--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2300000Date: 02/02/98 From: DONNA RANSDELL Time: 05:46pm \/To: ALL (Read 4 times) Subj: AOL I'm writing for my dad, who is having a hard time getting his money's worth from AOL. He's been on AOL for several years and paid for it under the "one year" plan. Now he's having trouble with it. He has a 486 system with a 33.6 modem, Windows 3.11. He has the AOL software installed and also MS Internet Explorer...not sure if it's 3.0 or 4.0 now, but he's tried both and has the same trouble with both. The problem? He tries to get on the web and very seldom is successful in staying on it. He seems to always get dumped off. He wants to surf the web and it's frustrating to start to do so and then get dumped. FWIW, I have a similar MB/chip, Windows 3.1 (no 3.11), MS IE 3.0 and a slower modem, and in a year of my husband's use of AT&T WorldNet and now my new ISP, we haven't gotten dumped but once. Anyone ever had a similar problem? How did you resolve it? -donna --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: The Education Station, Poway, CA - Mail Only (1:202/1411) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2300001Date: 02/02/98 From: DONNA RANSDELL Time: 05:47pm \/To: ALL (Read 4 times) Subj: Internet books? What book would you all recommend for learning about surfing the Web? I have the basics, but want to learn the little tricks, using software that isn't completely set up for you, etc. All our public library seems to have are books that are 4 or 5 years old. In Internet technology, that's ancient! -donna mbr3@juno.com dransdel@sdcoe.k12.ca.us --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: The Education Station, Poway, CA - Mail Only (1:202/1411) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2400000Date: 02/03/98 From: MICHAEL SHARON Time: 03:43pm \/To: DONNA RANSDELL (Read 4 times) Subj: Re: AOL -=> Quoting Donna Ransdell to All <=- DR> He wants to surf the web and it's frustrating to start to do so and DR> then get dumped. FWIW, I have a similar MB/chip, Windows 3.1 (no 3.11), DR> MS IE 3.0 and a slower modem, and in a year of my husband's use of AT&T DR> WorldNet and now my new ISP, we haven't gotten dumped but once. DR> Anyone ever had a similar problem? How did you resolve it? What you described for the two of you, I find it quite remarkable, whereas, MS Internet Explorer will not run under Win 3.1 or Win3.11. You claim that your using Win 3.1 and able to use MS Internet Explorer too. I don't believe it. However, if your both NOT using Win95, you'll have to use AOL3.0 Not AOL v3.0 for Win95. (There is a big difference, version 3.0 for Win95 actually utilizes MS Internet Explorer. Sincerely, Michael Sharon ___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR] --- Platinum Xpress/Win/Wildcat5! v2.0 * Origin: Tonys Corner Wildcat! Warren, MI. 99:1/530 (1:120/13) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2400001Date: 02/03/98 From: MICHAEL SHARON Time: 03:43pm \/To: DONNA RANSDELL (Read 4 times) Subj: Re: Internet books? -=> Quoting Donna Ransdell to All <=- DR> What book would you all recommend for learning about surfing the Web? DR> I have the basics, but want to learn the little tricks, using software DR> that isn't completely set up for you, etc. DR> All our public library seems to have are books that are 4 or 5 years DR> old. In Internet technology, that's ancient. Try "The Internet for Dummies!" The latest edition is actually quite enlightening. Sincerely, Michael Sharon ___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR] --- Platinum Xpress/Win/Wildcat5! v2.0 * Origin: Tonys Corner Wildcat! Warren, MI. 99:1/530 (1:120/13) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2400002Date: 02/03/98 From: CHERYL MORRIS Time: 12:06pm \/To: ALL (Read 4 times) Subj: Repair/Maintenance of Rain Gutters on Ro12:06:5802/03/98 Would appreciate any advice on how to find a good repairman for our rain gutters. The roofers did a good job on the roof, but they really didn't want to work on the rain gutters, so they probably did as little as possible, but were still able to say that they "fixed" the gutters. By the way, the gutters were replaced back in 1975, so another question is, how can we tell when it's really best to replace them again? Thanks! --- Maximus/2 3.01 * Origin: Nerve Center - Where the spine is misaligned! (1:261/1000) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2400003Date: 01/27/98 From: DAVID KATZ Time: 04:44am \/To: PEG DIETRICH (Read 4 times) Subj: His Capri I had a car that 450,000 original miles on the motor. I know because all but 4,000 I put on myself. If you change the oil regularly like every 2,000 miles a car will last a long time. I had that car for 20 years and the only reason I sold it was I was tired of driving the same car. -=> Quoting Peg Dietrich to All <=- PD> Hubby asked me to ask you people for some advice. He is the proud PD> owner of a 1991 Mercury Capri. It's pushing 100,000 miles, at least PD> 40,000 are highway miles. (He communites 100+ miles round trip daily.) PD> He takes care of the car, changes the oil regularly, does all the PD> things he's supposed to do. Now for the question: Under normal PD> conditions, how long (how many miles) should this car last? He's PD> trying to decide whether to sell it this summer or will it last another PD> year. (He believes in driving a car until 3 minutes before it totally PD> dies for the last time!) PD> Thanks for any advice/encouragement you can give him! PD> Peg PD> ... Because of us, America works! PD> ___ Blue Wave/386 v2.30 [NR] PD> -!- T.A.G. 2.7c Standard PD> ! Origin: JAY'S PLAYGROUND JACKSON,MI (1:2330/230) ... Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (S)lap nearest innocent bystander. ___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 --- Maximus 2.02 * Origin: Westwood One - Coquitlam, B.C. (604)944-0356 (1:153/217) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2400004Date: 02/03/98 From: CHRIS GUNN Time: 11:42am \/To: DONNA RANSDELL (Read 4 times) Subj: Re: AOL DR> He wants to surf the web and it's frustrating to start to do so and DR> then get dumped. FWIW, I have a similar MB/chip, Windows 3.1 (no DR> 3.11), MS IE 3.0 and a slower modem, and in a year of my husband's use DR> of AT&T WorldNet and now my new ISP, we haven't gotten dumped but DR> once. Howdy Donna, I assume he's already got Call Waiting disabled? I know you had the phone company shake down your phone lines years ago. It sounds to me like there may be some loose connections or noise interference either inside the house or on the phone line. I'd suggest turning off the modem's error correction and try connecting to a BBS and trying a couple of downloads. Without the error correction, it's much easier to see how much noise is getting in the way. If several BBS's seem to work okay, then it may be the phone lines AOL is using there. Chris --- FMail 0.96 * Origin: BIZynet - Worldwide Business via the E-Ways (1:15/55.1) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2500000Date: 02/04/98 From: DAVE MIDDLETON Time: 10:22am \/To: ALL (Read 4 times) Subj: Select Comfort Has anyone had any personal experience with the Select Comfort Sleep System? This is the air mattress advertised on the Rush Limbaugh show offering a 90 day free trial. It costs more than $1000 and I'm wondering if it is really any better than a conventional mattress and box spring set. Has Consumer Reports ever rated it? TIA, Dave ... Me, a skeptic? I trust you have proof. ___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 --- QScan/PCB v1.17b / 01-0406 * Origin: Knight Moves - Rochester,NY 716-865-2106 (1:2613/313) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2500001Date: 02/04/98 From: RULE POSTER Time: 02:00am \/To: ALL (Read 3 times) Subj: Echo Rules - Upd 05/16/97 (updated email addresses only) CONSUMER_REPORT ECHO Mission: The purpose of the Consumer_Report echo is to discuss the purchase aspect of all consumer goods. Our motto is "more bang for the buck". Brand names are acceptable for mention, as well as features, quality, value, and service. This echo is a GENERAL echo rather than a technical support echo. Rules specific to this echo: -It is acceptable to mention the country of origin of a consumer product. However, blanket statements about the products of a specific country are not acceptable. -Please refrain from flaming, making derogatory statements about a race or nationality, using gutter language. 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When a thread gets too technical for the majority of our participants, the thread needs to be moved to a more appropriate echo, by suggestion from participants or a moderator. -Specifically considered off topic: ads, economics, multi-level marketing, for sales, foreign trade, right to break laws, taxes, patriotism, politics, chain letters, research projects If you are unsure of a thread's topicality, please contact one of the moderators listed below. Rules specific to FidoNet: -Please do not post commercial ads in this echo. -Please quote only enough to remind participants of what was previously said. It is not necessary to quote headers, origin lines, or signature lines. This will save your sysop's phone bills. Quoting well is considered good etiquette. Generally, moderators will post occasional reminders in the echo if it is reasonably expected that many users may benefit from reading it. Otherwise, most moderator messages go netmail. There are four moderators, but at any given time, two are "on duty" and two are "off". If at any time, a moderator resigns, the remaining moderators may ask a qualified echo participant to join the team. Thanks!!! Your moderators: Doug Wittich -- 261/1082 -- (410)256-0170 (24 hr. BBS) email dwittich@concentric.net Donna Ransdell -- 202/1411 -- (mail only, 24 hours) email mbr3@juno.com Chuck Grimsby -- 282/47.1 -- (mail only, crash to 282/47) Honorary:Leslie Palm --- MsgPost v1.00 * Origin: Wit-Tech Via MsgPost, Perry Hall, Maryland (1:261/1082) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 102 CONSUMER REPORTS Ref: F2500002Date: 02/04/98 From: TOM WHITE Time: 05:48am \/To: DONNA RANSDELL (Read 3 times) Subj: AOL Donna Ransdell wrote in a message to All: DR> both. The problem? He tries to get on the web and very seldom is DR> successful in staying on it. He seems to always get dumped off. I too have had a tremendous problem of getting dumped off when using AOL. Always when trying to get on or stay on during "prime time". Lots of busy signals, then when I'd finally get through, after 2 to 10 minutes I'd get dumped. If I took a day off from work, and tried during the day, I had no trouble at all. It appeared to me to be that AOL was overloaded. I guess that conclusion was from all the busy signals. DR> Anyone ever had a similar problem? How did you resolve it? I've had a Compuserve account for years. I couldn't afford to use it to surf the web because it cost too much. That was why I joined AOL in the first place. 30 days later AOL bought Compuserve and lowered the prices. Now I rarely call my AOL account but use my Compuserve account a lot. Compuserve's system always works. I never get a busy signal and screens load faster. The 30 days I used AOL regularly were some of the most frustrating I've ever had. Tom --- timEd 1.10 * Origin: The Mailbox II BBS * Houston, Tx 281-355-6897 (1:106/10)