Using Community Forums

Have you ever encountered a problem that seems unsolvable? Do you feel alone facing a problem? Fortunately you are not alone. There are many forums available on the web and frequently you can find answers to your most vexing problems.

I ran into a problem with an anti-virus system I had recently added to our network that caused a crash in our backup system. I have been working on a solution for several days with customer support. Finally yesterday I went the the vendor's forum and posted a description of my problem. Within hours I received responses that pointed me in the right direction. I wrote back thanking them and told them I was making progress. They had a couple other suggestions that I followed, and now I feel confident that I can resume using that software and not have the problems.

The web is a wondrous tool. People who have experience problems are willing to share their solutions. You do have to be careful that the advice you are receiving is good, but when it is on a respected and well-followed web site, you know that if the suggestion will not work other followers will let you know.

And this is true not only about computers and software but many other things. I have used the internet to research things as diverse as proper pruning of trees to recipes for someone on a gluten free diet. So the next time you have a problem go online and ask for help. You might be pleasantly surprised at how easy the solution is.