Welcome to our first issue!

We hope you will find this newsletter informative and helpful. Our main purpose is to assist small businesses, entrepreneurs, home offices and individuals to achieve maximum production with minimum costs. We enjoy hearing from our readers! If you have a question, a problem you�d like to solve, or any feedback which would help us improve this newsletter, let us know. Our contact information is at the end of the newsletter. :

What is a Small Business?

Does 250 to 500 employees sound like a small business to you? Surprisingly enough, most mainstream software companies think it is. Another firmly held belief is that a "small" business needs to pay anywhere from $150,000 to $200,000 for software and network equipment, and that�s just for starters. Raise your hand if you can afford to pay that much for your software!

We here at DeskTop Software, Inc. firmly believe that the "big guys" are badly neglecting the TRUE small businesses. By our definition, a small business has less than 50 employees. Some small businesses are run by ONE person. Many small businesses have less than 25 employees. These are the companies for whom we will be creating unique, affordable software. DeskTop Sam is very excited about our "flagship" product, which will be ready for Beta Testing soon.

The first article in our "Productivity" series is written by Joel Suhm, our fearless leader and President of DeskTop Software, Inc. As a computer programmer, he has been creating business software for more than 16 years. Thank goodness he also knows how to write in plain English! :

DeskTop Productivity Series Part 1: Knowledge is Power
by Joel Suhm

Is your computer helping or hindering your productivity? We often hear that computers are supposed to increase our productivity. It�s amazing how fast that word disappears from our vocabulary after we get one. In this newsletter we�ll be concentrating on topics to assist you in getting some real production coming off your desk. Since the majority of our readers use Windows products, the examples given are for Windows, but this information will be useful for users of any system.

1. Glossaries and dictionaries - USE THEM. Even though it may seem very elementary, be sure to clear up concepts like �computer�, �save�, �file�, etc. While teaching a computer course once, I found that 7 of the 9 participants (office managers and secretaries) did not have a correct definition for �file�. Some places to look: the Help system on your computer; the Help menu on the program you�re using; the Internet; a GOOD English language dictionary (yes, standard everyday English).

2. I strongly recommend spending some time getting familiar with the Windows Help system (click on the Start menu then Help). Even if you�ve been using Windows for a while, it is time well spent. The essentials contained in your Help system are universal to ALL Windows programs. There are a LOT of time-saving techniques in "Help" that work with just about every program you use, such as cutting and pasting, navigating around programs, changing settings and appearance, etc. Be sure to use the tutorials too.

3. Read the manuals and help systems that come with your software programs and visit their company websites. Many common (and not so common) questions are answered somewhere in the materials that come with their software programs, or on websites. AND they contain great "tips and tricks" which will save you much time, effort, money, and frustration. You might also be pleasantly surprised to find that most of the programs you already have can be doing more for you right now.

Here�s an insider secret - computer professionals spend a LOT of time reading. It�s often been said that �knowledge is power.� This is certainly true with your computer�s software. That computer in front of you can be a very helpful a tool. Like any tool, if you know how to use it properly you�ll reap the benefits. :

Avoiding "Manual Overwhelm"
by Nancy West

Have you ever tried to read a computer or software manual from cover to cover in one sitting? I dare you! If you can do it, we�ll gladly create the "Geek Award of the Year" trophy especially for you.

The trick to getting all the helpful information out of your manual is actually quite simple: consume it in small helpings. Look for a "key word" in the index or table of contents which addresses or describes something of interest to you. Read that part and practice applying the information while using your computer. Be sure to have a good dictionary at hand, and use it! Refer to the glossary as well while you are reading.

By focusing on the elements which are most important to you, and getting to know them just a few at a time, you�ll soon be well on your way to "computer literacy." Just think of how much time you�ll be able to save by NOT having to wait on hold for a tech support person! Imagine the money you�ll save by NOT having to call in a computer expert to unscramble the messes you WON�T get yourself into any more! Now go open that manual and START! :