best book I've seen for absolute beginners, well illustrated, covers hardware and software especially the software that comes installed, good real life examples. ( )

Unlike most other computer books, How to do just about anything on a computer assumes that you are more interested in, say, creating a letter-head than you are in becoming an expert on electronics. For this reason, the book is organized into projects -- all the things you are likely to want to do with your PC. These projects are designed to be of real, practical benefit to you and your family.
Learning to use your computer is more fun when approached in this way. You'll see why the programs work the way they do, and so you can apply these skills to other tasks.
Each project is set out into easy-to-follow, step-by-step procedures. The steps are accompanied by pictures that show you what you'll see on your screen. This means you'll never be left wondering "Where's the menu they are telling me to click?" because you'll see a snapshot that shows exactly where the arrow should be when you click it.