Do you feel that you aren’t getting the most from your computer? Would you feel happier if you knew at least the basics of how to troubleshoot a troubled Mac? Sure that you should be able to automate some of your common email tasks? Need to know how to use the free programs with your Mac, like iPhoto, iMovie, iSync, Palm Desktop, AppleWorks, Mail, Outlook Express, web browsers. Want to be able to run PC programs in Virtual PC but don’t know how? Do you want to get the most from your scanner, but don’t really understand resolutions, dpi, etc? Are you a beginner with Quark, Photoshop, Golive, or Illustrator? Getting frustrated that when you send files to PC users they can’t open them? All these are common questions, and with one-on-one tuition you will rapidly learn how, without the frustration of having to learn by trial and error.
- Mac OS X transistion: Many customers who have been using a Mac for years will feel completely disorientated at first in OS X. Avoid the frustration and wasted time trying to find it all yourself. Book yourself or your staff in for a course that will ease the pain and remove some of the mystery of the new operating system.
- Windows refugee: OS X and the suite of Apple’s “digital lifestyle” software has made many former PC users move to the Mac. But whilst some things in OS X will feel familiar to a Windows user, other things won’t. Why not have some one-to-one tuition from someone who uses Windows 2000/XP as well as a Mac and can point out what’s familiar and where there are differences.
- Colour Management: I have a number of professional photographers as clients, many who have moved to entirely digital, or partially digital workflow’s. They want to be able to match what appears on screen to the printout from their inkjet printer. Screen to print colour calibration is a complex area if you don’t know what you are doing and can cost a huge amount in wasted time, inks and papers. By providing tuition to my customers I can show not only how to set Photoshop up for colour management, but why they should do it.
- Digital Lifestyle: A home user wanted to be able to manage their digital photographs, create slideshow movies to give to his friends, archive the images to CD, and also bring those images into his home videos. Using iPhoto, iMovie and OS X I provided step-by-step tutorials so that he could quickly organise and archive his photographs, and then use those images in his movies, and even turn those movies in DVDs.
- Workflow: An author who had recently moved to OS X from OS 9 was frustrated that she couldn’t make OS X work for her. She was confused by the concept of Users, couldn’t get the Word spell-checker working properly and all of her documents where written in US English. We soon had her old custom dictionary installed, resolved the problems with US English, and explained the differences in the OS X file organisation.
- Web design: A design company wanted step by step instructions on preparing HTML emails to send out to their customers. Using the software they had available, Quark Xpress, Photoshop, ImageReady and Golive, we produced the Quark document, exported it as a PDF, took the PDF into Photoshop, sliced it in ImageReady, and then used GoLive to tweak it and upload to their FTP server. Finally I provided instructions, as a PDF and a web page, for their client on using the HTML template we created
Custom courses:
I try to tailor my tuition to the exact needs of the customer, rather than having a generic course for everyone. When arranging the lessons, you tell me what you need to be able to do, and I’ll design the notes for you. As often people don’t know what they can do, I try to give customers a taste for what can be achieved, and spark their curiousity to explore the programs further.
As we work through the training, more and more questions usually arise, so I amend the notes as we go. At the end of the session I will take the additional rough notes I have made, tidy them up, and email the completed document back to the customer.
What programs are covered?
I can provide training tailored for OS 9, OS X, switching to OS X from Windows, Palm Desktop, Microsoft Office, Filemaker, iWork, Appleworks, Quark Xpress, InDesign, Illustrator, Freehand, Photoshop, Fireworks, Golive, Dreamweaver, ATM Deluxe, Suitcase, iMovie, iPhoto, iDVD and more. Pretty much any program you can think of, I can assist you in getting more from it.
One Response to Personalised tuition
Nice work, Clive. Looking good!