Reader mail should be sent to AOL screen name "MacFAQ". Internet mail should be sent to "macfaq@aol.com". Advertisers and other businesses should send AOL mail to "Soft Ads" or Internet mail to "softads@aol.com".
All mail becomes the property of Softwords. Messages may be published on the letters to the editor page, unless otherwise requested.
I like helping people, but there are limits. Remember, a FAQ answers "frequently asked questions," not "every possible question". I can't guarantee that I'll respond to a message, but here are some guidelines:
Messages which may get a response
Corrections and suggestions I want to make the FAQ as accurate as possible. Send in those corrections! To make corrections and suggestions about the appendices, see the appendices for the right email addresses. When making corrections, it's helpful if you quote the incorrect material, and explain why it's incorrect. Make sure you're reading the most current FAQ.
Questions not covered in the FAQ If you have a question about AOL, and it's not covered in the FAQ, send it to me. If it's of general interest (i.e., not something more appropriate for the AOL edition of Trivial Pursuit), I may add the question and answer to the FAQ. Make your questions as clear and specific as possible, and include the following information: Macintosh model, amount of RAM installed, modem make and model, system software version, and the version of the AOL software you are using.
Advertising Companies who wish to place an advertisement in the FAQ or who wish to distribute the FAQ on CD-ROM can contact me at America Online screen name "Soft Ads". Send Internet mail to "softads@aol.com".
Messages which will not get a response
There are 300,000 Mac users on AOL, and there's only one of me. I have to set some boundaries to make my mail load manageable.
Complaints/Suggestions about AOL I do not work for AOL, and they do not pay me to do customer service. Use keyword "suggestion" for suggestions. Use keyword "credit" to get credit for lost time. Use keyword "help" to write to customer relations.
"Where do I find" messages If you're looking for a file on AOL, see chapter 7 for help with file search. If you're looking for a service on AOL, see chapter 3, or browse the keywords in Appendix A of the FAQ. It's pointless for me to help you find these things. You can find them on your own once you learn the process.
Questions about the Internet I plan to add a chapter about the Internet in the next two months. After I publish the Internet chapter I'll answer questions relating to the Internet and AOL. Until then, it's better for me to spend my time writing, rather than answering individual questions. Use keyword "internet" to explore the Internet Center. Read Zen and the Art of the Internet for introductory information.
