How Do you Teach People about Hardware and Software?

[dharamsala55]

I am deeply saddened and utterly appaled by this video and many of the comments. On the other hand, I used to feel that my aging and my failing health were curses. I now realize they are blessings in disguise. My youth is long gone, so when I teach seniors about computers, I am calm and serene. Technology will keep evolving; young people will age and turn to their children for help. Maybe will they then know how having your children snap at you for being a 'slow learner' horribly hurts...

[3Dmassacre]

I'm sorry to tell you this, but when I started using my computer, I asked NOBODY for help. I took it apart and put it back together all from things I learned on my own. Nobody needs to be taught how to use a computer, even if you had never used one before (like me). Everything you need to know is right in front of you, and you can research almost anything in the world on the internet.

[dharamsala55]

3Dmassacre : you are ONLY TWENTY-ONE YEARS OLD!!! Of course, when one is young, the better and faster she/he can learn ANYTHING, most often by her/himself! NOT SO when you reach a certain age, young man. When you'll be my age (almost 57 now), or the age (65 and up) of the people I teach - on a volunteer, thus free basis - about computers and Internet, you'll sing another tune, that much I can garantee you.

[3Dmassacre]

Actually, as of now, I am 16 years old. One thing I left out which might clarify some things; I started using computers around the age of 6, so I learned what I know over 10 years. Anyone would have trouble if they just jumped right into it, be it a young person or a senior..

[dharamsala55]

You are ONLY 16 and are THAT articulate?!?!?! O_O

Are you SURE you did NOT reverse the digits (16 instead of 61)? ROTF! ;)

If you are indeed 16, you sure restore my faith in youth, young man! LOL! :D

[3Dmassacre]

Glad to hear it, I guess

[DC200560]

It's a common misconception that young people are all immature, illiterate, and ignorant. While this is true in many instances, it is not so for some individuals. For those that do not conform to the negative stereotype, it is quite frustrating when people treat us like idiots and troublemakers. Furthermore, that stereotype is maintained by a few outspoken, but stupid, people who just happen to excel at voicing their opinion. This, in turn, leads to adults generalizing all young people that way.

[dharamsala55]

I NEVER said that ALL young people are immature, illiterate, etc. Indeed, I know many young people who are bright, articulate, gifted, kind, gentle, caring, compassionate, decent human beings. :)

[GybOExtream]

sim eu concordo pois acho que sou melhor

vida o Brasl PAU NO CÚ DOS GRINGO

[anerisgreat]

I just wanted to thank you a lot. My dad just got a mac book and he has never used a computer in his LIFE. (60 years old). Now I have to teach him, this list helps SO MUCH!

[ariesram74]

my brother recently got my mom a new dell to replace her old dell which was about 7 years old- she only uses it for email to me- funny because i have the same old model dell as my backup computer and it still works... i have no idea what happens to her computer... recently i had to contact a family member to get my mom to delete the junk mail from her inbox as my emails were bouncing. it must suck to not know what ur doing.

[kiwibaby3p]

Nice tips Chris. I myself am technically challenged and I understand how yall techies get frustrated with those of us who are not techies. lol. Screencasts are the way to go! Thats how I ask people to help me.lol. cuz when u dont understand u get frustrated along with the techie.lol. oh, I *HEART* GOOGLE!!

[autogrow909]

Thanks Chris...

[autogrow909]

Wow..., is this the right site I am looking for ?

[rgsgww]

you are like my idol

[smartpartsionlover]

and it took about half an hour to do

[rgsgww]

lol 30 minutes! im glad i dont take computer classes at my school...id have to teach everyone it would suck lol

[Richy0326]

has anyone else ever noticed that theres a subject in the help files for everything except the one thing you need help with. funny that.

[upthera5]

"negative 4 miles an hour" u cant even get that ya dumass!!!

[smartpartsionlover]

i cant belive i had to teach a high school teacher how to drag and drop

[rgsgww]

lol i have to teach alot of people stuff....and its very very very hard...where you make it soooo easy to comprehend...yet they cant

[alpineos]

i know what you mean, in my school we had a sub and as he was trying to teach us basic stuff i noticed he was just reading out of a book, and didnt know him self, so i just got up and started teaching, and ever since i teach Adobe Photoshop to several class' in my lunch times

[rgsgww]

lol my cousin takes computer classes at his school....they always have basic stuff (of course)...the teacher had problems with the basic material so he got up and started teaching...

[alpineos]

basic's are funny as well, in my school rr recently had a P.E. teacher become a I.T. teacher, and just as he did a small course and just as he can make a good power point presentation he thinks he knows everything, i recently had to help him get onto the school network with he's laptop, all i had to do was plug in the ethernet cable and set it to main preference to LAN not Wireless

[rgsgww]

lol i hate it when people buy expensive hdtvs and dont buy power protection. so i tell them they really need to get power protection for their tv to protect it and that power surges can happen on a sunny day-no lightning. yet they dont listen.and if they do they buy the cheapest one available lol

[ariesram74]

hahaha- I remember computer class in high school - it was way different back in the old days...

[fozzybear702]

Agree totally, been there, Lord still there.

[pickyantivirus]

is he wearing a firefox hat?

[Typetokill]

woulden't you hate to write the help text?

[romaniaalex]

you are crazy dude... good title;)) " Tehnology"

[dman61992]

My Grandpa Taught Me How To Use A Computer. Then He Forgot A Lot Of Things About It And He Asks Me Questions About Things Like Copying And Pasting And Backing Up To His Thumb Drive. My Grandpa Can Use A Web Browser And Other Things Like Microsoft Office And Outlook Express But He Can't Seem To Remember How To Copy And Paste And Using His Thumb Drive.

Chris, This Is A Good Video And I Hope It Helps Me Teach My Grandpa.

[monkeyboy2264]

chris, i feel your pain too!

[weberbaker]

Add these to the list:

Teach the UNDO feature

Teach Save/Save As and the difference between them

Try to ge the person you are teaching to do what you say as you say it. Avoid the temptation to take over the mouse/keyboard.

[CompInfo]

very interesting, a hour ago my dad asked me how to "write" (MO Word) in Windows. at his job he starts Word by windows Explorer by clicking directly on the exe file, but I use Start shortcuts :(he doesn't know Start menu) . such a pain in the but

[richardmulroy]

they get mad at u cuz u r so gay

[DJAc1d]

Chris is a pretty cool guy actually so shut it ^_^, he's alot more literate than you will ever be.

[roscin]

you could always point people towards "idiots guide" or "for dummies" .... and of course you could teach them to use google and afterwards call them morons for not managing to find help this way(if they really can't) ... that will annoy them and make them a litle more independent. it works for me .... I recomend the books above just as a taunt, after google

[Dariic99]

negative 4 miles per hours lol

[braven117]

Nice logo in the laptop ! Lol

[Marlon1416]

I like your firefox hat dude.

[MurderDeathKill01]

yes! i was there when he was making it, i joined right at the beginning, what a coincidence.

[ecrocksmysocks]

"where's the any-key?"

[joby866]

Firefox Hat :D

[slybalddude]

I won't support family, friends or anybody from church. I send them to the local shop. I just say "NO". Sorry.

When I go over to the parents I have a shirt that says, "No, I won't fix your computer" that I wear.

I just don't have the patience for it anymore. WHen people come over I make sure there are no computers in view so as to illicit a conversation about tech support.

What do I do for work? Internet tech support ..

[DaveJonesBSNews]

I halved my emails by doing that.

[relentlessJnin]

after i show them, i ask them to do it right away, so their muscles remember what to do if their brain doesnt. this happens to me alot, expecially with my passwords... my fingers just type without my control

[pspaddict01]

I just say Google it and if you can't find the answer then ask me :)

[wuemura]

Watching this makes me remember a very nice Ludacris song....

"Move bitch, get out the way... Get out the way bitch, get out the way"

[whereami111]

my dad is a programmer for a bank that he runs :)

[chrintov]

oh happy you...

[shanedk]

Hardware is the part you can kick. Software is the part you can only scream at.

[ariesram74]

would have been easier if my high school computer teacher explained it like that

[chrispymage]

thats right tell them to go onto youtube

[SergeKGB]

I use VNC and Hamachi for Teach.

[toonrunedudehobby]

Lol my Dad is still tech saavy to this day. He is not stuck back twenty years ago.

[toshibatobe]

Poor Chris. Lol

[rufusqaz]

i told my mum to press enter, she said which one is enter, isaid the big one, she pressed space, omg

[eggertstwart]

LOL, well it is the biggest one.

[GLOBADYNE]

my grandmother wants to learn but it takes for ever

[FallenLeafProduction]

Same with me globadyne. my grandmother wants to buy a laptop, she can't even use google, or scroll....or left/right click....or type...oh my god i'm gonna die. lol

[evan21293]

Man i have to deal with that all the time

[UbiquitousGeek]

I feel your pain.

[badrunescape12]

Can I have some help? I need help Manuallu UNINSTALLING Daemon Tools Lite. It put a virus on my computer.

[badrunescape12]

Man-You have SO MUCH vids!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[badrunescape12]

Man-You have SO MUCH vids!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dogbog99]

i get frustrated when teaching my dad how to do things aswel, i have to take deap breaths and remember that im 16 and hes 50,

i manage to get there in the end,

until the next day when he has forgoten and asks me again

[Gispero]

Probably one of the most important element when helping people with tech issues is to remind yourself of when you first got interested in computers. Remind yourself of the frustrations you experienced when attempting to accomplishing task you now regard as almost child's play.

Patience is not only a virtue it's also an invaluable tool to over coming obstacles.

[ariesram74]

my significant other called me today to tell me her new computer might have a virus. she goes to work and brings things home on her flash drive and her computer is not connected to the internet so she is not getting virus definitions and windows updates. I have been trying to tell her to just get a GPRS modem she can use with her phone but she insists her phone can't connect to the internet which is ridiculous - i know it does. sigh....

[Filipcreate]

im very nervous when im helping persons with PC's and macs XD

[kevaughanshiu]

im proud about it. but i get fustrated when ppl are stupid

[chimera15]

God that's a great idea, I'll try that next time. I have the same problem with my parents. lol

[Atomilate]

With difficulty.

[aznbadboix4xu]

hahaha wtf is this doin here

[J4gg1T]

what is the best screen recording software?

[tomandconerpimps]

your mom

[dardraa]

ZD soft screen recorder is pretty good and free

[anerisgreat]

Thanks for these tips. My father is getting a Mac soon (his first computer is a PC that he uses at his office, all he knows how to do is use one program and search on google) and I am gonna have to teach him how to use it. Thanks for the tips!

[wee493]

Another option is to install Log Me In on there computer. Now every time my Grandparents call me trying to describe to me whats wrong i just say "go to your computer and watch your screen" Then i don't have to spend an hour on the phone trying to describe how to reset your password in outlook

[iCMNvids]

You know what I say, I say to them 'use common sense, if you don't know which port a USB plug goes into, try them all' That's how I learned.

[J4gg1T]

or say "the hole is the same shape as the cable end, and sometimes is the same color."

[bushkiller12]

whhhaaattt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zwitterion24]



[dizboy14]

im a senior in HS and when the teachers need help or the computer lab lady they always have me fix the problem

[califasio]

my mom loose the cursor

[Nakas99]

Great video Chris, very funny and true!

[LittleSpuddles]

My grandmother calls the internet "internut"

[MajorNerdd]

I had to teach my grandpa how to double click...

lol once he got it he double clicked everything!!! lol

[LrdDarkFyre]

Great video as always.

I have had some issues getting into the chat but I always look forward to getting new vids from you. I also enjoy your blogs even though I have yet to comment on the blogs themselves cause I noticed same things I would say are already said more than once. What is a good yet free screen capture program. I think that is what I need to better help my family with problems.

[TheCoolDude1230]

Great Job! I've been there done that its so frustrating I never thought of video capturing I'll keep that in mind thanks. the tip I have is use a web cam for non computer related issues like the other day I spent three on the phone explaining to my dad what he needed to do to open a PSN account it was hopeless then I thought, why not start webcam chat that way he can see what I am doing and I can see what he is/was doing wrong then in matter of minutes Ta Da! I'll ttyl

Peace!

[noimus13]

stop dude its been 5 videos in 1 day

[AlwaysApple]

Great Videos Chris! Keep it Up!

[funnyent]

Great video Chris!

[NiceDomo]

das cool! THX!!