MindSpring's Support Commitment

MindSpring is committed to making the Internet an enjoyable experience. We believe that the quality of the support we provide differentiates MindSpring from other Internet service providers.

This manual provides information on every aspect of the PipeLine+ software. It is your main source of technical information and "How To" answers.

For questions regarding pricing, upgrades, billing, passwords, mailboxes, or other changes to your account, please contact Customer Service at (800) 719-4660 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday (except holidays), or via
e-mail to service@mindspring.com .

If you are having difficulty with the PipeLine+ software, please:

  1. Consult this manual. It was written to answer many common questions.
  2. Check the MindSpring Technical Support web page at http://help.mindspring.com/ .
  3. Send an e-mail to Technical support at support@mindspring.com .
  4. Check the MindSpring newsgroups for help. .
  5. Contact Technical Support.

Technical Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except for major holidays and announced down times.

MindSpring's Support Policy

At MindSpring we want our customers to have a great experience with MindSpring and the Internet. This means more than just providing a functioning network connection. Customer Service and Technical Support are key ingredients and we strive to make our support responsive and high in quality.

The Nature of the Net

A gentle warning, many different systems are involved in connecting to the Internet, and none of them work perfectly all the time.

  • Software or hardware in your PC can cause problems. The opportunities for conflicts are countless. Data communications applications are particularly likely to be troublesome on today's PCs.
  • Modems are also the source of many connection problems.
  • The telephone network is a frequent generator of problems - such as noisy phone lines.
  • The MindSpring network itself has many modems, servers and communication lines. Despite our best efforts, at any given moment there may be a problem somewhere in our network.
  • Finally, things out on the rest of the Internet, beyond MindSpring's control, may have problems. The particular web server you want to connect to may be overloaded at any given moment. The network connection leading to some site may be out of order. Sometimes the "routing" for large sections of the Internet even gets knocked out of service temporarily.

    • Guidelines for Using MindSpring Technical Support

    All this makes our support task here at MindSpring quite complex! Please help us by living within these guidelines while using our support resources, and we'll try our best to provide you with the best support you have ever experienced. This is how you can help us to best help you:

  • Please respect the boundaries of our support operation.
  • We provide phone and e-mail support for the software products included in the PipeLine+ Starter Kit. We can supply technical support for the installation, configuration, and possible troubleshooting of the PipeLine+ software. Training and tips for use of the software, once installed and working, are available:
  • In this manual
  • Through the Support web page at http://help.mindspring.com/
  • From the help files supplied with most of the software products included in the PipeLine+ Starter Kit
  • From approved MindSpring Training facilities
  • Also, many questions are posted and answered by fellow MindSpring users in the MindSpring newsgroups.
  • Please don't ask us to provide support for other software products. Internet software applications are multiplying at an incredible rate, and we simply cannot be experts on all of them. We do maintain HELP resources for those using software and operating systems that MindSpring does not support over the telephone, and we urge you to make use of these.
  • MindSpring Technical Support cannot provide training in the use of your computer or the Internet in general. To use MindSpring and the Internet, you need to master the basic skills necessary to use your computer, such as opening and closing programs and files, and using dialog boxes. Please try one of the training classes available through MindSpring in selected cities.
  • Please try the following help resources before calling us on the phone:
  • Consult this User's Guide and the online Help that comes with your starter kit.
  • Check our Help web pages maintained at http://help.mindspring.com/ .
  • Check the MindSpring newsgroups devoted to providing help on various topics.
  • Send an e-mail to support@mindspring.com stating the nature of the problem.
  • Finally, as a last resort, telephone our support representatives at (800) 719-4660 or (404) 815-9111.
  • Last but not least, we request your best manners. Almost always you will call at a time when you are frustrated and perhaps angry. Please understand that we are here to help and we ask that you do not take your frustration out on the Technical Support Representatives. The MindSpring Core Values and Beliefs call for treating people with respect. We will try very hard to live up to those standards when dealing with you and ask that you do the same when speaking with us.

    • Contacting MindSpring Support

    When you call technical support, call from a telephone located near your computer and have the following information handy:

  • Your MindSpring mailbox name and password
  • PipeLine+ software product name and version number
  • The brand and model of your computer (for example, Gateway 2000 Pentium 133 MHz)
  • The brand, model and speed of your modem (for example, US Robotics - PCMCIA Sportster - 28.8). If you have encountered an error message, please document.
  • Operating system and version number. To find the version number for your operating system, do one of the following:
  • Windows 3.1 and 3.11 users, choose Help | About from Program Manager.
  • Windows 95 users, right-click on My Computer and select Properties.
  • Macintosh users, while in Finder, click on the apple and select About This Macintosh (if using System 7.6, then select About This Computer).
  • The amount of memory (RAM) in your system. To find the amount of memory in your system, do one of the following:
  • Windows 3.1 and 3.11 users, choose Help | About from Program Manager.
  • Windows 95 users, right-click on My Computer and select Properties.
  • Macintosh users, while in Finder, click on the apple and select About This Macintosh (if using System 7.6, then select About This Computer).
  • The amount of available uncompressed hard disk space in your system. To find the amount of available uncompressed hard disk space in your system, do one of the following:
  • Windows 3.1 and 3.11 users, type DIR in DOS.
  • Windows 95 users, right-click on My Computer and select Properties.
  • Macintosh users, double-click on the Hard Drive icon (the Views control panel must have Show disk info in header selected).

    • MindSpring's Newsgroups

    The newsgroups are accessible by users 24 hours a day and it can be the ideal forum for addressing questions that are related to the software. If you think that others may be experiencing the same problem or that an individual may have had a similar situation, please post the question to the appropriate newsgroup. Be sure to provide the appropriate amount of background information; this allows MindSpring as well as others to properly address your question.

    Notes: These newsgroups are restricted access and available only for MindSpring users. Remember, always read the postings before posting your question, as it may have already been answered.