So I must satiate my thirst to know MORE about computers.

I feel I've really let myself go computerwise, and decided it is TIME TO WISEN UP.

Does anyone know of any courses, forums, general tutorials, tutorial cds, anything for a semi-proficient computer user?

I've looked at the A+ certification thing and downloaded the learnkey bollocks, but when I had a quick skim though it, it was all like "AND NOW WE SHALL BE USING WINDOWS 98 AND THIS SOUND BLASTER 16".

Jam it back in, in the dark.

wow...there is so much...do you want to learn about OS's, or hardware or what?....
there are probably beginner classes for adults in your town that you can look into, or many times community collages offer classes in various things for reasonable prices.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Well, I guess general maintenance, everything. Sure I can run the odd spyware check, blah blah, this that, the usual, but I feel I don't know enough.

I don't know that much DOS crap (sure, I can fdisk on windows 98, but thats irrelevant now when you want an NTFS partition which the win 98 disk doesn't do too well). I can keep a computer semi running ok, but I don't feel like I know enough.

I guess what I'm after is things like intermediate classes and what not or random books for that sort of thing. Any ebooks or tutorial cd/dvds anyone can suggest?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I'd suggest this book. It covers everything, and it is what our A+ course at school followed.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I'll suggest this . It covers a wide range of computing, hardware and software and caters for all skills.

I did this course a few years ago and it taught me quite a bit about both hardware and software sides of computing.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I suggest www.google.com whenever you want to learn something, computers or otherwise.

I know from experience that the best way to learn computers, is by doing it yourself. You're going to have to do it yourself to learn anyway, so why forcefeed gobs of info that isn't relevant, and instead, learn techniques and other such information as it's required. In this way, your education is tailored to the way you use your computer, and you don't have to get bogged down in the details of what other people do.

Aside from that though, wikis are good, and again, www.google.com .

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by XSO

"AND NOW WE SHALL BE USING WINDOWS 98 AND THIS SOUND BLASTER 16".

I don't know if the books you were looking at were even made this millenium. However, that's were this shit all starts. A+ is a little more catered to industry standards where you WILL actually encounter a couple Windows 95 and 98 machines. Every once in a while I encounter a Win98 machine at work that I have to troubleshoot.

I'm actually A+ certified because the class was part of my Networking course. Looking back, it's really good to know that old shit. I thought I knew a lot before I took the class, but then I really got schooled and I realized I knew nothing.

A+ is for learning how the computer works. If you want to actually know more about the specifics of hardware (ie: "comparing a Radeon X1900XTX video card against the GeForce 7900GTX") then you should look around at enthusiast forums like HardForum.

PS: Wikipedia is actully a good reference for some materials such as a certain class of processors (Pentium-D for example)

FELIPE NO

You need to build yourself a cheap computer and install a Linux distro on it. Go to kernel.org and follow some of the helpful links there. If you do that, you will learn much about computers, especially if you get yourself into open-source software development.

Read around on how to assemble a computer. Tom's Hardware may have some good guides on it. You may want to read about command-line operations as well. kernel.org will have links that will lead you in the correct direction.

Wikipedia things you do not know. If you don't know what the kernel is, wikipedia it. Follow the links in the article and you will have the framework for an understanding of GNU/Linux.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I haven't been into computers for a while also, but there was a time [around when i built my first/final dream computer] when I'd research like crazy and learn about so much from friends I knew. Good times.

Get to know people who know shit, and then fool around with crap yourself and call them if you need help. That's the way I learned.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Here's a suggestion that you might have tried before but just in case you'd haven't come tried it I like to suggest Wikipedia.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

It really does help to have some spare cash on hand so you can assemble a test system. I found that my knowledge skyrocketed when I finally had a computer that was not only non-critical, but also more or less up to snuff in the hardware department so I could experiment on it without everything taking forever.

If you want to learn about hardware, there's really no better way than building a computer yourself. You won't learn about all the tiny nuances of firmware/chipsets/drivers/etc. that way, but you'll get a very good idea of how things go together (literally and figuratively) and you'll also get a feel for what's currently on the market.

If you want to learn shitloads about your hardware (and I do mean SHITLOADS), try a build of Linux From Scratch or maybe a Stage-1 Gentoo installation. Mind you, these builds are not for the faint of heart and I would not recommend them to a Linux newcomer, but if you've got the intestinal fortitude and the TIME, then it's an experience you won't soon forget. At least not until your hair grows back.

Otherwise, if you're looking to learn a particular software package, the best way is to jump in and do it. Fuck up a lot. Hell, fuck up on purpose. The more you learn by trial-and-error and dumb luck, the better you'll be. It's what I did with Final Cut Pro, Reason 3, and Photoshop (still haven't gotten together the guts to do Cinema4D yet). A book will help, but use it as a reference as opposed to reading it cover-to-cover. I find that I get bored and set it aside halfway through the "History of...[$FIELD_OF_PROGRAM]" chapter that every goddamn tech author feels the sick, twisted compulsion to write. Java has garbage collection. I don't care that other programming languages from the 1970s don't: I'm learning Java and it does, so tell me that, tell me why it's good, and move the fuck on. Have a book on hand if you want to so you can reference specific chapters on what you're trying to do.

Finally, there are some things that seem harder to get into than others. For example, learning Linux was a pisser of a bitch for me as my computers were a Mac and a laptop that, until recently, did NOT play well with Linux at all (eMachines M6805, for those interested). It was tough learning where to start because even getting the system up and running was difficult.

Similarly, enterprise database or server systems like Oracle are difficult not only because of their resource-intensive nature and astronomical license fees, but also because HOW THE HOLY FUCK DO YOU PRACTICE DATABASES ANYWAY? You'll find that for some things, you need to come up with projects or sample scenarios with which to learn and experiment.

The best way to learn is to find something you think is cool on the internet. Stumble across a wallpaper image or music video that you like? Find yourself noticing details or techniques used therein? Might be an indication to take up Photoshop or Final Cut/Avid. Marvel at the well-laid-out design and/or functionality of your favourite website? Maybe scripting and web design are for you. There's nothing worse than trying to chew through lessons in a technology you consider boring, so don't bother unless you're getting course credit or can otherwise benefit VERY directly and VERY significantly from it.

Bottom line is pick something you're interested in, jump in and get your hands dirty, and above all don't lose heart. It's impossible to know everything about computers, so don't try. You're guaranteed to drive yourself insane, or at the very least get a first-class ticket to hair loss and ulcers. I consider myself a decent video editor and network/security guy, but I know shit about circuit board design. I can assemble a computer from parts and make it work well, but I'm fucked if you sit me in front of AutoCAD. Point is, I don't care because they don't interest me.

Go with your gut and have some guts, and you'll excel. Oh, yeah, that's another thing I don't know and don't want to. Excel. Fuck that app.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.