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Resolved Question

cant understand directions

Jul 29, 2011 3:08PM PDT

Over the past three, or more, years, I have tried to understand various books, which "explain" how computers operate.

My latest "disaster" is from the series titled: Idiots Guide to Website Design.

I thought that this series was supposed to be written for the "average", or "common" person, but, low and behold, this author, like hundreds of others, leaves me "behind" right after the promise to "keep things "simple"".

I have yet to find a computer book which speaks regular, common ENGLISH. I have to wonder if the people, who write these books, enjoy making the rest of us feel like kindergarten drop-outs.

I can get through the introductions, the table of contents, but they "lose me, as soon as they go into the "high-tech" "geek" language, which only programmers, and operators, understand.

Why has no one ever printed a computer book, covering such things as On-Line Publishing, Website Design, Hosting, and so on, but with the whole book written without any computer "jargon" at all. Everything written in "conversational" English.

Would it really be so "terrible" for a author to write a computer instruction book, MINUS the jargon, with simple A+B=C directions?

Or, is it that programmers just LOVE making the rest of us feel like in-competent idiots?

I would like to learn more, about computers, but I have had to walk out, on five different teachers, ALL of whom REFUSED to speak to me, in BASIC, conversational, English, about the machines.

Discussion is locked

powderpuff2364 has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Not falling for it
Jul 30, 2011 9:59AM PDT

The last time I DID list my OS, the STUPID answers that I received were to ask:

What is your "buffer", what make is your hard drive
what sub-category entry module do you use, to access (blah,blah,blah).
No matter how much information I supply, the GEEKS want MORE, MORE, MORE

No, this answer, although honest, is just over my head.

I NEED simple A+B=C talk, in regular English, without computer jargon.

I am sure you mean well, but I NEED SIMPLE. Until someone can tell me where to find SIMPLE English A+B=C, I will be stuck in the lowest ranks, of computer users.

The people for whom computers were NOT invented, for our use.

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You might be one of the millions ...
Jul 30, 2011 9:11PM PDT

for which Apple invented the iPad. Ever tried?

Kees

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Re: regular English without computer jargon
Jul 30, 2011 9:37PM PDT

I'm afraid there is no regular English for basic computer terms as monitor, mouse, keyboard, program, desktop, window, file, folder, header, status line, file manager, word processor, text editor, open, save, file type, extension, hard disk, USB, memory stick, browser and hundreds of others.

That's like 100 years ago there was no regular English to describe cars and car parts, airplanes or space travel. While for you things as "a communication satellite in a stationary orbit" is common English, your great-grandparents wouldn't have any idea what you were talking about.

Either learn what those terms mean and how to use them, or don't talk and read and write about the concepts.

Kees

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FINALLY!
Jul 31, 2011 1:16AM PDT

Finally, an answer which is honest, direct, and to the POINT!

Kees, there is no way that I can say "Thank You", with enough emphasis, or enough HEART.

One favor I will ask of you:

Would YOU publish this information, across the internet, so that millions of other NON-geeks can share in the wisdom, which you have shown, in this post.

I really believe that the internet would profit from your entry.

Thanks so much, and Have a GREAT, and COOL, day,

Norman Hinderliter
Springfield, Illinois
United States of America

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RE: "Not falling for it ..."
Aug 1, 2011 9:03AM PDT

Since there is not a single one of us here or on any other help site who is a MIND READER or who has physical access to your computer questions about OS version and amount of free space on a hard drive, and make and model of PC and even type of monitor, graphics card and resolution can be VITAL to providing a responsible answer to questions because those things affect the answer.

Since in this thread you are asking about web design and html here is a link to a VERY SIMPLE html editor and it is not only FREE but it comes with TUTORIALS.
http://www.stormthecastle.com/mainpages/frontpage_express/frontpage_express_index.htm

Now, why would OS be important here? Well, it will not run under DOS or Apple OS nor under Linux but it does run under windows (but not Windows 3.x) and according to info on the page (Please Note: A lot of people with Windows Vista have been having
trouble with this program If you have Vista you may want to seek an
alternative program.)

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Answer
I used that myself
Jul 29, 2011 9:26PM PDT

or similar, like this one;
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Creating-Website/dp/1592577881

I found it OK to read and understand. Yes it was difficult, but then web site creation is difficult and there is no easy way to learn it. For example, if you go to View > Source, or View > Page Source in your browser for this web page you are now looking at, a new window will open with the full source. That will show you how complex such web sites are nowadays.

Sorry, but it isn't easy, and if you want to learn you have to get stuck in. It has taken me years, and I am still learning, and very often, struggling too.

Mark

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Thank You, Mark
Jul 30, 2011 9:51AM PDT

I guess that I am no more "cut out", for computers, than I am "cut out", to be an English major.

I failed English class every year, since I could, barely, understand the basics of the class.
(I am NOT bragging, but, just stating a fact)

Due to your entry, though, I dont feel half as bad, about not being able to understand this subject.

Maybe, one day, SOMEday, someone WILL make these machines EASY to understand.

For now, have a nice day.

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Answer
Re: website design
Jul 30, 2011 5:40AM PDT

Good website design, like all programming, is a profession. And professionals use there own language they learn at the university courses when studying it. And that, alas, isn't ordinary English like you and me speak, because that simply doesn't have the terms to describe the relevant things.

Let me take an example from mathematics: a factorial is a recursive function. You can't understand that sentence if you don't have the basic knowledge of what a function is, what recursive means and what a factorial is. So you follow a course in mathematics to learn that. To learn understand computer speak, you follow an IT course. And it would be a bad course if it only contained basic conversational English! It seems to me your expectations are wrong.

Kees

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Recipe for making your first website.
Jul 30, 2011 7:37AM PDT

This is the simple step-by-step instruction you need. It's written in general terms, as you didn't tell your OS (Windows, Mac OS, Linux). And yes, you need some basic knowledge about how to use that OS and two of its programs. But if you have that, it can't miss:

1. Open your favorite text editor or word processor
2. Tell it to make a new file, if necessary (some open in a empty new file, some don't).
3. Type one line with the text "This is my first web page." (without the quotes).
4. Save the file as a html-file (that's a file with extension .htm or .html).
5. Open the file in your favorite browser.

See, you can do it!
If you can't you'll need to study your OS to learn how to do the step(s) you couldn't do. But that has nothing to do with making a website.

If the instructions aren't clear, don't hesitate to ask.

Kees