What's Happening?
     For starters, demos from two of your favorite software companies, Humongous and Sierra On-Line. Humongous will be at the store on Saturday to show you its great line of products for children - including the latest Pajama Sam - making it a great chance for parents to come by with their kids to check it all out.
     Sunday will feature two demos by Sierra On-Line. First, it'll show you its own terrific line of children's software. Then you'll get to try its Internet software, too.
     And there's more. Quake II fiends can battle each other to win a John Carmack-autographed copy of Quake II. But be sure to sign up in advance, because space is limited. We'll also have a three-man team competition for bragging rights for the baddest death-matchers in The Junction. Come watch the Quid'·nunc All-Stars demolish the feckless fools from Bulldog Beach Interactive and CDE Software.
     You want more? How about drawings for instant winners? Everyone will win something... but what you win still depends on how lucky you are. Prizes include discounts, software and Internet service.
     Oh yeah - refreshments, too! Snacks and beverages for your enjoyment while you examine all the offers and goodies we've got.
     The other half of the celebration involves our expansion. Now that we've added the space, walk into the new area of the store to check out our service area. That's where you'll be taking your computer for upgrades, not just for your RAM or for adding a CD-ROM or DVD drive, but for putting in all the newer, faster, cooler stuff like K6 chips and sound and video cards. If you haven't said hello to the folks who work there, do so.

Buy 'Em While They're Hot
     That's also where you'll be buying your next computer. That's right; buying.
     We now build computers to order. We use only the freshest, most wholesome ingredients, of course, but we put them together with love... and, most important, with your needs in mind. So gamers get machines that will suck them into hellish worlds of evil and despair... Internet geeks will get machines that surf the Web like a windy day at the Electronic Great Barrier Reef... and professionals will get machines that actually help them do work. All at a competitive price. All from people that you actually recognize when you meet us on the street.
     In fact, when you stop by, ask Bill Konertz or Rich Land what they think your next computer should be. They'll have great recommendations - and if you're ready to buy, November 7 and 8 is the weekend to do it, because we'll be having Grand Opening Sale prices!
     Yes, we're four years old. And like any four-year-old, we're growing fast.
     Thank you. See you November 7 and 8. And look for our ad in the November 4th Seattle Times or West Seattle Herald for our latest sales, including five special offers on our custom-built computers.

Index
Bill's Byte
Bill's Picks
WINDOWS PICK TO CLICK: Starship Titanic
What's New?
What's Coming
Many Ways To A New Computer
Quid'·nunc Best Sellers (August/September '98)
Bigger Store, More Help
The Friendly Computer Builder: Meet Bill Konertz
Mac Guy: Meet Rob Lear
Hardware Case: Meet Marla Anderson
What NOT To Do To Your Computer
ISP Info Line

Calendar & Schedule
Classes
Coupon Specials

Quid'nunc Information

Bill's Byte

Bill's Picks
     WINDOWS PICK TO CLICK: Starship Titanic
           I've only been able to drool over this one, but it's on my must-play game list. If you like puzzle games - if you like weird humor- if you want something different- check out Starship Titanic. This treasure has been created by Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (the books first, then the TV series and the computer games).
          What sets Starship Titanic apart from other games of its type (in addition to the delightfully twisted mind of Mr. Adams) is the conversational interface. Instead of selecting from a predetermined list of options, you talk to the game's characters by typing in questions or statements. It's completely free-form! With a vocabulary of nearly 500,000 words and phrases, it should be able to handle anything you throw at it (unlike Microsoft Word's thesaurus).
          The game begins when the starship Titanic (an indestructible space vessel) crashes into your house.
          After that it gets stranger.
          I don't want to spoil any of your fun, but if you want something besides action and weaponry from a computer game - and you're willing to rouse some brain matter - expect many hours of enjoyable game play.

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What's New?
          We used to think it was special to buy a single shareware item for $5. Now the CD-ROM world allows us to pack so much into a small package that we're not satisfied with anything short of hundreds of programs. Cubes (six or seven CDs with a common theme) have become especially popular - and, of course, Quid'·nunc stocks them. Just come in to take home the Kids Cube, Games Cube and Classic Cube (for you PC folks) and any of our four different cubes for Macintosh.
          Parlez-vous français? Sprechen sie Deutsche? Nihongo ga dekimdsu ka? Quid'·nunc may have the largest selection of foreign language CDs in town with over 15, including Dutch, Vietnamese and Korean (which are none of the three examples above, by the way).
          Does your computer feel the need for speed? Everyone here at Quid'·nunc is really pleased with the 100 MHz boards from FIC. There's one for your old AT-style case, and even one for your ATX model.
          Michael Dell notwithstanding, TV and computers seem to go together more and more. Another case in point: That lovable private-eye pooch, Blue (from Blue's Clues). He now teaches and entertains computer-using kids with two great products: Blue's ABCs and Blue's Birthday Adventure.
          Of course, if animals are your thing, we have Catz III and Dogz III (Windows only). More "petz," more ways to play with them, and a way to use the Internet to get access to crossbreed your petz!
          Everyone has to manage money. Probably the most popular program continues to be one version or another of Intuit's Quicken software. New for folks with PC computers is Quicken 99, giving you even greater control. Mac folks, don't worry: A version for you will be out in a little while longer.
          Gee, maybe you feel the need for speed. If you like flight simulation software, get ready to pull some Gs with Jane's Israeli Fighter - and if you prefer to keep your rubber on the road, you'll probably find yourself reaching for F1 Racing from Ubisoft.
          Sports fans have plenty to occupy themselves, too. Electronic Arts has finally released Madden 99, NHL 99 and Tiger Woods, so you can pass, shoot and putt with the pros.
     These days Macintosh gamers can have it tough. But rejoice: After over two years of delays, 11th Hour is finally here for you. Mac users are also have a great time with Unreal, which came out very shortly after the PC version. Strategy gamers are also raving about Caesar III, while the hard-core, blast-everything types are excited about the new Ground Zero mission pack for Quake II. Two other new games are already among our best-sellers: Mech Commander and Final Fantasy VII, both for PC only.

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What's Coming
     Well, Christmas. And, cross your fingers, you should be asking Santa for a whole bunch of great stuff, including: Red Baron Gold... Grim Fandango... Jurassic Park: Trespasser... Brunswick Pro Bowling... Fallout 2- Shogo: Mobile Armor Division... Starsiege... Tomb Raider II (Mac)... Sim City 3000- Mechwarrior 3... Starcraft (Mac)... Command & Conquer Tiberiun Sun... Blood 2... Red Baron 3D... Half Life... SU-27 2.0... Rage of Mages... Redguard... Heroes of Might & Magic III... Beneath... Baldur's Gate... King's Quest 8... and, finally, Brood Wars Starcraft Expansion. No promises, but we might see a preview of at least one of these at the Sierra On-Line demonstration here at Quid'·nunc on Sunday, November 8. (You'll be here, right?)

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Many Ways To A
New Computer

          We'll build a computer to suit you to a T. But, like any designer, we start with four templates (in either Pentium II or K6) that make it easy for you to order off the rack if you'd prefer. All have 100 MHz motherboards. Our BASIC system is built with a 3.2-gb hard drive, 32 mb of RAM, a 2-mb video card and a 15-inch monitor. Each template along the way features commensurate upgrades in components, right up to our SCREAMER, which gives you an 8.4-gb hard drive, 128 mb of RAM, a 12-mb 3DFX Voodoo II video card, a 3-piece speaker system including subwoofer, and a 17-inch monitor.
          Our BASIC system starts at $999.95; it's great for Internet access, for word processors, and for those who aren't playing a lot of the new games.
          Our STANDARD system starts at $1299.95. It's versatile system you can buy, gets you on the Internet easily, and is bundled with Microsoft Home Essentials.
          Our DREAMER system starts at $1599.95. It's perfect if you're looking to do some graphics or really make a habit of the World Wide Web, particularly if you intend to design your own Web site.
          Our SCREAMER system starts at $1999.95. You'd be hard-pressed to find a machine that will do anything faster or more easily. You'll play any game, you'll cruise any site, you'll create any graphic… and you'll do it handily.
          So come by, say hello to our new sales and service department folks, and look for our sale circular in the November 4th Seattle Times and West Seattle Herald.

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Quid'·nunc Best-Sellers
August/September '98

Indicates second consecutive month as best seller

Accessories Zip Disks Ink Cartridges Printer Cables Printer Paper Hardware Memory 56K Modems 32X CD-ROM Drives Microsoft Intellimouse Books & Magazines PC Gamer(Magazine) Computer Gaming World (Magazine) MacAddict (Magazine) Windows 98 For Busy People Education Compton's Encyclopedia eMedia Guitar Method Foreign Languages Kids Blue's ABC Time Activities Blue's Birthday Adventure Freddi Fish 3 Jump Start Kindergarden

Productivity Windows 98 Upgrade Norton Antivirus Virtual Seattle Screensaver NetscapeCommunicator Deluxe Action/Adventure Games Unreal(Mac) MDK Diablo (Macintosh) Quake II Spec Ops Strategy/Puzzle Games Dune 2000 Caesar III Civilization II Final Fantasy VII Other Games Links LS (Mac) Need For Speed III Flight Unlimited II Bicycle Poker

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Bigger Store, More Help

Konertz Lear Anderson

The Friendly Computer Builders: Meet Bill Konertz      The friendly guy behind our new custom computer operation is Bill Konertz, who is merging his business (The Friendly Computer) with Quid'·nunc.      You couldn't be in better hands.      Bill has been working with computers since 1962, when he was in the Air Force, working on missiles with computer guidance systems. He's been building them since 1980, when the big names were Pet and Osborne, hard drives were external only, and a big one was a whopping 10 mb.      If that isn't enough technical expertise for you, consider that he designed fuel controls for jet engines (including one model of Boeing's 747). And if you have questions, he'll know how to give you not just an answer, but an understanding: He taught for many years, at levels from kindergarten through college.      When you come to see Bill, he'll want to know what use you intend for your computer. His goal is to build you one that will best suit your budget, your needs and your expertise. He's concerned with reliability, and says the best thing for his customers is that he and his staff are right here to work with you when you need help. And he and they know how to take phone calls, too. Return to the Index Mac Guy: Meet Rob Lear      Rob Lear comes to Quid'·nunc with a background in Macintoshes, but experience with both computer platforms. He does prefer the Mac, saying it's easier to use. "Macs are more suited to art than PCs," he explains. "I don't want to memorize a bunch of keystrokes."      Art is important to Rob because he's a graphic designer; he's done a little bit of industrial design and new product development. Right now he says he's "heavy into creating computer art," and uses a wide variety of programs to achieve just the effect he wants.      Rob says that the first thing he does when he receives a machine for repair is to run diagnostics; usually the problem isn't the hardware, but the way the machine has been used (see Rich Land's article, for more on this problem).      Stop by and say hi to Rob on Monday, Wednesday or Friday; don't forget to ask him what he thinks about Mac OS 8.5, Firewire, USB and OSX. Return to the Index Hardware Case: Meet Marla Anderson      To meet Marla Anderson, you'll need to do a little bit of snooping around the store, because she does a lot of the build and tech work in our new service and sales department. When not there, she's walking around, looking at stuff or working with customers.      For a technologically oriented person, Marla is pretty down-to-earth. She prefers jobs where she can dress comfortably, which is probably why she's also spent time working on a horse ranch teaching youngsters how to ride. In fact, Marla says "Horses and computers are a lot alike. You have to know how they work in order to get them to do what you want them to do." Like horses, Marla says, "if a computer does something wrong, it's probably because of something the operator did."      Marla says the best part about working at Quid'·nunc (besides not needing to wear office attire) is that she has "the ability to fix things that go wrong."      Marla's computer at home has been tinkered with a lot, but "the guts of my machine are exactly what we start machines here with." She plays games, cruises the Internet and listens to music (good speakers are a top priority for her). She downloads lots of MIDI files from the Internet, mostly original compositions, especially surreal-sounding stuff that makes great background music.      Marla works at Quid'·nunc daily except Sunday and Wednesday.

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What NOT To Do To Your Computer

by Rich Land
     There are many things not to do to a computer. Don't use it in the bathtub. Don't use it in a lightning storm. Don't use it as a hammer. Don't use it to do gravity experiments from a 10-story building, no matter how tempting.
     These are obvious.
     I will talk about the less obvious.
     First, some general rules:
     RICH'S GENERAL RULE NUMBER 1. If it does everything you need it to do, don't change it. If you remember my last article - all three of you who read it - I said, "If it works, don't fix it." This is the first thing not to do to your computer.
     I have fixed many computers because people just had to change that one thing that wasn't quite working quite as they wanted.
     RICH'S GENERAL RULE NUMBER 2. Don't delete files just because you don't recognize them. When I see a snake I don't touch it unless I know exactly what kind it is; when I see a file, I don't touch it unless I know exactly what it is.
     RICH'S GENERAL RULE NUMBER 3. Don't give your computer more credit than it deserves. It is not smarter than you are. It is just a stupid, glorified calculator and file cabinet. Take the time to read what it is telling you and you will find your relationship with your PC buddy will become much more pleasurable. Or at least tolerable.
     Now, some specifics:
     RICH'S SPECIFIC RULE NUMBER 1. Don't use utility programs that claim to fix up, speed up, tune up, rev up, increase, decrease, make better, make much better, or otherwise improve your computer. They usually don't. They usually slow down, bog down, erase or deface what is already working just fine. I usually remove them from a computer that is having problems. You'd be amazed how often this actually fixes the problems.
     These programs run in the background where you cannot see them. Whenever installing a new program, the installer shows you a screen instructing you to turn off all programs running before continuing the install. If you can't see such programs in the background you may forget that they're there, or how to find them to turn them off. The result can be quite unexpected. If they'll do little to no good in the first place, why have them at all?
     RICH'S SPECIFIC RULE NUMBER 2. Don't leave your computer unprotected. Use an antivirus program. Don't assume that if you are not on the Internet you won't get a virus. One company's laptop computers once shipped from the factory with a virus already on them. While most viruses are nothing more than a nuisance, some can destroy data. Some can even physically destroy hard drives. Further, don't download your antivirus program. Buy it in a store. Any store. Any antivirus program. My own preference is Norton Antivirus, because it's easy to keep up to date and effectively eliminates most viruses. Some other antivirus programs are just as good and ultimately depend on personal tastes.
     There is one last thing that you can do for your computer. If you ever have any questions or concerns, give us at Quid'·nunc a call. Advice is always free. Even the good advice. I would prefer that you come to the store to get gifts for your computer rather than repairs. It's much more fun for both of us. And you look much better when you're smiling.

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ISP Info Line

     If you're using Quid'·nunc as your ISP (and shouldn't you be?), we have implemented a 24-hour information line to help you know whether any problem you are experiencing is a known problem with the Internet. Any time you are not able to use the system as you expect, please call (206) 935-4783. Only one caveat: It's an information line, not a message line. If you've got a problem, you'll have to call (206) 932-8795 and we'll get back to you during business hours.

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Calendar of Events November 7-8…...Computer Sales & Service Center Grand Opening Event & Fourth Anniversary Party      Sales on computers, software and hardware! Prizes! Demos! Contests! Free food and refreshments! See inside! Class Schedule NO CLASSES SCHEDULED UNTIL AFTER THE HOLIDAYS.

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What Now? The Official Quid'·nunc Newsletter Published by Quid'·nunc......Your Neighborhood Software Store 4306 SW Oregon Street - Seattle, WA USA 98116 One block north of California Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street Tel: 932-8795. Fax: 932-8183     quidnunc@quidnunc.net 24 hour Quid'·nunc Internet Status Line: 935-4783 (information only, do NOT leave a message; call the store number) Hours Mon-Fri: 10-7 Saturday: 10-6 Sunday: 11-5

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