A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Third Edition Fred Beisse ISBN: 0-619-21510-0 © 2004 Additional online resources Chapter 1 IBM z-Series mainframe http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/solutions/zseries Sun Microsystems SunFire minicomputer: http://www.sun.com/solutions IBM iSeries minicomputer http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/about/why.html Peter Drucker’s 1995 article on knowledge workers in The Atlantic http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/95dec/chilearn/drucker.htm Online computer glossaries http://whatis.techtarget.com http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia http://www.webopedia.com Description of Moore’s Law on the Intel Web Site http://www.intel.com/research/silicon/mooreslaw.htm Timeline of GUI development highlights http://toastytech.com/guis/index.html City of Orlando, Florida, use of IBM iSeries minicomputer http://www3.ibm.com/software/success/cssdb.nsf/CS/LBHN5FMKVY?OpenDocume nt&Site=software Timeline of significant events in the history of computers (requires Adobe Reader) http://www.computer.org/computer/timeline/timeline.pdf Timeline of significant events in the history of personal computers http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/comphist Slide show on the history of the Internet (requires PowerPoint or viewer) http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/2002_0918_Internet_History_and_Growth.ppt Jaekel & Associates white paper on total cost of ownership concept http://www.jaekel.com/white3.html White paper on measuring worker productivity http://www.businessauthority.com/management/time_management/productivity_m anagement.htm Arguments by those opposed to supermarket identification cards http://www.nocards.org/faq/index.shtml JDA Professional Services Web Site on total cost of ownership of computer systems http://www.jdapsi.com/client/Articles/Default.php?Article=tco Web site devoted to information about tablet PCs http://www.tabletpctalk.com Chapter 2 American Staffing Association Web Site http://www.staffingtoday.net Information Technology Association of America Web site http://www.itaa.org Robert Half Web site with salary survey http://www.rhic.com Microsoft Web site for peer user groups http://www.microsoft.com/communities/usergroups/default.mspx TechRepublic article on the location of help desks within organizations http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6269-5028769.html EDO Technical Support Operations Web Site http://www.compusupport.com Client Outsource Web Site http://www.clientoutsource.com American Career InfoNet site for support specialist KSAs http://www.acinet.org/acinet/ksas1.asp?soccode=151041&stfips=41 ACE Web site with free skill assessment http://www.ace.co.nz/tools/skills/index.asp Occupational Information Network (O*Net) Web site http://online.onetcenter.org/gen_search_page State of Washington position description http://hr.dop.wa.gov/lib/hrdr/specs/00000/03271.htm City of Des Moines, Iowa position description http://www.ci.desmoines.ia.us/departments/HR/Job%20Descriptions/User%20Supp ort%20Technician.htm Computer Jobs http://www.computerjobs.com Just Help Desk Jobs http://www.JustHelpDeskJobs.com Monster.com http://jobsearch.monster.com Dice.com http://www.dice.com Occupational Information Network(O*Net) http://online.onetcenter.org/gen_skills_page Web resources on employment trends in user support industry http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/training/careers/trends.asp http://www.itaa.org/workforce/studies/03execsumm.pdf (requires Adobe Reader) http://www.dol.gov/wb/factsheets/hitech02.htm http://www.computerworld.com/careertopics/careers/labor Indiana University Bloomington user satisfaction survey http://about.uits.iu.edu/~uitssur/2003/iub/summary03.html Chapter 3 Jeff Davis’s article on communication skills http://www.techrepublic.com/article.jhtml?id= r00320030107jed01.htm&src=bc Lillian D. Bjorseth’s article, “Shhh! Listen, Don’t Just Hear!” http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/bjorseth4.html Web article on empathy and trust http://www.businessballs.com/empathy.htm Microsoft Office FAQ http://www.microsoft.com/office/faq.htm Web-based training courses on help desk and communication skills http://www.skillsoft.com/corporate/curicula/bus_cs.htm Communication and listening skills Web-based training course vendor http://www.learncustomerserviceonline.com/CustServiceModules.htm Haywood Community CollegeTechnical Support http://potemkin.haywood.cc.nc.us/Techsite/hcc/techsupportindex.html KnowYourType.com Web Site on MBTI http://www.knowyourtype.com/default.htm The Team Technology Web site on Myers-Briggs (MBTI) http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/tt/t-articl/mb-simpl.htm Notes from Kate Nasser’s talk on difficult users http://www.health.ufl.edu/itcenter/cs/frontlines2.shtml TechRepublic article on handling abusive callers http://www.techrepublic.com/article.jhtml?id=r00320000726det02.htm Leslie Barden’s paper, “Dealing with Difficult Customers” http://www.awcncc.org/2001/Barden_article.rtf Dell Support http://support.dell.com Gateway Support http://support.gateway.com Improving usability of web sites http://www.usabilityfirst.com/index.txl George Lawton’s article on improving customer service http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2804648,00.html Voiceboard’s customer support policies and procedures to increase customer self-reliance http://www.voiceboard.com/support1.htm Example of a help desk phone call http:// www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2000/01/24/smallb4.html Jennifer Stewart Write101.com http://www.write101.com/101web.htm The Keirsey Temperament Sorter II http://www.advisorteam.com/user/kts.asp Chapter 4 Digisoft web site on scripts http://www.digisoft.com/solutions/telescript/ts-scripting.htm Example scripts in graphical format http:// www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,16621,00.asp http://support.mfm.com/support/troubleshooting/copyprot.html Online bookseller Amazon.com http://www.Amazon.com Online bookseller Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com Online bookseller Jim’s Computer Books http://jimsbooks.vstorecomputers.com Microsoft Press troubleshooting series Web page http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/troubleshooting/default.asp Microsoft Web knowledge base http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx Google search engine http://www.google.com Dogpile search engine http://www.Dogpile.com TechRepublic Web site for support professionals http://www.techrepublic.com About.com with connections to support professionals http://www.about.com Cyber Tech Help http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/index.php List of Internet ListServs http://www.lsoft.com Technical support provider Stream International http://www.stream.com/Stream.nsf Expertcity GoToAssist product http://www.gotoassist.com LapLink Gold Classic Web site http://laplink.com Symantec pcAnywhere http://www.symantec.com/pcanywhere/Consumer NetOp Remote Control white paper(requires Adobe Reader) http://www.crossteccorp.com/support/resources/NetOpWP.pdf Symantec System Works http://www.symantec.com/sabu/sysworks/basic PC Certify http://www.pccertify.com Touchstone Software Web Site for WinCheckIt diagnostic utility http://www.touchstonesoftware.com MetaQuest for Triage software utilities http://www.metaquest.com/Web/Products/Triage/triage.htm PC Surgeon http://www.winutils.com/pcsurg.htm Symantec Norton Ghost http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal InCharge utilities http://www.smarts.com/products SolarWinds.NET http://www.solarwinds.net/Tools/Standard/index.htm ComputerWorld publication http://www.computerworld.com InformationWeek publication http://www.informationweek.com InfoWorld publication http://www.infoworld.com Microsoft troubleshooter for Windows 98 printer problems http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=/support/windows/tshoot/printing9 8/default.asp Web Site for OtherFolder Windows utility http://www.annoyances.org/exec/software/anyfoldr Chapter 5 Monarch Computer Systems Web Site on hard disk compatibility problems http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_ Code=M&Category_Code=HDFAQ Microsoft Windows Catalog of XP-compatible devices http://www.microsoft.com/windows/catalog/default.aspx?subid=22&xslt=hardware Webopedia glossary entry for DIP switches http://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/D/DIP_switch.html Webopedia glossary entry for jumper pins http://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/j/jumper.html Universal Plug and Play Forum http://xml.coverpages.org/upnp.html InstallShield http:// www.installshield.com/default.asp Microsoft Web site on compatibility of application software http://www.microsoft.com/windows/appcompatibility/default.mspx VCOM System Commander dualboot utility http://www.v-com.com/product/sc7_ind.html Shareware web sites http://www.tucows.com http://www.jumbo.com http://www.shareware.com http://download.com Winguides tutorial on Windows Registry basics http://www.winguides.com/article.php?id=1&guide=registry Utility tools to modify and restore the Windows Registry http://www.winsite.com/tech/reg About.com site for general troubleshooting http://pcsupport.about.com/cs/pctroubleshooting/index.htm Dr. Tech fee-based site for general troubleshooting via phone or Web http://www.askdrtech.com/default.asp Computer Architect Web site for general troubleshooting via e-mail http://www.computerarchitect.com/ask_find/askus2.cfm The PC Guide Web site for hardware troubleshooting http://www.pcguide.com/ts/index.htm PC Mechanic Web site for hardware troubleshooting http://www.pcmech.com/guides.htm Tom’s Hardware Guide for hardware troubleshooting http://www.tomshardware.com MacintoshOS.com Web site for troubleshooting MacOS