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Meryl's Notes Blog

Things wordy, geeky, and webby

@home… not

Sunday, December 2nd, 2001 at 9:42 AM Category: Meryl's Notes Blog No comments

This week has been Internet connection nightmare week. First, my PDA modem didn’t work in New Orleans because the wireless provider doesn’t cover the city. Last I checked, New Orleans was not an itty bitty town in the middle of nowhere. So, I try WebTV in my hotel room. It takes me ten times longer to write an email typing at 60 wph (yes, per hour). After writing a long email, it disconnected me. Ironically, the only thing that came through was my cell phone. It’s not easy for me to communicate through the phone, but at least I could reach home. Second and the biggie, Excite followed through and shut down @home. AT&T has been working around the clock trying to restore the service on its own network. Unlike Tom and Dori, I had better luck with customer service (a miracle!). We get two free days for every day that we’re disconnected from the service.

Meanwhile, I’m back to using my dial up service along with the rusty 56K modem. Thankfully, I never up the service and use my email through it. I’ve been so spoiled… it takes so much longer to get things done online. So, I’m going to spend the next couple of days writing notes for the log and the rest of the articles about the WebBuilder conference.

nerdybooks

I rarely subscribe to HTML-based newsletters especially since I’m still using an older version of email software (don’t ask) and plus they take too long to load. However, I do subscribe to a couple of them and one is Nerdybooks’ "Who Knew?". The newsletter provides excellent tips, tricks and keyboard shortcuts just as its slogan claims. The cartoon characters are cute and lighten up the newsletter.

I’ve picked up a few plus won a few of their excellent products, which I’ve reviewed previously. Each newsletter is filled with tips for software such as Microsoft Office products, PhotoShop (!), and more. The most fun part is attempting to determine how to do the weekly software challenge in the fewest steps possible. Some of the shortcuts I’ve learned are amazing especially the Excel one from the November 1 issue.

The newsletter and Web site are easy to navigate, provide lots of great information and resources, give readers the opportunity to see their names in lights, and they have excellent and personal customer service — the important tools in having a successful online business.

wired and cmp

MediaWeek reported that Wired magazine is changing things up and planning its first redesign in the magazine’s nine years. According to new editor-in-chief who previously worked for The Economist, Chris Anderson, the new redesign takes effect in Summer 2002.

Wooden Horse Publishing reports that CMP Media will freeze employee salaries for an indefinite period and make "other unspecified changes to the company’s benefits program next year."