One of the most frustrating things about running your own businesses is when you need to fix a computer problem. While IBM provides, in my opinion, some of the best support around, unless you're sure it's a software defect it can end up costing you a good chunk of change. What I have found is that supporting OS/2 Warp isn't bad at all if you know where to look and what to look for. So since I have spent my free time over the last three weeks trying to figure out a system problem, which has resulted in the postponing of my original article, I thought this was a good time to get this topic covered.

Let's begin with the most obvious need. Where to go for help, preferably free, or cheap, and quick. Since you're probably reading this on the 'net you are already plugged into a great resource. There are many usenet groups, namely all the comp.os.os2 hierarchy and bit.listserv.os2-l. They all focus on different topics but by scanning them as well as posting your own problems you can usually get your problems fixed or at least narrowed down. The other great place to try is CompuServe's OS2USER and OS2SUPPORT forums, although I know some of you will argue about whether or not CIS is cheap.

On the other net, fidonet, there is another large collection of message areas in the ibmNET, os2NET and FIDONET areas. They can be found on most OS/2 BBSes as well as many other non-OS/2 BBSes. Many are just a telnet away on the Internet; a great one to try is the OS/2 Shareware BBS. Telneting or connecting by the WWW can also avoid long distance charges. These are all very interactive ways to post your problems as well as browse others' problems which may be similar.

Interactive help is always great but there are many other less interactive, more self-help items at your disposal. One of the best is The OS/2 Warp FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). There is also the "Stupid OS/2 Tricks" document. Both of these gems are on the 'net as well as in INF book formats and provide you with some common answers to common problems. They also can give you a new outlook on what neat little things OS/2 Warp can do. You should also check out IBM's Personal Software Search Facility to search IBM's known problem database for answers. Another definite must is The Warp Pharmacy which has the most common problems broken down by category.

A couple of other helpful documents are OS/2 Warp Connect Tips and Tricks, Performance Tuning OS/2 Warp, OS/2 Warp Trouble shooting Demystified and always check out the OS/2 Compatibility Table to make sure that your hardware has device drivers and then check the OS/2 Device Driver Repository to get the latest version (doing this fixes a lot of the problems that people encounter).

Newbies or veterans alike need to have good resources at their disposal to be as efficient as possible. So I hope I have given you some new places to look and new resources to rely on. I use these documents and web sites almost every day to make supporting OS/2 shops much easier. I have also put together a collection I call "Warp Start" with these documents as well as one which lists most of the electronically available help for OS/2. I intend to keep it updated with the most current versions as well as by adding any new documents which are of assistance. For details of how to get a copy of "Warp Start" write me.

Oh, by the way, I have my system up and running great after using all the resources I could find and replacing a failing SCSI card, which was the only thing I didn't replace at first or even think of replacing. But more on hardware hassles in a latter column.

I am currently working on articles about automating FAXes in OS/2 applications, setting up a "Connected TAN" (OS/2 Warp Connect Tiny Area Network), creating multimedia presentations under Warp, running "the MOBILE WARPED SOHO" and Warped Voice Mail solutions. So if you have any thing you want to see covered in those topics or products I need to check out please drop me a note. And of course please keep sending me those comments and ideas for anything Warped SOHO related you want to see covered. Oh yeah, I plan on showing you how to automate e-mail too, which in turn will allow me to respond more quickly to your comments and maybe start doing some polls. Until next month remember that if most ATMs run on OS/2, a SOHO on OS/2 Warp is a safe place to put your money.

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