Before you do anything, you have to know what you need as far as the amount of coverage. Being able to take account of your driving record and vehicle registration information can save time once you actually start asking for a price quote. You really need to inquire as to certain discounts that are offered based off of your age, ability to work, and so on. The kind of car that you are driving can also make the difference between a cheap quote, and one that dips a bit more into your pockets. Sometimes it is best to drive a car domestically in order to avoid having to pay more for insurance on a monthly basis. even though some are able to save by buying their automobile domestically, they often overlook the fact that they are going to become more liable to the insurance company in terms of potential risk. Foreign cars tend to cost a significant more to be able to repair, so you have to see why they choose to charge more to insure them.

The kind of work that you will be driving to and from can also affect the amount that you are quoted. If you have a job that is close to your living quarters, you may even get a discount for that. Married citizens also are able to sometimes reduce the monthly premiums that they pay by combining their coverage. You will have to check with each company to see what their standards are and the discounts that they provide. It doesn’t take too much work after this!

Judging by the number of questions we get on the topic, there are plenty of readers out there who still haven’t perfected this skill simply because no one has ever told them how to do it. Here’s a step-by-step mini-primer on downloading software.

Step 1: Preparing a File for Download

For purposes of this exercise, we’ve found a file we would like to download at File Mine, which not only is a sister site of Net Guide, but is also a popular place to download shareware on the Web. We’d like to download the free Bill’s Pie Toss Interactive Screen Saver, which will enable us to toss pies at Bill Gates’ face (oh, yeah, and it will also help save our monitors, too).

When you have determined you have enough disk space to download the file, the first thing you need to do is click on the actual file you want to download. Once you do that, you will be prompted to save it to your hard disk.

There are two things you absolutely must remember: where you saved the file and what the file was named (jot this information down if you have to). It would be a good idea to create a folder on your computer specifically for downloads. After you’ve chosen a place to save the file, your computer will begin downloading it, and you will be given an estimate of how much time it will take.

Step 2: Don’t Forget to Exit Out of Your Browser!

Many people don’t realize that after they have downloaded the file, they must run through an installation process to make the software work. Once you download the file, close out of your browser and find the file you have just downloaded. In our case, the file we downloaded was called Pietoss, and we saved it in our Netscape/Downloads folder.

Step 3: Running Through the Installation Process

Clicking on the name of the file you have just downloaded will get the installation process going. You usually will be prompted to answer a few questions, such as “What is your e-mail address?” and “What type of browser you are using?” When the installation is complete, you can begin enjoying your new software. In our case, we are ready to pelt Bill Gates with pies!

Things to Know

Worried about getting a virus from downloading a file from the Web? Well, it can’t happen from actually downloading the file, but you could encounter a virus when running the file.Cnet offers some good advice: After downloading the file, rerun your anti-virus software. If it doesn’t detect a virus in the new file, it should be safe to run.

The Wired Crystal Ball contains predictions about the increased popularity of, among other things, XML, cable modems, MP3, and e-tailing (online selling). It also predicts the end of the ad banner and better looking portals.

ZDNet has confidence that 1999 will be the year of DVD, quoting analysts who say that sales of DVD movie players and DVD-ROM drives will “go ballistic” this year.

Also on ZDNet, you can take a look at PC Magazine’s Computing in the New Millennium feature. If you are interested in future technologies, take a look at 010: A Day in the Life, which highlights the gadgets we will be using within the next decade.

Salon Magazine’s predictions are a bit more fun, and shall we say, a bit less realistic. Some of Salon’s predictions include the Palmagotchi, a combination Tamagotchi and Palm Pilot; an iMac with no monitor, trademarked keywords, and the continued existence of spam.

CNET has weighed in with its predictions of what web builders can expect in ‘99. It forecasts better browsers, even more e-commerce, more Internet stocks, high speed access and that Web applications will replace content.

Decherd’s Perl 101 primer is a great place to start. Not only does it give the history of Perl, but it also explains how Perl can be used alone or in conjunction with CGI. For additional reference, check out the list of Perl-related sites.

Perl.com has plenty of basic information about the language, as well as FAQS, news, and links to everything from the Perl Institute to Bug Reports.

Want to get an idea of how Perl works? Read up on My Favorite Perl Functions, a story in Web Review dedicated to the most “useful and often underused” functions, such as chomp, join, push, split, and unlink (you will have to read the article to find out what these mean).

Builder has a great feature called Cool Web Solutions With Perl, which explains everything from how to embed Perl Script in HTML to how to make the most of Mac Perl. It also offers a good general overview of the language.

Web Monkey’s Perl Scripts for Beginners is a few years old, but that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked. Web Monkey’s tutorials are great in that not only are they well written but they show you how to use Perl step by step and they offer sample script.

• IT professionals who need quick answers to pressing problems will appreciate Inquiry.com. You can search for specific information, join in one of the forums, or if you have more time, you can wait for a response from one of the IT “pros.” If you are interested in programming tools, take a look at Inquiry buyer’s guide, which lists information for more than 5,000 products.
• Tech Guide is another great resource. The site is divided up into four searchable sections: communications and networking, Internet technology, data warehousing and document management. In addition, Tech Guide lists information on trade shows, relevant IT publications, educational seminars and other Web resources.

live support

• The year 000 may be two years away, but year 000 hysteria already is in full force. Get all of the facts, news tips and tricks about the so-called year 000 problem at The Year website. You also can learn about jobs, exchange ideas in user groups and sign up for the free newsletter.
• Want to find out how the Internet is performing right now? Both the Internet Traffic Report and the Internet Weather Report enable you to keep your finger on the pulse of the Internet. live chat software

Talking To Experts

Inquiry Ask the Pros section has lists of questions and answers on various topics ranging from application development to database issues. If your question hasn’t already been asked, you can go ahead and submit one of your own. This section is in the process of being expanded to deal with other issues, such as Oracle, SAP, Auto CAD, and Back Office.

Talking To Peers

If you would like to discuss networking issues with peers, check out Tech Guide’s Technology Forums. Currently, there are forums on data warehousing, document management, and enterprise solutions. Watch for the site to add forums on communications, networking, and Internet technology.

Reference

Network Comp ting’s Network Design Manual is a great reference material. Whether you have questions on troubleshooting Ethernet or designing an Ethernet network, you are sure to find help here. The site is divided into nine sections ranging from operating systems to infrastructure.

Building A Network Toolbox

PC Magazine’s Net Toolbox highlights more than a dozen tools for fixing network problems or improving productivity. Need help troubleshooting your Ethernet network, for example? PC Magazine recommends the Fluke One Touch Network Assistant (which starts at about $3,500).

Community

Make sure to check out Camp’s Planet IT when it launches on September 4th. Planet IT is a new community for information-technology professionals and will feature an “Ask the Experts” section.

Despite computer manufacturers’ continuing battle to improve the Out-Of-Box Experience (the so-called OBOES), getting up to speed with your new computer can be overwhelming. Assuming that you have all of the essential parts and that everything is plugged in correctly (I assume this because you’ve somehow made your way here), you are ready to become a productive member of the computing world. However, you may not even know how or where to begin. Fortunately, there are some great comprehensive computing tutorials for beginners that can be found on the Web.

Newsday maintains a surprisingly good computing site for beginners called Computer 101. Here you’ll find 5 weekly lessons on everything from unpacking your computer to Windows 95 shortcuts. Once you have graduated from Computer 101, you will want to move on to Computer 10, which eases you into using the Internet.

An Introduction to PCs is somewhat outdated but still offers easy to understand explanations of the major parts of your computer. This guided tour leads you through the basics of such overwhelming topics as BIOS, RAM, ROM and processors.

If computer terminology is tripping you up, there are a variety of technology dictionaries that can help you make sense of every befuddling computer term from A0 to z buffer.

Once you get the feel for your new computer, you probably will want to start adding peripherals, downloading software and customizing your desktop. CNET offers technology how-toss on hundreds of topics pertinent to the new computer user, ranging from how to stop unsolicited mass e-mail to how to use Windows 95 to how to buy your next PC online.

Tom’s Hardware and Performance Guide has an almost obscene amount of information on computer hardware and benchmarks. You can check out product reviews, learn how to enhance computer performance and tap into Tom’s technical diary. If, for some reason, you don’t find what you are looking for at this site, take a look at Tom’s links.

Keeping your computer tuned up is not so unlike keeping your car tuned up. Such is the philosophy of Tune Up. which bills itself as the “one-stop, online PC service station.” For $3.95 per month, you get access to the latest anti-virus software, drivers, technical support information and forums. You can evaluate the service free for 30 days.

ZDNet and Symantec have collaborated to provide HealthyPC.com, which offers online PC care, maintenance and troubleshooting tools. You can join the Health Club for $4.95 per month. Membership includes automatic anti-virus, driver and patch updates.

TechTools has plenty of tips, tricks and tools that can help you keep your computer running in top shape.

For a list of PC benchmarks, check out Test Your PC. You can test everything from your chipset to your graphics card.

Find drivers for your hardware and peripherals at Drivers Headquarters.

One of the slickest of these museums is The Computer Museum Network sponsored by The National Science Foundation and an impressive list of computer companies. Visitors to the site can participate in interactive exhibits, tap into computer history resources or download educational materials.

The Computer Museum of America website is the online counterpart to the museum located at Coleman College in La Mesa, California. The site features a fairly comprehensive catalog of descriptions of the machines that led to the modern computer. In addition, users can view a slide show about the evolution of computing.

Covering 4,000 years of technological innovation, The American Computer Museum located in Bozeman, Montana, maintains a website with archives of its various exhibits as well. The site does not contain anywhere near the amount of information covered in the other two sites, but it is still a good point of reference for anyone interested in learning the history of the computer.

PBS maintains a computer history site that traces the course of the computer from the days of the abacus.