We are in the age of computers or information that is brought about by the Digital Revolution. The introduction of computers has made life easier for many people, although they have also rendered many people jobless.
These days, if you know how to use a computer, you don’t have to worry when looking for the direction to a restaurant or important information on the internet. You can ask Google everything you want and the giant won’t charge you anything for availing the information for you.
A study by Microsoft suggests that the average employee uses a computer at least 7 hours a day while white-collar employees use computers to send and receive emails 6+ hours a day.
This shows that computers have changed the way we do business. It has made it simple to connect with customers and changed our collaboration with others at work.
In this article, we will talk about the basics of computer literacy which make your life easier.
Why Computer Knowledge is Essential
Being able to search and retrieve information from search engines can be considered as computer literacy; however, some people cannot do past that with computers.
Nevertheless, if you can seek answers from Google, you are a step ahead of acquiring computer skills. If what you can do with your computer is searching for information from the internet and nothing further than that, we will show you how you can freely learn basic computer literacy to make your life easier.
What is the definition of computer literacy?
First of all, a computer literate is a person at the age of 5 to infinity who can operate a computer on his or her own. That means this person is familiar with the basic hardware and software concepts and can use a computer to send emails, type things in a Word processor, and enter data in spreadsheets.
With that in mind, here are some basics of computer literacy you need to know.
1. Removing Junk from Your PC
Companies will trick you and the last thing you see is a computer full of crap. This occurs, especially when downloading free stuff from the internet like viruses or other applications.
If you noticed a Yahoo toolbar on your system that you didn’t install yourself, that’s caused by crapware. This is one of the culprits when it comes to computer problems, especially for a Windows computer.
Well, it shouldn’t worry you more, just remove that crap and be careful when installing any program on your computer.
This way, your life will be easier when using your computer since you will not suffer the frustrations of a slow-loading machine.
2. File-Sharing Between Computers
Sometimes you will want to give your coworker or colleague in school a file but since your flash drive isn’t working, you are left with no option but to give them your computer and return it to you once they are done.
You don’t have to. You can share files between your computer and your friends, colleague’s or the whole department instantly, as long as you are using the same wireless network. You can also use the Dropbox app to share files of any size as well.
This improves collaboration and eliminates the inconveniences of having to transfer using flash drives which are prone to viruses.
3. Safeguarding Personal Information
Although technology through the internet has simplified our lives, it’s not always a safe playground.
Just recently, data and information for about 12 million quest diagnostic patients were exposed in third party breach according to the Identity Theft Resource Center.
That means information is vulnerable to attacks at any time and this requires one to safeguard their private and confidential information, lest you find your departmental data being shared on social media without your consent.
You need to use hard-to-guess passwords, avoid including personal information in your photos and most important of all, verify public wireless networks before using them.
Well, safeguarding your personal information may sound easier but even as you read this post, chances are that your information can be intruded and leaked without your knowledge because you haven’t put the necessary safety measure for your information.
4. Creating Data Backups
Setting up a backup system isn’t something hard. It’s something you can do in a few minutes but can save you from future frustrations. Besides, you only do it once and forget it and most Windows computers come with backup tools such as Apple’s Time Machine and Windows Backup.
It’s worth noting that while the backup system will help you big time, it’s only when your computer crashes or fails to start but when your offices catch fire or the computer is stolen, you lose all your important information. That’s why it’s good to learn how to backup information online. This would keep your information safe and help you access it everywhere at any time.
5. Keeping Your Computer Safe from Viruses
Cases of virus attacks aren’t a new thing these days. Just the other day a report by McAfee showed that cyberattacks using the file-locking virus have more than doubled.
Well, you can protect your computer from viruses easily than you may think. However, you need to understand the difference between viruses and other types of attacks so that you find out how to stay safe from them.
There are good antivirus programs out there both free and paid for. Although the free ones are good, they aren’t as effective as the paid-for ones.
You can also protect yourself from viruses by downloading only programs you trust, avoiding clicking on suspicious links, and not using external flash drives you don’t trust.
6. Using Shortcuts to Execute Tasks Quickly
Computers are designed in a way that they can handle multiple tasks concurrently than humans.
Using shortcuts can help you execute tasks much faster. For instance, you don’t have to use your mouse to open the command prompt. Just press Windows icon+R, then type cmd on the windows that appear- this is for Windows computer though.
If you wish to print a document, press Ctrl+P, or Ctrl+S, to save a document and to open a new tab on your browser press Ctrl+T.
There are many shortcuts you can use to make things easier although you will have to use theme several times before you can get used to every shortcut.
7. Remote Computer Access
You must have traveled with your laptop only to realize that you left some important information on your home computer. This happens since life is also busy and because you want to catch up with the first flight, the last thing that strikes your head is you didn’t transfer all the files you wanted to use in your presentation.
It gets better.
If you have Dropbox installed on your home computer, you can access your files everywhere. Also, other apps like TeamViewer allow users to log into another computer no matter where it is placed.
8. Regular Computer Maintenance
You can keep your computer running like new even after using it for several years, but you must keep it maintained regularly.
Nothing’s complicated here. You just need to defragment or clean up temporary files.
There are various ways you can also keep your computer running fast and smoothly out there. For instance, you could install a cleaner program like the CCleaner and many others which can do it for you automatically every time you start your computer.
9. Setting Up and Troubleshooting Wi-Fi Issues
You don’t have to save the number of your ISP. You can set up and troubleshoot Wi-Fi issues on your own. Well, it can be frustrating to have network hitches and if you don’t know how to go about remedying the situation, you may end up hitting your router or modem hard with a blunt object.
Here is the thing: If you find your router needing frequent rest, chances are that the Wi-Fi traffic is clogged or it is overheated. These and very many other issues you can solve them without seeking help from an expert. Sometimes changing the location of your router can make a huge change.
Now that you’ve learned the basics of computer literacy, we hope you will not scratch your head the next time you find yourself in some situations we have mentioned above.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can improve your computer skills.
Easy Ways to Improve Your Computer Knowledge
Did you know that these days if you don’t have basic computer hardware and software skills you look like you leave in a yet-to-be explored world?
In the job market, an employer will give preference to candidates with computer skills because hiring a candidate who lacks computer skills means the company will have to incur expenses training you.
Well, don’t be left out. Here are easy ways to boost your computer knowledge.
· Determine what computer skills you need to learn
If you are looking to learn computer skills to improve your employability, look at most of the job descriptions associated with your position. This is where you can tell what employers are looking for.
· Learn the basics first
Ideally, you will want to learn how to start the computer- huh! You must be of a generation-long gone if you can’t start a computer in this day and age.
Once you know how to start a computer, there are plenty of free resources you can use to learn the skills you want.
· Use Google
· Learn the shortcuts
· Train someone
So there you have it: Basics computer literacy which makes your life easier. We hope this article helps you.
By Eric H Anderson
Who can write my assignment cheaply? Did you just ask that question? Well, Eric is a proficient freelance writer who specializes in academic writing and blogging. With more than 8 years in the writing industry, Eric has helped thousands of students and companies with their content writing needs. He is an expert in Economics, Modern Accounting, Business Finance, and Digital Marketing. Feel free to connect with him on Facebook or LinkedIn.