Getting more comfortable with computer
When I stepped onto campus my freshman year of college with my one semester of C programming beneath my belt1， I had no clue that I would be appointed my floor's computer genius.
Maybe it was my willingness to help my floor mates hook up2 their computers， but suddenly everyone on my floor was turning to me for their computer problems. Rarely a day passed by without someone asking me to install some new piece of software， to get their printer up and running again， or teach them how to use some new program.
At first， I didn't have a clue why they would turn to me. It wasn't like I was a true computer guru3 who programmed for fun and could read binary4. I was just your average computer user who sometimes knew the right combination of buttons to help retrieve5 a " lost" paper. Then， one day after helping a friend squeeze6 far more programs than we probably should have onto her computer， the answer hit me： I understand the three fundamental rules for dealing with computers. Understand these rules and you too can have dozens of people convinced that you are THE source of computer knowledge.
Rule 1. Save7 It！ When computers， or computer programs decide to shut down8 or otherwise fail you， it is almost always when you're on page 29 of your 30-page research9 paper. If you've been saving all along， you've
lost half a page， maybe a page， both of which are a lot easier to recreate10 from memory than the 29 pages you would have lost if you hadn't been saving at all.
Yes， some programs have an auto-save feature11， and some programs can even recover material you never saved. But often， these features fail. Saving often will save you a lot of headache. The general rule is to hit12 save every half-page or so.
Never have the only copy of your work saved on a single floppy disk13. Floppy disks are sensitive to everything from magnets14. They can and do fail. Save copies of your work on two separate floppies.
Rule 2. Help！！ Almost every computer program has a help button designed to provide information about how to use the program. Many also come with a tutorial15 step-by-step guide that walks you through the basic use of the programs. Hardly anyone uses them. Using the help feature is not like asking for your directions. There's no stigma16 attached to using it， and no one but you and the computer even have to know that you used it. So use it， and embrace17 it， you'll be better off for it. Granted， sometimes the help feature won't be able to answer your question， but that's when you turn to other sources of help e.g.， online tutorials， tech support lines， or that tech kid down the hall who hasn't left his room in a week.
Rule 3. Practice. If the only time you approach a computer is to type up a paper or check your e-mail， you won't ever get comfortable with them. To get comfortable use them a lot. Play with programs you've never tried before，learn a programming language， build your own web page. You'll find out that computers almost follow a pattern.
As colleges and businesses in general becomes more and more computer based， it's becoming mandatory18 to have a great working knowledge of computers. And while there are software packages （like Microsoft Office） that everyone should know how to use， being comfortable using computers isn't about memorizing how to use every computer program out there.
Anyone can teach you to use a program， but unless you get the gist19 of what you're doing when the technology changes， you'll be left computer illiterate20. Learn the fundamental rules， and use them， and you won't be left in the technological dust21.
在大学一年级踏进校园时，我只学过一学期的计算机编程语言。我一点儿也没想到我会被封为我们楼层的计算机天才。
或许是由于我愿意帮助我的楼层同伴安装计算机，但很快这层楼的所有人都来找我帮忙解决他们的计算机问题。几乎每天都有人请我帮忙安装新软件，将他们的打印机弄好，或者教他们如何使用新程序。
开始时，我一点儿也不知道他们为何会求助于我。我不像是个既会游戏编程又懂二进制的真正的计算机高手。我只是个一般水平的计算机用户，有时知道通过正确的键盘组合帮助恢复"丢失的"文件而已。后来有一天，在帮助一个朋友把本不该装那么多的程序勉强装进计算机之后，我顿时恍然大悟：原来我懂得使用计算机的三个基本规则。懂得这些规则，你也能让许多人相信你是个计算机万事通。
规则一：保存！计算机或计算机程序突然关闭或出故障，几乎总是在你30页长的研究论文做到第29页的时候。如果你一直随时保存，你可能会丢失半页或一页；如果不随时保存，你会将29页都丢掉。从记忆中恢复丢失的半页、一页要比恢复29页容易得多。
不错，有些程序是有自动保存功能，有些程序甚至还能恢复你没保存过的材料。但这些功能会经常失灵。经常保存会免去许多使你头痛的问题。一般规则是每打半页左右就存盘。
别把你的文件只保存在一张软盘上。软盘对所有磁性物体都很敏感，它们有可能并且肯定会出故障。把你的文件分别保存在两张软盘上。
规则二：帮助！！几乎每个计算机程序都设有一个提供如何使用程序信息的帮助键。许多程序还提供辅导性的渐进指南，引导你掌握程序的基本用法。几乎没有人使用这些帮助。使用帮助功能不像你问路。使用它没有耻辱感，除了你和计算机外甚至没有人知道你用过它。使用它并接受它，你会更好地掌握它。当然，帮助功能有时也解决不了你的问题，但这时你可以求助于其他帮助途径，如在线指导、技术支持电话，或者宿舍里那位一个星期都没离屋的技术内行。
规则三：实践。如果你与计算机打交道的时间只是打印你的文件或查看你的电子邮件，那么你永远也不会轻松地使用计算机。多使用就会轻松。玩一些你从没试过的程序，学一种编程语言，建立自己的网页。你会发现计算机几乎总是遵循着一种模式。
总之，随着院校和企业越来越多地依赖计算机，更多地掌握计算机使用知识变得日益迫切。虽然有每个人都应知道怎样使用的软件包（如微软的办公室软件包），但是轻松地使用计算机并不是要记住怎样使用那里边的每一个计算机程序。
任何人都可以教你使用一个程序，但当技术发生诸多变化时，除非你掌握了怎样做的要领，否则你仍会成为一个计算机盲。学习上述基本规则，并加以使用，你就不会在技术上落伍。
注释：
1.beneathone'sbelt被自己获得（掌握，记住）
2.hookup安装
3.guru n.专家，权威
4.binary n.二进制
5.retrievevvt.使恢复，使再生
6.squeeze vt.硬塞
7.save vt.保留，留下
8.shutdown关闭，停工
9.research n.研究，调查
10.recreate vt.恢复
11.feature n.特点，特色
12.hit vt.击，击中
13.floppydisk柔性塑料磁盘，软磁盘
14.magnet n.磁体，磁铁
15.tutorial adj.辅导的，指导的
16.stigma n.耻辱，污名
17.embrace vt.（欣然）接受，利用，采取
18.mandatory adj.强制的，必须履行的
19.gist n.要点，实质
20.illiterate n.文盲
21.inthedust受辱的
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