How I Figure Things Out

	I like to figure stuff out. I mean, I REALLY LIKE to figure stuff out. I think it’s the thrill of the hunt, ya know? I know the solution is out there somewhere. If I can just piece together
photo by Mrs Logic	enough clues, if I can just get a push in

the right direction, if I just get the first step, I can usually make the rest of it fall into place.

I’m not saying this to brag, this is just the way it usually happens for me. That first step, though, is usually the most elusive. So, I’ve developed a toolbox of places that I return to, time and again, to get answers.

These places are where I’ve found the most correct solutions to problems. I can be assured that when I have something to figure out, most of the time, these URLs provide a very handy jumping off point.

I’d like to share them with YOU, so maybe you can get some similar results with them.

Snopes.com

People come to me with questions about virii and hoaxes all the time. When I suspect that something is a hoax, my first stop is Snopes. Usually, all it takes is grabbing some text from the hoax email, and plugging it into Snope’s search engine.

Even better, they track issues that people have claimed are hoaxes, but instead turn out to be real issues. This helps prevent false positives, and tells me I need to do some further digging.

Chip Pearson’s page

I also get a lot of Excel questions, as I know a good bit about it. When ever I have a doozy, I head straight to Chip Pearson’s page. The level of knowledge there is second-to-none.

One of the best part’s about Chip’s page is that he gives solutions for both formulae, and also VBA. I like having that flexibility when I need to implement a solution.

Also, lots of problems are broken up into specific pages covering a narrow topic. That way, you don’t have to comb through question forums and hope you hit on the correct search term. A premium website filled with good stuff.

MakeUseOf

If my question is a bit broader, or I need more of a workaround instead of a solution, I almost always go to MakeUseOf.com. They have several writers at that site, and they cover a broad range of topics that pertain to software or hardware use. Typing a keyword or two into their search engine will almost always give me some good results.

Another cool thing about MakeUseOf is that you can just browse the articles. I often find solutions for problems I don’t even know I have. Their information is always of the highest quality, and they do their homework. An awesome site.

Instructables

Sometimes, I like to get all DIY up in here. And there’s no better place for Do-It-Yourself-ers than Instructables.com. Their information is project-based, and comes straight from the hardware hacker side of the internet.

You can often find a unique and home-brewed solution, as long as you approach it with an open mind. My philosophy is “Any landing you walk away from is a good one”, so I really appreciate the creative ways of dealing with things. And if you’re looking for a weekend project, there’s no better place to find one, on any subject you can imagine.

AllFacebook

Finally, when I need to get something done on Facebook, I always visit AllFacebook.com. They often have FB news and updates before anyone else, and they have a wide range of articles that explain many facets of our beloved black-hole-of-free-time. Check ‘em out for the latest Facebook news.

So, those are my go-to sites when I need a solution to a problem. With those 5, I can usually cover most situations that come up.

What are YOUR favorite problem-solving sites?

I’d love to hear the sites that YOU use to solve issues. Give ‘em up, whatta ya got? Don’t be shy if it’s a different topic.

Regards,

p.s. Tomorrow will be my 50TH BLOG POST! Woo hoo! Make sure to stop by for something special!