This book explains how computers can be used in the home, office or school, and provides a consumer's guide to computer equipment for the novice user. The first sections of the book offer a brief sketch of computer history, a listing of entertaining and easily available computer programs, a step-by-step guide to buying a computer, and advice on how to use computers for business applications. Additional chapters give detailed explanations of how computers work, the more popular computers on the market, common computer programming languages, and places for locating computer software and hardware peripherals. A list of bibliographies and directories, book publishers, and magazines is provided to assist the novice computer user to expand upon the fundamental background presented in this text. (MER)