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going to cause a great void in your life? You've installed the software before (or someone has), and if the data is important to you, back it up. (There are Helium articles about how to do this.)

Frustration can be caused by lack of knowledge, or simply by having expectations that don't match the capabilities of the computer. Nobody likes spending hours on a paper or something similar, then to have the power go off, killing all the work that was done. But is this really realistic? Power outages happen, and this has little to do with the computer. We may want to blame the computer for losing our work, but it really wasn't the computer's fault that someone hit a power pole and killed the power to your house. (There are devices that guard against this, incidentally, but the point is that some circumstances are unforeseen. Try to back up your work periodically, and that source of frustration will lessen greatly.)

How about when a program inexplicably starts behaving in a weird manner? Keep in mind that it isn't inexplicable. There is always an explanation, though at times it can even elude a computer expert. Most commonly, though, it is just because files in a program can "wear out" (become "corrupted", in computer terms) just like machine parts do. I have yet to see a single program that doesn't sooner or later have to be reinstalled. Knowing this and expecting it will go a long way toward arming yourself with the knowledge needed to tackle the computer head on (figuratively...please don't actually try to tackle it, no matter how much you might want to).

Are computers sometimes frustrating? Absolutely, they are. You can lessen the frustration, but never entirely. On the other hand, cars, the TV, the remote control, the next door neighbors, and family can also be frustrating, and will continue to be. At least with the computer, most of the time YOU are in control! If you are getting frustrated with the computer, you can always turn it off and come back to it later when you've calmed down. As a father of two grown kids, I can't say how many times I wished that there was an on/off button, or at least a volume control!

One last little tidbit: You are never too old to learn something about computers. A few years ago, I showed an elderly aunt (in her 80's) how to get the computer to do the things she wanted it to do. She is now quite proficient, and doesn't have nearly the problems she used to have. Also, about ten years ago, while doing technical support, I assisted a gentleman who impressed me with his calmness, computer knowledge, humor, and willingness to learn. It was only at the end of the call that I found out that the gentleman was 108, and had lived up until retirement as a farmer! YOU have come far enough to read this article. Who is to say how much you can yet learn? Keep going...you are on the right track!

Learn more about this author, Rex Trulove.
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