It may sound too good to be true, but many computer experts are prepared to help YOU without expecting a cent in return. The same applies to experts in many other areas.
You have an impossible decision to make. A lawyer has a dotted line that requires your signature, or a surgeon has a dotted line in mind for your upper abdomen. You're not comfortable with the fine print or the diagnosis and wonder if a second opinion is in order. Just ask to get help.
If you have problems with a communications program, post a message in a suitable Usenet newsgroup, or on a bulletin board. This is also the thing to do if you want to sell equipment. Learn from other people's experiences with the computers and software you plan to buy.
Chances are that you will get a reply - if your subject or query attract attention. In the process, you'll meet new friends, and be able to follow the development in a dynamic marketplace.
The following message from the alt.winsock newsgroup is typical:
Wed, 14 Feb 96 14:57:18 EST
From: Robert Donahue
RE: FREQUENT DISCONNECTION OF PPP. NEED HELP!!!
In article <4ft882$18v@mloeff01.ived.nec.gmeds.com>,
bz418c@ttp.natp.gmeds.com says...
>problem. But recently I have got a very strange problem:
>I was disconnected every time after I got PPP connection
>for a while. The disconnection happens most likely when
>I was downloading a big file using Netscape or CuteFTP
>(I can only get about 200KB before the line drops), but
>it also happens sometimes when I click on regular web pages.
>This problem didn't exist before with the same software
Sounds a little like a problem I had a while back. My modem would hang
up the phone at random (usually during a big transfer). It turned out
to be the bios in my modem. The early US Robotics 28.8K Sportster had a
bug that would cause them to hang up instead of down-shifting the baud
rate when the phone line got cranky. I forgot the revision number of
the bad bios. I had to get a new bios chip from US Robotics to fix the
problem. I would never had known what the problem was if my service
provider hadn't posted a warning.
Bob D.
Many users prefer open conference messages to private email for their technical discussions. This gives "the group" a chance to read, comment, provide additional facts, and return with new questions.
One simple question may give an overwhelming number of responses, but most contributions are likely to be useful and educational. Since the discussion is public, consider it a feature of your personal online university. Offer opinions when you have something to contribute, or keep silent.
Stop by a technical forum where beta testers and programmers hang out, and you'll probably get a concise, three-sentence answer. Stop by a forum dedicated to helping users fire up a new product, and you may find long, chatty, but informative diatribes. Different forums. Different responses.
In most conferences, some members are critical to "lurkers." A "lurker" is someone who read without ever contributing. Don't let them get to you. It is legitimate to remain silent. Most others are also there to watch and learn only.
If you consider buying a newly released computer program, tune in to the section of your favorite online service that deals with products from this manufacturer. Count complaints and error reports before buying.
When your new program has been installed on your system, return for other users' experiences and practical advice. Pay back your dues by reporting your own experiences in the process.
Focus on conferences and newsgroup where many competent users
hang out. There, you will usually get faster and better replies
to your questions. Asking other users may be faster and better
than searching. Complement by searching DejaNews (Chapter 10).
If you have never visited a BBS, call one in your neighborhood to get a feel for how they work. Most of them can be accessed free. Usually, their only requirement is for a self-presentation before being granted full access to their system.
Most bulletin boards have conferencing and archives filled with shareware and public domain software. Many have files or bulletins listing telephone numbers of other boards in your country or area.
The trick is to find know-how. The larger the online service or conference, the more skilled people are likely to "meet" there regularly. If the local bulletin boards fail to satisfy your needs, try the Internet or some large commercial services. CompuServe and Exec-PC are two services in the top league. BIX is another good source of information for professional computer specialists.
One exception: When you need contact with ONE particular person, who knows YOUR problem in detail, go where this person usually hangs out.
Examples: If you buy modems from Semafor A/S, the best place for expert advice is Semaforum BBS (tel. +47-370-11710). If you have a Novell local area network, visit the Novell forums on CompuServe.
For expert advice about how to use the Eudora email program, check out the comp.mail.eudora.ms-windows (MS Windows), or comp.mail.eudora.mac (Macintosh) newsgroups. There is also an EUDORA mailing list (subscribe to majordomo@cc.rochester.edu), an EUDORA-PRACTICE-LIST (subscribe to listproc@uwex.edu), and eudora-light - the Eudora Light E-mail Program mailing list (subscribe at http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/eudora-light).
The site at http://www.internetvalley.com/top100mag.html provides links to the top 100 computer- and software-related Web magazines.
The Winsock-based TCP/IP Application Software group contains:
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.winsock.mail
Winsock-based electronic mail applications and utilities
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.winsock.news
Winsock-based Usenet news readers and servers
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.winsock.misc
Winsock-based applications other than news and email
Usenet also has:
comp.os.msdos.mail-news
Administering mail and news software on Windows and MS-DOS.
comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc
Discussions about the use of TCP/IP on PC systems
NETSCAPEWEBMASTER is a discussion list for Netscape Webmasters to trade tips, techniques, and other information. For subscription information, see http://www.mustang.com/subscribe/subscribe.htm.
LINUX-WIZ (on listserv@tcbbs.net.eu.org) is the Linux operating system Wizards discussion List.
Usenet has many newsgroups in the comp.os.ms-windows and comp.os.msdos hierarchies. Those focusing on Microsoft Windows are usually divided into these groups: Setup and Installation, General (Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and Windows NT), Application Software, Winsock-based TCP/IP Application Software, Software (Compatibility Issues), Networking, Programming and Software Development (Techniques, Development Tools, and Device Drivers), Visual Basic and Delphi Groups, Windows Archives (FTP and Web sites), and Other Related Groups.
The Setup and Installation newsgroups are:
comp.os.ms-windows.setup.win3x
Questions and problems with setting up and configuring Windows 3.x
comp.os.ms-windows.setup.win95
Questions and problems with setting up and configuring Windows 95
The Windows Archives newsgroups are:
comp.archives.ms-windows.announce
MODERATED. Announcements for new and/or updated Windows ftp/web
sites, uploads to sites and other information.
comp.archives.ms-windows.discuss
Discussions about Windows ftp/web sites.
Here are some other newsgroups to wet your appetite:
comp.os.ms-windows.announce
MODERATED. Announcements and news about Windows applications,
drivers, events etc.
comp.os.ms-windows.pre-release
Discussion about unreleased and future versions of Windows
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.comm
Communications and fax applications
There are many mailing lists, like: The MS Excel Question and Answer List: (EXCEL-G at listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com), CLIPPER (at majordomo@ccc.uba.ar), and QBASIC (on listserv@maelstrom.stjohns.edu) for discussions of tips, tricks, and instructions related to the QBasic and QuickBasic programming languages. Browse the QBASIC archives at http://rdz.stjohns.edu/qbasic/.
The pages at http://www.kingsoft.com/qaid/ offers a lot of interesting information, both on Windows 95 and Visual Basic, there's a WIN97 mailing list (on listserv@maelstrom.stjohns.edu) devoted to the Microsoft Windows 97 operating system, and Windows 98 information may be found at http://www.cmpnet.com/win98/.
The Microsoft Technical Support Knowledge Base offers access to tens of thousands of product-support documents. Articles tell about new developments in software programs, and how to most effectively use a particular package. You can search by product name, and by keywords. At: http://www.microsoft.com/kb/default.asp.
Many CompuServe forums are operated or sponsored by software and hardware vendors, like:
Adobe Systems Inc., Aldus Corp., Ashton-Tate Corp., Autodesk Inc., Borland International, Broderbund Software Inc., Buttonware Inc., Cadkey Inc., Crosstalk Communications, Customs Technologies, Enable Software, Datastorm Technologies Inc., Microsoft Systems, Nantucket Corp., Lotus Development Corp., Novell Inc., Peter Norton Computing, Quarterdeck Office Systems, Quicksoft, Sun Microsystems (TOPS Division), Symantec Corp., Toshiba, Turbopower Software, and WordPerfect Corp.
They also have hundreds of independent support forums with associated libraries of files and programs. For help with Lotus 1-2-3, there are two CompuServe forums. For Ami Pro support, visit Processing Forum.
On the Internet, send your WordPerfect related questions by email to support@wordperfect.com. They also have a BBS on the Internet address http://www.wordperfect.com.
The WINDOWS NT mailing list is for for users and administrators of Windows NT. Sign up at: www.infowest.ca/maillists .
Usenet's comp.sys.amiga hierarchy has entries like advocacy, announce applications, audio, datacomm, emulations, games, graphics, hardware, introduction, marketplace, multimedia, misc, programmer, reviews and more.
Abstracts of comp.sys.amiga conferences are available through several mailing lists, like AMIGAHAR (listserv@vm.gmd.de).
FidoNet has a long list of conferences for Amiga users:
AMIGA Amiga International Echo AMIGAGAMES Amiga Gaming AMIGA_COMMS Amiga Communications Software and Hardware AMIGA_DESKTOP Amiga Desktop Publishing AMIGA_INFO AMIGA_INFO AMIGA_LC Amiga Lattice/SASC C Echo AMIGA_NET_DEV Amiga Network Developers. AMIGA_PDREVIEW Amiga PD Reviews & Requests AMIGA_PERFECT Amiga Word Perfect & Word Processing AMIGA_PROG Amiga Programmer's International Conference AMIGA_SYSOP Amiga SysOp's Discussion/ADS Echo AMIGA_UG Amiga User's Groups AMIGA_VIDEO Amiga Video and Animation
Exec-PC has the Amiga Hardware and Amiga Software conferences, and a large library with shareware and public domain files. ILINK has the AMIGA conference.
Most online services have "Find this File" commands. The most powerful ones are often found on free bulletin boards.
On CompuServe, type GO AMIGA to get to CBMNET and get the following welcome menu:
Amiga Forums
1 Amiga Arts Forum
2 Amiga Tech Forum
3 Amiga User's Forum
4 Amiga Vendor Forum
5 Amiga File Finder
Commodore Forums
6 Commodore Arts and Games
7 Commodore Applications Forum
8 Commodore Service Forum
9 Commodore Newsletter
A while ago, we visited CBMNET to find a communications program. From the menu above, selection five took us to The Amiga File Finder service, and this menu:
File Finder AMIGA
1 About File Finder
2 Instructions For Searching
3 How to Locate Keywords
4 Access File Finder
5 Your Comments About File Finder
Choice four lets us search for files using keywords, file creation dates, forum names, file types, file name extension, file name or author. Our choice was searching by keywords. The result was a long list of alternatives:
Enter Search Term: comm
Amiga File Finder
1 AMIGATECH/C Programming COMSRC.ARC
2 AMIGATECH/C Programming PMDSRC.LZH
3 AMIGATECH/C Programming PNTSRC.LZH
4 AMIGAUSER/Communications BBSIND.LZH
5 AMIGAUSER/Communications INTOUC.ARC
etc.
By entering numbers, we asked for short descriptions of file number 4 through 13. Here is one of them:
Filename : INTOUC.ARC Forum: AMIGAUSER Lib: Communications Lib #: 5 Submitter: [76702,337] 24-Mar-89 Size: 51200 Accesses: 157 This is a modified Comm1.34. It supports both VT100 and ANSI. The VT100 emulation is based on Dave Wecker's VT100 program. There is automatic dialer, split screen that is configurable, phone book, and other nice features.
This is what we were looking for. First, enter GO AMIGAUSER to get to the forum. Enter "DL 5" to get to Downloading Library number 5. INTOUCH.ARC was retrieved using the CompuServe Quick B transfer protocol. This protocol is usually the most efficient choice on this service.
CompuServe has several File Finder services. These include
PCFF (MS-DOS computers), MACFF (Macintosh), GRAPHFF (for
Graphics), ATARIFF (Atari computers), AMIGAFF. Use the GO
command to access, as in GO PCFF .
Macintosh users should take a look at this Internet site:
http://www.nexor.com/public/mac/archive/welcome.html
For shareware, try http://www.fagg.uni-lj.si/cgi-bin/vsl-front (The Virtual Software Library).
Apple's Web server, at http://www.apple.com, maintains interesting links to the company's libraries, and to sites where freeware and shareware for Apple products may be retrieved.
The Apple Technical Information Library is Apple's official technical- support database. In late 1995, it contained over 12,000 articles on all aspects of Apple products, old and new. The Apple Assistance Center uses the same database to answer customer's questions.
Articles offer advice on trouble shooting, compatibility, workarounds, and more (see http://support.info.apple.com/support/support.html).
There is the APPLE2-L mailing list. Usenet has several newsgroups, including:
alt.sources.mac Source file newsgroup for the Apple
Macintosh computers
comp.sys.apple2 Discussion about Apple II micros.
comp.sys.apple2.comm Apple II data communications.
comp.sys.mac.digest Apple Macintosh: info&uses, but no programs.
FidoNet has an APPLE conference. CompuServe has Apple II Programmers Forum, Apple II Users Forum, Apple II Vendor Forum, Mac Community Clubhouse Forum, Mac Developers Forum, Mac Fun/Entertainment Forum, Mac Hypertext Forum, Mac New Users/Help Forum, Mac System 7.0 Forum, Mac System Software Forum, MacUser Forum and MacWEEK Forum.
Similar services are found on many other online services. You will also find conferences devoted to support of popular commercial software for Apple computers.
There are so many types of computers: Atari computers, the TRS-80 series and others from Tandy, DEC computers, mainframes from IBM, Hewlett-Packard computers, CP/M machines, users of LDOS/TRSDOS or OS9, Apricot, Z88, Timex/Sinclair, Archimedes, Psion, and Armstrad.
Even so, there is a high chance that you can find online support for most of them, even if the vendor went out of business years ago. For such computers, CompuServe is a good place to start.
ProfNet is a cooperative of more than thousand international public information officers giving journalists and authors quick and convenient access to expert sources. Mostly, members represent colleges, universities, and a wide range of government, corporate, and non-profit entities oriented to scholarship and research.
There is no fee for conducting ProfNet searches, nor is there any limit to the number or frequency of your queries. For information or to deliver queries, write to profnet@sunysb.edu. In submitting, specify your news organization, the nature of the search project, the nature of the expertise sought, and the time frame and how a response is wanted.
For a list of mailing lists of interest for advertising, public relations, and marketing, try http://www.webcom.com/impulse/list.html.
Sure, you can use the Internet as a calculator! For links to converters and calculators, try http://www-sci.lib.uci.edu/HSG/RefCalculators.html.
CALCULATORS ON-LINE has links to Unit Conversion (temperature, weight, area, etc.), Agriculture & Horticulture, Automobile, Code Translators, Distance (How Far is it?), Finance - Loans, Mathematics, Statistics, Medical & Health Science, Navigation/GPS, Nutrition, Radiation & EHS Safety, Science & Engineering, Aeronautics, Sunset & Tide, Weather, etc.
Here is more than any one could ever hope to use or fear to need in a lifetime!
Try http://www.dna.lth.se/cgi-bin/kurt/rates/foreign/websvcs.html for currency exchange rates. Select a currency, like Norwegian Krone or Philippine Pesos, and the other currency of choice from a list of 37 (July 97). The exchange rate between the two currencies will then be displayed.
For more information about currencies, try the Currencies of the World page at http://pacific.commerce.ubc.ca/trade/currencies.html. Besides valuable background information, it provides daily exchange rates for 49 currencies.