Mouse Problems?

Microsoft has admitted that several of their mice (Wheel Mouse Optical, IntelliMouse Explorer, and IntelliMouse Optical) may stop functioning after a period of functioning properly. Symptoms include system freezes and program crashes following mouse clicks.

The three mice listed above can be replaced for free if they are still under warranty. We recently noted similar problems with a Microsoft IntelliMouse (standard). The mouse was out of warranty so we are uncertain as to whether or not Microsoft would have replaced it.

Please see the following article for details: http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouse/letter.asp.


Still thinking about investing in a Zip drive?

The good news is that Iomega has just come out with a 750MB version of their zip disk. This provides slightly more storage space than most recordable CDs. The bad news is that the new 750MB zip drives can’t necessarily read the old 100MB disks, and Zip disks in general don’t offer nearly the compatibility that CDs do. Our recommendation: check out the latest CD-RW drives before investing in a Zip drive of any kind.

Another term for ergonomics is human engineering. 

carpal tunnel syndrome - A common form of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) produced by repeating the same small movements many times. As more and more people use computers, carpal tunnel syndrome and other forms of RSI have become more prevalent. Typical symptoms are numbness or burning in the fingers or wrist. If not addressed early on, the injury can cause permanent damage. 

There are a number of ways to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome, including adjusting the height and angle of your chair and keyboard, and taking frequent breaks from typing. Modern office furniture, designed especially for computer use, can help considerably. 

Need Answers? How to Get Results from E-mail

A recent study conducted in Israel offers some valuable insights into the psychology of e-mail*. Greg Barron of the Technion technology institute in Haifa, Israel wanted to know if people were less likely to respond to impersonalized e-mails than to personalized e-mails. Barron’s experiment involved sending e-mails to 240 Technion staff and students from a fictitious student with a bogus Yahoo! account. The fictitious student simply asked of her recipients whether or not Technion has a biology faculty. The message was sent either to an individual recipient or to a recipient with four other names in the “To” field. 

The researchers were not only looking for responses, but they also noted the quality of those responses. Responses were categorized as “Helpful” (Yes or No answer), “Very helpful” (extra information was provided, like names and phone numbers), and “unhelpful responses” (responses, but no answers to the question).

Only half of the recipients responded if they were one of five intended recipients, but 64% responded if he/she was the only recipient listed. 33% of single recipients sent “Very Helpful” responses while only 16% of like responses were received from multiple recipients.

Translation: 

1. The bystander effect exists even in cyberspace. We naturally expect that someone else will help therefore I don’t need to.

2. Spam doesn’t work!

3. If you can’t personalize your e-mail solicitations (including member surveys), then utilize a service that makes it appear personalized.

Promethius offers personalized, broadcast e-mail/Fax services. Please call 317/733-2388 if you are interested in learning more about them.

*New Scientist, July 20, 2002, p 9

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