Who Taught You On How To Use The Computer?

baby - did you learn this young?
Philippines
September 25, 2009 6:54am CST
I cannot recall how i learned to use the computer but i am sure that i got it from school. Since we had a computer subject when we were in grade 3, i guess? We were taught to use MS paint and play on the computer games. The two balls who played volleyball. I cannot really recall the Title. Can anyone help me with this one? In addition, my parents never learned how to use the internet. Even my Uncles and Aunties. Do you have the same situation like me? I have also been noticing that a lot of members here are old and i am glad that they are still eager to learn from the contemporary era. This is my question: When and how did you learn to use the computer? And tell me why.
15 people like this
89 responses
@kurtaxl (110)
• Philippines
25 Sep 09
I was in 3rd year high school when I got a subject for computer, I can still remember, we are using win95 that time.
3 people like this
• Philippines
25 Sep 09
Hello kurtaxl. How old are you now? I forgot what windows i was using but i am pretty sure that it is not that fast.
1 person likes this
@agv0419 (3022)
• Philippines
26 Sep 09
I learn how to use computer and internet at school when I was in high school and in college. My parents don't also want to learn how to use computer and even cellphones. Sometimes even if I taught my mother how to use it she often forgets and give up to learn it. In my opinion older people should also learn to accept and learn new technology to follow the trend and to make their life easier.
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
@ avg: Well sometimes, they really are not into learning. My mother was like that before but because of necessity, she learned fast! I guess if they are left with no choices, they will have t really learn from it.
@livewyre (2450)
25 Sep 09
I learned at school over 25 years ago, computers were a little bit different then. I took the subject on as it was new and I didn't need any previous qualifications to start the course. I loved the hands-on prgramming part of the course, but was a little less-excited about learning about the electronics... I have been using computers ever since, I have used mainframe computers that had no screen but printed on a teletype and stored information on ticker-tape, and some of the first desktop computers that worked in MS_DOS (before windows) - they had no hard-drive and just had 5.25" floppy drives. I had a PC that loaded software from cassette tape and one with no hard-drive but with 3.5" floppy drive that booted in DOS (again pre-windows) and bought my first PC with Windows about 13 years ago...that one had a 8GB hard drive. I currently have two complete PC's and one that I am splitting up to sell on eBay, my current PC's each have more than 500GB hard drive space... Even my Mom has a laptop and enjoys sending emails and browsing the web (and she is in her 70's)
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hello livewyre. That's a nice picture. You change the green icon to a more chunkier pink icon. I cannot relate to almost all of the things you were talking about there. But i have the idea though. I bet it was harder to operate machines before compared today since you said that there was no hard drives and a screen to match. I am shocked that your mother still had a time to learn using the computer. My mother is in her late forties and yet don't want to learn. I don't even know the reason behind it. Anyway, thanks for sharing and hope to see more of your responses on my threads.
@livewyre (2450)
27 Sep 09
Yes, computers were not so user-friendly back in those days... My Mom was a teacher and her interest in computers started from there.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
28 Sep 09
Why are computers not user friendly back in your time?
• Philippines
26 Sep 09
I was taught how to use a computer at school, also in third grade. We were taught on how to use certain programs like Microsoft Paint and Microsoft Word. My teacher also taught us how to create flowcharts and we dealt with it half the year. It was fun. My grandmother doesn't know how to use a computer since she doesn't have one at her home. Although that's her case, she's very open to cellphones and sending SMS. She's really quite a texter too. :) If they have the opportunity to learn these new techy gadgets, our grannies and gramps could easily learn them.
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hello cross. Your name is very complicated so i decided to enter the first five letters. I bet we are of the same age since you had the same experience as with me. But i cannot remember anything about flowcharts. Yeah, we also have a commercial here wherein Lola Techie is playing the famous counterstrike. She is very updated and cool to me. If only the grannies are taught on how to use latest stuff. My granny would be one of the coolest grandparents in the whole world.
• Indonesia
25 Sep 09
I Use Computer for the first time was when i still in Elementary School, i used it to play Video Games and type some paper. it's because my parent have a Personal Computer.
2 people like this
• Indonesia
28 Sep 09
Yeah, i'm very grateful my parents have a PC in my house (although it's only low end PC) but i can learn how to use computer in my spare time. but sometimes i help my friends to knowing computer by teach them
1 person likes this
• Philippines
28 Sep 09
That's nice of you to help them. Keep it up and i think you will be a great teacher for them.
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hello gnoy. Welcome to mylot and thanks for responding to my thread. Computers are mainly used because of games and paper works. So its a must for the students. I think having a computer available at home is an advantage. Since you can all learn by yourself on your spare time. I remember my cousins who doesn't have any computer at home that's why i am the one who is doing their computerized assignments for them.
@cherrc (661)
• Philippines
26 Sep 09
i used electric typewriter back in high school. didnt feel the nessecity of computer that time. we decided to have one in college since it's getting more complicated coz of the research demands plus the fact that my 4 year old little brother knew better than i do, lol! now, we all have laptops. ΓΌ
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hello cherrc. I haven't seen one but i do think i know what it looks like. Ha ha! So you got pressured because of your brother.. If i was on your su=ituation, i would have done the same cause i don't want to get beaten by a kid. I understand about the research. I remember when i use to rephrase the sentences i see on the internet because i want to have fresh ideas. Luckily, i did not get caught by the teachers.
@Melbee11 (230)
• United States
26 Sep 09
I like teaching myself alot of things. So when I came accross the computer I taught myself how to use it. At first I really didn't know how to use the mouse? Surprisingly I found it out. It's intresting how I learn my own ways. LOL! ( .
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hello melbee. You are gifted to learn things all by yourself. Not all people can do what you can. Be thankful for it. Thanks for sharing your story. Have a nice day. Keep posting and happy mylotting.
• Philippines
25 Sep 09
I taught myself to use the computer. I just try to learned it on my own with the assistance of my sister and teachers of course.
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hello d_red. Well that is nice of your sister to assist you. Since it was a part of our curriculum, we are obliged to learn the latest trend. THanks fro dropping by a response and hope to see you more.
@prajnith (941)
• India
25 Sep 09
i learned to use pc long back, i mainly used to watch my bro use pc and gave myself a try and started to use pc, back then there were no pc's at my school..
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hello prajinith. I think you are a fast learner. Having to watch your brother and learn from it is quite fast. At least you get to enjoy the latest technology of our time and that's what's important.
• Philippines
25 Sep 09
I learn computer from computer class and through my inquisitiveness to explore the various softwares until I learn to install programs and troubleshooting repairs. My hands on training is rarely done in schools and I learn it most from OJT in an office where the staff boy taught me some basic computer lesson and on-hands training using the mouse, printer and connecting cables. Then, learn to type and the same times surfing the net. I find my tutor sweet and patience to teach me..lol..
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hi neel. I bet you have a hidden crush to that person. am i right? Based on what you have shared, it seems like you are kind of attracted to him. Anyway, that's nice of him to help you out and tutor you personally. Because of him you are able to learn and spend a lot of time here in the computer. Have a nice day!
@Tantrums (945)
• Philippines
25 Sep 09
I started out playing computer games first! That's how most of my friends learned how to use the PC too!
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
What was your age then? and what was the game you were playing? I can remember myself learning how to use computer when i was young. We are asked to explore the computer by ourselves and sometimes gives us tasks to fulfill. Like using the MS paint.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
27 Sep 09
I first learned computers in my last year of school, but this was in 1988 and anything I learned then was totally irrelevant the next time I got onto a computer, which was 10 years later. At that time I purchased a 4 mb (yes it was only 4 megabytes of RAM...lol) computer for a course that I was doing, so that I could type and print projects. It was only just 4 to 5 years ago that we first purchased a 'real' computer that could go online and at this time my wife and I started teaching ourselves computer skills through trial and error and talking to more experienced friends. It has been a rapid learning curve for us over the last few years and we are still learning lots every day! We jumped into the deep end a few years back, when I left my job and started working online. This caused us to have to learn rapidly to survive...lol
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
22 Oct 09
Hi KoalaPenguin, (Love that name) I cannot even remember what we learned back then in 1988, but I do remember that the screens were black (before Windows) and the computers were Apple I think. The floppy disks were really big floppy ones, a lot bigger than the ones commonly referred to as floppy disks which are not even floppy. Yeah, when I bought the 4mb computer, the new ones in the shops had 16mb of RAM and you could access the internet with that! The internet was really only getting going then and there were no big flashy graphics. We run an online store here in Australia. We are the largest online Raw Food business in the country, people order online and we ship the products out across the country and overseas. We also have a very large online forum. We have not been affected by the recession as the economy in Australia is better than most other parts of the world and people have to eat food still, so they continue to buy from us!
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Hello again RawBill. Now i know where you got your name! I was not really sure of the first internet or how it looked like. I just remembered using computers for typing and doing some crazy little things. I also remembered using computers for games. The Price of Persia. You know that game? IS that a family own business? Well that's nice. I should really check out your website. Care to share?
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Hello RawBill. Thanks for sharing your experience. 1988? I wasn't even born on that year. What were you taught about in the 80's? Why was it irrelevant? 4 MB? One cannot even store a picture with that span of memory. So what can you say about doing business online? Are you affected of recession too? How is your business? Haha! Sorry for so many questions but i hope i could hear some of your answers. Have a nice day!
1 person likes this
• Philippines
26 Sep 09
I started learning computer when I was a kid. back in the fourth grade we had this computer class as part of the extra curriculum study, back then it was just the use of big floppy disk and computers were newly cool to me, there are times i even played games too there. it was also the first time I was awarded best in computer but i didn't succeed after wards..that was the first moments i learned to use computer.
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
The first time you learned computer and you got the best in computer award? That really indicates that you have a thing for computer LK. Though i never had a chance to hold the big floppy disk you are talking about at least i had seen the small ones and even used it when i was in high school. This discussion made us reflect a lot of funny memories.
@levite (1062)
• Philippines
28 Oct 09
I took up computer programming in a technical school but I had already known basic computer skills, the old DOS skill since high school. We already owned a computer, the old PC-XT (wonder if you knew it)way back then, given to my elder sister by my uncle. I studied it on my own and had learned some little skills before I even went to the technical school. My elder sister also taught me some skills. Regarding Windows OS today, my interest in computer has driven me to study and learn it on my own since we didn't study it in the technical school.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
13 Nov 09
I can see that you have the knack for computers levite. So were do you work then? Sad to say i don't know the PC-XT that you have mentioned. I just remembered our very first computer with a brand of IBM where we play Prince of Persia and that's it.
• Philippines
15 Nov 09
Okay. I think your just a decade older than me. JK. Wow so your family belong to the top 500 who had their first computers. That really is an advantage.
@levite (1062)
• Philippines
14 Nov 09
I was just studying then. I was only in high school when I learned typing through that old computer, very old. You will never know it because, at that time, as far as I could remember, only the 386 or 486 is already available in the philippines --the pc-xt was a much older version given to my sister from the US. I never saw PC-Xt during that time here. Don't think I'm not that old
1 person likes this
@abidmian (131)
• United States
25 Sep 09
My cousin starts teaching me computer after my exams of 10th class. He just trains me little but very healthy. Then i joined a friends namely Tariq. We share every information about computer with each other. This way, we are now fully equipped with the information of computer software and hardware. I did not join any institute for computer learning. We use internet and got a lot. We have one internet connection, using both through networking. Now he is also doing work on mylot in his home. Due to non-institutional training, we both are serving our fellows free of cost.
2 people like this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hello abid. Welcome to mylot! That's nice of you to teach free. I guess you are very thankful for your friend who taught you how to use the computer and returning the favor to him. Having a partner in learning is really useful. I am glad you have one and you helped each other. Keep that up and thanks for responding.
@balasri (26537)
• India
26 Sep 09
I went to an institute to learn the word,excel and power point while my wife was away to visit her sister abroad.I am happy that I spent those days in a very useful way.I have saved a lot of time in trying to learn these things myself.
1 person likes this
@balasri (26537)
• India
27 Sep 09
I have taught her all the basic things.And she is well versed in computer now.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Hello balasri. You really did spend your time significantly. Good work. I guess you can teach your wife how to use this thing though. Good luck and happy mylotting to you.
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
That's a nice job. Does she also have an account here? I would really love to add some friends up.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63643)
• United States
26 Sep 09
well, in like 1983 i had a co-worker explain how one of the older word processors work and before that I did keypunch a few times, but home computers really didn't enter my life until my mom got one. I did have a few courses in a few programs (mostly word perfect) at work, but other than that, I've mostly had to self learn...
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63643)
• United States
1 Oct 09
well, my roomie knows how to do a lot of things I have no clue about - and she's visual impaired! She even WORKS for a computer company now - tho not doing programing or anything like that
1 person likes this
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
I bet your roomie is really talented. That really is a blessing despite of her impairment.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
Hello Elic. Thanks for sharing your experience. I noticed that a lot of people learns easily after they got computers at home. It's a good thing that you learned how to use this stuff since we get to talk to each other through mylot.
1 person likes this
@TheCatLady (4691)
• Israel
26 Sep 09
No one taught me. I taught myself back in the 80's when I was in college. I bought a computer and learned DOS. There was no one to teach me. I read the manual. This was in the old days before Windows and before the mouse. You had to tell the computer everything you wanted it to do. Nothing was automatic. When Windows came out, I had a hard time transitioning to it. I was used to the old system were I controlled everything. My computer was top of the line back then. I had a 20 MG hard disk. I was told there was no way I could ever fill up a disk that large. ya right.. LOL. And the Internet was still an infant. You had to dial a different phone number for each site. This was right after the dinosaurs became extinct. I'm old... The ball game you remember might have been Pong. That was one of the first games mass marketed.
1 person likes this
• Israel
30 Sep 09
It's probably best not to call another person old. Some people get offended. Us older farts can say it about ourselves. I use it in jest regarding myself. I'm not all that old, only 48, but I've seen so many changes in technology. When I was a young kid TV was only black and white. No cell phones, no computers, no CD's, no cable TV. Rollerskates still had a key to adjust it for your shoe size. It was a different world.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
4 Oct 09
LOL. Haven't seen one of those roller skates. Thanks for sharing TheCatLady. Now i know. Yes 23 is a very young age and don't call yourself old for that age. You are still at the peak of living.
• Philippines
30 Sep 09
Hello catlady. What a pretty cat you have there. Is that yours? That made me miss our dog. He is currently with our parents eating at a restaurant. I think you are very clever since you learned all by yourself. About using the word "old" does it bother you in any way? Since i have offended some members here by using that term. I will check out that pong your talking about, Thanks for the information.
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
28 Sep 09
Even do we have a computer subject when i was in college. This is only about computer not the actual using of computer. We only learn about logic circuitry since my course is in Engineering. I just learn to use computer by my self. Since I am very much interested to learn computer I mad my own self-study to learn how to use computer and this is also because my interest in computer technology where I repair computer sometimes and need to learn how to use computer to repair some damage program... So, I can say that I learn use by self-study. Have a nice day!
@aerous (13434)
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Need more knowledge about computer, my friend. Because nowadays program is likely being develop everyday and need to upgrade that things...Do you know how program works in computer that is java,mySQL,CSS,and php, my friend?
1 person likes this
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
No i don't know those things. Those things are from computer science graduates like my brother.
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Hello aerous. That's believable since you have a good background with computers. Thanks for sharing!
• China
28 Sep 09
it's really a little unbelievable that i began leaning computer when i was in the university. but now, even the 2 year-old child around me can use the computer. the society here really advance forward very very fast.
1 person likes this
• China
23 Oct 09
certainly i'm not meaning the boy u post here. i see a girl, my classmate's daughter, 2 years old, and always touch the screen, press the keyboard and mouse. i just only meaned these, certainly not meaning she used the computer as a grow-up. i said it, because i compared it with myself. before going to school, i even didnt know what was a computer, while they can see and touch it in daily life now.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
Oh i get it. The mere fact that computers doesn't exist before. Thanks for clearing that up yolanda.
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Hello yolanda! I have never seen a two-year-old child using computer *except the picture i used for this discussion*. But i do agree that society moves so fast! later we would not notice what's to come. Like flying cars.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
27 Sep 09
I was about 54 , maybe 55 when I taught myself how to use a computer. My husband bought me one for Christmas and it took me til March to hook it up. I remember I was sooooooooo scared of it too ! But, I also had a friend who was available via phone who taught me how to do email. now, that did it !! I was hooked :) This is my second computer and my third is a laptop that I don't much about using, but I have it for just in case :) I have no other family that does know how to use computer. Even my hubby who bought my first one, doesn't know how to turn one on :)
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Hello quita. Thanks for sharing your story. You must be a very brave woman to face the computer's delicateness that even your husband won't face. Anyway, i salute you for that. My mother is a decade younger than you first learn how to use the computer but she doesn't want to learn at all. Why is this so? Do you have any idea why other people don't want to learn how to use the computer?
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
Oh so it was all about intimidation. I just hope i could leave my parents alone with this and let them do the work. Thanks for the advice!