Well, here we are! We made it. We're now in our fifth year of business, serving Western New York. We've come a long way in the past five years, and we'd like to take a moment to thank all of our customers and die-hard ComputerFAQs readers. This also marks the fifth year we've been publishing this newsletter, and just to give you some statistics, the first issue of ComputerFAQs was distributed in November of 1994. It had a grand total circulation of 124 companies - and they were all companies straight out of the Business First Top 25 lists. How fitting that, five years later, we're one of the companies on The List. Again, we owe it all to our customers, and our fine employees. We thank you for our continued success, and we look forward to serving you in 1999.

Q: I'm running my business on an old dBase database that one of my former employees designed in 1992. How can I be sure it's Y2K safe? >Harold, Depew NY

A: First, make sure your hardware is Y2K safe (our Y2K Report, document 902021 explains how). The easiest way to test your application is to simply make a backup of it (preferably on tape) and then simply enter some test data. Try creating invoices due in 2001. For best results, change your system clock to some future date, like 6/1/2003, and see if you have any problems. Spend an hour or so with it, entering fictitious data. Run some reports, and watch for strangeness. Now, if you'd like to take a more serious approach to checking your applications, we can send one of our database specialists to your office to analyze your systems and check for any Y2K issues. An initial consultation is just $25. We can also develop for your business a complete new, Windows-based database solution. For more information, call for document 902022.

Q: I called an received a copy of your Mail Merge document [How To Mail Merge with WordPerfect and Word, document 902023]. It was helpful, thank you. My question is: how do I pull in my customer list that's stored in Excel? >Jean, Buffalo NY

A: See, that's where we get you - you have to come and take the class. Ha ha ha. Seriously, we have been asked that a lot. You can import data from all kinds of outside sources like Excel, Access, dBase, text files, and more. The trick is to select "Open Data Source" instead of "Create Data Source" when you run the Mail Merge Helper. You can select your data file, and then Word/WordPerfect should show you the fields and let you select which data you want. You can then query the data to select only certain records. If you're looking to do a lot of mail merging, we do strongly recommend our Word Intermediate class - we spend over an hour on mail merge alone.

Q: I have a computer that's just over a year old (out of warranty, of course) and every now and then it starts beeping in a series of short tones. I turn it off and let it cool down for a half hour or so, turn it back on, and it's good for another couple of hours. What do you think could be the problem? >Mary Anne, Cheektowaga NY

A: It sounds like you have one of the newer motherboards with a heat sensor on it. Your computer may be getting too hot and sounding the temperature alarm. You may not be getting enough ventilation in your PC. If it's under a desk, get it out of there. You may also want to add a second case fan (standard in all of our PCs). You could also just have dust building up in your power supply - a simple correction with a can of air. For information on our PCDoctor service, call and request document 902024.

TIP: As an addendum to the trick in the last issue of ComputerFAQs (the hidden "Easter Egg" in Word 97), that trick only works if you have SR2 or higher of Office 97. What's SR2? That stands for "Service Release 2" and it's a whole series of bug fixes and updates to the Office suite. If you don't have it, you should get it! For details on how to get your copy, call for document 902025.

We've recently picked up a new line of Notebook Computers. If you would like information, please call and request document 902027. We'll send you information on our complete line, as well as pricing. We have top-quality notebook PCs available starting for as little as $1459.

You know you need training. Now, where do you go? We have classes now available in Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, CorelDraw, WordPerfect, and more. All hands on. Maximum four (4) students per class. Individualized attention. One-on-one training also available. Request document 902028.

We've switched our Internet Service Provider to Prime Communications Systems. If you would like a free 30-day trial account, please call and request document 902029.

The latest versions of Certifica (our gift-certificate software) and NetBackup (our network-based backup utility) have been posted to our web site. Download your free trial copy today at www.amicron.com. Not on the net? Request document 902020.

Documents are free by fax to the Buffalo/WNY area. You can call us at 716-837-4685, fax us at 833-6724, email us at amicron@amicron.com, or visit our web site at www.amicron.com. Be sure to leave your name and fax number. For a complete listing of documents, or for back issues of this newsletter, request document 902031. ComputerFAQs is copyright ©1995-1999 by Amicron Technology Services, all rights reserved. Please contact us if you are interested in any of our products or services, or if you would like your number removed from our database. We never sell our database of fax numbers to any outside sources.