Which beginner's guide to using a computer should I buy?

[FatalSaviour]

Good evening all. I'd really appreciate any advice for any books (or online guides) that would help a user with very limited experience of using PCs please (longer story below!):

I'm trying to get my mother more au-fait with using PCs. It's not that she can't use them at all, but is very limited by what she can do certainly.

I'd like to get her a decent book that explains how to do basic tasks, such as checking e-mail, using the Internet, maybe typing a word document.

I've tried sitting down with her in the past, but at the moment, she just doesn't use the PC enough to consolidate anything. On her own, she gets too stressed out by using it that she's very put off, and just *won't*.

As you can probably appreciate, it's frustrating for her (and even causes a few problems at work I'd imagine), and also a little frustrating for me, as I'd dearly love her to get on with it more, but there's been little progress to date unfortunately.

FWIW, the PC that I've built for her runs Windows 7 and Office 2010, so any modern guide that covers at least Windows 7 would be best I would have thought.

Thanks very much

[Kumagoro]

You need to find something that interests her with regards to computers. Facebook would be the usual suspect.

[Biscuit]

The 'complete idiots guide to...' books are always the ones to go for in my experience. They tend to do exactly what they say on the tin

[cookie365]

I got my dad this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brilliant-In...3632959&sr=8-3

He said it was really good. There're others in the series for Windows 7, computer basics, that kind of thing.

[siliveshere]

Also, you can make it easier for her by putting icons to email/internet etc in one place on the desktop so she doesn't have to remember how to get there in the first place - reducing the barriers should make learning easier.

[TaintedShirt]

There's always courses. She could try out the ECDL. My parents did one and they were in their late 60's at the time. Their pc is on most of the time at home now emailing, just in case they need to check crossword answers, skype.

They have pretty much the basics, can do a little work processing and some excel skills. Course was one day a week for a couple of weeks.

[scaryjim]

Alternatively, sit with her and show her things but get her to take her own notes on how to do it. That way she should (I use that word advisedly ) have a set of notes she can understand next time she comes to use the computer.

Out of everyone else's suggestions I think I'd go with ECDL - that way she gets professional tuition (or at least proper learning materials), and she'll get a useful and recognised qualification at the end of it. No, she may not need the qualification for getting jobs etc., but no matter how old / experienced you are I reckon it's always nice to get that little self-esteem bump of having a piece of paper that says you can do something

Oh, and remember that if you just get her a book she'll be on the phone constantly asking you to explain bits of the book to her...

[Smudger]

Wasn't there a free Which? guide out recently to help 'Senior' users?

Edit - looks like it wasn't free, and was Vista-based... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Computing-Ma...6463562&sr=1-7

Edit again - Windows 7 version: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Computing-Ma...6463562&sr=1-7

[mikeo01]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...puters&x=0&y=0

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...uide+windows+7



The Dummies Guide books are always good, and its very user friendly and easy to understand aimed at first users with simple language, no technical language to confuse people.