The Computer Next Door

Toss the Manuals! (and Build a Digital Reference Library)

I'm not sure at what point manufacturers of hardware products (including electronics and major appliances) realized that they could serve their customers by putting manuals for their products online, but at this point the practice is in full swing - at least for consumer products.

If you have a tendency to misplace the original hardware manual - whether for the lawn mower or for your DVD player, you're in luck.  You can (almost always) find it on the Web.  Just go to the manufacturer's Website, then look in the section devoted to to Customer Care (sometimes called Customer Service or Support). Somewhere there you are likely to find a list of "technical documentation" or "manuals" you can download for free as PDF files, provided you have the model number for your product

The manufacturer site is your first stop in finding documentation.  But if your appliance or product is really old or the manufacturer isn't providing online documentation, you do have a few other options.

SPECIALTY SITES

Some sites specialize in providing access to manuals for many manufacturers.  Some of these are broad-based in scope; others are more specific to certain kinds of products, such as appliances.

One specialty search engine that can help you find user guides and manuals is  DeviceManuals.com.  Although I found this site's interface a little offputting, it did turn up a large number of useful links for the product I was looking for - for free.

Some sites are home appliance oriented.  One example is Appliance411, which offers both owners' manuals (usually what you'll be looking for), as well as repair manuals for a variety of appliances. If your kitchen appliance is relatively new, you might look for it on KitchenManuals.com, which requires free membership to access its library of documents.

Some of the more highly specialized sites might charge you a few dollars for manuals to much older (or even antique) machines. I spent about $7 to get a copy of the owner's manual for a 30-year old sewing machine I had inherited "sans manual."  It was worth it.  Now, instead of getting frustrated, I actually understand how to work the danged thing.

IS DIGITAL BETTER?

In spite of the name of this blog post, I don't think you really have to go "all the way" with the digital manual route. By all means hang onto your paper copies if it makes you feel better.  I admit there's some overlap in my household.  But I do find that it's quicker and easier to browse or search the files on my hard drive than it is to traipse all over the household looking for that elusive user guide or manual.

So try it.  The next time you make a hardware purchase, go to the manufacturer's site and download the manual. Then you'll always have it when you need it.

Proceed with Caution on Map & Direction Sites

 

Yahoo didn't know where I was going - and neither did I.

Boy, times have changed.  It used to be when you had to drive somewhere, you'd call AAA and get directions or order a personalized "TripTik."  All very quaint.  All very yesterday.

Now, when you want to drive somewhere, the drill is that you go online and check an online Maps and Directions site Two of the best known online destinations for maps and directions are: Yahoo Maps and MapQuest, but Google, Rand McNally, and MSN also offer similar sites, as does AAA (although you need to be a member for the latter).

Everybody has their favorite.  For years I have relied on Yahoo Maps. Whenever I am going to a new location, I enter the information into Yahoo, print it out, and take off. I also like the Yahoo interface,  which allows me to save favorite addresses, and find it a relatively simple and flexible site to use.

But the problem with relying on automated services is that sometimes they're simply not up-to-date enough, and provide poor information. I was running out the door to an appointment last week, and quickly "Yahoo'd" the address, printed it the directions, and took off.

Much to my dismay, about 45 minutes later, I found myself in a part of the city that clearly was not where I wanted to be.  Only then did I understand what had happened.  Yahoo had not recognized the address I was trying to get to, and so had simply given me the "center" of the the ZIP code for the address I was trying to get to!

The office I was going to admitted they were relatively new, which was why the hadn't been picked up yet by Yahoo.

Later, I checked out all the other map sites I mentioned above.  Would one of them have had the information and given me better directions? None of them did any better, but some a few, like AAA, did a better job of pointing out the fact that they didn't actually have the address I was looking for in their database:

 

At least AAA owns up when they can't find an address.

Ah, technology.

Call your location or check their Website's handwritten directions.  Don't rely on map sites 100% of the time.

Getting Started with Digital Photography

A good many of my friends and family members still haven't waded into the arena of digital photography, and I have been wondering if this isn't because there's still an aura of mystery about the process. Or, questions still linger in their minds, such as..

• Do I need this?
• How much should I spend?
• What equipment should I get?
• How do I get the photos into my computer?

Allow me to offer some advice...

DO YOU NEED IT?

The way I see it, digital photography is the kingpin in photography these days.  A digital camera (and its processes) is in the long run cheaper, more convenient, and more flexible than a traditional film camera for just about anything you as a consumer are likely to do, including:

• Getting prints made
• Making scrapbooks -(printed or online)
• Sharing photos online or via e-mail
• Documenting your house or possessions
• Documenting your kids, vacations, etc.

I still do keep a couple of film cameras around the house, but they are rarely, if ever used.

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU SPEND?

Here's a suggestion if you're still on the fence: SPEND AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. And that's because you can get a great digital camera for about $100 these days. I did recently - I wanted a 2nd digital camera to supplement my Canon Digital Rebel XT, so I went to Amazon and purchased the least expensive Canon PowerShot I could find (I ended up getting the PowerShot 460 - for about $100).

I have been amazed at the quality of the photos it takes without my having to do anything. I heartily recommend this small, simple camera as a starter camera for anyone starting out in digital photography.  And it doesn't feel like too big a dent in the pocketbook.

WHAT EQUIPMENT TO GET

OK, so put the PowerShot 460 on your shopping list and then you'll also need the following items:

1. A larger memory card (Most cameras come with tiny cards.  Get a 1GB card, instead.)
2. A memory card reader to read the contents of your memory card into your computer. A brand I have been happy with is SanDisk - readily available in any electronics store.  Using a card reader is, I find, much easier than hooking the computer up to your camera with a little cable every time you want to import photos to your computer.
3. Some kind of digital photo software to organize your photos (Macs come with iPhoto, so you're all set if you have a Mac.  An alternative for Windows user is a free application called Picasa, available from Google.)
4. (optional) A photo printer (with corresponding paper & ink cartridges). I say optional because some folks may not have room for it, or may wish to send their photos out to a printer.  I highly recommend the new, high-definition Epson Stylus Photo R380, which produces the best home prints I've seen is also only about $100.  Linda likes Epson's PictureMate 200 series. (see her post:  Print Photos Like a Pro).

GETTING PHOTOS INTO YOUR COMPUTER

Simply put, your memory card reader acts as a little transfer station.  When you're done taking photos, remove the memory card from your camera, and pop the card in the card reader, and the photo software (iPhoto or Picasa) will sense the presence of the images on the disk, and then walk you through the process of "importing" your photos to the computer (more about Getting Started with Picasa).

Every software package has its own user interface metaphor for how to organize photos. Generally you group photos into albums or folders; the latest version of iPhoto also uses an "event" metaphor, which is helpful especially if you take a lot of "friends and family" kind of photos (Donna's Birthday Party, Johnson Family Reunion, Baby's First Walk -  that kind of thing).

That's it in a nutshell. Digital photography should be fun, not a chore.  My advice: keep it simple.