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Internet Newsletter •

March 2002

Feature Article
See also: Site Reviews • Quick Tips

Bring in the Big Guns - Free Windows 98 Support - Windows 98

For a first time computer user, there is nothing more terrifying than seeing a message window brashly displaying an error message in the middle of your screen. Your first course of action should always be to check the Windows troubleshooting tips found in the Help menu. If a solution to the problem is not available there, it might be time to bring in the big guns.

Few people know that a Microsoft product technician is available to help you resolve your problem via telephone at (425) 635-7222. It might be a long distance call, but it'll be well worth it if your problem is serious.

The support is free for the first 90 days. The clock starts ticking on the first day you talk to one of the Microsoft techs after this period. So if you've experienced any other problems it might be a good idea to document what they were and resolve them all in one session. Have as much information available as you can including the product identification number. Call from a location where your computer is handy in case you're instructed to search for specific files on your system. Most problems are usually resolved quickly over the phone.

Don't forget to document everything in the error message in detail before you call. Most error messages include a 'detail' button that when clicked will provide more information. It's also a good idea to have a System Summary on hand as well. Print one by clicking Start/Settings/Control Panel then double-click the System icon. In the dialog box that appears, click the Device Manager tab, then click the Print button to access the Print dialog box. Click to select System Summary, then click OK.

One last word of advise - be courteous. Support technicians listen to problems all day long and quite often have to put up with rude and impatient callers. It's a thankless job. Guess which type of caller gets the best service! Being prepared with all of the pertinent information and using a courteous and cooperative tone, you'll get above average service and your problem(s) will be resolved in no time at all.

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Site Reviews

Busted... Not! - News/Media

If it's never happened to you, odds are that it will. What are we talking about? A speeding ticket, that's what! Come on...don't try to tell us that you've never pushed the pedal to the metal! If you have, you'll get a kick out of The WWW Speedtrap Registry.

This comprehensive resource will quickly guide you to speed traps around the world. Specific speed trap locations are reported by real drivers in their own cities, regions and countries. Although the site in no way encourages speeding and careless driving, it provides some deadly accurate information. Furthermore, the site does not welcome or provide sobriety checkpoints. Even though this is one of the best kept secrets on the Net, over 100,000 visitors check in each week to find speed traps in their areas. Is there one near you?


Evaluating Online Resources - Resource

Evaluating the usefulness and quality of a website is a daunting task. Does the site offer valuable information? Is it the information you need? Is it credible? If you're concerned about these issues then the Internet Detective should help.

Developed by staff at The Institute for Learning and Research Technology (ILRT) at the University of Bristol (home of SOSIG), the Internet Detective can help you sharpen the skills you need to evaluate and sort through the wealth of online information. The tutorial includes overviews, interactive quizzes and examples. The goal is to help you learn how to properly and quickly evaluate a variety of online resources. Tips and little known tricks are also provided in the 3 to 4 hour tutorial. You must register at the site if you wish to return and complete the tutorial at your own pace.

The tutorial is a must for information professionals, researchers, students, teachers and anyone else interested in properly assessing the quality of a site and the information it contains. Knowing where to look and what to look for will save you hundreds of online hours. Register for the free class today!


Psycho-searching - Searching

You've surely tried to find sites using typical search engines and directories. Most index them by category, topic or subject. How about a site that indexes sites based on personality types? Sound intrigueing? That's what Backwash.com does. Select from among the many erratically updated profiles, and see if their interests match yours. You can even set up a personality type of your own. The site works just like the employee picks' shelves at a video store and allows surfers from around the world to index their own preferences based on their interests. Here's a quick sampling of profiles: 1000 Kill-o-bytes, Brooding Genius, Idiosyncrasies, Stubborn Cigar Smoking Skeptic, Spoiled European Intellectual, Scientist Sticks Out Neck and Martha Meets Morticia. Curious? Check it out.


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Quick Tips
Printer Status - Windows 98/NT/ME/XP/2000

While printing files, look over to the Taskbar by the clock. There should be a small printer icon there and by double-clicking it you can see the list of documents waiting to be printed. Use this tip if you're not sure how much printing you have left or if you want to stop and purge a print job before you waste all your paper.


Quick Everything From Your Desktop - Windows 98/NT/ME/XP/2000

If you want to quickly access a site from your desktop, click the Start button, then Run. Now type the complete URL (including "http://") in the window that appears. Your modem will automatically dial up, launch your default browser and go directly to your specified site. Think that's neat? You can even send email from the Run command. For example type, "mailto:feedback@cluebie.com" (without quotes) and hit OK. Heck, you can even access folders by typing c:\ and the folder name. This is real time saver if you know what you're looking for.


Explore With Ease - Windows 98/NT/ME/XP/2000

If you don't have a MS Natural Keyboard, chances are that the one you're using still has some of the same functionality. To quickly start and Explorer simply press the Windows key (usually to the left and/or right of the ALT keys, a.k.a. WinKey) and the letter E.


Email Files Quickly - Windows 98/NT/ME/XP/2000

Windows allows you to email various types of files as attachments. In Windows Explorer, just select the file or files you want to send by right-clicking them with your mouse. A pop-down menu will appear and you can select Send To/Mail Recipient. A new email message will be created with the file(s) as an attachment. This will happen even if your email software is not open at the time.


The 1 Dot Desktop - Windows 98/NT/ME/XP/2000

Have you ever needed to click an icon or folder on your Desktop, only to find it completely covered by open windows? You could slowly minimize them all one at at time to see the Desktop again, but instead, try clicking Start then Run. Next, simply type a dot (.) (no brackets) and press Enter. This will open a windowed Desktop with all your wonderful icons, folders and files neatly arranged for quick and convenient selection.

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These stories and more can be found at cluebie.com

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