Cybercafe Help
 

I am ok using computers but far from a technical person. When we go to Europe this fall, I'm not taking my laptop but will use a cybercafe to communicate with the home front. Problem is I've always used my laptop and never used a cybercafe. I read that there are different keyboards. I'd appreciate reassurance about their ease of use, ability to get help if you need it, access to standard portals like yahoo, etc. Thanks....low tech Bob

The keyboards may be just a little different, but nothing to worry about. Couple of the letters are placed differently, that's about it.
Just make sure you have your sign-in name and password with you for whatever site you want to access. I know how it is with your own laptop. I have all my passwords memorized by Windows on my laptop, so occasonally I run into a problem checking a site on a public computer because I can't remember the password. :-)

Some email providers can be hard to access. It's a good idea to have a free yahoo. address (or hotmail, or one of the others) for travel like this.

The weirdest thing I've found is that in some countries the "@" seems to be really hard to find! And that's an important key for emailing.

Having just returned from Italy, I found a number of different keyboards available there - but all were relatively easy to use. The @ key actually appeared as a third character on some keys and required a control/alt/shift manuever. If you can't get anything to work, there is usually someone who can help you. Also, different places have different styles of payment. Many have someone who notes what computer you're at and then when you are finished tells you how long you used it and how much you owe them. One of the big internet cafes in Rome has you buy a ticket from a machine - you put in an amount of money and that buys you so much time. Then you go to a computer and enter the code number on the ticket, which keeps track of the time you use. Again, you'll be able to figure it out, or someone will be willing to help you.
Martha

Here's an example of a keyboard at a Paris cybercafe:

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/tim...;.dnm=4aaa.jpg

It just takes a little longer to type because you have to hunt and peck for every character, but there's no difference in how you use them.

Very good advice above, though, to be sure you have a list of web sites that you want to access and that you know your userid/password for all of them!

In most cybercafes in France you can find an American keyboard. The French one is frustrating if you're a touch typist, as the period requires use of the cap key, and there are other anomalies that force you to look frequently at the keyboard.

We just got back from Italy and I used a hotel computer for my e-mail. The lady ahead of me hated it because the keyboard was a bit different and she also had trouble accessing her account for some reason.

I had to hunt for the @ sign which was a third of the way from the right side of the keyboard on the third row up and was a three-character key. You used a key below and a bit to the left of it at the same time and it worked. As mentioned above, a few characters are in different places and there were a couple missing (greater than & lesser than).

The lady ahead of me (who never used the computer again!) said the desk clerk helped her several times. I didn't ask but I'm sure he would have been happy to help me. At a cybercafé, someone would have to help you. It's their business.

It took a few times before I was comfortable, but you get used to it pretty quickly. Someone told me that at some cybercafés they have a few American keyboards, so you might ask.

It might be a good idea to copy the http address (URL) of your e-mail site. That's how I accessed mine and it worked very easily. The lady ahead of me was trying to use hotmail and didn't have much luck. She did finally connect but the desk clerk was the one who actually did it for her. If she'd had the URL, I think she would have been much happier. I just typed mine in, hit return and was online.

Don't worry about it. There is always someone who is happy to help you.

Thank you everyone for the info on cybercafes. I feel more confidant. I'm creating a notecard with userids, passwords and urls and guarding it like a credit card. Bob

You might familiarise yourself with www.mail2web.com

This allows you to receive and send emails on the web - if your ISP doesn't provide the service - as if from your normal email address, without bothering with hotmail or Yahoo accounts.

Try it before leaving home, as it will probably ask you for data about your email account you'll never think to take with you otherwise.

Just a reminder.
Make sure that you completely log out and close your browser(s) after using public computers, i.e. cybercafes.

Dear low tech Bob~
yawning has a good point! A friend of mine was on a computer in Europe, and some days later, another friend used that computer and found that our friend was still logged on!! Not many people have such good luck with that sort of mistake.
In Paris there is a lovely cyber cafe, right off of rue St Andre des Artes called Cyber Cube or something like that..we used them at least once a day during our last stay-keyboards were fine..
It is run by students from the Sorbonne and they all speak English and can be very helpful~

Great advice. Particularly being sure to log out. Not sure if I'll just use my yahoo email or set something up at www.mail2web.com. Thanks.

I find that everywhere I go, it is easy to use Hotmail. I have Yahoo and Comcast but hotmail is good for travel.

Bob,
I've used the French keyboards, and while it's slower, you can always go back and fix your mistakes. I'm far from a technical person, and they were pretty easy to access. I didn't find a whole lot of help available, but my husband and I were able to figure it out. We were using the EasyInternet café in the Latin Quarter, but that has now closed... I think all the EasyInternet cafés have closed in Paris. A new one that was recommended to me is:

Access Academy at
60-62, rue Saint André des Artes
Paris 75006

Best,
Sandy

I use a yahoo address when we're in Paris, and it works fine.

Best,
Sandy

I use a yahoo address whenever we travel and have never had any trouble accessing the account. In Paris I couldn't figure out the @ key, so if someone wasn't set up in my address book, they didn't hear from me! If you are near Place de Italie, there is a small internet shop off Gobelins that I found fairly convenient once we were able to find it, although they didn't speak much English. After awhile, I didn't care anymore if my m, w or a was wrong in a word, I figured my kids would work it out when they got the email!

Just got back from Florida and saw the additional posts. Thanks. I feel very comfortable with using the internet and have decided to communicate via email vs. renting/buying a cell phone. Bob