Tech Help Subforum

BookCat · 01-04-2018, 11:59 AM

I hang around a lot in the Writer's Corner, but also spend time generally on MR. It seems that the site lacks a place to ask for help regarding malfunctioning computers or other hardware or software; aspects which aren't covered in other departments.

In order to organise ebooks, or to side-load them, one needs a functioning computer. If something goes wrong with the computer or software, it would be nice to have somewhere on MR to ask for help.

In the Writer's Corner I'd like a space to ask for help with things like getting the office assistants to work in Windows 7 (solved after masses of googling).

There must be lots of techies here willing to help out.

Just a suggestion. What do you think?

JSWolf · 01-04-2018, 12:06 PM

If we do get a tech help forum, I think it should not be under (tied to) any other forum. There are forums for help with different Readers, but a BookCat so rightly pointed out, no place for general purpose tech help with other tech equipment.

Cinisajoy · 01-04-2018, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

I hang around a lot in the Writer's Corner, but also spend time generally on MR. It seems that the site lacks a place to ask for help regarding malfunctioning computers or other hardware or software; aspects which aren't covered in other departments.

In order to organise ebooks, or to side-load them, one needs a functioning computer. If something goes wrong with the computer or software, it would be nice to have somewhere on MR to ask for help.

In the Writer's Corner I'd like a space to ask for help with things like getting the office assistants to work in Windows 7 (solved after masses of googling).

There must be lots of techies here willing to help out.

Just a suggestion. What do you think?

I think there is a thread on that. Come on down. The water is fine and the techies don't bite.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=292798
Ask there and I am sure the specialists will help you.

arjaybe · 01-04-2018, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I think there is a thread on that. Come on down. The water is fine and the techies don't bite.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=292798
Ask there and I am sure the specialists will help you.

That's close, but I think venting and ranting is different from asking for specific help. Merging the two would dilute both.

Cinisajoy · 01-04-2018, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arjaybe

That's close, but I think venting and ranting is different from asking for specific help. Merging the two would dilute both.

People already ask for help there. It doesn't dilute it.
That is why I linked it. The OP needs help I offered help.
Rant usually means a problem and the experts that hang out there can usually solve it.
They helped with Windows and a netbook last week.

Do me a favor rjb, quit assuming and look first.

JSWolf · 01-04-2018, 12:52 PM

I have to chime in and say venting and ranting is not the correct place. Venting and ranting to me is the place to kvetch, not ask for tech help.

Deskisamess · 01-04-2018, 01:05 PM

I wouldn't use a Rant thread to ask for tech help. It doesn't seem right at all.

arjaybe · 01-04-2018, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

People already ask for help there. It doesn't dilute it.
That is why I linked it. The OP needs help I offered help.
Rant usually means a problem and the experts that hang out there can usually solve it.
They helped with Windows and a netbook last week.

Do me a favor rjb, quit assuming and look first.

I did look, Cin, and I saw a lot of reminiscing about programming languages. I was hoping to see some good rants about technology, but gave up after six or seven pages.

I still think if I was looking for a place to ask for help it wouldn't be there. Usually it's better to ask for help without ranting.-)

Cinisajoy · 01-04-2018, 01:36 PM

Ok, it is the only place I know the techies hang out in. Alternatively, the OP of this thread could start a thread in the lounge asking for help. That might be his/her best option since it is specific. We have threads on everything from Amazon Echo to Instant Pot. Why not a Windows assistant?

DiapDealer · 01-04-2018, 04:17 PM

Unless it's dealing specifically with the various reading/authoring programs/apps used by Mobileread users, I guess I don't really see the point in having a subforum for basic computer help. You'd have to have individual forums/threads for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, etc... for it to be very useful--and sites dedicated to that type of help already exist.

Can't get calibre to run on Windows? .... sure, we already do that. But do we really think Mobileread needs a section dedicated to helping people get their email working? Or how to configure a word-processing system? Or troubleshoot a system that won't boot? I guess I don't. *shrug*

BookCat · 01-04-2018, 04:18 PM

Cin, I'm the OP of this thread and I don't have any specific tech issue at the moment, however I do often find myself in a position of wishing I had a techie friend to help me out with something (my current friends are hopeless with technology).

For example, the Window 7 second hand laptop I bought recently is unable to handle the Word XP (yes, I still have that on a disc) office assistants. MS phased these out some time ago. I love having the little cat playing at the top of the screen while I'm working. I knew there was a way round this, because I did it in around 2011 when I bought my main laptop, also Windows 7.

It took me over a week of googling to find the answer: a source of microsoft agent 2.0 and a hotfix for it. Now I have the little cat on my new/old laptop!
It would have been so nice to have some support from peeps here during that process. Now that I know how to do it, I can tell others with a similar issue, but only if I can easily see the question, which wouldn't be the case in that rant thread.
Hence the suggestion that a "tech help department" might be useful to MR user.

BookCat · 01-04-2018, 04:29 PM

DiapDealer: I see your point of view, but MR does have a Writer's Corner and writers generally write on technology, so the users of that subforum will often have issues relating to it. The above issue with Microsoft Word was one such problem.

If the books read by members of MR are going to be written the writers need working computers to write them on. Maybe the help given could be limited to reading or writing related technology.

DiapDealer · 01-04-2018, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

DiapDealer: I see your point of view, but MR does have a Writer's Corner and writers generally write on technology, so the users of that subforum will often have issues relating to it. The above issue with Microsoft Word was one such problem.

Yes. And that technology will have support already in place for it. Much if it will have user support forums galore already full of answers. I don't see a need to reinvent the wheel.

http://www.msofficeforums.com

We're generally pretty helpful here, but I'm not clear on why you beilieve MR users would have been able to help you with your obscure need faster than your own googling did. The number of people who would know how to tweak Word XP to run on Windows 7 the way you wanted it to has to be very tiny ... everywhere.

And getting the cat to play at the top of the screen while you work is hardly reading OR writing related.

CRussel · 01-04-2018, 05:49 PM

I'm a technical writer, author, and IT Manager. I do NOT come here to provide IT help, nor would I expect to find it here. I do come here to discuss reading, books, and the devices and software that enable me (and others, obviously) to read and manage my library of books. I don't think this is the right place for it. (Heck, I won't even read the Techie V&R thread!)

Cinisajoy · 01-04-2018, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

Cin, I'm the OP of this thread and I don't have any specific tech issue at the moment, however I do often find myself in a position of wishing I had a techie friend to help me out with something (my current friends are hopeless with technology).

For example, the Window 7 second hand laptop I bought recently is unable to handle the Word XP (yes, I still have that on a disc) office assistants. MS phased these out some time ago. I love having the little cat playing at the top of the screen while I'm working. I knew there was a way round this, because I did it in around 2011 when I bought my main laptop, also Windows 7.

It took me over a week of googling to find the answer: a source of microsoft agent 2.0 and a hotfix for it. Now I have the little cat on my new/old laptop!
It would have been so nice to have some support from peeps here during that process. Now that I know how to do it, I can tell others with a similar issue, but only if I can easily see the question, which wouldn't be the case in that rant thread.
Hence the suggestion that a "tech help department" might be useful to MR user.

Then my dear, just start a thread in the lounge. I know one or two that might be a help there. Just be forewarned, the two I am thinking about tend to be long winded.

01-04-2018, 11:59 AM	#1
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Tech Help Subforum I hang around a lot in the Writer's Corner, but also spend time generally on MR. It seems that the site lacks a place to ask for help regarding malfunctioning computers or other hardware or software; aspects which aren't covered in other departments. In order to organise ebooks, or to side-load them, one needs a functioning computer. If something goes wrong with the computer or software, it would be nice to have somewhere on MR to ask for help. In the Writer's Corner I'd like a space to ask for help with things like getting the office assistants to work in Windows 7 (solved after masses of googling). There must be lots of techies here willing to help out. Just a suggestion. What do you think?

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01-04-2018, 12:06 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	If we do get a tech help forum, I think it should not be under (tied to) any other forum. There are forums for help with different Readers, but a BookCat so rightly pointed out, no place for general purpose tech help with other tech equipment.

01-04-2018, 12:52 PM	#6
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have to chime in and say venting and ranting is not the correct place. Venting and ranting to me is the place to kvetch, not ask for tech help.

01-04-2018, 01:05 PM	#7
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,609 Karma: 42697471 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 7+, iPad mini, 2021 iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8"	I wouldn't use a Rant thread to ask for tech help. It doesn't seem right at all.

01-04-2018, 01:36 PM	#9
Cinisajoy Just a Yellow Smiley. Posts: 19,161 Karma: 83862859 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Texas Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy	Ok, it is the only place I know the techies hang out in. Alternatively, the OP of this thread could start a thread in the lounge asking for help. That might be his/her best option since it is specific. We have threads on everything from Amazon Echo to Instant Pot. Why not a Windows assistant?

01-04-2018, 04:17 PM	#10
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,549 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Unless it's dealing specifically with the various reading/authoring programs/apps used by Mobileread users, I guess I don't really see the point in having a subforum for basic computer help. You'd have to have individual forums/threads for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, etc... for it to be very useful--and sites dedicated to that type of help already exist. Can't get calibre to run on Windows? .... sure, we already do that. But do we really think Mobileread needs a section dedicated to helping people get their email working? Or how to configure a word-processing system? Or troubleshoot a system that won't boot? I guess I don't. shrug

01-04-2018, 04:18 PM	#11
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	Cin, I'm the OP of this thread and I don't have any specific tech issue at the moment, however I do often find myself in a position of wishing I had a techie friend to help me out with something (my current friends are hopeless with technology). For example, the Window 7 second hand laptop I bought recently is unable to handle the Word XP (yes, I still have that on a disc) office assistants. MS phased these out some time ago. I love having the little cat playing at the top of the screen while I'm working. I knew there was a way round this, because I did it in around 2011 when I bought my main laptop, also Windows 7. It took me over a week of googling to find the answer: a source of microsoft agent 2.0 and a hotfix for it. Now I have the little cat on my new/old laptop! It would have been so nice to have some support from peeps here during that process. Now that I know how to do it, I can tell others with a similar issue, but only if I can easily see the question, which wouldn't be the case in that rant thread. Hence the suggestion that a "tech help department" might be useful to MR user.

01-04-2018, 04:29 PM	#12
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	DiapDealer: I see your point of view, but MR does have a Writer's Corner and writers generally write on technology, so the users of that subforum will often have issues relating to it. The above issue with Microsoft Word was one such problem. If the books read by members of MR are going to be written the writers need working computers to write them on. Maybe the help given could be limited to reading or writing related technology.

01-04-2018, 05:49 PM	#14
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,159 Karma: 79742714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8	I'm a technical writer, author, and IT Manager. I do NOT come here to provide IT help, nor would I expect to find it here. I do come here to discuss reading, books, and the devices and software that enable me (and others, obviously) to read and manage my library of books. I don't think this is the right place for it. (Heck, I won't even read the Techie V&R thread!)

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