Some FAQs about PCs you wish you knew before you bought it!

Monday, September 15, 2003

Q: I see some video cards have the suffix "SE". Like ATI Radeon 9600 SE. What does that mean?
A:
Well, SE means "special edition". However, the word "special" in this case has two meanings... 1) special as in extraordinary, and 2) special as Special Olympics. You'll need to read reviews and such on websites to see which kind of "special" you got.

Q: My printer is not "feeding" properly. Is there a way to fix it or should I replace it?
A:
If it's simply feeding funny, try looking at FixYourOwnPrinter.Com for one of their repair kits, usually under $30, much cheaper than buying a new printer. They also have cheap repair kits that you can install yourself on a variety of other small problems relating to printers.

Q: Should I use those ink refill kits or buy refilled cartridges for my inkjet printer?
A:
That depends on how much are you saving vs. how much you like your printer. PC World magazine did a test of several refilled cartridges. Many of them jammed the printer and clog the printhead. Some of them produce inconsistent color quality, and NONE of the after-market ink lasted as long as the original manufacturer's ink. You get exactly what you paid for.

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Q: Where can I get a gamepad for my PC that is similar to the Playstation Dual Shock?
A:
Try this Logitech Action Pad