This cheat sheet is specifically written for mature people who are relatively new to using a computer and need to know the basics of buying a computer, searching the Internet, and using Windows keystroke shortcuts. You'll also find ten useful Web sites for you to visit as you venture out on the World Wide Web.
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Checklist for Purchasing a Computer
Computers can come with a lot of options and extras. Don't get caught paying for bells and whistles you don't need! When you go computer shopping, look for the following features to find the computer for you:
Memory: Your computer should have at least 1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM.
Processor speed: Look for a minimum of 1.6 GHz processor speed.
Size/footprint: If you're short on space, a minitower or laptop might be better.
Price: Set a budget that you're comfortable with--you can get pretty inexpensive computers that work for most folks these days.
Keyboard: Make sure the keyboard feels comfortable to you.
Monitor: Monitors come in different sizes and quality of resolution. A 15-inch monitor is comfortable for most people, but if you do work with higher-end images or watch videos, consider a larger monitor.
Input ports and drives: Computers might come with CD or DVD drives, USB ports for connecting peripherals (like printers and MP3 players) and USB sticks, and ports to connect to monitors and printers.
Wireless capability: To connect to some wireless devices and networks, you need wireless capability.
Included software: Some computers come with utility programs, such as antivirus software, or productivity software, such as Microsoft Works.
Manufacturer support: Check the warranty and technical support available.
Graphics and sound cards: If you want to use multimedia or game software, ask for more sophisticated sound and video features.
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Tips for Efficient Searching with Your Computer
Whether you're searching your computer for a file or the Internet for a document or Web site, here are some tips that can help you get appropriate results faster. (Note, however, that some search engines use slightly different approaches.)
Avoid search terms that are too general. The term golden retriever would get you more specific results than dog, for example.
By default, if you type two keywords, such as Vacation Italy, search engines generally look first for sites that contain both words.
Most search engines generally don't take into account words such as and, or, and a.
Some search engines, such as Ask.com, allow you to type in questions as sentences rather than using keywords.
If you want to find an exact phrase, such as "To be or not to be," put it in quotes.
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Ten Useful Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
Taking your hands of the keyboard to use the mouse can be annoying. Luckily, Windows has a number of keybaord shortcuts that can speed you along. Use these Windows keyboard shortcuts to handle common tasks, such as cutting and pasting text, quickly and easily.
| Key or Keystroke Combination | Effect |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+X | Cuts the selected text or object |
| Ctrl+C | Copies the selected text or object |
| Ctrl+V | Pastes copied or cut text or object |
| F1 | Displays help |
| F2 | Opens the selected item (folder or file) for renaming |
| Ctrl+Z | Undoes the previous action |
| Alt+Tab | Displays a list of currently open applications |
| Prt Scr | Prints a copy of current screen to the Windows Clipboard |
| Windows Key | Displays the Start Key menu |
| F3 | Displays a search window |
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Ten Useful Web Sites for Seniors — and Everyone Else
The Internet is a vast place full of information of varying quality. As you begin to use your computer to surf the Net, you might find the following sites to be good starting points for various types of online activities.
CNN.com keeps you updated on what's happening in the world (www.cnn.com)
The Motley Fool offers financial news and advice (www.fool.com)
Tucows is a shareware download site with lots of downloadable software (www.tucows.com)
Dow Jones helps you keep track of stock prices (www.dowjones.com)
Encyclopaedia Brittanica has a trusted (but fee-based) online encyclopedia (www.britannica.com)
ConsumerReports.org offers consumer advice and comparisons (www.consumerreports.org)
Flickr is Yahoo!'s free, online photo sharing site (www.flickr.com)
Eons is a social networking site for baby boomers (www.eons.com)
DoItYourself.com shows you how to do hundreds of home maintenance and repair tasks (www.doityourself.com)
Movies.com can keep you up to date on what's showing on the silver screen (www.movies.com)
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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/computers-for-seniors-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html
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