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Macs For Seniors For Dummies
Over 50 and thinking about getting your first computer? A user-friendly Mac is a great choice, and Macs For Seniors For Dummies walks you through choosing one and learning to use it. You won’t even need your grandchildren to help! Macs For Seniors For Dummies introduces you to all the basic things you may not have encountered before—how to use the keyboard and mouse, work with files and folders, navigate around the Mac OS X desktop, set up an Internet connection, and much more. You’ll learn Even if you’ve never used a computer before, Macs For Seniors For Dummies makes it really easy to make friends with your Mac. Before you know it, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to get a computer!
360 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 2, 2017
Way back, when books were the internet, I used to sell the Dummies series and they were the go to range for new starters. Time has marched on, however it's undeniable that sometimes a book is a better learning aid than reading from the screen. And you can't take your mac in to the toilet!
This is aimed for new Apple buyers. (Techy bit: This book expects you to be using El Capitan OSX which has been installed since Autumn last year and can be fully used as an upgrade on 2012 models or newer. Some models as far back as 2007 (depending on spec) may upgrade, Check it out via your About This Mac option. The Mac App store can also show you what has been updated.)
The book itself doesn't stray far from previous iterations. It's likely that previous book owners once up and running won't be seeking a new revised edition, however if you embarking on your first Mac journey then this is a great place to start. It is all in monochrome, unlike some of the other options, however don't let that put you off. There's no need for colour images, and there are plenty of illustrations to ensure you can learn how to unlock the power and apps of your Mac. The book aims at a few levels, from the first few steps upon initial boot-up to add peripherals like a printer and then how to actually create some stuff and play with photos. Most of the most popular basic features of OSX are included and there are plenty of top tips to grow confidence and ability.
It's all written in a very colloquial style, like the author is actually telling you what to do (which he is) and this really makes it clear to understand. The text is nice and clear and the images have lots of arrows picking out the detail, to avoid any confusion. This series is popular for a reason - it understands its target audience and focuses on the best way to deliver the knowledge that they require.
This is aimed for new Apple buyers. (Techy bit: This book expects you to be using El Capitan OSX which has been installed since Autumn last year and can be fully used as an upgrade on 2012 models or newer. Some models as far back as 2007 (depending on spec) may upgrade, Check it out via your About This Mac option. The Mac App store can also show you what has been updated.)
The book itself doesn't stray far from previous iterations. It's likely that previous book owners once up and running won't be seeking a new revised edition, however if you embarking on your first Mac journey then this is a great place to start. It is all in monochrome, unlike some of the other options, however don't let that put you off. There's no need for colour images, and there are plenty of illustrations to ensure you can learn how to unlock the power and apps of your Mac. The book aims at a few levels, from the first few steps upon initial boot-up to add peripherals like a printer and then how to actually create some stuff and play with photos. Most of the most popular basic features of OSX are included and there are plenty of top tips to grow confidence and ability.
It's all written in a very colloquial style, like the author is actually telling you what to do (which he is) and this really makes it clear to understand. The text is nice and clear and the images have lots of arrows picking out the detail, to avoid any confusion. This series is popular for a reason - it understands its target audience and focuses on the best way to deliver the knowledge that they require.
March 10, 2017
I'm not a senior so I'm not really the person that this book is aimed at but I did just buy my first ever MacBook Pro having used PCs for over 20 years so there are a lot of things about Macs that are new to me and I'm still finding my way around the system. Although a lot of things are easy to figure out for yourself there are some things that are totally different and when I was offered this for review I thought it would be a good thing to have a read through.
There are some helpful hints in here and if you're looking at buying a Mac for the first time it even talks you through the different options so you can choose the correct equipment for your needs. The prices are all listed in dollars but it'll give you an idea how the prices compare and it's easy to check the latest prices in £ on the Apple website.
My main issue is that this is already out of date. My MacBook Pro came with Sierra not El Capitan so some things have completely changed and newer features aren't mentioned at all. I still found a lot of useful info in here but I'd recommend making sure you get the correct book for your operating system to avoid any confusion.
There are some helpful hints in here and if you're looking at buying a Mac for the first time it even talks you through the different options so you can choose the correct equipment for your needs. The prices are all listed in dollars but it'll give you an idea how the prices compare and it's easy to check the latest prices in £ on the Apple website.
My main issue is that this is already out of date. My MacBook Pro came with Sierra not El Capitan so some things have completely changed and newer features aren't mentioned at all. I still found a lot of useful info in here but I'd recommend making sure you get the correct book for your operating system to avoid any confusion.
June 12, 2011
Let me state up front that I'm not a senior - I'm not the target audience of this book. I picked up this book because I got my first Mac in over a decade and wanted to review/see what changed. I went to the local library and this was the only Mac book on the shelf.
Too hard because:
Chapter 1 starts out by talking about what someone buying a Mac needs to think about. It describes words like "hardware" and "graphics processing unit" for someone about to buy a Mac. A person who hasn't bought a computer before and needs that level of detail might be scared by such words. One piece of advice says "if you are a hard core gamer." Really? A hard core gamer is reading a book for people who are so new to computers? I would have liked something up front that said "if you are just using the Mac to surf the internet, get X and skip the rest of this chapter."
Too easy because:
The book is clearly intended for people uncomfortable with computers. (As evidenced by the fact that there is a "Mac for Dummies" not for seniors. If you do have computer knowledge, the book is way too simple. Which wouldn't bother me if it didn't feel too hard for the intended audience.
I was also surpised not to see advice about asking for help at the Apple store if you live near one.
I only read two chapters because I learned the book wasn't going to be useful for me. It might get better after that.
Too hard because:
Chapter 1 starts out by talking about what someone buying a Mac needs to think about. It describes words like "hardware" and "graphics processing unit" for someone about to buy a Mac. A person who hasn't bought a computer before and needs that level of detail might be scared by such words. One piece of advice says "if you are a hard core gamer." Really? A hard core gamer is reading a book for people who are so new to computers? I would have liked something up front that said "if you are just using the Mac to surf the internet, get X and skip the rest of this chapter."
Too easy because:
The book is clearly intended for people uncomfortable with computers. (As evidenced by the fact that there is a "Mac for Dummies" not for seniors. If you do have computer knowledge, the book is way too simple. Which wouldn't bother me if it didn't feel too hard for the intended audience.
I was also surpised not to see advice about asking for help at the Apple store if you live near one.
I only read two chapters because I learned the book wasn't going to be useful for me. It might get better after that.
October 8, 2015
It had some helpful info but I need more.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews