28 December 2005

PCs: The Missing Manual

Many of my friends and family in New York asked me what they were going to do for help with their computers once I moved to North Carolina. The first answer I gave was that I wasn't going to have a phone or access to e-mail in the new apartment, so they'd have to make the 9-hour drive to NC if they needed my help with their computers.

Oddly, they didn't believe that story. So, I gave it some serious thought and came up with two answers.
  1. I could find some kind of free software for remote assistance so that I could access their computer over the Internet. Obvious security implications aside, the most frequent requests for help that I get are when a computer won't boot or it can't access the Internet, so that made answer number one useless.
  2. I could send them to Best Buy and have them pay for the help of the Geek Squad. The two problems with this answer:
    • I dislike recommending a service I've never personally used. Unfortunately, computer technicians are like auto mechanics - you have to trust what they tell you, yet some are more honest than others.
    • If they were willing to pay $50 or more for help, they probably wouldn't have called me in the first place.
Today, I found answer number three. O'Reilly has come out with a new book in their Missing Manual series called PCs: The Missing Manual. Although I'm breaking my rule about recommending a book I haven't read, I've read more than 30 O'Reilly books and never been disappointed. Here's the short description from their web site:
PCs: The Missing Manual delivers everything you need to know about PCs, both inside and out, and how to keep them running smoothly and working how you want. From hooking everything up to configuring today's must-have digital media devices; from burning CDs and DVDs to setting up blogs and webcams; and from networking several computers to accessing TV and radio online, there's something for everyone.
I've used the Missing Manual series in some of the intro to computers courses I've taught and received very positive feedback. I expect this book will perform equally well for novices. The list price is only $25 - you should be able to find it for $15 to $20. If you read it, comment on it below!
Posted by Matthew Monahan: at 10:22

21 comments:

  1. Why don't you update your blog. Laziness. Just plain old laziness. I think I have as many posts on here as you do now.

    Click my link.
    ReplyDelete
  2. That is one scary looking ball player. Warning to other readers - don't click that link! Unless of course you're family, in which case Dan making a face in a picture is neither surprising or scary (think spaghetti).
    ReplyDelete
  3. More shocking than Dan's picture is me having a blog. I don't recommend clicking my link, because you will never return to any other website for the rest of your life. There is clearly nothing else worth looking at once you realize you are reading about the one and only me.
    ReplyDelete
  4. I read over your blog, and i found it inquisitive, you may find My Blog interesting. My blog is just about my day to day life, as a park ranger. So please Click Here To Read My Blog

    http://www.juicyfruiter.blogspot.com
    ReplyDelete
  5. is travis an unknown cousin or his he hitting on one of you boys?
    ReplyDelete
  6. That's a good question uc. Travis, identify yourself. I'll not have you hitting on my little brothers, or my big brother, who is actually also little. But that doesn't mean he's feminine. He's just tidy.

    Hey Matt, I bet you didn't see your blog going in this direction, did you? As usual, for fun and frivolity click the link...
    ReplyDelete
  7. It's comforting to know that my meat head big brother Dan spends his time searching the internet for Thundercats websites. Well Dan, I'm glad you found the one you were looking for.

    By the way, did you really mean to call Matt "tidy"? I think you probably meant "tiny," as Matt's uncanny and possibly metrosexual tidiness has nothing to do with his size.

    One more thing...
    Travis - if you are looking for a small, feminine Monahan brother, try searching for Greg. He is much tinier than Matt, and is fun to pick on because he doesn't know anything about blogging or how to find the rest of us on the web. He is also far more feminine than the rest, just ask our father.
    ReplyDelete
  8. Greg probably doesn't read this. And it's a good thing Pete, because he would kick your ass. He might be shorter, but I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that he'd make you scream like you used to when he pushed you out of your Power Wheels.

    Click it!
    ReplyDelete
  9. The only thing Greg has on his side is a rather large amount of rage. I'm too hardened in the pain department from lacrosse to be bothered by his sally-ass punches to the arm and stomach.
    ReplyDelete
  10. As my college buddy Jeff Pringle used to say:

    "Work the groin, that'll get him fired up!"
    ReplyDelete
  11. I've just found the best place to browse for great stuff online. Ask lots of questions without identifying yourselves. Its FUN !!
    http://motors.search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZmattmonahan
    ReplyDelete
  12. bring it on dorothy
    ReplyDelete
  14. Hmmmmmmmmmmm....I have not seen any Wiedl comments on here yet. Hope all is well with all. I continue to have insane problems with my computer(s)but have a new philosphy in 2006...since it crashed anyway and I had to start over...have just about nothing on the computer...just the internet....KISS...keep it simple stupid for me in 2006!
    ReplyDelete
  15. Yo Matt...from your site saw the "create your own blog"...so I did.... Old Weed is my blog name (site or whatever)... Oldweed@blogspot.com....
    I'll probably stick with it...yeah right... Utom
    ReplyDelete
  16. http://oldweed.blogspot.com/ poor old (weed) tom. there is his correct link to his blob. encourage him to live it up a little.
    ReplyDelete
  17. Hey Matt, How is NC? My dad emailed me the juggling act you sent him, and I happened to see your blog at the bottom so I figured I would check it out. While looking through the comments, I was shocked to find that now my dad has a blog! I just want to thank you for inspiring my dad to start his own!!It definitely made my day!:)
    ReplyDelete
  18. Hey Meg-

    Thanks for the comment! Send me your e-mail address when you get a chance so we can keep in touch.

    Matt
    monahan@monahanweb.com
    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Matt-

    Came upon your blog this a.m. There is no such thing as free computer help- it's just a question of who pays! I'm interested in hearing if anyone who asks for help actually purchases/uses that book, but I doubt it.

    As for Dan's baseball stats, I am concerned by his power shortage; maybe he needs to choke up on that bat...
    ReplyDelete
  20. Hey Tom,

    Good to hear from you! I can't comment on Dan's baseball stats, but I did pass along your comment while he was in NC for his bachelor party.

    As for the book, I checked it out at a book store several weeks after posting this thread and I was not impressed, which is a first for me with an O'Reilly publication. You are right, though, someone always pays for support, one way or another.

    Hope we'll being seeing you and Jill at the wedding in Madison - if it's anything like your wedding was, it should be a lot of fun.

    My e-mail address is in a comment above - keep in touch!

    Matt
    ReplyDelete
  21. "Hope we'll being seeing you and Jill at the wedding"

    Oh, Matt. Learn to proof-read! And... Meg, get a Blog so you can be cool like the rest of our family. Matt you really need to update this thing.
    ReplyDelete

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