Introduction

It may have been more than 30 years since that first IBM PC rolled off the assembly line, but that timespan doesn’t make the entire realm of computers easier to understand. For all the advances, the graphics, the fun, and the availability of computers for sale in the same place you buy your booze, a PC remains a daunting, intimidating piece of technology. That can make you feel like a dummy.

This book’s job is to convince you that you’re not a dummy. Computers are intimidating only when you believe them to be. Peel back that sleek case and you find a timid, frightened beast that wants only to help you. This book takes you on a journey that makes that task easy, fun, and enjoyable.

Oh, and don’t peel back the skin on your computer. It doesn’t hurt the computer if you do so, but you can better get in touch with your PC’s emotional core in ways that don’t require tin snips and a blow torch.

What’s New in This Edition?

Hey! Thanks for continuing to read this Introduction. Most people don’t bother, so you’re special! I mean, why read all this nonsense when you could open the book to some random page, stroke your chin, and say, “Wow! This is really appealing.” Anyone watching would be impressed. But no, you’re reading the very front of the book. The best you can hope for is that any onlooker believes you can’t find the price or are trying to look up a relative on the details page. Sorry about that.

This is the 14th edition of PCs For Dummies, which begs the question, ...

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