Business mentor: Mastering PCs a piece of cake

Q. I've been an accountant for 20 years and have been around PCs quite a bit, but until now I've never really needed to drive one myself. Now I've taken the plunge and bought a PC. What options are there for me to learn how to get the best out of my shiny new computer?

A. Pat Pilcher, Telecom technology commentator, replies:

The good news is that there's no shortage of resources to help you get acquainted with your PC. But before we delved into any of these, try not to be too intimidated by that shiny new beige box.

Remember, a PC is only a hotted-up pocket calculator with a screen, keyboard and mouse.

Short of typing with a hammer, it's quite difficult to physically break a PC, so don't be afraid to try new things and experiment a little. Doing this is an ideal way of finding your way around a new PC.

One of the best ways to learn more about PCs is personal computer training books, available from most bookstores. IDG put out an excellent range of books covering everything from PC basics through to specific application guides for programs such as Word, Excel or PowerPoint.

Called the "Dummies" series - don't let titles such as Windows for Dummies put you off - these books are a mine of useful information, ideal to have near your PC as a quick reference source.

Going with a good training book is a great idea because it lets you teach yourself what you need to know at your own pace.

Good as personal computer training books are, nothing beats some personal tuition from an experienced tutor.

A great tuition option for the more mature PC owner is SeniorNet. Set up to cater for computer owners aged 55 years and over, SeniorNet helps users to become more savvy with topics such as computer basis, word processing and the internet, using tutors from a similar age group.

More than 94 SeniorNet learning centres are dotted round New Zealand. More information can be found at their website.

Although you need to be 55 or over to use SeniorNet, a huge range of other tuition options is available.

One of the more affordable is night classes. Many high schools and polytechnics offer an excellent range of computer tuition services.

The best way to find out more is to contact your nearest high school or polytechnic.

If night classes are not practical or you would prefer one-on-one tuition, organisations such as Ace Training could be a better (but more costly) option.

Most of these organisations have education centres in the main cities to cater for the business-focused PC user and can provide entry-level training through to boning you up on specific applications.

There is a wealth of options to explore and becoming PC-savvy is not terribly difficult to do. Once you have a bit more knowledge under your belt, you will wonder why you put off giving it a go.

If you have any questions relating to this article, send us an email atbiztalk@telecom.co.nz and we'll get back to you.

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