Brain Candy #1 - Learn2.com

In general, the column will not be a tutorial on what the Web is or how to use your browser, or how to set up a Web page or any of the 'techie' topics; it will be an exploration of sites with thought-provoking content: the kind of sites Mensans like.

Let's get started. Where would you go if you wanted to learn about some topic, say, how to fix a zipper, understand basic French, or spin a basketball? You might ask friends, go to the library or fumble around on your own. But now, there's a Web solution. Point your browser to www.learn2.com. It will take you to Learn2.com, the ability utility. This is a site devoted to tutorials. To quote the title page: "Welcome to the ability utility, where you learn the stuff that makes life easier and/or more interesting: everything from the essentials of life to the esoteric, from practical to just plain fun."

Learn2.com has dozens of tutorials already in place, and adds more regularly. Recent additions include "Make Basic Origami" and "Shine Leather Shoes". Coming tutorials include "Water Your Lawn", "Understanding Football", "Build a Campfire" and "Check Out a Used Car".

Learn2.com has a search utility for specific topics. A search on the word "outdoors" produced nine hits, including "Shop For Hiking Boots", "Prepare For An Earthquake", "Remove A Tick" and "Understanding Basketball". A search for the word "game" produced eleven hits, including "Help A Hangover" for some reason.

You can also browse subject categories. These categories with a few example tutorials are "Bon Appetit" (food, drink and entertaining) where you can "Clean A Fish" and "Make A Roux"; "Help Yourself" (household fixes and improvements) offering "Remove Wallpaper" and "Capture a Mouse". "Look Sharp" (personal care and grooming) includes "Applying Eyeliner", "Coping With Hemorrhoids" and "Iron A Shirt", while "Rugrat Wrangling" (parenting and child care) has "Cope With A Crying Child", "Improvise A Diaper" and "Find And Hire A Nanny". "Shine On" (cleaning and preparing) includes "Defrost A Freezer" and "Sharpen A Knife". "Technowise" (computer and consumer electronics) will help you to "Buy A Home Theater System" and "Connect External SCSI Devices". "Wheel Appeal" (automobiles and cycling) tutorials include "Adjust A Bicycle (To Fit You)", "Drive A Stick Shift" and "Understanding Tire Care". "Work It" (on the job insights) helps you "Write A Speech" and "Avoid Repetitive Stress" and "Your Turn" (sports, recreation and games) offers advice to "Improvise A Compass (Day Or Night)", "Make Homemade Paper" and "Tie Basic Knots".

A tutorial typically has a main section and a sidebar. The sidebar has pertinent facts about the tutorial, like the time involved in the project, what you'll need, tips, priorities, etc. A tutorial usually contains a number of small, informal, fast-loading graphics that illustrate key points. For instance, the "Understanding Baseball" tutorial has graphics which detail a baseball field, the strike zone, types of hits, plays at base and fielder positions. The "How to Behave When Lost in the Woods" tutorial has graphics on how to use a map with a compass, landmarks, retracing your path, and distress calls. Both tutorials proceed in a stepwise fashion. When you're lost in the woods, for instance, the best strategy involves doing things to maximize your chances of getting found, while staying comfortable and out of danger. The tutorial has many common sense tips to achieve this.

The site's operators are open to suggestions for new tutorials. I've already suggested "Basic Lawnmower Maintenance" and "Pronouncing Russian Words" as topics of interest. Something you're interesting in learning how to do may interest them, too.