Tablet PC and the Best of the Online Community
Published: April 19, 2004
By Dennis Rice
Okay—here's the situation. You either already took the plunge and bought a Tablet PC, or are poised on the edge of a major purchase decision and are anguishing over what to buy. Now what do you do? You know you need help, but where to get it? The local computer store where you bought your tablet or inquired about the different models was clueless, to say the least. Your favorite uncle's cousin's brother-in-law you usually turn to for computer help said, "What's a Tablet PC?" So is there anybody out there to help you with this dilemma? Well, I am happy to say the answer is a resounding, "Yes!" There are literally hundreds of qualified people out there waiting to come to your assistance as you wade through this new territory, and they can even make it a fun and personal event in the process. There are also scores of other people in this situation, and they are out there asking questions, learning from each other, and having a good time in what we will refer to as the "Tablet Community."
Communities 101
To find the communities that are most helpful to you personally and are fun to be a part of, you must first understand the form that different communities take. There are basically three general types of online user communities:
| • | Web sites and discussion forums—I group these together for a reason. These are normal Web sites (you know, the http://www.somesite.com kind), that have normal content with news, links, features, and reviews. What they may also have is a feature called a discussion forum. A forum is an area that has discussions organized into categories on separate pages (for example, Tablet PC Hardware, and Tablet PC Software). Inside of these categories, people post what are generally called threads, or topics. Basically you fill out a form on a Web page and post your questions, and people reply and provide their views and answers on your topic. Forums tend to be pretty well organized. |
| • | Newsgroups—Newsgroups are a sort of a shared inbox that anyone can send mail to and read mail from. You send (or post in newsgroup lingo) an e-mail message with your question to a newsgroup, and it is placed in a group inbox for all to see. Potentially thousands of people (depending on the newsgroup) read that post, and generally someone will respond thus starting a thread of discussion. Chances are, you will get an answer and the responses will be lively, interesting, and most likely, informative. |
| • | Chat rooms—These are places that have one unique thing in common—they are live. These work well for immediate answers if you can find a chat room open when you need it. Chat rooms are a place for people to go, chat, and have a group conversation on a common topic. They vary in their software requirements, but most work fine in your Web browser nowadays. |
The State of the Community
As is the case with any new technology, when the Tablet PC was first introduced there were lots of startup Web sites and newsgroups with people interested in the newest hardware and version of the Windows XP operating system. Some lasted, some did not, and some are still out there but are inactive or have old information. I personally started on this journey in October 2002 when I first developed an interest in the Tablet PC. I joined a few communities, met lots of nice people, shared information and finally settled into a smaller subset of the whole that seemed to provide the best information and feeling of community. I wanted to share with you what I personally feel are "Tablet's Best" in the world of online communities, and where to go when you need information. These are the places that (in my opinion), are alive, well, and active! Depending on the kind of information you are looking for, you may need to go to multiple places.
Web Sites and Discussion Forums
 | Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition—The place to start for things Microsoft is the Microsoft Web site. There are lots of good current articles, but especially take a look at the Demos and Hardware Tours, as well as the various articles written specifically for the Tablet PC. |
 | Tablet PC Buzz—Owner / Editor Spencer Goad had a vision to create a good community relative to the Tablet PC, and he succeeded. The "Buzz" as it is known by its forum members, has several nice features, but is best known for its discussion forums and for being probably the most active Tablet PC community. This site currently has more than 6,700 members with over 9,000 topics, and 65,000 posts. There are at least six Microsoft Tablet PC MVPs active in these forums, plus many, many more qualified people. Spencer offers a weekly Tablet PC e-mail newsletter plus periodic contests. |
 | TabletPCTalk—A great site for news that also has interviews with people involved in Tablet PC software and hardware. These are knowledgeable Tablet PC people, and their content changes regularly. |
 | TheTabletPC—Created and maintained by Terri Stratton, a very active Tablet MVP who is known for her expertise. Her site has lots and lots of hardware tables, comparisons and general tablet information, which she strives to keep up to date. You will also find Terri as a very active member and valuable contributor to the Microsoft Tablet PC newsgroups. |
 | WhatisNew.com—Lots of Tablet PC & computer industry news, reviews, opinions and stories, and is dedicated to discussions of new products and trends in the computer industry, how-tos, consumer tips, and having a little fun. Tablet PC information is contributed by Lora Heiny, Layne Heiny, Christopher Coulter, manufacturers, and many other Tablet PC enthusiasts. |
News Groups
Microsoft Tablet PC Newsgroups—This is a very active area, with lots of good people and posts. There is a lot of information being discussed here, and there are a number of Microsoft MVPs and employees involved in monitoring questions and answers. This is a great place to go for quick answers, but it can get a little overwhelming with the pure volume of people involved, and is a very busy place!
Chat Rooms
Monthly Microsoft Chat—Occurs every second Tuesday of the month at 3:00 P.M. Pacific Time. One of the most interactive events, but only occurring at specific times. If you enjoy chat rooms, it is a great place to get information from Microsoft, as these are run by Microsoft staff members. There are specific topics at times, but also days that are just for general Q&A information.
Other Sites Worth Visiting
There are also a number of industry-, subject-, or manufacturer-specific sites that are useful if you have more specific needs. These sites are too numerous to mention, but here are a few that I use on a regular basis:
| • | GotDotNet for TabletPC—GotDotNet is the premier community Web site for .Net development. Microsoft recently moved all their content from the previous site (tabletpcdeveloper.com) to GotDotNet, and you will find Microsoft developers and many others here discussing development of Tablet PC applications. There are lots of how-tos, user samples, and information on programming tools and companies. |
| • | TabletPCTraining.com—This is the official Tablet PC site of The Leszynski Group, one of the most active Tablet PC developer companies. They offer training as well as developer tools and resources, and are the authors of several Power Toys for the tablet. I mention them specifically because they are doing some Tablet PC Mobility Education events that are free to the public and look to be promising as Tablet PC information resources. |
| • | MedicalTabletPC.com—Chris Wilkerson, another Tablet MVP, has done a great job here with information on using tablets in the medical field. |
| • | TC-One-Thousand.com—If you are a prospective or current Hewlett Packard or Compaq Tablet owner, Dr. Christopher James has a very good site specifically for you. The site has lots of good technical info, as well as setup and tweaking information for the TC1000 and TC1100. |
Subscribe to Your Own Discussion Thread
A little-known process for keeping up with your own Web site discussion forum questions or comments that you post, or just for watching an interesting discussion on a Tablet PC issue, is to subscribe to the topic. I do this all the time to keep up with important items. The process will differ on different Web sites and forums, but most will have a "Subscribe to this topic" link when you create a post. It will require you to register with the site, and provide a valid e-mail address, but it will then send you an e-mail message anytime someone responds to that topic. Be careful though—an active topic will generate a lot of e-mail messages!
In Conclusion
Become a part of the community! One of my favorite quotes is an anonymous one, "We are wise by other people's experience." The Tablet PC community is a way to gain wisdom through communicating with others and more sites are created each day as people discover this wonderful technology. Spend some time visiting these and other sites you find, and you will be a part of a community of friendly folks, eager to please. As you learn, share your new knowledge with others, I think you will find it a very enjoyable and fulfilling experience.
I hope this quick review has been helpful. I am very passionate about the Tablet PC and its potential. There are no doubt other sites and information relative to the Tablet PC and the list grows daily. If you have some good ones, please share them with me via e-mail at drice@saliantech.com. If you have a Tablet PC topic you'd like to see me write on, suggest that as well.
Good luck building your own best list, and good luck on your journey as you learn to "Think Ink"!
Related Links:
Microsoft Sites
3rd Party News and forums:
Chats:
Developer / Training / Events
Newsgroups:
Dennis Rice is a systems engineer (MCP, MCSA, MCSE), developer, and consultant working from Brunswick, GA. He served for 16 years as IT Director for an international organization doing systems management, design, and installation for an extensive Microsoft LAN, WAN, and email network in the U.S., Africa, and South America. With experience in a large range of Microsoft products, he offers independent systems services to small and medium businesses and is currently learning development for the Tablet PC platform. You will find Dennis in newsgroups, on TabletPCBuzz.com in the forums, and participating in other Tablet PC communities. In April of 2003 Dennis was awarded Microsoft MVP recognition for his participation and work with the Tablet PC community.
