Tell me...plz

I want to learn every thing i possibly can about computers but the problem is that I don't know anyone who will teach me, and most likely know one hear will teach me either and i respect that but I still want to learn all i can about computers. So all i'm asking is how did you guys (and girls) learn so much about computers ( I know most of you will answer by reading books but all i can afford is... free) so if you have links, e-books, advice, etc., it is welcome just people relpying to me would be a surprise to me and i'd like to thank all of you for your help in advance. Thx :D

These sites should get you on your way. They have a wide range of topics between them and will hopefully help you on your way.

http://www.ugu.com/sui/ugu/warp.ugu
http://www.intelinfo.com/free_computer_books.html
http://www.maththinking.com/boat/booksIndex.html

On the main page of 'AO' (this site), in the upper right side, you will find a box with this:
Site Menu
Home Page
Fight-Back!
Discussion Forums
Security Downloads
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Top Links List
Security Events
Security News Groups
Hacker Jargon
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Site FAQ

Go to the one called 'Discussion Forums' and start reading. Window in 'Google' http://www.google.com
and search out the term and/or terminology you don't understand.
You can also go to 'Google" and search out beginning computer tutorials, and manuals. All free and online.
Hope this helps you.

read and play. setup a lab. format and reload. most importantly.. read. books are good, but you can read what is out on the web.
most of the info you can find in books you can find on the web... you just have to look harder.

hand on experience is key... so try to solve as many problems for people as you can. troubleshooting will teach you a lot.

you've got one of the best resources at your fingertips... use it. google is your friend.

ask questions when you don't understand, but don't expect to be spoon fed everything.

search AO for ebooks and the like... there are members that have put together huge threads of just that.

http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ght=free+books
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ght=free+books
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ght=free+books
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ght=free+books
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ght=free+books
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ght=free+books
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ight=photoshop
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ight=photoshop
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=245153

Heres a link that should help you with almost any linux problem you may have --> The Linux Documentation Project Its helped me with quite a few linux problems. Basically its a massive collection of HOWTO files in many different formats for easy viewing in just about any OS available. Definately one for the bookmarks if you plan on getting into Linux.

A lot of good advice and links have already been covered, with special mention going to MemorY for his never ending supply of free ebooks. I would only add that an excellent resource is college and university web sites. Search Google and you will find them worldwide.
This will also improve your searching skills, as you will have to find the Dept of Computing, Computing Faculty,Computing Science or whatever it happens to be called. Then find the Staff list, you wiil usually find that each Lecturer has a site with courses taught, with lecture notes, tutorials etc , along with various links to computer related material and their own published works etc. This will keep you occupied for quite some time,and will give you access to free education from some of the best computer brains in the world, all at your fingertips
regards
jm459

Read, read and read some more. And then (and this may sound a bit odd) try and explain it to somebody that knows less then you. By explaining it to somebody else how it works you are forced to think a bit harder about it. That way you will both learn ;)

Quote:

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Originally posted here by SirDice
Read, read and read some more. And then (and this may sound a bit odd) try and explain it to somebody that knows less then you. By explaining it to somebody else how it works you are forced to think a bit harder about it. That way you will both learn ;)

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I agree. Though... most of the time people don't want to listen to me talk about it... I dont have many computer geek friends... and those who are computer geeks still don't want to know it unless they HAVE to know it. I can barely get my boss to listen to me... and he is supposed to be my "mentor"... :D

NUMBER 1. YOU do not have to be a computer geek to know about computers.
NUMBER 2. If stupidity was a crime...you would have been executed a long time ago
NUMBER 3. I suppose you're n0t a computer person, perhaps not a book person neither.
NUMBER 4. *SEE ALL OF THE ABOVE*

PCpunk, welcome!

If your after information and knowledgable people - whoa man! - you've come to the right place!

I commend you on your honesty. I am in a similar situation to you. If your anything like me, then the sheer volume of information available is sometimes staggering. It's hard to know where to start.

Disregard jerks like 1cehawk, they are few and far between but you come accross them sometimes.

Incidently, 1cehawk, if your going to give smartass comments like

Quote:

---

NUMBER 1. YOU do not have to be a computer geek to know about computers.
NUMBER 2. If stupidity was a crime...you would have been executed a long time ago
NUMBER 3. I suppose you're n0t a computer person, perhaps not a book person neither.
NUMBER 4. *SEE ALL OF THE ABOVE*

---

maybe you should first prove your own '1337n355' rather than firing off comments like that with only 4 posts under your belt. Sorry, you must have been born knowing everything, right? I apologise if I read your post wrong however, it does reek of a 'know-it-all' attitude.

Anyway, PCpunk, I reccomend that you start out by 'getting to know your machine'. Explore the ins-'n-outs of both the physical machine and the software installed on it. Get to know your OS intimately, as well as a heap of reading (as said previously, Google is our friend ;))

Start out with basic file types and how they associate with each other, maybe get into a tutorial in regards to programming or HTML (web coding). Just try and work your way through the terms that you don't comprehend.

And remember, don't rush yourself. Computers are a world in themselves, so it's comparable to a student astronomer wanting to know everything about the universe right from the start. That is impossible. You have to start on the ground!

I wish you the best with your technical education.

D.

wow.....that post by 1cehawk is possibly the worst post I've seen since I've been here..... Anyway, I just wanted to recommend one thing. Since everyone else has already given you enough info (with ebooks, college sites, etc.) don't forget where you got all the information (here). If you really want to learn, then I'd recommend that you hang around AntiOnline for awhile. You can start out just by reading and contributing wherever you can, and you'll gradually be able to contribute more. You'll get plenty of chances to learn by teaching others as SirDice recommends and you'll also learn new stuff every day from more experienced users. So basically....I'd say just being involved AntiOnline is a great way to learn about computers.

start a project. try to work threw it by yourself. when you run into something you dont understand post a question here. Folks here... well we'll trip over each other trying to help as you can see

WELCOME PCpunk!! Make yourself at home.

I have a few of my fav. links (Tut, HowTo's) Here there are:

http://www.cprogramming.com/
http://www.serverwatch.com/tutorials...le.php/2231961
http://blackviper.com/index.html
http://www.winguides.com/security/ (thankyou to cheyenne1212)

Enjoy!!

Cya

and some more :)

http://www.valtellinux.it/documenti_english.php
http://www.fas.org/irp/nsa/rainbow.htm
http://classic.tep.ru/serge/computechinfo/
http://64.226.223.44/files-tw.htm
http://www.marketing-resources.com/ebook.html
http://www.educationonlineforcomputers.com/
http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/Redb.../redp3613.html
http://web.comlab.ox.ac.uk/oucl/publications/books/PfS/
http://www.cs.jhu.edu/%7Escott/plbook/
http://a-sync.com/contents.htm
http://www.boran.com/security/

Hope we helped you :)

Hey,
I don't know about you guyz... But I didn't do a whole lota reading. I just picked up knowledge bit by bit (no pun intended) :p However, there is a TV channel out for geeks just like us... Its great, its got everything to do with computers... yes, even network security. check out their site... http://www.techtv.com Or you can order the channel! Which ever way you go, you can't loose.
Hope this helps :D

I'm no guru, but one thing that has taught me the majority of general PC knowledge that I've picked up: I got into gaming.

Quit laughing, I'm serious :P
Get into PC games, go to a lan or two, and find the guys who are showing the lan organisers how to set up the network properly. Get to be friends with them, and just hang around them with your ears open. Eventually you'll learn enough to start arguing with them, at which point you'll REALLY learn.

Dont get me wrong, books are brilliant, I've lived with my nose in one since I can remember (and probably before) but the brain picks up information fastest when it's coming in on several different channels, and chatting to a group of people is about the best you can do (until they build a Matrix-style direct jack to the cortex ;)

Anyone know what 1cehawks' problem was? Dude has some serious anger management issues there... :P

I got a pc and played games, we got internet, games got boring, so I started looking for mods, I found map editors and made my own mods, then I got into programming, now I'm here!

Quote:

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Originally posted here by Turmoil
...However, there is a TV channel out for geeks just like us... Its great, its got everything to do with computers... yes, even network security. check out their site... http://www.techtv.com Or you can order the channel! Which ever way you go, you can't loose.
Hope this helps :D

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<bitch>
AAARRGGHHHHHH!!!! The UNFAIRNESS OF IT ALL!!
</bitch>

..I feel a little better now....

Turmoil, that sounds awesome!! BUT - I'm in Australia and they don't seem to air it over here :(.

I have checked their website and they say a lot of things that, frankly, I would LOVE. I waited patiently for the 'International Connections' to load all the while thinking that, once again, I would be switching my TV on ( haven't used it for so long, i'd have to vaccume the dust off first). The list came up and - **** - nothing for Oz.

Sure, cable may be an option for some but unfortunately not me. I'm on a tight budget. I don't suppose there'd be any way to get it on my 'puter? I think that may only be viable with a cable connection, which I don't have either. Maybe I should just stick with reading the info off their website if that's the only option....

Any help anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated.:thumbsup:

Regards to all,

D.