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============== Web Applications
Beware the onslaught of web applications. Google has opened up their beta of Writely (their online word processor) to the public, so you can now give it a try. In addition there are about a dozen other online word processors which might suit you better.
But if you have a fast Internet connection, any of the free word processors will be more enticing to many home users than a huge, bloated, expensive Microsoft Office Suite. ThinkFree, gOffice and ZohoWriter already have suites and several other sites are working on them. Unless you use some of the high-end tools in MS Office, one of the suites are probably all you need.
They differ in features: some store all data on your computer, which is safer and potentially faster, but it prevents you from collaborating or using another computer without sending files. Others give you storage on their servers, which makes collaboration and using multiple computers much easier. It could be a security issue for some businesses, however. Some store the data in their own, proprietary format but allow you to publish in pdf or rtf formats. Others create native MS Office compatible documents. Some work on Windows computers only, while AjaxWrite requires FireFox, but works on Macs, Linux or Windows just fine.
Currently, none of the major players charge money for their services, nor do they have many (if any) ads. But you can be sure that if someone gets hugely successful the ads will follow -- probably with a for-fee option that turns ads off. Still, any of these will be a lot cheaper than what you are probably currently using. Some of you may still want to buy Microsoft Word, for example, but since you use the other Office stuff so infrequently, use the online versions rather than Excel, Powerpoint, etc. Still others will want to use Office, but have the ability to upload documents to one of the collaborative sites where team members all over the world can access and change the same documents in real time. There are tons of possibilities here. It's well worth taking a look at the field.
A quick opinion: If you are looking for a site that creates simple, very nice looking documents (word processor, desktop publishing, presentation and spreadsheets), give gOffice.com a try. It creates documents in pdf and html. It's lacking a lot of features, but for a simple program to create really nice looking documents, it's a winner.
Here are the major players in the field:
============== Cheap Printers, No Ink
Recently my wife's printer died. She doesn't print often, so I decided to get her a low-end HP printer, for about $50. Looked nice, had good specs. What could be the problem? Easy. It came only with a color ink cartridge and it was only about a quarter full. It can emulate black by spraying all colors of ink on a spot, but that sure uses up a lot of colored ink. Once you buy ink, the $50 printer ran a bit over $100. It wasn't the bargain I hoped it would be.
Still, it's a decent printer, so I'm not really hurt. But I do wonder about printer companies selling printers with very limited ink. Yeah, I know all about the old advice: "Give away the razors, then sell the blades." But does Gillette sell razors without blades?
============== Backup, Backup, Backup.
Recently, we have had a spate of dead hard drives come in -- and the customers have not had recent backups. Backing up data just isn't that difficult any more, folks. As the old adage goes: It's not a matter of if your hard drive will fail. It's only a question of when. We've all heard that for years. But what are we doing about it?
Here are some useful, real-life ways to backup your important data: (1) With so many of us on home networks connected to dsl or cable, it is pretty simple to backup from one computer to another. Back up the wife's data to the husband's computer and vice versa. If one of the computers dies, all the data will be there. You can schedule automatic backups using the Windows Backup Utility or any one of dozens of freeware, shareware and inexpensive software. For non-servers, it is quite easy to "set it and forget it."
(2) Get a USB external drive, plug it into your computer and use the included software to schedule backups. USB drives are inexpensive, reliable and easy to use. You can unplug them from one computer and attach to another if you want to backup multiple computers.
(3) If you don't have a lot of data, get a flash drive. Flash drive capacities are up to 4GB now, but many of us will be able to do with much smaller units. Back up pictures, music and other large-scale data to CD's and then keep financial data, correspondence and the like on our flash drives. This is what Rick does. He takes his flash drive back and forth every day -- to and from work. His flash drive is built into his watch, so it's always handy.
(4) Hard drive are cheap. Put another into your computer and back up to it regularly. This is the easiest to use, but the most difficult to restore in the event your C:\ drive dies. Your data is locked into a dead machine. The only ways to get it out are to open up the dead computer, remove the drive, open up a life computer, install the drive, discover the new drive in CMOS and then boot to the new computer. Unless you are fairly skilled with computer hardware, this method isn't recommended.
But no matter how you do it, do it. We are tired of tears in our office. Please don't make us tell you the horrible news that all your family pictures are gone.
============== Rick's rant: Dishing It Back -- Part II
Dear faithful readers, I hate to stray off the subject matter of computers too much, but I am compelled to talk some more about my saga with Dish Networks. Some (including me!) hope this will be the last we hear from it for awhile. I shall begin.
I received my first statement after the fabled install, and guess what? There were all sorts of charges on the invoice. I immediately call Dish as I hate to put off a spanking. Whether it's me getting one or giving it. I was charged an equipment handling fee of $49. She said that was part of our agreement, and I promptly stated that all that applied was the $39 installation fee on the Web site. No one stated any other fees. My persuasive manner prevailed, and she rebated me the $49. Next was a "programming access fee" of $5. She stated that my new Dual DVR needs to call home once a month to provide me with "expanded features." If the unit is not connected to a phone line I will be charged the $5 fee. I was aghast! Another hidden fee. Nowhere on the advertising does it state that if you "Dish it up" to a Dual DVR this fee will apply. She stated it's for my own good so I can use the new features. I stated that I don't want the "NEW" features and do not want to pay the fee. She said she would rebate me the $5 "this time," but it would be billed again next month. I told her I have no phone line in the room and would have to run a line into the attic.
She said they would send someone over for "no charge" to plug the unit into the phone jack but would not do internal wiring. Finally, after persistent questioning on my part, she said they have a wireless solution, but it would cost $50 for the equipment. I got transferred to someone in the southern United States, and I explained my problems again and stated that they said they would help me. I told them the other person said they would not charge me and she said they would honor that.
What she didn't know was I wasn't quite sure what the person said as the conversation went on for so long and I'm such a pest that I frankly got lost in the conversation.
Needless to say, I received my new wireless connectors, which I've yet to get to work. If something doesn't happen soon, I'll get charged again as the unit tries three times a month to dial out. No connect and I automatically get billed. But my persistence paid off in $105 worth of savings. You can just imagine all the people who don't say anything and let these big companies just steal from their customers.
Harsh words, I know, but it's not right to advertise a certain cost without including all the stupid fees they tack on to it. I love my unit, but what a hassle to get it without getting screwed in the process.
============== CIPCUG Notice
You don't have to be a member of CIPCUG to subscribe to this E-letter, but we do make a short notice of upcoming events.
This Saturday, August 26, Infogrip will be joining us to discuss tools to assist the disabled. They have been providing tools for the disabled for 20 years and are experts in matching tools with disabilities.
September 23: To be announced.
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