Your site is truly wonderful and I have learned so much already! And the kindness and help offered by the volunteers here - well, I just wanted to say a very sincere and heartfelt thank you! Gentle hugs to all!

I wonder if I may have missed something when reading all the tutorials (very possible), but is there a section devoted to a true 'brand new newbie' and how to get one's computer up and running to fit his/her needs.

For instance, although I found wonderful and precise info with suggestions for anti-virus programs (and how to use them - yipee!), I wonder if a 'guide' could possibly be created showing things one can safely delete from a new computer and things one will surely need that may not have come pre-loaded. (For instance - and I hope I'm using the correct term here - 'plug ins'). And things like Power Point Viewer, etc that, while not 'necessary' I guess, surely add to the fun of having these magic machines.

If this type of guide already exists here somewhere, please accept my sincere apologies for having missed it --- and perhaps someone would be kind enough to give me a gentle nudge in the right direction?

While I'm no longer quite a 'brand new newbie' (pretty darn close though - gentle smile), I still read every single thing I can find for 'newbies' - and learning new things here in a safe and knowledable environment is such a gift - thank you all once again!

Mara

The problem with writing a guide like the one you suggest, is that every computer is different, and not just because of Windows versions. For example, if one purchases a computer from one of the major companies, the gunk they load on it will differ, and so will some of the "extras."
Again, the uses to which the computer will be put by the owner will determine what is really essential to add to that computer's hard drive. I would be lost, for example, without OpenOffice.org, but I can slouch along with a relatively basic picture editing application. Others would want the best possible, and get along quite well with Wordpad. Either the guide would include the more basic applications for each task, or include many more in order of complexity; if the former, aficionados would not be helped, and if the latter, the guide would be so complex and lengthy that it would not be very useful or even---at that level---inclusive.

Obviously, everyone should have a layered protection of security on the computer, and this is covered in several places in pinned posts in the forums as well as in the Tutorials. In addition to those, one of the more useful BC "guides" is more a list of freeware applications by category, with very brief annotations, found here:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic3616.html

Computing has become very complicated, mostly because we find new uses for it; as you explore all the possibilities, you will no doubt want the advice of other members who share your interests. Don't hesitate, then, to ask the members with experience and expertise in the different areas, about the "best" applications to use.

Regards,
John

Thanks for much for your reply, John - and your explanation makes perfect sense!

For instance, I truly had no idea that each company such as Sony, etc added different 'gunk' onto computers.

I'm off to read everything at the link you so kindly provided - and thank you again for your response.

Kind thoughts,
Mara