THEY say that modern computers are user-friendly. Try telling that to someone who has just unpacked a new machine.

Faced with keyboard, mouse, screen, tower, speakers, printer, umpteen connecting leads and instruction manuals the size of Yellow Pages, the novice can easily be overwhelmed.

Older people especially are tempted to ignore the whole business and get on with a microchip-free life. That is fine for those who have no interest in, or need for, computer power. But many would like to get to know their way around a computer, but are put off by the jargon.

Fortunately, their need is at last being met. Beginners' classes in computing are run in York and elsewhere. And for those who would rather teach themselves, a new book has been published with them in mind.

Using A Computer For The First Time is a marvellous idea. Written by Riccall consultant Bill Hall, the guide has a unique selling point. Every chapter has been vigorously tested by a pensioner panel. Only instructions they could all follow got into the book.

Mr Hall has thus proved that everyone can join the computer revolution with a little help from an expert. It should allow many more people to reap the benefits of 21st century technology.

Meanwhile, if Mr Hall's readers advance into e-mail, they might receive an unsolicited message full of pithy, funny observations on life in general. These were written by the enterprising people behind York magazine :here, and published under the title 100% True.

For them, new technology has been both a blessing and a curse. It means their work has been read and enjoyed by thousands. But they have received little recognition or reward: their intellectual property has been stolen and bandied around the world, often appearing, uncredited, in the national media.

We hope their efforts ultimately pay off in greater book sales. Their story provides more evidence of the dire need for traffic laws to govern the information superhighway.

Updated: 11:13 Thursday, February 21, 2002