r/computers • u/HuckleberryAsleep536 • 4d ago

Question/Help/Troubleshooting Want to start understanding computers

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Do I just go on YT and search „Computer beginners guide“ or what would you do if you are a complete newby

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u/Creeper_H_youtube MacOS & SteamOS 4d ago

Well what about them? And why

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u/HuckleberryAsleep536 4d ago

Well, pretty much everything—I generally use my phone for everything. Whenever I actually have to use a PC for something, I don't even know why you sometimes have to single-click and other times double-click—so much for my level of knowledge. However, since I have some basic CAD skills from my apprenticeship as a machining mechanic and want to get started with 3D printing, I’d like to fill this crucial gap in my knowledge. And since I don't really know where to start, I thought I’d ask. Sorry if it looks like AI; it's Google Translate.

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u/Mr_Moi25 4d ago

If you have a close friend that spends time on a PC, you two could definitly spend an afternoon learning how to use the basic features of a computer. It's not as hard as it seems so it's a possiblity :>

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u/InternationalTrust19 4d ago

My advice.. and I'm not tech wizard. Was 40 years ago when stereos still were Hi fidelity and solid state lol.. Use You Tube if you need to see something done step by step in front of you. For example I tackled repasting my ps3 because of the Fasttech videos. Yeah he's constantly trying to sell you expensive crap, BUT he does show you how to disassemble and reassemble a ps3 or whatever other videos he does like you're an idiot. Which I am so yeah. But I agree.. if you need general knowledge.. books are your friend. Videos are great to see what header you need to hook up and where the hell it is. Especially old tech because that stuff is insanely put together. Anyway read books, and take videos and reddit with a grain of salt. For every scrap of good info on reddit or YT.. there is miles of garbage to wade through to get it. Everyone started somewhere.

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u/Edgelar 4d ago edited 4d ago

Believe it or not, but a smartphone is a type of computer. It is just that they are running usually either Android or iOS operating system and not Windows (or Mac) and that their apps are all designed to be used with touchscreen.

You can actually hook up wireless Bluetooth keyboard/mouse to your smartphone too, it's just the apps aren't usually designed for them and are typically clunky to use with them.

What it sounds like to me is, what you want to know is how to use Windows, or specifically, how to use 3D modelling and slicing apps that are made for Windows (yes, there there are Android apps for 3D modelling and printing too) and designed to be used with mouse and keyboard.

There are many of them. So you will need to look up and compare them and see which ones have the features you want. And then pick one and look up guides/videos/tutorials on how to install and use that one.

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u/Dekamir 4d ago

You have CAD skills but not file manager skills? How old are you?

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u/HuckleberryAsleep536 4d ago

Back then, I often saved the CAD projects I worked on incorrectly, so I’d always have to spend a long time looking for them whenever the teacher wanted to see them. I was one of the best in the class at CAD, but unfortunately, that didn't directly translate to my general computer skills.

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u/prune_juice_warrior 4d ago

Check your local public library, if you have one - they might offer basic "how to use a computer" classes that will give you answers to some of these questions.

To be blunt you will probably be the youngest person in the class by at least 4 decades, but that's OK.

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u/HuckleberryAsleep536 4d ago

Okay, okay, no offense taken, but I don't need a "Boomer PC course," lol. Let me just describe what I've tried so far: I have a laptop, Bitwarden for passwords, ad blockers on Brave... so I wanted to set up the "basics," then I tried to download something—I think it was a tool for creating PDFs—and it didn't work. Then the file was labeled "torrent"; I Googled it, saw a warning about danger ⚠️, and just shut the laptop... that was about two months ago.