We live in the twenty-first century and like it or lump it you need to know how to use a computer if you want to get by around here. It’s ok if you can get by with your basic mouse skills, or you know to set up a Facebook or Twitter account, but wouldn’t you really like to have a go at being the next Bill Gates, or at least understanding a little more just how that machine your whole life relies on actually works? Here is a selection of a few books that will get you zero and on your way to hero.

Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Computer Basics: This best-selling guide is the Holy Grail for those wishing to understand just a little bit of the vast world that is IT and everything around it.  This book covers everything you need to know about Windows, software, hardware, the internet, and the meaning of life! The last part wasn’t true, but you get the point. This is the starting point for all of those who want to start making the most out of that computer which you know could do amazing things for you, if you just knew how to tell it to do them. The indispensable guide for all novices.

Hello World! Computer Programming for Kids: This is a great book as you can give it as a gift to your son or daughter and then secretly pore over when they are tucked safely in their beds at night. Hello World! provides an easy-going but thorough introduction to the world of computer programming. The language is pitched at the level a 12-year-old can follow, but anyone who wants to learn how to program a computer can use it. This is a great introductory book for those who ultimately want to go beyond the basics. Kid-tested and parent-approved, perfect!

The Internet for Dummies: The internet is a huge place but with this book everything starts to get a whole lot simpler to navigate. This book walks you through all of the basics like email and safety and the goes on to explain more complicated actions such as downloading and uploading. Written in an easy language that the absolute beginner will be able to comprehend this is a great jumping off point for those who are still not too familiar with the cyber world.

David Pogue’s Digital Photography: The Missing Manual: Ok, so it’s not technically what you would traditionally consider IT, but who gets their photographs developed these days? This excellent no-nonsense guide walks you through the entire process, from buying your camera, through onto how to get the same effects as the pros post production.  Encompassing both the Mac and PC worlds this is a really great book for those who have a great camera and want to see it shine, but just don’t know where to start.

Word 2010 For Dummies: You can write a simple document but do you have any idea what all of those options could allow you to be doing with your work? No, neither do I. This is the perfect companion for those people who want to understand how to maximise their use of Word. Laid out professionally, just as you would expect from Microsoft, this learner’s guide will quickly have you producing beautiful documents that outshine all of your classmates or colleagues with their mastered style.

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were probably born geniuses; the chances are that you weren’t. These books can help you on your way to writing that wrong!

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source
•  License: Creative Commons image source

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