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There is a truism in the statement that the best computer expert once knew nothing about the computer. Every one of us had a beginning in learning about the computer, though we may have learned differently, using different methods.

I am a proponent of the belief that the best way to learn anything is by doing it. There is always going to be an amount of self-doubt and worry. But the biggest boost in confidence comes from trying to do something, and succeeding. This is very much the case of learning to maintain a computer.

Knowledge is important of course. You must know why the computer needs to be maintained and not just how to maintain it. The reason is more than just for the sake of knowledge, but because the information is apt to stay with you for far longer. You don't even need to learn technical jargon in order to do this, nor do you need to go through hours of school training.

I'm not at all discounting school training. Very often, that will give you some insights that you might not ordinarily get. Many community colleges even offer inexpensive classes in the use and maintenance of the computer. Again, though, it comes down to doing what you learn to do. If you don't actually try it, the knowledge will be fleeting.

The first and most important step is to understand that the computer is a machine, regardless of how complex it might seem at first. Your expectations about its operation need to be realistic in order for that operation to be seamless.

A large part of that realization addresses some of the insecurity about computers. Frankly, except for purposely trying to destroy the computer, you are not going to damage it if you use reasonable care. Knowing this removes much of the worry and allows you to step forward to keep the computer maintained. At the point that you do, you'll already understand the need for maintenance. Basically, the computer that isn't maintained is the one that is going to break down or work improperly.

Books and online sources have tips for maintaining the computer, both hardware and software, regardless of the operating system. These are good resources for the learning part of it. However, you still need to do what those tips tell you in order to truly learn the steps. The more times you do the steps, the better you will honestly learn them and remember them.

Whether it is in maintaining the computer cabinet, the contents of the cabinet, the keyboard or mouse, or the software that is installed or is running the computer, the best way of all to learn how to maintain a computer is by doing it. The best tips in the world are going to make little difference if you don't do them and have hands on experience about how to.

In the words of Yoda from Star Wars, "Not try. Do or do not. There is no try." Learn new ways to perform maintenance on the computer today.

Learn more about this author, Rex Trulove.
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