Chapter 6. Finding Hardware and Help

In this chapter...

• Conducting Your Research

• Finding Reliable Reviews

• Buying Equipment Online

• Ensuring Interoperability

• Finding Help on the Internet

• Checking Out the Web

• Finding Answers through Newsgroups

• Getting Assistance from Mailing Lists

• Looking Toward the Future

No matter how much research and shopping you do, one fact will remain: technology changes quickly. You might feel like your equipment is obsolete between the time you walk out of the store and the time you open the packaging to install it. To some degree, it can't be helped. The latest, fastest, and (hopefully) most user-friendly products are constantly in development, and they always have the annoying habit of being cheaper than the equipment you bought last month. Don't worry too much about obsolescence. Do your research, and then jump in.