Cruzio Newsletter - Number 118, July 21, 2008 1. Tell Us: How Do You Like the New Site? 2. You Are Not a Number 3. Log in and Win! 4. New Microsoft Patch May Disrupt Your DSL: What To Do 5. Wireless in Santa Cruz 6. Attention Web Designers and Computer Consultants 7. Upcoming Classes at Cruzio 8. Weather Repaired 9. Moving? 10. Get Cruzio Credit with Buddy Bucks 11. Feed the Hungry, We'll Waive Your Late Fees 12. About This Newsletter 13. How to Reach Cruzio (Dial-in or Tech Support) 1. Tell Us: How Do You Like the New Site? We worked hard for months on the new www.cruzio.com. Over 5,000 of you have already logged in, and we are getting about 10,000 visits per day. We're enjoying all kinds of pictures and prose published by members of our community. Just one day after the site launched, a Cruzio member wrote to tell us he'd gotten a new client as a result of his free listing in the Santa Cruz Guide. That's exactly what we were hoping: to give creative people a place to show their work and to promote local business. Now we'd love to hear from you: how do you like the new website? Have you found any bugs? Anything you're confused about... any further improvements you'd like to see? Use the Support forum to let us know. To talk about the new website, go to the Support page and click "Cruzio Website" and either reply to an existing topic or start a new one: http://www.cruzio.com/support 2. You Are Not a Number How would you like the world to know you? When Cruzio sets up your profile on www.cruzio.com, we include no personal information at all, out of respect for your privacy. You have the opportunity to make any information you like public -- or none, if you choose. By default, your online presence is given an anonymous profile name: "member" followed by a meaningless random number. But will people really want to know you as member00006? Your profile name is probably the first thing you'll want to change so you are not just a number. Choose a meaningful name for yourself -- such as your own first name, a nickname you already have (or wish you had), the name of your business or your dog. You'll be easier to find. You'll be easier to communicate with. And like all the personal information you choose to publish, you can always change it again later. To select a new profile name, just log in and click "Update my Profile" on the left side of your profile page. You'll see the field in the middle of the page. It's easy. For more details, see our handy profile help: http://www.cruzio.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=38&topic=97.0 3. Log in and Win! To encourage folks to take the plunge and try the features of the new site, Cruzio is holding a contest. Winning is really, really easy. All you need to do is log in to our site at least once before August 1, 2008 and you'll be entered to win a free year of Cruzio DSL, a free year of Website Plus service, or one of many other prizes. If you've already logged in, you are already entered. For details on how to win, go to http://www.cruzio.com and click the "Log In and Win" box in the top right corner. Good luck! 4. New Microsoft Patch May Disrupt Your DSL A recently-released Microsoft patch interacts poorly with ZoneAlarm's popular (and free) security software. If you have both installed on your computer, it can stop your DSL from working. The patch auto-installed on many computers a few weeks ago, leaving folks bewildered when they couldn't connect to the Internet. Cruzio assisted dozens of members with the conflict, but some folks probably turned off ZoneAlarm or stopped using the affected computer to avoid it. That's not necessary. We expect Microsoft and/or ZoneAlarm will soon release a solution, but until then we recommend a temporary fix: just adjust the ZoneAlarm security setting from high to medium. For more details, read an excellent summary of the situation posted to the Cruzio Support Forum by local computer consultant Jesse Wilkins of Computer HELP!: http://www.cruzio.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=38&topic=307.0 5. Wireless in Santa Cruz Last month, the Santa Cruz Sentinel carried an article promoting free public Internet for Pacific Avenue. We'd just like to put in a plug for the existing free wireless system already covering that area -- and others -- provided by a partnership between Cruzio, dozens of local businesses, and the City of Santa Cruz. Cruzio's Wifi Hotspot system beams high quality, high-speed Internet to coffee shops, laundromats, beauty salons and public buildings. The service is so popular you can get free Internet all along Pacific Avenue and in many other spots around Santa Cruz County. And it doesn't cost the taxpayers a cent. While there isn't a strict requirement that you enter the business or the building to use the wifi, folks generally choose to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee (or wash a load of laundry) while browsing. That's good for the local economy and more comfortable than sitting on a bench or in a car. Cruzio supports municipal wireless Internet efforts, and we've offered to be a part of any such program locally. We currently donate free wifi to the City of Santa Cruz at Louden Nelson Center. But the municipal wireless vision, considered the wave of the future only a few years ago, has turned out to be a big headache and most projects have been curtailed or cancelled. Slate has a good overview of muni wifi: http://www.slate.com/id/2174858/ In the meantime, Cruzio's local coverage is extensive and growing all the time, and you are welcome to use it. To see where you can log on, visit: http://www.cruzio.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=291 6. Attention Web Designers and Computer Consultants Being at the center of an enormous group of computer users, Cruzio has helped connect consultants with prospective customers for years. Since the early 90's, we've published a list of computer professionals on our website so members can find a pro to design a website or recussitate an ailing printer. As part of our website update, Cruzio has replaced our old Consultants Page with a new database. The new, improved entries are searchable, easy to change, and reviewable -- Cruzio members can say what they think about the businesses listed. If you're a computer consultant, programmer-for-hire, Web designer or graphic designer, please take the time to put your latest information in the Santa Cruz Guide portion of the new site. To hear more about connecting with customers and learn about new technology (often before it's publicly released), sign up for our consultants mailing list at: http://lists.mycruzio.com/mailman/listinfo/consultants 7. Upcoming Classes at Cruzio Want to learn more about your computer, your Internet connection, and how to publish on the Web? Try a Cruzio class! The schedule is below, but be sure to get more details and check for last minute changes at: http://classes.cruzio.com Most of our classes are offered once or twice a month for your convenience. - One Day (or Night) Website Our most popular class. Build your website in the classroom, with teachers on hand to guide you and help you over the tough spots. You'll learn Web 2.0 technology in a class with only 7 other students maximum, and two instructors: One Day Website Tuesday, July 29 9:00 am-12:00 pm Tuesday, August 12 5:00-8:00 pm Tuesday, August 26 9:00 am-12:00 pm - Discover the New Cruzio.com If you'd like to know more about how to use the new Cruzio website to publish your work or promote your business, come to one of our "Discover the New Cruzio.com" workshops. We'll continue to hold frequent sessions as long as there is an interest -- we want you to feel comfortable with all the new features: Discover the New Cruzio.com Tuesday, July 22 12:00-1:00 pm Tuesday, August 5 12:00-1:00 pm Thursday, August 21 12:00-1:00 pm - Cruzio One on One Do you have some questions that just don't fit a classroom format? If you've taken one of our classes and would like some individual help, try our one-on-one sessions: Cruzio One on One Wednesday, July 30 2:30-4:30 pm Wednesday, August 6 2:30-4:30 pm Wednesday, August 13 2:30-4:30 pm Wednesday, August 20 2:30-4:30 pm Wednesday, August 27 2:30-4:30 pm - Internet 101 Learn the basics of the Internet. Lose your anxiety and hesitation and plunge in (or recommend this class to a friend or loved one who's been shy about using email, Google, or other 'Net basics): Internet 101 Thursday, July 17 9:00-11:00 am Tuesday, August 19 9:00-11:00 am - Get to the Top of Search Engines If you've got a business on the Web, the most important way to draw traffic is to appear near the top of Google and Yahoo searches. In this class you'll get advice customized to your business and your site, and you'll learn the secrets to capturing a coveted high rank. Get to the Top of Search Engines Thursday, July 24 9:00-11:00 am - Start Making Money Online Your business has email: check. You've even got a website: check. But are you selling your products in an online store? You can offer retail items, services, tickets or even accept donations with ShopSite, Cruzio's shopping cart solution. Accept credit cards and watch the cash arrive in realtime. It's not too early to be thinking about Christmas... Start Making Money Online Thursday, July 31 9:00-11:00 am Thursday, August 28 5:30-7:30 pm - Administer Your Domain Like a Pro When you've got your own domain name, a world of possibilities opens up for your business or hobby. Learn how to use all the tools available at Cruzio for managing email, Web space, and more at your customized name: Administer Your Domain Like a Pro Thursday, August 7 9:00-11:00 am - Become A Successful Blogger Make a professional blog for your work or your hobby. Customize the colors and graphics to reflect your personality or business or both. With new software from WordPress (free with a Cruzio Website Plus or Premium account) you can express yourself online for all the world to read. Experienced bloggers will give you all the details you need: Become A Successful Blogger Thursday, August 14 5:30-7:30 pm 8. Weather Repaired Thanks to those of you who reported the weather on our website wasn't as accurate as it might have been. We've corrected it. Weather is always a bit of a crap shoot but we were reading a range of mountain and valley weather and have switched to coastal. We think that's more useful for most people -- the previous forecasts were giving 20- and 30- degree ranges for the temperature so they weren't all that helpful, even for folks living far from the coast! Hope you enjoy the improvement. 9. Moving? If you are moving your home or office, please contact Cruzio. We're here to help the Internet portion of your move go smoothly. It's best to let us know several weeks ahead of time, especially if you have DSL or if you're cancelling a phone line. We can often save you from an interruption in Internet service and prevent costly fees -- but you've got to let us know. Call us at 459-6301 or email office@cruzio.com. 10. Get Cruzio Credit with Buddy Bucks Recommend us to friends, family, colleagues: if a new customer gives us your email address, registration number, or full name when they sign up you'll get $10 credit (or more) to your account. If two friends sign up, $20. Three friends, $30. It just goes on and on. 11. Feed the Hungry, We'll Waive Your Late Fees If you're late on a payment to Cruzio, turn it into a donation to hungry folks in our community. We will waive your late fee if you bring 3 cans into our office for our Second Harvest Food Bank barrel. Learn more about this charity at http://www.thefoodbank.org 12. About This Newsletter Cruzio doesn't like to waste bandwidth with extra email, but we sometimes have events and announcements that users need to know about. This seems like the most efficient way to let people know what's happening. Hope it's helpful. Please email support@cruzio.com with any comments or questions. By the way, we would love to have a regular, predictable schedule for this newsletter...but we simply do not send it unless there is real news enclosed. Thus the haphazard datelines. 13. How to Reach Cruzio (Dial-in or Tech Support) To reach the Cruzio Information Center, for online technical and sales information: http://www.cruzio.com/support To dial in to Cruzio, set your software to dial one of the numbers below (note: we've expanded and joined modem pools, so you may be using another number. If so, don't worry, it still works just fine). Dialup (in Santa Cruz County): 459-9408 Nationwide Dialup: Look up local number on the left side of the page: http://www.cruzio.com/support or call Cruzio toll free, 1.800.303.3302 If you've got a problem, but can still surf the Web: Most questions are answered in Cruzio's Support Forum at http://www.cruzio.com/support To call Cruzio: 459-6301............Use this number to check Cruzio's system status, pay your Cruzio bill, find out more about our hours and location, or to reach someone in customer service and technical support. 722-6200 .......... Cruzio's number in Watsonville. To send email to Cruzio, use one of these addresses: support@cruzio.com ......for technical support office@cruzio.com .......for billing and ordering information Member services contact form: http://www.cruzio.com/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=6&Itemid=310 Support Contact Form: http://www.cruzio.com/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=5&Itemid=312 Or leave a message for us in the forums: http://www.cruzio.com/support Cruzio's locations: Santa Cruz: 903 Pacific Avenue, Suite 101, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Watsonville: Plaza Vigil, 25 E. Beach Street, Watsonville, CA 95076 Cruzio's hours: Sales hours (note our extended hours in the summer): Santa Cruz: 9am-6pm, Mon to Fri; 9 am - 2 pm Sat, 10 am - 2 pm Sun Watsonville: 10am-6pm, Monday through Friday; 10 am - 2 pm Saturday Technical support: 8am to 6pm, Mon to Fri, 10am - 2pm Saturday System monitoring, including customer-alerted emergencies, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year (leap years, 366 days) Thanks very much from Cruzio: Chris, Peggy, Julianne, Mark, Paul, Gershom, Jessi, James, Juana, Nikkie, Mike, Don, Bruce, Westi, Andrew, Jaime, another Chris, yet another Chris, Diana, Jake, Shawn, Zachary, Carlos, Josh, Roslyn and another Jake; Our fantastic interns, Jeff, Eugene and Nancy; Jake, Annika, and Carly (the kids) Carly, age 10, when asked where she put the scissors: "Scissors. That is the cursed word. If someone was named Scissors Ranchwood, could he be found? ... If I ever give birth to a child, I would name it Scissors to see if it got lost all the time."
