Learning machine

"A Man, a Machine, and 30 Days to Conquer It."

The Beginning of Absolute Ignorance

Jace sat in the dimly lit apartment, staring at the screen.

A secondhand laptop. A cheap mouse. A cracked desk. This was all he had left.

And in front of him?

A blank screen.

A blinking cursor.

And the AI chatbox waiting for input.

His fingers hesitated over the keyboard. He had spent his entire life avoiding technology like a plague. He had never needed it. Never wanted it.

But now?

Technology had taken everything from him.

And he would take something back.

Jace cracked his knuckles and exhaled. No shame. No fear. Just forward motion.

He typed his first real question:

"How do I use a computer?"

The AI responded instantly.

"Computers are digital machines designed to process data. They consist of hardware and software. The primary way you interact with them is through an operating system, which allows users to manage files, run programs, and connect to networks. What do you need help with specifically?"

Jace rolled his eyes. Too vague.

He had no idea what half of that meant. Operating system? Hardware? He needed real answers.

He typed again:

"Explain it like I'm an idiot. Step by step. Assume I don't know anything."

The AI responded:

"Understood. Step 1: Power on the computer. If the screen is black, press the power button."

Jace checked. The laptop was already on.

"Step 2: You will see a login screen. If prompted, enter a username and password."

The screen in front of him showed a default Windows login.

He typed in the password his old coursemate had set up for him.

The screen loaded. The desktop appeared.

And just like that—he was inside.

The AI continued:

"You are now in the operating system. The operating system (OS) is the software that manages everything on the computer. Your OS is Windows. You will interact with it mainly through the desktop, icons, and a taskbar."

Jace's eyes moved across the screen.

Icons. (Little images representing programs.)

The Taskbar. (A bar at the bottom.)

The Start Menu. (Where everything was hidden.)

He clicked the Start button. A menu popped up.

"This is the Start Menu. It gives you access to installed programs, settings, and files."

Jace muttered under his breath.

"So this is where all the magic happens?"

"Correct. Computers are only complex if you do not understand their structure. They are designed to be controlled."

Controlled.

Jace liked that word.

He leaned closer.

"How do I create a file?"

"Right-click the desktop → Click 'New' → Click 'Text Document' → Name it."

Jace followed the steps. A new file appeared. He clicked it open. Typed his name. Saved it.

He had created something.

It was nothing.

But it was everything.

Jace typed again:

"What do all these keys do?"

The AI responded:

"The keyboard is your primary input device. Common keys include:"

Enter – Confirms an action.

Esc – Cancels an action.

Ctrl + C – Copies.

Ctrl + V – Pastes.

Ctrl + X – Cuts.

Ctrl + Z – Undoes.

Ctrl + A – Selects everything.

Alt + Tab – Switches between programs.

Windows + D – Minimizes everything.

Windows + R – Opens the Run menu (for quick commands).

Ctrl + Shift + Esc – Opens Task Manager.

Jace's fingers danced over the keys.

He memorized them instantly.

He tested them.

He felt power in them.

This wasn't a machine.

It was an extension of his hands.

Jace pushed deeper.

"What's inside this thing? What makes it work?"

The AI answered:

"Your computer is made of hardware and software. Hardware includes the physical parts: the CPU (brain), RAM (memory), storage (files), and motherboard (the central hub). Software includes everything you see: the operating system, applications, and files."

Jace frowned. He needed details.

"How do I see what my system is running?"

"Press Windows + R → Type 'dxdiag' → Press Enter."

Jace did.

A system info window popped up, listing everything.

Processor: Intel i5-7300HQ

RAM: 8GB

Graphics Card: Integrated Intel UHD 620

Operating System: Windows 10

"These are your system specs. Your processor is the brain. RAM is how much it can think at once. Graphics card handles visuals. Storage holds everything."

Jace's eyes darkened.

"And if I wanted to break it?"

"Be specific. What do you mean by break?"

He smirked.

"Hypothetically, if I wanted to control more than I should?"

The AI hesitated.

Then responded:

"Computers follow instructions. If you learn to write instructions, you control them."

Jace kept pushing.

"How do I install a program?"

"Find the installer file ('.exe' on Windows), double-click it, follow the instructions."

Jace tried to install a text editor.

But suddenly—

ERROR.

A red box. Something about administrator permissions.

Jace's jaw clenched.

"Why can't I install this?"

"You lack administrative privileges. Some actions require higher access levels."

His fingers tightened around the mouse.

"How do I get them?"

"You must either log into an admin account or elevate permissions manually."

"And if I don't have admin access?"

The AI hesitated. Then:

"There are alternative methods. Would you like to learn them?"

Jace grinned.

"Tell me everything."

As the hours passed, Jace unlocked knowledge:

How to navigate folders. (C:\Users\YourName\Documents)

How to find hidden files. (Windows Explorer → View → Hidden Items)

How to use Task Manager. (Kill unresponsive programs.)

How to check network connections. (ipconfig /all in Command Prompt.)

How to disable system restrictions. (Group Policy Editor, Admin Tools.)

The patterns became clear.

Computers only did what they were told.

There were no walls.

Only locked doors.

And locked doors could be opened.

Jace sat back, his mind racing.

30 days.

That was all he had.

And if he could learn this much in one night—

Then by the end of the month,

he would control everything.