Gookin - PCs For Dummies 13th Edition

PCs For Dummies, 13th Edition

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2015955443

ISBN: 978-1-119-04177-1; 978-1-119-04179-5 (ebk); 978-1-119-04178-8 (ebk)

1. Table of Contents

It may have been more than 30 years since that first IBM PC rolled off the assembly line, but that timespan doesnt make the entire realm of computers easier to understand. For all the advances, the graphics, the fun, and the availability of computers for sale in the same place you buy your booze, a PC remains a daunting, intimidating piece of technology. That can make you feel like a dummy.

This books job is to convince you that youre not a dummy. Computers are intimidating only when you believe them to be. Peel back that sleek case and you find a timid, frightened beast that wants only to help you. This book takes you on a journey that makes that task easy, fun, and enjoyable.

Oh, and dont peel back the skin on your computer. It doesnt hurt the computer if you do so, but you can better get in touch with your PCs emotional core in ways that dont require tin snips and a blow torch.

Hey! Thanks for continuing to read this Introduction. Most people dont bother, so youre special! I mean, why read all this nonsense when you could open the book to some random page, stroke your chin, and say, Wow! This is really appealing. Anyone watching would be impressed. But no, youre reading the very front of the book. The best you can hope for is that any onlooker believes you cant find the price or are trying to look up a relative on the details page. Sorry about that.

This is the 14th edition of PCs For Dummies, which begs the question, What the hell happened to the 13th edition? Thats right, the publisher just skipped over 13 as if it would belie the fact that only 16 percent of Americans bothered to visit a bookstore last year and most people steal this book online. Still, if you want to be specific, this books 12th edition was titled Windows 7 Edition. Then when the 13th edition came out, the publisher called it the 12th edition. So now youre all caught up.

Beyond updating many of this books less important parts to reflect the Windows 10 operating system, Ive invigorated the text with all the new whiz-bang technology introduced since the last edition. Here I address some new topics that have arisen, including

• Updates on new PC features that have become standards, such as USB 3.0, media cards, and solid-state drives (SSDs)
• Details on cloud storage and how its used to synchronize your files across multiple devices
• Sharing media on the cloud
• Connecting your PC to another gizmo, such as a smartphone, camera, or tablet
• Updates on security and the ever-looming threats on the Internet
• A new, sassy attitude that didnt involve heavy drinking

As in years past, I present all the information in this book in a sane, soothing, and gentle tone that calms even the most panicked computerphobe.

This book is a reference. You can start reading at any point. Use the index or table of contents to see what interests you. After you read the information, feel free to close the book and perform whatever task you need; theres no need to read any further. Well, unless you just enjoy my pithy writing style.

Each of this books 27 chapters covers a specific aspect of the computer: turning it on, using a printer, using software, or heaving the computer out a window without incurring back injury. Each chapter is divided into self-contained sections, which are nuggets of knowledge all relating to the major theme of the chapter. Sample sections you may find include

• Restarting the PC
• Using the Internet to set the clock
• Ejecting media
• Stopping a printer run amok
• Obtaining software from the Internet
• Connecting to a wireless network
• Accessing cloud storage pictures

You dont have to memorize anything in this book. Nothing about a computer is memorable. Each section is designed so that you can read the information quickly, digest what you have read, and then put down the book and get on with using the computer. If anything technical crops up, youre alerted to its presence so that you can cleanly avoid it.