4. It may be unsuited for what I wanted (outlining a book). Since

becoming a born-again Galaxian, I've started using that for the outline, and I'm happy. There's nothing like a decision and a permanent bonding and lifelong commitment to make a woman happy. Remember that, you louts. :-) 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. The reactions to one simple question may be overwhelming, but most of the time the contributions are useful and educational. Since the discussion is public, regard it as your personal online university. Offer opinions when you have something to contribute, or keep silent. 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. Do not feel bad about being silent. Most other members are there only to watch and learn as well. 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 messages with complaints of the new program before buying. When you have received your new program, return to read other users' experiences and to pick up practical advice. It will never hurt to offer your own two cents' worth in the process. | Visit online services that have many users who know more than | | most. There, you will usually get faster and better replies to | | your questions. It is far cheaper to ask than to search. | Start with bulletin boards. If you have never visited a BBS, call one in your neighborhood to get a feel for what this is. Most of them can be accessed free. Usually, their only requirement is that you answer some self-presentation questions before being granted full access to their system. Most bulletin boards offer conferencing and archives filled with shareware and public domain software. Many also 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, the more skilled people are likely to "meet" there regularly. Therefore, if local bulletin boards fail to satisfy your needs, visit the 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 he uses to go. Examples: If you need top advice about the communications program GALINK, call Mike's BBS in Oslo (at +472 -416588). If you buy modems from Semafor A/S, the best place for expert advice is Semaforum BBS (tel. +4741-370-11710). If you have a Novell local area network, visit the Novell forums on CompuServe. For users of MS-DOS computers ----------------------------- I visit the following CompuServe forums regularly: IBM Communication - about communication software for MS-DOS computers. IBM Hardware - about new IBM compatibles, expansion cards, displays, hard disks, IBM PS/2, software for performance evaluation, printers, etc. IBM Systems/Utilities - about DOS, utilities, shells, file utilities, and much more. A large software library. IBM Applications - about all kind of applications. The forum has a large file library full of shareware and public domain software. 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. CompuServe has hundreds of other forums with associated libraries of files and programs. FidoNet has the PC_TECH and PCUG conferences, and a long list of product specific echos like QUICKBBS, PCTOOLS, ZMODEM, DESQVIEW and WINDOWS.SHAREW . BITNET has CLIPPER (CLIPPER@BRUFPB), I-IBMPC (I-IBMPC@UIUCVMD), PC-L (PC-L@UFRJ), and the abstract service INFO-IBMPC (IBMPC- L@BNANDP11). On EXEC-PC, look under MS-DOS systems. Usenet has many offerings including the following: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Discussion about IBM personal computers. comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest The IBM PC, PC-XT, and PC-AT. (Moderated) comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware XT/AT/EISA hardware, any vendor. comp.sys.ibm.pc.rt Topics related to IBM's RT computer. comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware Microchannel hardware, any vendor. For help with Lotus 1-2-3, there are two CompuServe forums. There is a LOTUS conference on RelayNet. WordPerfect Corp. has a support forum on CompuServe. WORDPERF is the equivalent offering on RelayNet. On ILINK, visit WORDPERFECT. For support about Ami Pro, visit CompuServe's LDC Word Processing Forum. For owners of Amiga computers ----------------------------- 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. Usenet's com.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 BITNET mailing lists, like AMIGAHAR@DEARN, AMIGA-D@NDSUVM1, and AMIGA-S@NDSUVM1. 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. There are also active Amiga forums on BIX, GEnie, and CIX (England). Apple users ----------- FidoNet has an APPLE conference. BITNET has APPLE2-L (APPLE2- L@BROWNVM). 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. Other 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 probability that you can find online support for almost all of them. This is so even if the vendor is out of business long ago. CompuServe is a good place to start.