How to Cope with Computers by Tom Logsdon (Hayden Book Company, $7.95)
TOM LOGSDON has written an excellent book for all people who come in contact with computers — in other words, for all of us.
The book is divided into seven sections. The first, The Menace of Computers, provides some startling statistics regarding the influence of computers in our daily lives, and their nerve-wracking possibilities in the future. The next, Fighting Back Against Computers, has great appeal for those of us who have ever felt the urge to “bend, staple, spindle or mutilate.” Again, we are urged to fight back intelligently and Logsdon clearly has a great sense of humor.
The third section, Learning Not To Worry About Computers, can be summed up in one of the fine illustrations titled “The Five Most Popular Coping Mechanisms.” They are: 1) selective forgetting; 2) staking a claim to a different set of feelings; 3) attributing your own hateful thoughts to others; 4) coming up with a pseudo-rational justification; 5) picking a new target for your negative emotions.
These provide the core of Logsdon’s advice to the computer novice and a satisfactory method of eliminating fear of what will inevitably be the machine on the right side of all humankind.
Learning The Innermost Secrets of Computers discusses the meanings of the jargonistic terms for hardware and makes reference to the appendix of currently vogue buzz-words. This is followed by a truly introductory lesson in BASIC.
The section on Landing A Job In The Data Processing Industry is weaker than the others, in my opinion. As a “how to” guide it is satisfactory, but the necessary skills and aptitudes are ignored in favor of educational possibilities. Clearly, not everyone is suited for employment in the computer industry.
The final section, Buying And Operating Your Own Computer, provides a guide to the features and applications of several specific brands of computers. Notably missing from this list are Sinclair products.
The book is clearly written and for those who have had very little exposure to computers will make an excellent choice. If your Aunt Maud can’t understand your addiction to computers, this might make a great birthday gift. A word of warning, though, if Aunt Maud is picky, she’ll complain to you about the one misprint in the book. That’s right, there is only one and it changes “A not equal to B” into “A = B”. Then again, if Aunt Maud is that picky, just recommend the book to her. It will make a useful beginning volume to anyone’s computer library.
