[unboggling]

Just thinking out loud. Hypothetically:

Let's say I'm not very familiar with computers and the internet, someone gifted me with a Reader and my 8 year old son helped me download and install calibre because he heard about it at school. But now what do I do? How should I actually use calibre? I need to learn more first. I notice the Quick-Start Guide. I start reading it. The introduction makes sense but a lot of the rest sails over my head - such as: Formats? Oh, no, that format thing looks like computerGeekTalk. That's beyond me. So I stop reading it. My son helps me find the calibre website. Oh no, those help documents are beyond me too. Even the tutorials.

What do I need to learn first? [I don't know enough yet to ask the right questions or where to ask them, but this is what I really need to know as early as possible:]

1. How are eBooks different than paper books? Do I need to deal with eBooks with a different attitude about them than paper books? Different strategy than with paper books?

2. What are the recommended strategies for my overall use of eBooks?

3. What are the recommended ways of obtaining them? How do I learn how to browse the internet? What are the best vendor sites to browse? What vendors should I choose, given where I live?

4. What are the ways of putting eBooks on my brand of reader either directly from vendor or with calibre?

Something that answered basic questions at a level I could understand would be nice to find. Beginners Guide to eBooks or something like that. And also maybe a Beginner's Introduction about how to find a webby thing - what do they call that? Oh, web site - thanks.

Nothing like that in my brand new calibre library. I wonder why not?

If I were computer-savvy like my 8 year old, maybe I could find something like that. I know what I'll do, I'll ask him to find it for me.

No luck. And he's a genius. Oh how I wish I could understand all that stuff. Sigh. Guess I'll stick to paperbacks for awhile until he learns what I need to know.