Samuel Chiltern answered
Personally, I learned a great deal about computers simply by working with them on a regular basis. I gained most of my knowledge by having to fix problems as they arose!
For example, if my printer wasn't working, but I needed to print out an essay for school and had no money to pay somebody else to solve the problem, then I had no choice but to try to fix it myself!
Pursue an Interest in Computing
If there is an area of computing in which you are particularly interested (such as networking or web development) then I'd recommend a trip to the local newsagent to pick up a copy of a magazine which specialises in that field. Don't waste time at the library just yet - as many of the books in there will inevitably be hopelessly out-of-date!
Magazines are a great starting-point, since their articles and tutorials are generally varied, and many are aimed at those with little prior knowledge of computing. You will also find plenty of recommendations for up-to-date books and web resources, which will help you to build on your knowledge.
Fix Recurring Problems
If you are experiencing the same kind of computer problems over and over again, then I'd recommend using the Web to find solutions to those problems. Blurtit is a great place to start, since there are many users with computer expertise who are available night and day - try to describe the problem you're having in as much detail as possible.
You might also want to explore niche forums such as Stackoverflow, which specialises in Web development and programming, or Superuser, which focuses on operating system problems.
For example, if my printer wasn't working, but I needed to print out an essay for school and had no money to pay somebody else to solve the problem, then I had no choice but to try to fix it myself!
Pursue an Interest in Computing
If there is an area of computing in which you are particularly interested (such as networking or web development) then I'd recommend a trip to the local newsagent to pick up a copy of a magazine which specialises in that field. Don't waste time at the library just yet - as many of the books in there will inevitably be hopelessly out-of-date!
Magazines are a great starting-point, since their articles and tutorials are generally varied, and many are aimed at those with little prior knowledge of computing. You will also find plenty of recommendations for up-to-date books and web resources, which will help you to build on your knowledge.
Fix Recurring Problems
If you are experiencing the same kind of computer problems over and over again, then I'd recommend using the Web to find solutions to those problems. Blurtit is a great place to start, since there are many users with computer expertise who are available night and day - try to describe the problem you're having in as much detail as possible.
You might also want to explore niche forums such as Stackoverflow, which specialises in Web development and programming, or Superuser, which focuses on operating system problems.