ONLINE ROADMAP!
This tip is from the incomparable GWRepJohn (John Ezike). THANKS!!!

Navigating an online service can be a frustrating experience for new users. Finding the correct board and folder in which to post your question or comment can be daunting. Locating a folder to retrieve information you once read is even more challenging.

Sounds bleak doesn't it? Not really. Here are some step by step directions on how you can more easily navigate the GeoWorks Product Message Boards. The greatest benefit to you, the user, is being able to share information with other users and knowing where and how to post and find it. Oh, and another thing, you save on that hard to get commodity, $$$$.

After you have signed on, select Keyword from the GO TO menu (CTRL + K for keyboard users), type in GEOWORKS and press Enter. You are now in the GeoWorks Area of America Online.

The instructions that follow can be applied to the Beginners Room, GeoWorks Library and the GeoWorks Product Message Boards. 

Double click on the GeoWorks Product Message Boards folder and click on the BROWSE BOARDS icon. The list of boards will be displayed.

To read NEW MESSAGES:

Select a board by clicking on it and click on the FIND NEW icon. The folders with new messages SINCE YOUR LAST VISIT will be displayed. Select the folder of your choice and click on the READ FIRST icon. When  you have read the last message in the folder, close the window and select another folder to open or exit to the window where the board names are listed. 

Repeat these steps for each of the boards. You can add a comment or question to any displayed folder by clicking on the ADD A MESSAGE button. If any of the folder descriptions do not fit your topic and you want to create a new folder or search for an existing message, then see the next paragraph.

To CREATE A NEW FOLDER or SEARCH FOR A MESSAGE:

From the GeoWorks Product Message Boards window, select a board and click on the BROWSE BOARD icon. ALL the folders within that board will be displayed.  At this point, you can scroll through the list of folders and see if one already exists that fits your topic or you can create a new folder. Click on the Browse icon to list the messages within that folder. This is also a good way to do a quick check and avoid duplicating questions that have been already asked.

NOTE: When creating a new folder or posting a message, enter meaningful descriptions in the space provided. This will make locating a message easier in the future.

You can perform a manual search by scrolling through the list until you find the description you are looking for. This is not very efficient but it is all we have for now. Remember, in order to create room for new messages, old messages will automatically roll off after about 45 - 60 days. To save messages you want to keep, use the quick save command , press CTRL + S and type in a filename, to save the contents of the current window.

If you want to capture all the activity during your online session, select Logging from the File menu in America Online. In the Session Log box, click on the Open button and choose a directory to hold your log file. Accept the default filename of LOGFILE.TXT or enter one of your own. Save the file and click on OK to exit the dialog box. Close this file before you sign off. Use Notepad (if filesize is less than 20k bytes) or if it is larger, import the file into GeoWrite using 'Insert From Text File' from GeoWrite's File menu.

REMINDER: It is important to try and post comments or questions in the relevant folder. The Reps can then respond much quicker and other users will find it easier to follow a thread and  offer solutions as well. For example, questions, comments or problems with using DOS applications should be posted on the DOS Programs board. This way a user having problems with finding the right system configuration for DOS 5.0, QEMM, BACK & FORTH PROFESSIONAL (task switcher), CACHES etc. to work optimally with GeoWorks Ensemble will know where to look for information.

Enjoy!

John Ezike
