It's OK to be "Computer Illiterate"
By Matt Western.

I've been helping people use and get the most out of their computers for more years than I care to remember.

I've always been fairly patient and tolerant of those who know and knew less than I did about how to use their PC, after all, on many occasions that was my job.

It can be very rewarding helping others, passing on your knowledge and skills to others so they can then solve and answer their own problems as they arise.

But the one thing that gets on my goat is when people use the phrase "I'm not very computer literate".

It's funny but for some reason, some people feel they should know all about their PC and how to use it, simply because they use a PC or own one.

Rest assured friendly reader, I don't expect anyone to know anything about their computer, and I mean why should they?

I like cars. I drive a car, but don't ask me to diagnose one when it has a problem and then try to repair it. Oh no. My interest lies mainly in what a car can do for me, what it looks like and how it makes me feel.

I have no interest in gaining the skills to repair them.

This is how I treat the average person who uses a PC as a tool. Do you use a PC at work? If you do, there is probably a pretty good chance that you don't understand how they work and because of this, you would have a pretty tough time trying to diagnose and then repair one.

That's OK you shouldn't feel as though you should.

You most likely use your computer, at home or at work, as a tool. A tool you use to perform certain functions or requirements of your job. There's probably a pretty good chance that you could care less about how the thing works. All you want (and most likely need) to know is how to do what you need to do with it.

I don't go to the doctor and expect him or her to think that I know how the human body works.

It's same with PC's.

Hey, it's OK not to know much more than how to turn it on, start up the programs you need to use, print etc. Why complicate your job and your life by learning about things you may never need to know about.

Don't get me wrong, if you have an interest in how computers work, follow your interest, try to expand it and learn as much as you can. It is important to have interests and always be inquisitive about things, that's human nature and it's healthy.

But I guess the point I am trying to make is, don't feel intimidated by the computer repair person when you ask for help and you don't understand what they're talking about when they come knocking. You don't have to.

Your friendly computer repairer should be trying to get as much information from you as they can so they can then try and determine what the fault is.

In the trade we call people who use computers, users or end users.

I see it too often.

Technical support people talking down to end-users who have a computer problem. Because the end user is unable to explain the problem in technical mumbo jumbo that the tech support or repair person can understand, they get treated or spoken to as someone who is mentally lacking.

It all has to do with terminology. The computer industry is full of whacky terminology and fad words.

Not knowing what the terminology means can sometimes confuse and intimidate end users.

This is when I hear the dreaded "I'm not very computer literate" statement.

Don't worry, you aren't expected to be. Sit back relax and just wait until the computer tech is able to fix your problem.

So next time you have to call the computer tech or repair person for help, remember, we can't know everything and we shouldn't expect ourselves to.

It's ok not to know and it's ok to be illiterate.