| You? Start your own Internet business? Give | | | | two. Why not learn a few new things? |
| me a break! You just don't speak the | | | | Actually, that's what makes life an ongoing |
| language, so why even try?It begins with | | | | adventure: no matter how long you've been |
| 'booting up' your computer instead of just | | | | around and how much you've discovered |
| turning it on. And you can't simply fill in | | | | already, there's always something (in fact, |
| the necessary information to get something | | | | plenty!) left to learn.And the good news is |
| connected: it has to be 'configured.' Also, | | | | that, with the Internet, learning just got a |
| it's painfully apparent that computer tables | | | | whole lot easier. You can't use the excuse |
| and windows bear no resemblance whatsoever to | | | | that it's too cold to go to school, or too |
| the kind you have in your living room, nor is | | | | hot to go to the library. There's |
| a browser someone meandering through your | | | | information enough on the Internet for you to |
| local bookstore. And the only directory you | | | | earn a PhD just by clicking on your mouse. |
| know anything about is full of telephone | | | | So what's your excuse now?I remember, when I |
| numbers.Then, of course, there are all those | | | | was a kid, looking at a piano, and thinking: |
| blasted letters: DSL, RAM, ROM, POP, RSS, | | | | "How could anyone ever know what all those |
| HTML, FTP, MLM . . . Good grief! How can | | | | keys are for?" Truth is, I was afraid to |
| someone like you even think about starting an | | | | take piano lessons because I was convinced |
| online business? Hey, it's for the kids. | | | | that I'd look foolish if I tried.And therein |
| They understand all this jargon, all this | | | | lies the rub: we're so afraid we'll look |
| technical stuff. But you . . .Well, what | | | | foolish that we're willing to be foolish |
| about you? Okay. So maybe you don't know | | | | instead! And how foolish would it be to |
| what most of those letters mean. And it's a | | | | refuse to learn new things - - things that |
| safe bet you don't know a tenth of what the | | | | could help us in any number of ways, brighten |
| average techie does . . . maybe not even as | | | | our lives, ease our financial burdens - - |
| much as today's computer-savvy ten-year-old. | | | | just because we're afraid we'll look |
| But does that mean you can't do this stuff?At | | | | foolish!But that's another great thing about |
| least, before you decide to pass on the | | | | the computer. We don't have to walk up to |
| exhilaration of creating your own online | | | | the blackboard with the whole class staring |
| business (not to mention the extra bucks you | | | | at us. We don't have to worry about |
| might have at the end of the month), let's | | | | tripping, or not knowing the answer, or . . . |
| look at two possibilities.First of all, the | | | | well, any of the things that seemed to go |
| fact that you have no idea how a telephone | | | | along with learning back in the good old |
| works (unless you're a Verizon repair person) | | | | days.We can be clumsy and bumbling and slow . |
| has never stopped you from making phone | | | | . . and nobody will ever know! Even if we do |
| calls. And you're not afraid to turn on the | | | | look foolish, it will be for our eyes only. |
| television set because you don't know how all | | | | The computer makes us blessedly, mercifully |
| those moving pictures get inside that little | | | | anonymous. It lets us learn and work at our |
| box.And speaking of letters, even if you had | | | | own pace, whatever that pace may be.And so, |
| no idea what 'TV' stood for, you could still | | | | if those letter combos have you feeling a bit |
| watch "American Idol." Nor is it necessary | | | | inadequate, go ahead and look up the |
| to know what ATM means in order to make a | | | | definitions. There are plenty of free |
| cash withdrawal.Why, letter combos are | | | | computer and Internet glossaries available |
| positively old hat. RPMs have been around | | | | online. My personal favorite is if you're |
| since before Sinatra, and mpg was a Henry | | | | not exactly sure-fingered on the computer, |
| Ford staple.All any of it is, really, is that | | | | check out some tutorials. Get up to speed on |
| secretarial staple of yesteryear: shorthand. | | | | Word or Windows or whatever else you'd like |
| Only these letter codes are a heck of a lot | | | | to try. It doesn't cost much. In fact, you |
| easier to understand than all those lines and | | | | can do it for free.And then, you can move on |
| squiggles.Just to convince yourself it's no | | | | to setting up your own online business. Yes: |
| big deal, why not invent some code of your | | | | YOU!After all, when you think about it, not |
| own? Certainly you have as much right to do | | | | getting your slice of the Internet pie just |
| it as any computer techie. So why not tell | | | | because you've let the jargon scare you off |
| them to FTL and PHO . . . and be absolutely | | | | is like refusing a cruise to the Bahamas |
| sure they NLFD. That's Fold The Laundry, | | | | because you don't understand the bar code on |
| Pre-Hear the Oven, and make sure they're Not | | | | the ticket.So why not hop on board PDQ. |
| Late For Dinner. Remember: sticks and stones | | | | (That's Pretty Darn Quick, in case you didn't |
| can break your bones, but letters can never | | | | know.) You've got nothing to lose . . . and |
| hurt you. Nor should they stop you.Okay. | | | | who knows what-all to gain?Bob Brooker's |
| That's the first possibility: breaking the | | | | mission is to make home-based Internet |
| code may not be as necessary as you think it | | | | business accessible even to Internet |
| is, e.g., you don't have to know that NaCl is | | | | beginners. Bob -- himself a devout |
| salt in order to sprinkle some on your | | | | non-techie -- looks for and personally tests |
| tomato.Even so . . . whether you actually | | | | products that are the simplest to understand |
| need to know all of it or not, maybe you'd be | | | | and use, even if your computer skills are |
| more comfortable if you did. And, obviously, | | | | limited to sending an occasional e-mail to |
| it would be helpful if you knew at least some | | | | your sister. |
| of it.Which brings us to possibility number | | | | |