Computers: Notebook
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Wordperfect is to drop the unlimited free support that was one of the strongest reasons for its customers' devotion. From 1 February, users of its business products, such as the eponymous word processor, will have 180 days free support from the date of their first call. After that, they will be charged for every call.
This is part of a general and probably inevitable shift throughout the industry. Knowledgeable people to staff support lines are expensive, while software is cheaper every year. Modern software also gets easier to use.
The giant software suppliers of the industry, like Wordperfect and Microsoft, now do a great deal of 'usability testing' before they release anything. Programs now come with every sort of tutorial and hint box as well as old-fashioned on-screen help and even decent manuals. This ought to mean, and probably does, that less support is needed.
The Compuserve on-line information and messaging network is set to cut its prices by about 40 per cent. From 6 February, the hourly rates charged for accessing Compuserve's 'extended services' will drop to dollars 4.80 ( pounds 3.30) an hour for slower modems (2400 bits per second and below) and dollars 9.60 ( pounds 6.60) for 9600bps modems.