Tech Talk
Welcome!
by Doktor Ty Brewer
February 1998Tech Talk will address the technical issues that frustrate us and our kids. Please - send in your questions and we'll try and answer them!
Thanks for the many responses to last month's article. I would like to answer every question that comes our way but can't. I'll try and field the questions that have the most general audience. If I don't answer your question this month, check back again, I have too many to answer in one article.
Q: How can a parent tell when buying CDs for kids that it will be compatible. Even if it says it is compatible, I'm starting to realize they might not be.
A: That's a great question, and one that plagues every computer user. I remember once working with an IBM PC, OS/2 (made by IBM), and I wasn't able to get my IBM network card working. A call to IBM hardware support got forwarded to the "Portable" group. They forwarded me to the "OS/2" group. They forwarded me to the "Network Devices" group. And you guessed it, they forwarded me to the "Hardware" group. In the end the problem went unresolved. I finally spoke with someone I felt comfortable with and he pretty much told me I would never get the device working. If this can happen with IBM and 100% IBM solutions, imagine what you face trying to get a Hasbro game to work with a Dell PC running Microsoft Windows 95.
Unfortunately I don't have a solution for every problem, but I do have guidelines for minimizing your problems.
First, buy a PC from a reputable manufacturer. My favorites, in order, are Hewlett Packard, Dell, Compaq, Gateway 2000, and then IBM. I recommend spending a little more for a brand name PC for the support. If you buy a computer from your friend's cousin who works as a real estate agent but builds computers on the weekends, you may save $300. But what happens when you can't get "Mickey Mouse Skateboard" to work on Christmas Eve? Will "Joe Computer" be there for you? Does he have 24 hour support? Even if he does support you well, does he have the breadth of knowledge that can only come from shipping hundreds of thousands of units? Consider that $300 saved as the cost of support and suffering.
I once bought an Acer PC and liked it pretty well. It wasn't such a big deal for me to work through the problems. But once, and only once, I needed help. I called their tech support phone line and was on hold for four hours. I had to hang up to attend to other matters. When I came back I called again. I was on hold for another four hours and never spoke to a tech support representative. Granted, this call was placed around Christmas and the support lines were undoubtedly busy, but there is no excuse for this. In the end I solved the problem myself (after sitting for eight hours, almost any problem can be solved by trial and error). The lesson: The money you save will be spent on pain and suffering. Yes, even the best manufacturers have spotty support at times, but I've consistently found HP and Dell to provide support that beats their competitors.
To ensure your PC continues to operate smoothly, be careful what you feed it. By that I mean don't install every program you can download. Also, if it's not a Windows 95 compatible program, avoid it. I once ruined a Windows 95 installation because I installed a "Recipe and Baking" program. The program was made for Windows 3.1. I guess it had the recipe for "Toast" because it toasted the operating system. Older Windows 3.1 programs are not always as well behaved as newer Windows 95 programs. Some of these older programs take liberties with your system that they shouldn't. To play it safe, always stick with Windows 95 programs.
Make certain you back up your machine regularly. If you find a program that won't work, perhaps you have some bad system files or corruption in your registry. I've installed games that wouldn't work, but did once I restored my system from a previous backup. And if you didn't catch last month's article, invest in an uninstall utility like Quarterdeck's Clean Sweep.
Lastly, you can't always guarantee that a program you buy off the shelf will work with your system. Sometimes the problem lies with your system. Other times the problem is within the game. Shameless plug: Look in our "review" section to find reviews of games you consider buying. We may have noticed problems or difficulties ourselves and can steer you down the right path. We often reward terrific games with a "Gold Medal" and believe these to be your best buys.
Until next month,
Ty, the PC Doktor
Disclaimer: Although I endorse Hewlett Packard, Dell, Quarterdeck and others in this article, I am in no way associated with these entities. I can honestly say these products have earned my confidence through experience, not payoffs.
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