Press releases

O'Reilly Launches AnnoyancesCentral.com

Press release: July 28, 2005

Viruses and worms, spam and bugs, cranky software, hardware that won't work, online identity thieves, lousy documentation and customer support--these are just a few of the computing challenges consumers face every day. Mix in new technology, new products, and new software, and you've got even bigger headaches. To provide some serious relief, O'Reilly is launching AnnoyancesCentral.com--a resource for real world/real time help, delivered with wit and some much needed humor by the authors of the "Annoyances" book series.

AnnoyancesCentral.com has three key areas where visitors can find expert help and amusing commentary. The "Experts' Blogs" section is where authors share their insight and answer your questions. The "Daily Fix" provides tips, tricks, and fixes for a variety of computing woes, culled from our popular "Annoyances" book series. "Robert's Rants" are the musings and rants of O'Reilly's in-house curmudgeon, and Executive Editor, Robert Luhn. To launch the new site, O'Reilly and Onfolio are offering a free download of RSS reader 2.0, so visitors can get daily fixes and tips delivered right to their desktops.

Free Software--Onfolio RSS Reader
All visitors to Annoyancescentral.com, can not only learn about RSS technology--how it works, and how it can deliver specific, valuable, and useful content--but download a free, fully working copy of the Onfolio 2.0 RSS reader.

Daily Fix
Every day, a new technology annoyance is featured in this section with expert fixes and tips from the authors of the Annoyances series. You'll find help on using the Internet, Microsoft Office applications from Word to Excel, the Mac, home networking, computer privacy, and more.

Experts' Blogs
Our featured bloggers are the expert authors of the popular "Annoyances" book series. They include a core group of award-winning technology writers, computer journalism pros, and highly successful, prolific authors:

  • Steve Bass--Personal computing authority, and long-time PC World columnist, is the author of PC Annoyances
  • Guy Hart Davis--Computing expert and author of over 30 computer books, has penned such classics as Word Annoyances and the forthcoming Office Annoyances"
  • Dan Tynan--Internet privacy and security expert, a former PC World editor, and an award-winning technology writer with nearly twenty years of experience
  • Preston Gralla--Internet and Windows guru, founding managing editor of PC Week, founding editor of PC/Computing, and author of Internet Annoyances and PC Pest Control
  • Phil Mitchell--MS Access whiz and instructor, is also a software developer focusing on data modeling and developing database applications

Robert's Rant
Our in-house curmudgeon, and executive editor, Robert Luhn, takes an irreverent view of computer annoyances (after all, he has been annoyed since birth.) A former Editor in Chief of Computer Currents and Executive Editor at CNET, he's spent way too many years fixing computers, formatting hard drives, and wishing for a time machine ride back to 1887.

About the Annoyances Book Series
O'Reilly Media introduced the "Annoyances" book series to provide pinpoint, real-world help for consumers suffering the slings and arrows of computing. In an easy-to-read format, each book delivers solutions--quick fixes, tips and advice, pointers to problem-solving utilities, deep background on key technologies, and more, all aimed at saving your sanity and improving your productivity.

For expert fixes, tips and advice, visit www.AnnoyancesCentral.com

About O’Reilly

O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

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