This is a request to all you computer types out there. 

When I'm not playing chess here I'm Webmaster for the local chapter of a group called U3A—or the “University of the Third Age”. (First there's Youth, then Work, then Retirement—the third age.) It's a study group for people aged over fifty.

I won't load this post with information about who we are or what we do. You can find that on our Website—and another click will show you the sort of classes we have—if you want to see what it's all about.

Since our members (almost 1,000 locally) are aged from 50 to about 95 there's often a lot of confusion about computers and the Internet. Not everybody is computer-illiterate, of course, but many are. If you took a poll, the majority would think a Macintosh was a raincoat.

We've all heard the adage that “in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king” and I find myself in that position.  I've been around computers a long time and have picked up lots of ideas and information, but there's an awful lot I don't know.

In the past week I've added a “Computer Tips and Information” section to the web page intended to help with some of the simpler things our members need to know.

It's a start but there's a lot more that could be done and that's where you come in. Check out my tips via the link above and if you have a favourite that you'd like to share with us I'd be grateful. I won't absolutely guarantee to use it—it depends on it's appropriateness for my group—but I'm looking to build up the section.

Can you help?

i have been a comp engineer/teacher since the early 70s. any help i can give just ask.

Thanks PG.  You are, as always, a perfect gent.  I don't have a particular request at the moment but I'll remember your offer and fire in a question from time to time. 

Dozy, I am rather ashamed to confess that I am semi-computer-illiterate or, depending on how one looks at it, semi-computer-literate...  I sure could use a lot of help myself.  Otherwise, I would be more than happy to contribute to your project.

Thanks, VM.  Your self-description is interesting.  It's like the glass-half-full/glass-half-empty situation:  put 'em together and you have a full glass.  :-)

Such a cool web site, Dozy.  I learned something right off the bat that may come in handy, hold control and press + to enlarge the print of a page.  As you can tell I'm pretty computer illiterate, I know just enough to get around so I can't really help you.  But you sure helped me.

Just hoping I can help my own people, Karl.  But, yeah, the Ctrl/+ or Ctrl/Mouse is handy.

Especially for us old timers who are gradually losing their eyesight focus.

David, for inside PC info and more  you may consider also asking for help to kohai

I hear she 's a pro. She helped me too a couple of times.