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General discussion

members' profile - computer proficiency guidelines

Oct 19, 2004 1:00AM PDT

At members' proflie, there is : beginner, newbie, intermediate, advanced, guru. What do these terms mean ? Sometimes, you see a simple question, then you go to 'who is...' and find that the poster is someone whose computer proficiency is 'intermediate', and one who should be answering that question. So- perhaps a general guideline may have to be provided, e.g. :

?Beginner: no knowledge - need help in booting up computer;

?Newbie: have a basic working knowledge of the OS, Knows enough to download files from the web, solve simple problems like missing toolbar, configuring the appearance of the desktop, etc.

?Intermediate: familar with HTML and web sites creation, scripts, networking, deeper system knowledge, etc.

?Advanced: Full knowledge of the operating system, familar with popular application programs, Advanced Net working, MSCSE status. Probably with a degree in Computer science.

?Guru: a self confessed know-all, self taught, experienced but not necessarily educated or trained in a computing discipline.

Any ideas ?

Discussion is locked

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Re: members' profile - computer proficiency guidelines
Oct 22, 2004 3:52PM PDT

To be honest, all that proficiency stuff is pretty worthless and should be taken with a large grain of salt. Do you really trust the person filling out the profile to answer with honesty, or accuracy?

Example, I am computer trained and qualified so consider myself Advanced, but I do not accept your view it has to be a US degree or an MSCSE. So I will still say I am advanced, and many others will also present themselves the way they perceive themselves to be.

Then there is the ability to impart the information well. Being qualified does not guarantee articulation or the ability to share that knowledge coherently. Thus it becomes irrelevant how qualified the respondant is.

Far better to browse the forums and discover from the quality of the replies whose answers are reliable and whose are not. Wink

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Re: members' profile - computer proficiency guidelines
Oct 23, 2004 3:37PM PDT

I have known , seriously, a few men who were self-taught and prob milioniares today, but have no formal college degree or other. I know that is rare, but I liked the integrity and logic of your post Dale. Also, I am scared now hahaha as I was helping a few people with somewhat low knowledge probs like browser highjacks etc, but did not know I was supposed to peg the degree of my knowledge on here. I am mostly a self-taught woman with little college classes in pc stuff , but with lots of help from smart men to get me started. I have tried to learn all I can, but will never know anything like an engineer. My goal- to keep my pc's running, and so far have never needed to hire help. To save money, I keep learning Wink.This sharing of info on here is a nice help , and to hear what people have tried, used etc. I hope to learn the big things one day like writing code etc, but I only say something on here , if I have been there and had same prob.
There should be more options between the criteria's of 'kind of good keeping the os going 'and 'not anywhere close to engineer status' hahahahaha. I feel dumb ( like I know some of this and this, but not that, so which catagory should I put myself)just reading the criteria, but I know I am in there somewhere above ground ( smiles).

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Re: with tongue in cheek,
Oct 25, 2004 4:52PM PDT

hi Page, the way i look at it, if you have the answer to a question, then you're 'advanced'....

personally, i can pull a PC apart and put it back together with no "spare parts" lying around Happy, but i know nothing about HTML or Perl or back engineering Sad so where does that put me in that "chart" ?


.

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Re: with tongue in cheek,
Oct 25, 2004 11:11PM PDT

and jonas i work in comp repair shop build repair, sell etc. and i dont know DOS lol