BC stands for the Binary Cult. As their Mission Statement on the Web site says, "The BINARY CULT (BC) is
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- * NOT a religious group, rather it is an Email based forum for computer related topics. "
- * for people who are SEEKING HELP on computer related matters. "
- * for people who are willing to SHARE TIPS AND TECHNIQUES. "
- * an advertisement-oriented FREE service..."
It's run by a nice young man whose on-line "pseud" is Jim The Standing Bear. As you might expect, Tech Mailings Guy subscribes to a number of newsletters and discussion groups. I don't subscribe to too many, because I get a lot of e-mail already. But I have to say that when I visited BC the spirit among the people was so nice and helpful that I was tempted to subscribe to yet another list.
My basic attitude toward using computers is that no matter how much you know (or think you know), it's likely you also know somebody who knows more. A lot more. At the very least you know someone who is just better at some area of the day-to-day jobbing with the 'puter than you were or are inclined to be. That makes working with computers a constant learning experience for most people.
And that's why I like the folks who participate in the Binary Cult newsletter so much. I get irked when I go to a discussion list, or meet people, where you get this "hipper-than-thou," "Boy, you don't know *anything,* do you?" Alpha Geek attitude. The beauty of BC is that everybody, from the new, I-just-took-my-first-computer-outtah-the-box gal to the intermediate user is treated with respect and offered help. It's very much a "just folks" atmosphere.
This newsletter's subscribers live up to the credo that there is no such thing as a stupid question. I enjoyed reading their archives. Like I said, I was tempted to join in.
Here's a brief sample:
" Thanks a lot to the ones that recommended me Windows Update. I was able to successfully download and install it from there. Now, does anyone know how to configure I.E. 5 so when you click on the Edit button it opens the document with FrontPage Express and not with Word?
"I'd like to recommend to you all an Internet Address, though probably more than one of you know it: http://www.driverguide.com You just list the name, code of the device or the manufacturer's name and it produces a list of the sites that you can download a driver from. I found the driver for my audio adapter, which I couldn't find in Windows Update...."
If you're looking for a helpful newsletter, updated just about daily, where you can ask those questions that have been nagging at you but you didn't want to appear dumb to your friends, this is probably the one for you. Recommended.
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