Technical support is an application that's tailor-made for the Web.
And the people you turn to at your corporate help desk or a vendor's tech-support department can work their magic more efficiently via the Web. Like doctors on call, they can guide you through the simpler fixes remotely via Java applets, Web pages and chat windows before resorting to surgery. This technology has the potential to slash support costs for both information technology departments and hardware and software vendors. Automated tools help keep your PC in working order, perform diagnosis and provide the fix when it malfunctions. Expert marketplaces match your needs with experts, who bid for the job and then talk you through the fix through a two-way chat window.