We have a love-hate relationship with computers! OK when they work, maddening when they do not. Here are some best PC tips and trouble-shooting sites mainly for beginers and intermediate computer users. Please tell us of others. Don't forget - on the top menu bar of almost every software program, there is an option marked 'help', usually with a searchable index. Windows users also have a 'help' option on the start menu.

Computers in general
Newbie Club
Learn how to use your computer. Join, and get free newsletter, tutorials, message boards plus technical advice from 90 experts on a wide range of computer problems. Plus the downloadable 'Windows for Newbies' and other interactive tutorials with money-back guarantee. Their First Website Builder helps first-time site designers.

Easy PC from The Times Interface
Lots of questions and answers to real problems.

Computer Tips
Very useful daily tip by email - to sign up, select 'Computer Tips & Techniques'.

Computer Tips online
Online searchable archive from Computer Tips and Techniques, plus message boards.

Computer Corner
Covers a variety of issues, accessible to beginners. Weekly column - use CTRL + F to search the page for topics.

Dummies Daily
Daily tips on a big range of different types of software (e.g. Excel, Outlook Express, Word), Windows systems (3.1/95/98) and learning to use the Web.

CNet Beginner's Guide to Computing
Help on hardware, software, operating systems, and browsers.

Dr. Keyboard Absolute Beginners
Assumes absolutely no knowledge.

Learn2com tutorials
Technology (mainly computer) tutorials.

Find Tutorials
Range of tutorials for varying skill levels on many computer topics.

About.com Adult Education
Advice on acquiring computer skills.

Third Age Learning Center
Online skills classes.

ZDNet's 'Help and How-to' pages
Some stuff is for beginners and intermediate users.

ExpertCity.com
Ask a real expert in real time. First session free, after that, it's a pay-for service. If all else fails, maybe it's one to try.

Break in your new PC
Part of the detailed tech advice from CNet.

The PC Guide
For intermediate users - but very detailed and helpful information.

SIL Computing
A big range of resources, particularly helpful for missionaries involved in translation work. Includes a downloadable PDF files Notes on Computing which will need the free Acrobat Reader.

Wycliffe Associates
This mission support group offer help for any missionary in a range of practical ways. WA have also set up email help addresses for missionaries (or others in very isolated situations with no other IT help) experiencing computer problems: General Computer | Computer Hardware | Desktop Publishing | MS-DOS Questions | Microsoft Access | Ms Excel | Ms Outlook | Ms Outlook Express | Powerpoint | Ms Word | Network Questions | Operating Systems | Internet

Empowering the poor
Teaching our computer skills to others, including the disadvantaged, can be a powerful ministry.

PC Maintenance for Computer Users with Limited Repair Services
An RTF (Rich Text) downloadable 117k file (readable by any word processor) prepared for people who are not too technical, and especially for missionaries and others with few people to call on.

Christian Radio and Computers help-page
Useful advice on common problems including one-to-one email help for Christians.

Software training
FreeSkills
Free downloadable PDF booklets with training for many common software packages.

Printer problems
Fix your own printer

Operating systems
Windows 95/8 Tip Center | Windows 95 Tips and Tweaks | Troubleshooting Mac OS 8.6 | Beginners Redhat Linux | Suse Linux | Beginners Unix CNET Help for operating systems, browsers, etc

Manufacturers Sites
PC Help Online
Links to all manufacturers and software help-pages.

DriverZone | The Device Driver Guide
Find and download drivers for printers, scanners, etc.

Email
Pick up POP3 email from anywhere
Traveling and want to pick up your POP3 normal email? Open a Hotmail account. Then enter 'Options'. Insert details of your POP3 server, user ID and password and click OK. By logging onto Hotmail and clicking 'POP Mail', you can pick up your 'real' email, from several POP3 accounts if wish, and from any computer anywhere. Note - if you reply, the message will appear to come from your Hotmail account rather than your real account - unless you go back to Options/Preferences, find the 'Reply to' feature, enter your real email address here. Then your replies will be shown as coming from your real email address. Note - if you don't use your Hotmail account every 60 days, they will cancel it.

You can also use Mail to Web and Pop3 Now to do the same thing.

Escape big email attachments for ever
If your Internet connection is slow or paid for by the minute, you have probably been bothered by people sending you without asking, huge file attachments which take 5, 10, 15 minutes or more to download. And that's if they don't stall halfway, and you have to start again. But until they are downloaded, you have a queue of emails you can't get at! There are several ways to get round the problem:

1. If you use the excellent Eudora emailer, in Options/Attachments, select 'put attachments in body of message', and in 'checking mail' select a small maximum file size to skip. Reset it after, if you wish to receive normal-sized attachments.
2. If you use the free acclaimed Pegasus program, there is a selective Pop3 mail download facility which allows you to preview message headers before downloading and delete any you don't want. You can also set it to limit download sizes if you wish.
3. Download the little free utility Email Remover (for Win95+). This allows you to view emails waiting for you, and delete any you wish to from the server without downloading them at all. It can be set up for multiple email accounts.
4. Use the procedure described above to download POP3 email into a Hotmail account. Ensure that it is set up not to leave email on the server. Then delete selected emails from the Hotmail webpage.

Eudora and Pegasus
These email programs are more flexible and also less able to be affected by viruses than Outlook emailers which are part of Windows. There is an email discussion group for mission-related issues on encryption: join here.

Using the Web
For new users to learn more about the Web, visit Internet Detective | Learn the Net | Eric Elder's online Christian workshops | About.com Internet for Beginners

Glossaries
Zondervan Glossary of Computer Terms

Web page design
First Website Builder - a Newbie Club product, part is available to download free.
HTML Primer - one of the best online learning pages.
Strategy for designing evangelistic pages - find strategies that are effective.

Two-way email lists
You may find an email discussion list or support group which offers help on a particular computer problem or program at eGroups | Liszt | Topica | CrossSearch | Christian Macintosh Users Group |

More technical
TechWeb | PlanetIT | About.com | Windows-Help.NET | Albutt.net | Ask the Pros | Tech Help at CNET

Searching for more
Google and AlltheWeb

Recycled computers
Used computers for overseas - sources for charities, missionaries and national workers. (Item is near end of this page.)

Price comparisons
Price checkers for software, hardware and books

Free software
Completely free software - Christian-run site and weekly newsletter. Everything is free to download via the site.

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