From the e-mail I receive as a result of my genealogy columns, I get the impression that there are a lot of stumped genealogists out there. Some of the problems are unique to computer-using genealogists, and others are problems shared by all computer users. In this article, I want to share a few tips on what to do when you get stuck.

My first recommendation is education. No, I'm not suggesting that everyone who uses a computer needs to go out and get a college degree in computer science, computer engineering, or management information systems. However, it is very helpful to have a basic understanding of computer concepts, and you can often get such an understanding by taking a single basic course on computers, including non-credit courses offered by continuing education and lifelong learning programs. These courses can give you some insights into what might be causing any problems you run into. At the very least, they can help you eliminate simple problems.

Some folks learn better from reading than from listening. If you're such a person, you may want to pick up a good general book about PCs (especially about PC troubleshooting) from your local bookstore. Although it would be cheaper to borrow such a book from your local public library, you may find that computer books in public libraries go out of date quickly. If you find that your computer problems usually relate to a particular kind of hardware or software, you may want to pick up a book specifically on that subject.

Unfortunately, no course and no book can prepare you to solve all computer problems, and that is where you will have to turn to other people, just as I turned to the programming aides in the late 1970s. It has become cliché to refer to the household teenager or pre-teen as the resident computer guru, but you might find a helpful computer whiz among your relatives or friends. Of course, I do not want to dismiss the option of calling the customer support folks from the companies that sold you your computer hardware and software, but you can probably guess at some potential pitfalls there: long-distance calls, long waits on hold, free help available only for a limited time, etc. And as someone who has spent years trying to help computer users via telephone or e-mail, I can attest to how difficult that can be compared with helping someone in person.

Fortunately, there is one more excellent option for many computer users— microcomputer user groups. When the first microcomputers came into existence, it was not long before groups of computer users banded together to talk about their new hobby and to share solutions to common problems. These groups are usually organized around the type of computer, so for example you will find both PC user groups and Macintosh user groups. If the group is especially large, it may have within it several different interest groups, including a genealogy interest group. In the same way, your local genealogy society, if large enough, may have within it a PC interest group! In either case, you'll find friendly and knowledgeable people who will listen to your computer frustrations and offer free help and advice to get you past your problems. To locate your nearest local PC users group, visit the Association of Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG) Web site..

Drew Smith is an instructor with the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He is also a regular contributor to the quarterly journal Genealogical Computing, where he writes the "Cybrarian" column. He can be reached at drewsmith@aol.com.