INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Computers for Seniors! Your computer is a hub for entertainment, communication, and getting work done. This book will help you use your computer to its full potential, taking you from zero knowledge to being comfortable finding your way around. You’ll learn how to keep in touch with friends and family as well as enjoy free music, videos, and books. You’ll also learn how to explore the internet, use practical and entertaining apps, and protect yourself from viruses and other threats.

You’ll learn about your computer’s most useful features in a simple and straightforward way. We’ll cover many new features introduced in Windows 10, so whether you’re starting out with your first computer or just want to learn about the newest features available, this is the book for you!

About This Book

This book was inspired by our experience working with seniors. We’ve been teaching computer skills to seniors for a combined 30 years and have created our own Seniors IT program dedicated to helping seniors learn how to use computers in a simple way and with easy activities. Over the years, we’ve been asked many times to turn our famous Seniors IT classes into a book so people can learn when and where they want. Well, here we are!

Computers for Seniors will teach you to use your computer in the same lesson-by-lesson format we teach to seniors in our classrooms. That means we’ll cover only the truly useful features that other seniors have requested, used, and loved. This book provides step-by-step instructions and full-color pictures to make things as easy to follow as possible. No dry reading here! We hope this book will help you learn the things you truly want to know about your computer.

Who Should Read This Book?

This book is perfect for all seniors, wherever you fall within that age range, who want to use the computer to stay in touch with people via email or calls, play games, manage photos, explore the internet, or just have fun. We start from scratch, so even if you’ve never used a mouse or keyboard before, you’ll be able to follow along in this book. If you have a little more experience, you’re well catered to with our “Explore” sections, which will help guide you to adventure through bigger ideas and products. You’ll also enjoy discovering lots of new Windows 10 features for work and play.

What You’ll Need

You’ll need a computer device with Windows 10 and an internet connection. Your computer might be a desktop computer, a laptop, or a tablet of any brand—and any version of Windows 10 will work perfectly fine! If you’re upgrading to Windows 10 from an older version, like Windows 7 or Windows 8, this book is also for you.

If you don’t have a computer yet, fear not! We’ll begin with a guide to the sort of computer to buy, how to set up Windows 10, and how to connect to the internet.

Some of the topics covered in this book also require a webcam and speakers. A laptop or tablet computer will have these built in, but if you have a desktop, you might need to buy them separately.

How to Read This Book

We strongly recommend you read this book in order, because every lesson builds on the previous one. For example, you’ll need to learn to put photos on your computer before you learn to send photos via email!

Every lesson includes activities that put your learning into practice, so you should aim to complete those activities. There are solutions at the back of the book if you get stuck or would like some guidance (see “Solutions” on page 305). A couple of lessons and activities will ask you to work with a friend or family member to do things like making and receiving Skype calls. If you can’t find anyone to help you at that moment, feel free to leave the activity and come back to it later.

The “Explore” sections are designed to encourage you to go further on your own and explore features, apps, and websites that might interest you. “Explore” sections provide help and guidance but not step-by-step instructions. Feel free to try out the “Explore” sections that interest you, but they are in no way mandatory.

What’s in This Book?

You’ll begin by learning about the different types of computers and devices and then get tips for what to look for when buying one. Then you’ll learn how set up your computer out of the box and how to use the keyboard and mouse. Once you’re set up, you’ll be ready for the lessons:

*   Lesson 1: Getting Started shows you how to navigate the first things you’ll see when you turn your computer on, and how to open and close an app.

*   Lesson 2: Introducing Apps familiarizes you with some of the useful apps included on your computer, such as the Calendar app, the Weather app, and the Solitaire game.

*   Lesson 3: The Photos App shows you how to transfer photos from your phone or camera onto your computer and view them whenever you like.

*   Lesson 4: Email shows you how to send, receive, and reply to emails and how to send attachments such as photos.

*   Lesson 5: Introducing the Internet teaches you how to use the internet to browse websites.

*   Lesson 6: Exploring the Internet shows you how to search for things on the internet and introduces some wonderful websites to try out.

*   Lesson 7: Watching TV and Videos Online helps you find instructional and entertaining videos to watch on your computer.

*   Lesson 8: Downloading New Apps shows you how to find useful and entertaining apps such as games, language translators, and more.

*   Lesson 9: Listening to Music Online shows you how to listen to your favorite music for free on the internet.

*   Lesson 10: Reading Ebooks with OverDrive shows you how to borrow and read books on your computer for free.

*   Lesson 11: Making Calls with Skype shows you how to make audio and video calls with friends and family via Skype.

*   Lesson 12: Typing Letters and Documents shows you how to use WordPad to create professional-looking documents (such as letters) on your computer.

*   Lesson 13: Files and Folders helps you organize your computer so that you can easily find your pictures and documents.

*   Lesson 14: Staying Safe Online teaches you the things you need to know to stay safe and protect yourself against viruses and scams.

At the end of the book are a few short reference guides to help you connect extra devices to your computer, create a Microsoft account, and connect to free Wi-Fi networks outside your home. By the time you finish this book, you’ll be confident using the most enjoyable and useful parts of your computer.

What Else Do You Need to Know?

Although every effort has been made to make sure this book is as up-to-date as possible, Windows 10 is constantly improving, and you might find that small details have changed between the time this book was printed and when it reached your hands. For example, the screenshots might look slightly different from what you see onscreen, or a button might have a different name or color. Regardless, you should still be able to identify what you need from the images provided.

Let’s get started!