Beginner | Castellini on Computers - Computer help for beginners

Posts Tagged: beginner

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 9 Comments
23
Mar 07

New radio show format

Two weeks ago, with little fan fare, I announced a dramatic change in format for our weekly radio show. Although I never discussed it with my co-host, friend and producer, Adam, he whole heartedly bought in on the concept and we are proceeding.

When I started the Castellini on Computers Radio Show in 1999, my intention was to provide a forum for beginners to learn about computers, technology and the Internet in a non-threatening yet entertaining forum. For better or worse, my desire to help people got in the way of my original goal of being as "non-geeky" as possible. We answered questions from all callers even if the question was applicable for only that one person. Despite our best efforts of trying to explain our answers and the caller's questions in layman's terms, we turned off many listeners. Our most common feedback about the show has always been, "I love your show, but I don't understand anything your talking about on the show."

It took us almost nine years to realize our mistake and you have stuck with us, but from now on, we will focus on the every day computer problems and resolutions. We want listeners to hear the questions and either say "I know the answer to that question" OR "I have that same problem". If we don't feel that our listeners can respond to a question with one of those statements, then the caller will be dropped and we'll move on to the next question or email.

I'm excited about our new direction and format and hope you are too. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the "NEW and IMPROVED" Castellini on Computers Radio Program and be sure to participate by calling in or emailing your basic computer questions. We think you will find the show to be much more helpful than ever before and easier and more entertaining than in the past.

Give me your thoughts about our new direction by leaving a comment to this story using the form under this article.

Riding Shotgun with Adam — No Comments
18
Dec 06

Don’t apologize for being “stupid”

Three of my clients today were digital beginners. Each of these three clients apologized for being "stupid." They explained that computers are new to them and they aren't smart enough to learn.

As a teacher and computer guy, I kind of get tired of hearing this. Keep in mind that this comes from a guy who had, "potential for higher achievement," on almost every report card he ever received.

It wasn't until I started teaching that I realized how much of a barrier our own attitude truly makes in how well we learn. I have clients who are 86 who are teaching their kids how to send email attachments. Then again, I have 45-year-old clients who tell me that they are too old to learn this stuff.

While each of my clients today felt stupid, I reminded them of how far they had come by reviewing old notes. One of them laughed as I took her back into her notes where I had written how to print a document.

Learning a computer is not like riding a bike or learning to sky dive. Those things are the same every time as long as you follow a few rules. Using a computer is to riding a bike as flying the space shuttle is to roller skating.

Computers are complex, but if you have patience and a good attitude, you will learn. Fear of the machine will cause more frustrations than any real problems you incur along the way.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 3 Comments
5
Dec 06

Reader/Listener Challenge

We work extremely hard at creating tips, reviews, and other content for our web site. However, we often feel like we are the only ones who use the information. I often think, "If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? And if we post an important article or tip, will anyone read it?"

My challenge is to the regular readers of our site and listeners to our program who do peruse the site, follow our tips, and take our advice. We need you to start a grass roots movement to get eyeballs over to this site and utilize the information that is here and leave comments to help us improve upon what is here as well. We have designed the site's content to be helpful to anyone who uses a computer, but mostly computer users who tell us they are beginners or just learning. However, we also believe that more experienced computer users can use our site to help out their family and friends who get constant questions about their computers.

I know that men and women who are perceived to be computer literate get bombarded with computer questions and stories. Often, the same type of questions over and over. If you know that type of person, send them to our site so they can save time by finding the answer here and then sending a link to the person in need.

Go forth and spread the word about HelpMeRick.com. The information found here is unlike anywhere else on the web and is begging to be utilized!

DP Software / Riding Shotgun with Adam — No Comments
24
Oct 06

Free Digital Photography Programs and Tools

MediaChance.com has some great free digital photo programs. They are very specialized tools, but they work great.

IrFanview is a great program for viewing images of almost any format. It reads most camera RAW files as well as proprietary and universal image formats.

Paint.NET is a free program that is designed to compete with Photoshop and CorelDraw. It works well, but is not the most intuitive.

Gimp is another free opensource program (free to use and change). It works well, but it is a little tough to install for a beginner. You must install the runtime program before you install the actual program. See linked page for details.

Let's not forget Picasa. This wonderful program lets you sort, backup and view your digital photo collection easily.

OnAir Solutions — 10 Comments
20
Oct 06

Video Tour of HelpMeRick.com

HelpMeRick.com has a wealth of information for computer users of all experiences, but beginner or novice computer users find the information found here the most helpful. We have put together a short video explaining how our site is organized and how you can find information about computer topics that you are most interested in learning. No other web site is built on information quite like ours. We strive to make computers and technology understandable by all and a tool that will benefit everyone.

To replay this 6 minute narrated video tour of how to best utilize HelpMeRick.com, push F5 on your keyboard or click the Refresh/Reload button on your browser.

Riding Shotgun with Adam — No Comments
14
Aug 06

One man’s search for a banjo

I decided a few weeks ago that I want a banjo.

Why? A few weeks ago I realized that everything I do is digital. I do a lot of digital photography, I spend my day working on computers, for relaxation I play XBox. I feel covered up in 1s and 0s.

Once in a while, I want to get away from the digital world and do something analog. I am not a guy without hobbies and interests, but I think I am ready to switch some gears with what I do with my free time.

What does this have to do with computers?

Well, when I guy decides to start something new, there is one place he should start… the Internet.

Last night I began my serious search for a banjo. Not knowing the first thing about banjos except I like the way they sound, I decided to learn everything.

I am now an expert in banjos. Within a few hours time I learned the difference between $99 and $400 banjos, but I don't quite have a grasp on what makes a $3000 banjo and I don't really care to find out.

Calling myself an expert is admittedly an exaggeration, but I feel like I know everything I need to for when I go shopping.

In my quest to learn more I have visited several great user reviews on banjohangout.com. That's right, there is an entire website dedicated to banjo lovers. I enjoyed the forums on this site because they didn't make me feel like I was wasting my time trying to learn it. Many forums for other topics get so full of know-it-alls that like to show how much they know that they kind of turn into forum bullies.

I also read a few reviews about what to look for in a beginners banjo on eBay.

Locally, I have only gone to a couple of music stores. That was just enough to be able to see how they feel and what the differences were that I had been reading about. I also discovered that the markup is about 30 percent higher than the standards prices found on the Internet.

Perhaps my article today came off as a piece all about banjos, but it is really about how much you can learn in a short time using the Internet.

When I was working as a writer for a newspaper, I once interviewed a car dealership manager about how the Internet had changed the car buying business. His primary complaint was that the sales person seldom has the opportunity to talk up the advantages of a given model before the shopper has pointed out the disadvantages that he read about on the Internet while researching.

Buyers today walk into the store knowing what they want and how much it costs online. It is a tough task for a local sales person to explain why the shopper should spend 30 percent more just to get it locally.

DP Software — No Comments
24
Jan 06

Elements 3 Features

What’s New In Elements 3

Quirky Features:

Not all of the new features in Elements 3 are extremely useful. Although many of the new features are designed to help the beginner, they are too complicated to be of any use. Some of theses new quirky features include:

1. Create - The most useful of the quirky new features, this feature allows you to make slideshows, greeting cards, photo album pages and more. Don’t expect the versatility of a program like Print Shop though.

2. Photo Browser - A scaled down version of Adobe Photo Album. Finds and catalogs (but does not move or alter) all images on your computer. It will also assist you with backing up your photos. A nice feature for people with a poor organizing system.

3. Date View – Allows you to view a calendar and the pictures you took on a given day. Not extremely useful and difficult to navigate.

4. Interface Changes – The most obvious changes to Elements 3 is the new cosmetic changes to the interface. If you look hard, you will find that not much has changed, but the new colors and general feel may throw you off a little.

2. Nice New and/or Features:

1. Healing Tool - This is the miracle tool of Elements 3. Taken from Photoshop 7.0, this tool allows you to remove blemishes from a photo with ease.

2. Better Helps- Don’t overlook the tutorial and help areas of Elements. Adobe has done a wonderful job of providing a massive amount of easy to understand information about each feature of Elements 3..

3. Improved Red Eye Tool – Simply choose the Red Eye Tool then draw a box around the red pupil and poof! The red eye is gone.

4. Quick Fix – While Elements 2 had a feature that was similar in name, this feature lives up to the name. Quick Fix is for people who aren’t really sure how find and/or use all of the various tools buried in Elements. Using Quick Fix you can apply the most common fixes all in one place. You can also click Auto and let the computer make its best guess to fix the photo.