My first PC was an IBM PS/2 at work, a little over twelve months ago. It suddenly landed without warning, and had a great impact as I had to move my desk to nearer where the door would be if we had one (removed as there was no room for a door). No instruction, no course, no DOS manual (DOS, what's DOS?). Ali well, you never miss it if you never expected it. One manager insisted that the keyboard be disconnected each night, but knew nothing of backup disks. I locked my disks up. My organisation (11,000 people) has a computer division, which has a policy of not giving out DOS manuals - people might use them. The backup program on the menu gets all the files, not just yours. I now use XCOPY date, specific to my directory, quick and simple, but other users get the lot. 

Lack of training led to files being put on the C drive, next to the DOS files and application software. Lucky not to take out something critical - I may have deleted something not critical .... Then I accidentally logged off the menu (don't they all come with a menu?) into DOS. ARRRRGH! Panic stations, red alert, HELP, what have I done, is it broken? A friend showed me how to type e-x-i-t and m-e-n-u. Whew! 

The D drive was discovered, quite neat. Ok, so is it time for a course or what, and should I buy one of these toys for home? Yes on two counts, your worship. An institution which will remain nameless has a course in WP5.0. By now I have read/skimmed the WP5.0 manuals, so an advanced course is indicated. But the prerequisite for the advanced course is a basic course. Ho, hum, might learn something, enrol in two courses, basic and advanced. 

The basic course is very basic - and slow. The instructor knew WP5.0 quite well, but was not as good a communicator as might be the case. If I had a choice between an expert who was a poor communicator and a lesser person who was a better communicator, for teaching the second person would always be my choice. 

The second course had a similar instructor: lots of knowledge, but not good at passing knowledge. The PCs were old: ten or fifteen seconds response, berserk clocks, ancient keyboards, external floppy drives, weird DOS error messages - DOS minus 3.3? Could be. So I quit after two lessons, and got my money back. 

Buying a PC is very confusing to the uninitiated, but a lot of looking narrowed the field. Friends with no axe to grind helped me work out what I wanted I bought from Computer King Abbotsford, not the least expensive, but the best value for money and good honest service. The owner Peter Condello recommended that I look elsewhere for one product, rather than sell me something that did the job, but was not quite what I needed. Not that I could tell. This sort of honesty and looking after the customer is all too rare. 

My attempt to load software met with disaster. Loaded in a way, but the menu is crazy, and disk manager is not healthy. Return to Computer King (I did not park the HD!) and they fixed the software for me, as well as checked the HD, fortunately ok. This underlines a key point. If the after sales service is good, then I can recommend the company to my friends, and go back to buy more. But if not, then I will not return. Is there a common/peak body re PCs? Attend a monthly meeting. The initial impression of disorganised chaos is incorrect, it is organised chaos. And some record collection, or are they CDs? Decided to join-good move. Like many voluntary organisations, the level of expertise and dedication is very high, except that in a technical sense the top guns are so far above the rest of us, they may as well be on Olympus. (Heads in clouds?) The mag was/is a mystery, but could be partially in Swahili (is it?). Despite some jargon and technical obscurities, the magazine is a valuable source of information and amusement. A yearly index would be grand. Re-reading earlier editions which were once largely cryptic has resulted in them being understood a little more, due to learning all the time, a steep leaning curve. (That term went in a job application - sneaked through spellcheck - I did not get the job.) 

Try for another course, this time with Melb PC. DOS middle looked good, but Tom Coleman convinced me that DOS bubs was ok, as there was a lot of background information suited for new users. The course was very valuable, and I commend the concept of an instructor up front and a roaming trouble-shooter. The idea of pointing people in the right direction, and not worrying too much if you cannot remember also has great merit. 

Panic #2: accidentally deleted a few boot files. Only when I fired up did I notice this blunder. Simple you say, boot from floppies. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I forgot that I even had the things, let alone knew how to use them. Eventually, after advice from a patient person on the help pages (thank you double muchly) and more assistance from Computer King (told you that they were good) I was on the air. Only took me two hours to write a file using Edlin - the *%$# manual is not very clear at all - then ATTRIB +R, copy to a boot floppy, write protect, and store away from the day to day mess. Then a data loss: two whole directories down. Easy, pick any one of my six back-up disks, and we is in business again. My data is now going off-site, along with the original application software and DOS disks. 

I could go back to clay tablets and chisels, but this trauma is fun - when I stop. Fortunately the first bits (pun intended) are the worst, and there is a light at the end of a tunnel. Probably an oncoming train, assuming that the Government has not cancelled the train due to lack of funds. 

Tom reported in October PC Update that many people say that they want training, but few bother to enrol. This is lunacy. All people with limited experience could learn from a course, and meet people of a like disposition. Problems are aired and shared: you can practice during the week and come back with more problems next lesson. For example, I crashed my system, not a big deal now, but I can help you avoid the problem, and resolve it if it does happen. This sort of knowledge is pure gold. The confidence engendered by the course is hard to quantify, but it is very real. 

I am strongly in favour of the courses, especially as they represent excellent value for money. So attend a course, learn, and then put something back. I have been a member for only six months, but have joined up one friend, and have another two interested. 

Next week I am going to find out what a baud is. Could be a misprint band? It is my firm opinion that these computers will catch on. 

Reprinted from the December 1990 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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