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Monster Media 1993 #2
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FRUSTRAT.DOC
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1993-06-10
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=================================================================
****** SMALL & HOME BUSINESS JOURNAL ON-DISK -- VOL I NO I ******
=================================================================
COPYRIGHT 1993 PAT FLANAGAN PUBLISHING & DESIGN
=================================================================
BEATING COMPUTER FRUSTRATION
By Pat Flanagan
It's happened to all of us. You're typing feverishly, trying to meet
that deadline, and then, IT HAPPENS. Either you pushed the wrong
function key and deleted your whole document, or you moved your foot
the wrong way and yanked the power cord out of the wall, or something
along those lines. You immediately feel like picking up your keyboard
and throwing it through the window. I know, it's happened to me more
than a few times. But what's the best thing to do when that happens?
First, get up, leave the room, get something to eat or drink, and
count to ten. Then, when you're back to rational thinking, go back
to your computer and consider your options.
If you accidentally erased what you were doing from the screen, check
your manual and see if your software has an UNDO function. If it does,
you're safe. You should be able to restore what you lost.
If your software doesn't have an UNDO function, you'll probably have to
load your last saved version back into your computer. This means you'll
have lost anything you've done since the last time you saved your work,
which is still better than having to start over. This assumes that you
save your work frequently, which is an important thing to do.
It's easy to be working and think, "I ought to save this, but I'm on a
roll and I don't want the interruption." Believe me, the interruption is
better than the frustration of having to start over. If your software
has an automatic save feature, which periodically saves your work, make
sure you use it. It's worth the occasional slight interruption, which you
won't even notice, with time.
So, you say you accidently deleted the wrong file from your disk? Don't
start hunting for sharp objects! It can be fixed. What you need is a
utility program (such as Norton Utilities) which can restore a deleted
file. Norton Utilities is well worth it's weight in gold. Make sure you
purchase a copy, if you do computer work to any extent.
So what can you do if you've never saved the file, and you've lost it?
Chalk it up to experience, swallow your pride, don't kick yourself TOO
hard, and start over. This time, be sure your automatic save feature is
on, and, by all means, take your time and watch what you're doing!
There's another type of computer frustration that runs rampant, whether
you're a novice or an expert. In fact, it probably effects the experts
more than the novices. I sold computer hardware and software for almost
ten years, and there wasn't a day where I didn't run across someone with
a case of I-DIDN'T-READ-THE-MANUAL-OSIS. This is a common ailment,
caused by the urge to dive into one's latest software purchase without a
clue as to how the thing works. Why read the manual, all software really
works the same, doesn't it?
WRONG. You never know how rational the programmer was. What seemed like
perfect logic to him or her at the time the program was written may have
been a little skewed by too much Pepsi and Doritos. All software does
NOT work the same, to an almost infuriating degree sometimes.
The cure for this disease is simple. Take a moment to at least skim the
manual before you do ANYTHING with the software, including installing it.
I can't tell you how many times I had to console someone who had
installed their latest toy incorrectly, only to find out it erased some
important stuff when they tried to run it. It's worth the time to read.
Think about it, you can't just hop into a car and start driving without
at least SOME kind of driver's training, can you? That's for a good
reason.
Above all, take your time and use your head. The head you don't use
could be the head you lose when your data disappears!
**********************************************************************
* *
* ABOUT THE AUTHOR *
* *
* Pat Flanagan is the owner of Pat Flanagan Publishing & Design, and *
* the editor/publisher of Small & Home Business Journal On-Disk. He *
* is also the author of the forthcoming book "Recycled *
* Entertainment -- Profits From Used Compact Disks, Video Games And *
* Computer Software," currently being written and set to be *
* published in early 1994. *
* *
**********************************************************************