Author: Sherman E. Deforest
How to Buy a Laptop and Salvage a Desktop
This is a two-part post of intimately related events: Beating a dead horse. (Or: When will I learn?) Salvaging an XP desktop for donation. The first part: While I do enjoy working with my clients, every now and then, it feels like I am beating a real dead horse when I try to help. Recently [...]
How to Use Spreadsheets to Make Decisions
Making decisions when the situation is simple or the tradeoffs are not overly difficult is easy. We all do it all the time. But when many parameters must be considered and when the consequences of a wrong decision can be painful, then decision making can become a frightening chore. We can dither about and agonize [...]
Joys of LibreOffice and Life-long Learning
Although I usually write with WordPerfect, this post is being written with LibreOffice text document. There is a good reason. In a little over a week, I will start teaching my new class on downloading major applications for free (and safely) from the Internet. Among the applications I will feature is, of course, the LibreOffice [...]
Three Simple Rules for Buying a Computer (Or Anything Else)
Can we make a set of some simple rules to help a person decide what new computer to buy, or what new camera to buy? Can those rules be extended to include more complex decisions such as selecting a mate, or even deciding if you want a permanent mate? There are no simple rules that [...]
Are Seniors (This Senior) Obsolete?
Having just returned from a vacation cruise in the Caribbean, I am having re-immersion difficulties, but maybe those difficulties have given me some new insight into effective tutoring of seniors for computer literacy. Certainly these insights have been made even more clear by the links Chris sent me to the videos of his father (a [...]
Good Deeds and the Evolution of Piracy
Knowing a group of people with similar interests can be more than just a social thing. There are often other benefits as I have once again learned. This week I received an email from one of the other members of a group I attend. He sent a reference to the Hiren’s Boot CD. Although I [...]
Sharing a Cab: Is the Fare Unfair?
After an emotionally challenging post last time, I hunted around for a more light-hearted puzzle for this week. When looking for puzzles (which is a puzzle itself), sometimes the neatest ones pop up in the most unexpected places. I found the idea for today’s discussion in the archives of the Wall Street Journal! The puzzle [...]
Emotionally Laden Decisions: What Would You Do?
This spot is devoted to decisions and decision theory, but that does not mean only considering dry theoretical issues. Theory is worthless unless you can apply the lessons of critical thinking to everyday life. To entice readers to make such applications, I intersperse the theoretical considerations with an occasional puzzle that illuminates some aspect of [...]
Solving a Problem Starts with Knowing Its Language
Correct nomenclature is important in solving problems, particularly in determining why computers are not operating the way you think they should. Seldom do I get requests for help with computer-related problems from international sources. So when an email came from a foreigner who is also an accomplished author in Great Britain, it was special. Eileen [...]
How to Have Effective Club Meetings
The PC users clubs I support have experimented with various formats for meetings with some surprising results. The normal format, probably repeated around the world, is to have a formal presentation by either a guest or volunteer from the group followed by a question and answer period. These sessions use a projector and a group [...]
