May 17th, 2011 
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Question by HollyMarie: What is a good software program for teaching computer basics?
I want to get something for my mother to help her get around them on a computer. She is very shy about it and know very little. I need something to teach the very basic level … for someone who does not know what the “desktop” or the “Start button” is or how to you select text. My mother is very smart, she’s just basically no experience with computers. Someone please is there a good software to start it off? Thanks.
Best answer:
Answer by Denise Huan
Well… My parents had to learn computer few years ago .
I had made them short lessons 
How to open…to close.
What is this window and what is with that X in the corner …than I told them to print a word page… I show them ..once ..twice… God knows how many times I show them and ,… now they know the basics. At a time… my father was writing on a paper ” start /programs/ ,,,,” was funny but though …It’s not hard to tell tech them basics but i am afraid that achieving the specialist title will be much harder.
Being away from home around 100 miles i use remote computer with a program called LogMeIn . It helps me login to my home computer and even if my father calls me and tell me that “what is with that message? what should I do? I did something wrong? I broke the computer !!” you can easy solve the problem
you could try http://www.videoprofessor.com/
What do you think? Answer below!
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I think you wont require any software to teach basics. You just introduce them the desktop, what is start button and what start menu contains. Just show how to open a video or audio file. You can teach painting. After that you show them microsoft word, then game.
These are enough. After these they can do themselves everything. I use the same procedure to teach my mother. Now my mother can do the basics.
You can download some videos from http://www.flvtube.net/2538
By watching these videos your parents can learn the basics.
Yasmin
here is the link
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~cil/v-source.html
good luck
youtube.com can teach you everything with videos. Just search for whatever you want to learn and they have oddles. Another great site is ehow.com they have zillions that show you how to do everything. And it costs nothing. If you open each program file in the start menu you will get a feel for what they are and what they do. ANY program that you open will not change unless you start clicking. As long as you just look nothing changes. Then you can go to these sites (I’d try ehow first) Just search for the Program that you are trying to learn. You don’t have to be a member and I have learned how to do just about everything from braiding hair to information for my company and everything in between. The help menu that each program has at the top of the page in the tool bar is always great for just looking up how to do one thing. I haven’t found any cheap software for it – but DON’T be fooled into buying that computer professor stuff on TV. They take your credit card and repeatedly charge your card for things they ship every two weeks. And when you try to return they say they never received it.
If you want to teach your mom some computer basics then here are some resources that may help
You can go to your local library or store or an online store like Amazon.com to find many good books, DVDs, and etc. for learning many things
The educational software Professor Teaches includes many interactive lessons for learning computer skills for Microsoft Office, Windows XP and etc.
Professor Teaches
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dsoftware&field-keywords=Professor+Teaches&x=15&y=25
The book publisher Visual has many good introductory books for learning computer skills; these books use many pictures, illustrations, and etc. to show you step by step on how to use the various commands and features of various computer programs and operating systems
Office Simplified
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_1?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_28%3AOffice+Simplified%2Cn%3A%211000%2Cn%3A5&bbn=1000&sort=relevanceexprank&ie=UTF8&qid=1286529219&rnid=1000
XP Simplified
http://www.amazon.com/Windows-XP-Simplified-Service-Pack/dp/0764583298/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1287921128&sr=1-1
I have found the above books useful for learning Windows XP and MS Office
You can also use a search engine like Google.com to find many free tutorials, forums, videos and other information
For example if you want to learn how to use Excel 2003 then you can go to Google.com and type in “Excel 2003 tutorial” and then you will find many good tutorials and videos for learning Excel 2003.
Top-Windows-Tutorials is a good website for learning about Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7; how to protect your computer with antivirus and firewall programs; backing up your files and data, and etc.
Master the basics of Windows XP
http://www.top-windows-tutorials.com/free-windows-xp-tutorials.html
Microsoft.com has many tutorials and various support resources for learning how to use their software and products
h ttp://office.microsoft.com/en-us/support/
Teach ICT has many free video tutorials and information for learning computer skills
http://www.teach-ict.com/videohome.htm
http://www.teach-ict.com/key_skills/word_home.htm
Various tutorials for learning Microsoft Office, Windows XP, and etc.
http://inpics.net/excel03.html
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/computer/
h ttp://www.fgcu.edu/support/office2000/
h ttp://www.baycongroup.com/excel2003/index.htm
http://www.uwec.edu/help/index.htm
http://www.officetutorials.com
There are many forums for Microsoft Office and etc…you can ask them for any advice and information
MS Office forum
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=MS++Office+++forum&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=
YouTube has videos for learning almost any subject or topic
Excel 2007
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Excel++2007&aq=f
Good luck and I hope this will help!