... but doesn't have the patience to tell you.
Ok, we've all see the Windows For Dummies books, the guides on how to use MS Word and Excel, and the technical among us scoff and roll our eyes at these books... but the average consumer gobbles these things up, the dummies books sell better than any technical programming manual, everyone it seems is buying these damn books. You'd think then that we'd have a more technically literate population. We don't, even the people who buy these books still have no clue. You want to know my theory as to why that is? Well probably not but I'll tell you anyway...
Those books don't teach what's actually useful.
Sure, you learn all about how to use the advanced features in windows, or get tips on where to get the latest and hottest version of solitare, but they gloss over the everyday practical issues the average person has to deal with when using a computer connected to the Internet. They also don't equip a person to understand any of the most basic technical questions a support person may ask, reducing those of us trying to help to using terms like "the TV part" or "the thing you click with" and having to explain the intricate differences between coffee cup holder and CD-ROM tray. What I think we need is a new style of computer book, one that only deals with the essentials, one that cuts out all the crap about how to change your desktop background or the windows theme... let those other books do those topics, this new book should take the core concepts and lay them out so everyone can understand them.
The book in my mind would be divided into 3 sections:
"Now, what does the TV part say?"
A quick overview of every major part of the computer, what it does and why you may or may not need to know about it. Make the clear distinction over the difference between DVD and CD, what R is versus RW, and why if you don't play games, you don't need that GeForce8 XF9485 video card with 768MB of VRAM.
"Do NOT open that attachment..."
A crash course on how to not be a moron about Internet security and viruses. It would give a quick primer on how email viruses work as of late (no, the person listed in the from address is NOT sending you that virus, don't send them angry email), an dicuss why it is ESSENTIAL that you have virus software and keep it up to date, as well as keeping windows patched AT ALL TIMES.
The Most Common Questions and Mistakes
This would be a sort of FAQ setup, where 1-2 pages would be dedicated to one specific technical question that people seem to ask a lot (Like, how do I change my network settings... ) as well as some of the more common errors people make when trying to fix their PC (i.e people with LCD monitors setting the resolution beyond the monitor's capabilities) and how to avoid/solve them.
The book would end with a glossary of all the terms discussed, as well as perhaps some more technical in-depth info on some topics for those interested.
If I had an ounce of ability when it comes to writing, I'd be all over this... maybe I can sell my idea to someone 
Of course it would have sarcastic remarks peppered throughout in side notes, but it would be nicer than the choice words most tech geeks have for users when they reorganize all the DLLs on their entire computer into a folder on their desktop, or open yet another virus infected attachment (for the 8th time that month).