DEAR MR. GOOKIN:
I have an HP 6630 with Windows 98 installed. I also have an HP 610C
printer. I also have your "PCs for Dummies". I am not a "dummy" but my
computer often makes me a "dummy", Ofttimes it seems to have a mind of
it's own. It does things which I can not understand. I try to make it
do something and it does something else. I am often unable to relate
what I did or tried to do with what it does.
Of course HP is virtually useless. They do not provide a real "operation
manual" telling one how to make their product do what one wishes it to
do. I bought both "PCs For Dummies" and "Windows 98 At A Glance" and
find both books of no help to me at all. Either the information I seek
is not contained in the books or it is indexed in a way which prevents me
from find the information I often seek. The books only add to my anger
and frustration.
Right now I am trying to have my computer do something which I think is
very simple. It used to perform this function. Now it does not and I
have no idea why it does not and I do not know how to make it do what it
previously did. Looking in your book does not tell me how to do what I
would like to do. For months my computer would indicate a sound volume
setting for a music cd when I touched the volume buttons on the keyboard
and it would mute the sound when I touched that button. Both the volume
level and the mute status would be shown on the screen. Now I can not
make the keyboard buttons controlling volume and the mute feature. They
will no adjust the volume and the "MUTE" button does nothing. I can not
find the instructions on how to make these buttons function.
ON what page do I find such information? How is this information listed
in the index? I have determined I can control the volume by clicking on
the speaker beneath the time of day on the task bar. This enables me to
control he volume of the music cassette without using the keyboard
buttons and without producing the green, full width readout out showing
the state of the volume. I am still unable to make use of the "MUTE"
feature.
I am an intelligent, educated person but this computer often makes a fool
of me. This computer is the most user hostile device I have ever
encountered. I find the aforementioned books virtually useless. I am of
the opinion I should be able to simply look in the index of your book and
find the page number(s) which will contain the information I am seeking.
I do not feel this is an unreasonable expectation. Do you? Am I missing
something here? Is this information in your book? If so, on what page?
If so, how is it contained in the Index? If this information is in your
book why is it not indexed in a way in which I can find it? If the
information is in the book but the book is not indexed in a way which
enables me to find it, then the book is useless to me! It is not
practical or possible for me to read the entire book each time I wish
information from it. This is why books have indexes.
The failings in this situation may well be mine, but I am not an idiot
and I do not believe I am being unreasonable when I expect to have your
book contain the information to enable me to make my computer perform the
tasks described above. I often am unable to make the computer do what I
wish it to do, but I have cited the example of the volume control as an
example to illustrate a point and hopefully get help from you.
In your book you promise to respond to all e mails and I look forward to
receiving this response. My e mail address is beneath my name.
Sincerely,
[name]
[address]
Hello.
I can tell by your letter that you're frustrated and you have every right
to be. Computers are intimidating and they do make you and me and
anyone else feel dumb from time to time. This makes total sense and
your frustration with them is more than justified.
You won't find any information in my book about the buttons on the
HP keyboard. Those buttons are specific to the HP computer and are
not found on any other system. (Compaq has a similar-looking keyboard,
but it works differently.) Because of this, and because I don't personally
have an HP computer, I did not write about it in my book. HP represents
a small portion of my audience, most of whom have standard keyboards
minus the special buttons.
My guess is that the buttons are controlled by some special program your
computer has (a program my computer would not have). You could visit the
Control Panel's Keyboard icon to check there. And there might even be an
icon on the desktop or a program in the Start menu that helps you adjust
the special buttons on the keyboard. If I were sitting right next to you
now, that's what I would try.
Beyond that, you can control the speaker volume using Windows itself.
This is covered in my book Dan Gookin Teaches Windows 98, but not
in the PCs for Dummies book. (it was cut by the editor for space reasons.)
If you click on the speaker icon in the system tray (the right side of the
taskbar), a volume control pops up. You can set the volume there, or click
the Mute check box to mute the sounds. I know this isn't the answer you
wanted, but it's the best I can do in these circumstances.
Your complaints against HP are well heard. I get them a lot. Next time
you buy a computer, consider buying Dell, Compaq, Gateway , IBM or
Micon, who I've never had any trouble with or any complaints about.
Cheers!
DAN