OS/2 e-Zine! - Linfield's Line

Linfield's Line

- by Kevin Linfield

RTFM

OS/2 Warp comes with a 400 page manual, and OS/2 Warp Connect comes with an additional 50 page "Easy Start" guide and a 92 page "Up and Running" guide. So why do so many people ask so many questions that are easily answered in their manual? I'd like to suggest that people "Read the (Fine) Manual!" before posting or asking their question.

Like many other Internet users, I spend way too much time on the Internet. While I (fortunately!) don't use IRC, I do spend a lot of time scouring the Usenet newsgroups for information and ideas for my articles. Time and time again, someone will post what I feel is an obvious question. What should I do? If I responded to every question to which I knew the answer, I would be on the 'net, typing 24 hours a day. First off, I do feel that Usenet groups are a valuable resource to OS/2 users (and in essence, to everybody). But there is a hierarchy of help that you should go through.

Sources of Help

First and foremost, use your resources. OS/2 has one of the most extensive online help files I've ever seen. Users of OS/2 2.0 will recall that IBM decided to ship that version with no manual; they felt that the online help was so good, a printed copy was overkill. (Hindsight being what it is, I feel that although they were probably correct in their assessment, you have to give the customer what they want and the customers demanded printed manuals. Since OS/2 2.1, IBM has included a fairly complete printed manual.)

Read the (Fine) Manual.

This should be your second recourse. Use the index, and check out sections which may be relevant to your question or problem. One friend complained to me when he changed his video card from a Trident to an ATI Graphics Ultra. He then moaned about how slow OS/2 was and how unhappy he was with OS/2. I asked if he had burned his EEPROM, and when I got a blank stare in response I knew what his problem was. For ATI Mach 8 and Mach 32 video cards, you must use ATI's installation program to set the refresh rate to match your monitor. This is explained in both the ATI manual, and in OS/2's manual (page 186). Once I explained this to him, he burned his EEPROM and was instantly rewarded with a significantly faster OS/2 machine.

IBM is Available

Third, call IBM. I admit that I've stumped them more than once, and I've even received incorrect advice (why do they almost always tell you to reinstall?). But limited time support is included with most copies of OS/2 and you should not be afraid to use it. (Note that the new Warp CD Paks sold in Canada for $49.95 do NOT come with free technical support.)

If you have Internet access (or even a modem to access a local OS/2 BBS), you should get a copy of the OS/2 Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) list. This file contains tips, tricks, and useful suggestions that every OS/2 user will find helpful.

After you do all the above, ask your friends. Odds are, someone else got you interested in OS/2 (and may have even installed it for you!) and may know the answer to your question. I have installed OS/2 on dozens of machines and I serve as free technical support on many of them. Many a weekend I've been on the phone or answering e-mail from a friend whose machine, it appears, I know better than they do.

Finally, as a last resort, post on the 'net. In your posting, explain that you have read the manual and that you have exhausted your other avenues. Describe clearly what you want to know, and if you are having hardware or installation problems, explain fully what setup you have, what you have tried, and what the results are. Remember to make sure you post to the appropriate group. Readers of comp.os.os2.setup.video do not want to read about your Zip drive problems.

Concluding Remarks

I don't want to sound like some ranting, raving lunatic (although sometimes it is hard not to), but I have worked at numerous computer shows (including COMDEX and ComputerFest) and have been reading newsgroups for years and I'm getting a bit tired of what I consider inappropriate questions. I don't want to think that people asking these questions did not buy OS/2, but I do wonder sometimes when I read about botched installations and incorrect setups.

Remember, make sure your brain is engaged before putting mouth (or keyboard) into gear.

Kevin Linfield is a columnist for Canada Computes! and vice-president of the Toronto OS/2 User's Group.

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