was introduced to AOL at 3 and maybe the computer before that. I think I had Windows 95 on that computer. I always loved the startup sound. Szhhhooooooooooooaaaaaaaaam. Then after the move I still had that beat up computer until...200....I'm gonna guess 5. That one had WinXP. The 95 one (we're going to call it white 'cause it's white and all the other computers are generally black unless you're talking about Macs.) White was moved to the playroom, and I got my dad's old black one which moved upstairs to my room. Yay. I got addicted, blahblahblah, my brother got another one of my dad's, he got a new one, we moved again, that one crashed, my mom got a laptop, it got a virus, so did my desktop, she got a new one, I halfway fixed my desktop, dad got a new desktop, my brother and sister took over mom's laptop, mom got a new one (courtesy of moui, thank you), I got one. *Gasp, gasp* Oh, then on Valentine's day I fixed my desktop. Yay! My conclusion?

It just came from being around computers from the start.

And now.

All the time.

[123Runner]

I got my start in computers because they intrigued me. I was always mechanically inclined and had to fix things with "chewing gum and banding wire". I lived/ worked on a farm. I picked up what ever I could, where ever I could. I attended tech school. I work with computers, hydraulics, electrical, and various circuits.

You need to find out what you are interested in. Whether it be hardware, software, networking, etc and concentrate on that. Take some old computers and try and get them working. Join the forums and read, watch, and learn.

[happyrock]

it will be easier if you only pick a couple of area's to learn first...then you can add other areas to learn as the need or desire arises...be prepared to read tens of thousands of pages of info

[Troy]

Like has been said... choose an area first. And then delve into that area you choose. Make sure you choose something that looks very interesting to you.

I personally have started to study Bachelor of IT at a local university. Then I went over the complete course outline and realised that there was absolutely nothing related to "Hardware 101". That is - what do you do when you press the power button on a PC and it doesn't start? I could have completed the whole course and more - say, Masters in IT, and have no idea what to do if my computer didn't turn on properly when I pressed the power button. What use is a course like that?

I pulled out of university and followed up on my studies and experiences elsewhere.

Remember this is my personal experience. If you check out a course and decide everything looks good to you, then of course, go for it!

[karinchi]

Now that everything is on the internet, you can start learning from this site, or you can search Google on what you want to learn and start learning from there. Depending on your level though, if you want to learn some without those hassle, try taking classes?

[GSP Computers]

I started tinkering with computers at the age of 11. I was not satisfied to just operate it, I had to know how it worked. I shall show my age here by adding that my first computer was a Radio Shack TRS-80.

[savage24x]

Being around computers since Windows 95 (im only 15, but i used to play on 95 when i was like 5), I just got curious around 10 years old when my dad first helped me build my own computer. I just started messing around with files and modifying them and it got me hooked. Try to make your computer go faster and mess around with it.

[DonnaB]

My journey learning about computers just kinda fell into play. My cat strolled across the keyboard of my laptop that was a gift that I never wanted in the first place and flipped my screen 90 degrees to the left. After 3 days of trying to figure out how to flip it back a friend who owns a Tech Shop told me to type function key menu into the address bar. I had no idea what google was till I found an online computer help site with members from all around the world who took me under their wing and after they helped me flip my screen back I stuck around and familiarized myself with the forum and started to ask questions. I had no idea how to copy and paste and computer terminology was like a foreign language to me. So many acronyms!! They were kind enough to give me a link to a computer dictionary a glossary of terms used and a link to a computer basics online site. But once I found out what google was my curiosities soared and I found that I had the answer to everything at the tip of my fingers! Ode to joy!

2 years later....here I am! It doesn't matter how old you are, if you have the desire to learn about computers you can do it! Read, read, and read some more! Then ask questions in between if you can't grasp a particular concept.

There is no such thing as a stupid question! Never be afraid to ask if you don't know.

One thing I learned too late was you can't learn it all at once! As stated by the others above, focus on just a few things at a time that are important for your needs.

[Thunder7102]

My 8th grade history teacher used to be an ethical hacker so after he denied a friend of mine and I the pleasure of teaching us the basics (do you honestly think a middle schooler would be a white hat?), we started scouring the web looking for how to hack. Through our search, we stumbled upon programming languages to learn (I am pretty proficient in Python now), network protocols, and what hacking truly was.

After learning enough to be considered slightly above the skiddie level of hacking, I turned white hat. I have been staying in security forums and learning all I could since. I plan to go into Security Operations in a corporate IT department or penetration testing.