Free Computer Classes and Tutorials

Linking, drivers, networking, HTML, icons, PDF, TCP/IP. If any of these are just words and unknown phrases to you, welcome to the world of computers. Some of these are common terms used daily by computer savvy people all over. Many people take courses offered at colleges or universities. Some learn the hard way, trial and error. Mostly the error part.

You can get free information and classes on the internet about your computer, the internet and other computer related topics.

There is a world of free information on the internet just begging for you to find it. That is what I am going to help you with.

For those that are unsure of all the things going on with their computer and are afraid to delve into the unknown, you are not alone. It can be a scary world and with the rising cost of computers and the even worse cost of repairs, you need help. You can get that help.

First I’ll give some sites that you can click on with your mouse. The highlighted parts below will take your browser to another web page. Here you will be able to see the things I am talking about. Just follow along with me and you will be able to see all the places that the free information is waiting for you.

Some of these sites require you to sign up with your e-mail address. You may receive e-mail from them regarding the courses or other things related to their site. They all advertise that they are free courses but some do offer other courses that you have to pay for. I am only going to show you the free ones and if you wish to pay for any further, you may. I am simply warning you ahead of time that you may need to give out your address and may receive mail from them.

Some sites have what are known as tutorials and others have online classes.

Tutorials are step by step instructions that lead you along in doing different things on your computer. For example a tutorial on very basic computer use would start you out at turning on power for your computer and then telling you and showing you with pictures the desktop and maybe explaining what you see as your computer starts up. It would then tell you what you see on your desk top and describe what a desktop is, Then it would explain what the icons on the desktop are and what they are for.

On line classes are just like a college or high school course where you read and do the things they tell you to do and then give you home work and even quizzes. Some of the free ones will have instructors that monitor the course and are there for you to ask questions. This is done either through a chat room or e-mail. Each course will give specific instructions for this.

The first is GFC, Global Learning Center.
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/
Their home page explains they offer free courses that are paid by donations. They have both tutorials and online courses led by instructors. You need to sign up and then can register for the tutorials which are self paced courses on things from basic computer skills to programs that you may have with your computer. They also have some tutorials on internet and e-mail use.

They offer some courses on specific programs for your computer if you have them. Their courses are instructor led and you have homework and even discussions to help you.

Free-ed.net
http://www.free-ed.net/free-ed/
Free ed offers a wide variety of free tutorials and courses for your computer. They have many different topics from basic computers to very specific things such as a programming language course. After you sign up you have to go to their Information Technology section and you can pick from their list of courses.

The basic computer tutorial is an excellent first time guide to your computer. It gives explanations and terms that you can understand and use with your PC.

Help 2 Go
http://www.help2go.com/index.php
Help 2 Go has a variety of specific tutorials and guides for your computer use. From hardware to programs, there is a list of tutorials for you after you sign on, including internet security and email use.

Learn That
http://www.learnthat.com/default.asp
Learn that has some very specific courses dealing with computers and programs. They have courses from basic computer skills to building your own computer.�¯�¿�½

HP Learning Center
http://h30187.www3.hp.com/
The Hewlett Packard Learning Center has online courses in specific programs as well as some on general computer tasks and hardware. These include programs that are not made by HP but are from Microsoft and other companies.

If you have some more specific questions or problems that you need some answers to you can try a few of these sites.

About.com has many answers to questions that people have asked about.
http://about.com/compute/

Ask Jeeves is also a good resource for your questions. You can search for things others have gotten an answer to or ask yourself.
http://www.ask.com/

Cnet is also a good site with computer technology questions that have good answers to things relating to your computer or other technological device.
http://www.cnet.com/2001-1_1-0.html?tag=hd.ts

If you have some term or other thing that you don’t understand and cannot find out what it means you can go to one of these sites.

Web O Pedia�¯�¿�½
http://www.webopedia.com/

Matisse’s Glossary of Internet Terms
http://www.matisse.net/files/glossary.html

University Of California Berkeley Website
http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/

You can also find out about classes offered at your local library on computers, internet and other related topics. Many libraries offer free courses to help their communities.

Happy Computing.