Computing

Congratulations!    Since you have already found this section we can assume you are computer literate and your system is up & running.   Would that it were always so………...

While welcoming, but ignoring for a moment those Mac users whose systems never crash (can that really be true?), it is a fact that most of us live in the real world of Microsoft Windows 95, 98 and ME, Win 2000 or the more recent XP and XP Pro and our systems certainly present problems with hardware & software conflicts which, on occasion, seem to defy all logic.

When everything does goes wrong, when you have tried the obvious, done what the ‘on screen’ instructions say, and the darn thing still won’t work, where do you go for help?   If your equipment is new and still under guarantee, it’s back to the supplier. If you paid the extra for ‘on site’ service support, now is the time to congratulate yourself!   However, for most of us, the extra cost wasn’t justifiable at the time, or the guarantee has just run out!

A professional computer dealer is one option.   Preferably not one of the big chains because they are mostly geared up to deal with sales of new equipment and their first response to problems is to try and sell you something new.   A good local professional who has been around for a few years has probably seen most problems and can sort things out quickly and cost effectively.   If he is local he can probably visit you at home and will soon have you up and running again. There is nothing on a computer which can’t be replaced within an hour – software problems make take a little longer – so you should be able to get a good idea, up front, of how much the cost is likely to be.

Not surprisingly, there are probably more sites on the Internet dealing with computer related issues than for any other subject and computer enthusiasts are a friendly lot, so there is plenty of online help available.   The three sites listed below are well worth a visit.   Dr Adept’s offers help and a very useful set of computer related links. ‘No Wonder’ offers fast, free technical advice.   The third site – Silverhairs – is specifically directed at our age group and is particularly well suited to anyone still finding their feet in the, often, confusing world of computers.   Highly recommended!

Incidently, anyone interested in Internet site design will find Silverhairs a fine example of classic text based layout.   Flash and sound clips may make for technically interesting sites, but for clarity and speed of page loading it’s simple text every time.

We will be developing this section of Age-Net and hope to include much more information about new hardware & software releases, industry trends etc. And do keep an eye on our Monthly Competions. They are always listed on the Home Page and often include software prizes.

If you still need help, why not send us an e-mail and we will post your problem up for general discussion.   If something is a problem to you, it’s likely that it has been troubling others as well. It’s equally likely that someone reading this already has the answer!

We are seeking an editor for this section. Anyone with some computer experience - not necessarily an expert because someone new to computing can often relate more easilly to the problems we all experienced 'once upon a time' will be made very welcome.

Highly recommended links.

www.dradept.co.uk

www.nowonder.com

www.silverhairs.co.uk

www.hairnet.org

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