While the Macintosh platform is much easier to use than others, there are still bumps in the road for many new users. It is often difficult to get help from retail stores because there is no money in free help. Forget trying to get help from the warehouses and mail-order folks. After that, hand holding over the telephone will cost money. Mac clone vendors have similar services, and Motorola even has a limited, five-year warranty.
User groups are some of the best sources of information.
The Stockton Apple Users Group meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Nolan Apostle publishes an online magazine and has a traveling road show called the High Tech Arena for people to try out new equipment and technology. Apostle reported that many new Mac users were small-business owners just getting started with computers. A list is a free, subscription interactive e-mail service through which people ask questions and get answers on a general topic. Every major software company has an e-mail help list and a Web page.