If you’re reading this blog, a new class now offered at A-1 Best Computer that teaches Computer Fundamentals may be a little too basic for you.
A-1 Best Computer owner Eric Nordling in the new four-person classroom.
But then again, maybe not, considering that this blogger learned quite a bit in just a quick overview of the course, which owner and General Manager Eric Nordling designed and teaches.
Nordling, who bought the store located at 8051 Lake City Way N.E. last year and celebrated his one-year anniversary in April, added a four-person computer classroom a couple of months ago because he had received so many requests from customers. From a blog post on the store’s website:
We get so many questions about how computers work, we figured we’d start offering a class on that very subject. This is more than a class for computer beginners (although a very excellent place to be if you are just starting out). These classes actually give you insight into what is going on inside and why it your computer might be slower than you’d hoped.
The class, which lasts about three hours, covers the basics such as how to use a mouse, but also gets into plenty of details, including descriptions of how computers work, how the Internet works, what e-mail is and how to use it, how to download and what not to download, and much more.
“The last part of the class is how to buy a computer,” Nordling added. “There are a lot of first-timers in here who don’t know what to buy.”
In fact, Nordling says he often recommends that people who are considering buying a computer take the class first not only to learn more about what to look for, but also because they may find that they don’t want a computer at all.
And because A-1 Best Computer also is a repair shop, he said employees have a good idea of which computers buyers might want to steer clear of, such as the ones that frequently show up in the shop needing repairs.
“We’re not afraid to tell you which ones to buy and which ones to avoid,” Nordling said, even though the store also sells custom-built as well as refurbished used computers.
The class costs $99 for a one-on-one session, but you can get a discount for a group of up to four people. However, Nordling requests that students have similar levels of computer experience in classes with more than one.
“I like to do one at a time because then I can answer specific questions,” he said.
Although Computer Fundamentals is the only class offered at this time at A-1 Best Computer, Nordling said a customer of his has offered to teach a course on using Microsoft Office, so the new classroom may be getting more use soon.
A few weeks ago, a CPU fan bracket broke on a critical 2003 pc at my business. Yes, I could order are replacement bracket on the Internet but I couldn’t afford a full day’s down time on this particular machine, so I toured the city’s pc repair shops, mostly those on Aurora. Everyone had the same answer, the part was too old.
On my way home, defeated, I remembered this place in our neighborhood. “Yes, we have some old pc’s of that era in the back room.” An employee is sent. One pc is disassembled, the first bracket out of the back room is also broken. Another pc is disassembled, and I have the bracket I need for $5!
During the 15-20 wait for my part, the person who must be the store’s owner spends the whole time, between interruptions, patiently counseling an older couple on the most basic of computer concepts. This couple wouldn’t have lasted two minutes (or would have been bamboozled) in most computer shops or electronics big box stores.
I highly recommend this business..
Don’t libraries offer classes like this for free?