InBox

By DON McALLISTER

Welcome to InBox, where we attempt to answer your internet questions.

Q. Ruth sent Inbox a website address for a Norton System Works 2003 offer that entered her email. Is it safe to pay the bargain price to them for this well known product?

A. A quick domain search with www.networksolutions.com explains the owner is not a registered company and has only a post box number listed - no street address. The email contact is a yahoo.com free account and worse still the "Secure Order" page is not secure. Not to be able to verify who the seller is is always a bad sign. As they say, "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is".

Q. Jenny is confused. She regularly shops online yet there are often two versions of many products with the OEM one usually the cheaper option. What's the difference?

A. It stands for "original equipment manufacturer", Jenny. Generally it means parts have been bulk-sourced by an end product manufacturer to assemble in their products. Often retail packaging or paperwork isn't included. In most cases an OEM product can save dollars, but may not include key extras.

Q. For an alternative to a costly digital camera purchase, Ken suggests a service offered by many film developers - a CD of 35mm film images plus negatives and a proof sheet. He uses "Color City", which has seven branches in Auckland and charges $14.95 for the lot.

A. Here's another option. Though this doesn't give you the negatives, it gives you the digital images direct to your computer via the internet - plus it's cheaper! Extrafilm Australia offers this New Zealand service: you send them your film (via an Auckland box number) to return as digital images via email (usually within 5-7 days). Up to 27 exposures costs $6.50 and up to 36 exposures $8.50.


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