Windows XP Expert Zone Community WebLog : Windows XP Printing and Faxing

Help for your Thanksgiving tech support efforts

Expertzone — Thu, 25 Nov 2004 00:15:00 GMT

If you're a Windows XP enthusiast, you probably will spend time helping your family and friends with computing and technology questions this holiday weekend. The Expert Zone has provided some new columns that hopefully make it easier for you.

Denny Atkin, a writer for the Windows User Assistance group, explains how to prevent and troubleshoot blue screens when upgrading to SP2, in his new column: Preventing Lockups When Upgrading to Windows XP Service Pack 2

MVP and Expert Zone Columnist Charlie Russel explains how to use FAQs to find answers to your questions about Windows XP in his new column: Frequently Asked Questions about Windows XP FAQs

And if your teenage niece complains that SP2 will slow down her Halo sessions, you can send her to read Joel Durham Jr.'s new column on Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Gaming Performance Benchmarks

Other community columns highlighted on the Windows XP Expert Zone Community this week include:

Create a Story from a Single Still Photo with Photo Story 3: Lead Program Manager Vladimir Rovinsky describes how to create a mini story based on a single picture with Photo Story 3.

File Corruption in Outlook Express: MVP Tom Koch talks about e-mail file corruption, the causes, and how to avoid it.

Internet Explorer Add-ons: MVP Sandi Hardmeier reviews some of the fun and useful features of browser add-ons for Internet Explorer.

Optimizing Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and Media Center Extender Networks: Columnist Barb Bowman explains how to enjoy digital entertainment throughout your home by setting up a wireless Media Center Extender network.

What's Hot: MVP sites with helpful SP2 information; Live webcasts on SP2; Chats & newsgroups; What's this blog?

Expertzone — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 21:19:00 GMT

MVP Sites

The Windows Support Center, run by MVP Jim Eshelman, is one of the Expert Zone Featured Communities. The Windows Support Center Forums, known as the AumHa Forums, are a good place to find some expert community information about Service Pack 2.
Dan De Mar with Jupiter Jones, run by MVP Mat Kimball, has an extensive section on SP2 that answers many frequently asked questions.

Live Webcast

MVP Charlie Russel, a columnist for the Windows XP Expert Zone site since the launch of Windows XP, will deliver a live webcast presentation on How to get and install Service Pack 2. Wednesday, September 1, 2004: 10:00 AM Pacific time (Greenwich mean time - 7 hours) The webcast will also be available for viewing on demand if you cannot make the live session. This webcast is for home users and those who help home users in the online community.

Chats and Newsgroups

There's an ambitious schedule of live chats coming up where you can get quick answers to your questions. The attendance for these chats has been increasingly lively. Jana Carter, the chat manager for the Microsoft Communities team, deserves credit for scheduling and promoting these. Here is the chat schedule.
Windows XP Service Pack 2 is the dominant topic of discussion in the Windows XP Newsgroups. The MVPs, Microsoft support pros, and other experts are providing a lot of helpful and specific advice. If you have questions, search for answers there.

About this blog

The WebLog is a new feature of the Expert Zone. The Recent Blog Posts feature on the home page displays entries from Microsoft employees writing in this and other blogs of interest to home users and Windows XP enthusiasts. We have bloggers from many parts of the Windows organization at Microsoft, from different divisions and different roles within the company.

The blog is not a great support forum. If you need help, please see the resources above or elsewhere on the Expert Zone, the Windows XP Web site, and the Microsoft Support Web site.

We're considering the best strategy for comments on the blog. Meanwhile, give us feedback in this Newsgroup Thread.

Truly,

Chris Norred, technical editor

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

What's Hot: SP2; Protect Your PC; IE Community

Expertzone — Wed, 25 Aug 2004 17:11:00 GMT

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) with Advanced Security Technologies : now available.

What to Know Before You Download and Install Windows XP Service Pack 2

The Microsoft Protect Your PC Web Site : updated to help you get proactive protection for Windows XP

New: Internet Explorer Community Web site

Another Way to Recycle

Expertzone — Mon, 23 Aug 2004 19:53:00 GMT

Posted Feb. 13

By: Matt DuBois

Did you know you may be able to recycle your old printer cartridges instead of throwing them away? Did you know you can get free stuff for doing so?

Office Depot, and others, offer rewards for recycling any printer cartridge that has a print head. In Office Depot's case, what you get is a pack of recycled printer paper, in addition to keeping one more item out of the landfill of course.

How do you tell if your printer cartridge has a print head, you may ask? Look at the cartridge. If you see a little circuitry on it, then it has a print head. Also, you can look at the printer. If the cartridge plugs into a big holder (that perhaps holds many cartridges) and the bottom of the cartridge looks simple, then you do not have a cartridge that can be recycled. For more information, check out your printer manual or the web site of the printer's manufacturer.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Typewriters again?

Expertzone — Mon, 23 Aug 2004 19:26:00 GMT

Posted Jan. 30

By Chris Norred

Today I found the following in Technology Review's article on 10 technologies that won't die. Typewriters In 2002, Americans bought 434,000 word processors and electronic typewriters.... Typewriters do one thing computers can't -- fill out printed forms and are faster at addressing envelopes and other one-shot jobs that usually don t entail revisions.

Hmm. I agree, it's easier to do those things with a typewriter. But doesn't seem like it has to be. What other solutions are you using?

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.