Posted on: Tuesday, December 11, 2001

Wired In
Procrastinators can turn to Web for shopping ideas

By John Yaukey
Gannett News Service

Gannett News Service

Despite all of last year's promises, you've done it again: put off those last few gifts until you can hear the jangling chains of "A Christmas Carol's" Jacob Marley approaching.

To make matters worse, you're buying for the geeks on your list.

Picky geeks.

Well, worry not.

In the spirit of Dickens' famous Christmas Eve ghosts, this guide might save you with some can't-fail, last-minute gift ideas — most of which you can buy from the comfort of your laptop.

And don't sweat your credit rating because none of them will put you in debtors' prison.

In fact, some are free.

Despite his epiphany, Scrooge would still appreciate that.

Computer books

If you know someone who is just starting out with computers or a student who is studying programming or networking in school, consider giving one of the thousands of titles available at local bookstores or online at sites such as Amazon (amazon.com) or Barnes and Noble (bn.com). Computer books range in price from about $20 to as much as $60 and cover a range of topics and experience levels. Some, such as the popular "Dummies" series from Hungry Minds Inc. teach the basics of operating systems, the Internet and programs, such as Microsoft Office, with humorous, step-by-step instructions. Others, such as the "Missing Manuals" titles from O'Reilly Press (missingmanuals.com), are designed to supplement the limited documentation that accompanies some commercial software, such as Windows XP and Windows Me. Many titles, such as Adobe's "Classroom in a Book" series, even include a helpful CD-ROM with demonstration versions of popular software and tutorial lessons.

Memory

It might sound a bit ironic to buy memory as a gift for someone you've forgotten, but they're sure to appreciate it because just a little can go a long way toward boosting computer performance. And it has never been so essential and so inexpensive.

Users of the latest operating systems — Windows XP and Mac OS X — will see dramatic improvements in performance if they double the amount of memory recommended for each operating system from 128 megabytes (MB) to 256MB. It won't cost much either. A recent perusal of CNET's shopping site (cnet.com) found 128MB of memory for $22.88, and 256MB for as low as $37.83. Make sure to check the specs of the recipient's computer so you're sure to get the right memory modules.

Digital pictures

Photographers can send the gift of photos over the Web. Digital photo processing Web sites let you crop, brighten and remove the red eyes from your photos and then plaster them all over calendars, T-shirts, mouse pads and other knickknacks. And if you don't have a digital camera or computer, you can take your film to a developer, and have it digitized. Personalized mouse pads run about $10 each while a T-shirt will cost about $15.

Digital photo printing services include Fuji (www.fujifilm.net), Kodak (kodak.photonet.com), Ofoto (ofoto.com), PhotoAccess (photoaccess.com) and Shutterfly (shutterfly.com). Make sure to allow a week for delivery.

Your expertise

Know the difference between bits and bytes? Then consider using your tech savvy as a potential gift to someone who needs a little tutoring. Print a gift certificate redeemable for a few tutorial sessions or perhaps an evening of technical consulting for someone struggling with configuration problems. You don't need to be an IT professional. Just a basic understanding of computers and the ability to work through instructions can be helpful for a novice. Hint to teens and college students: Parents will appreciate the advice and chance to spend time with you.

Bookmarks

Short on cash and time? Compile a list of Web site bookmarks related to the favorite hobby of someone on your list. A list of well researched, handpicked Web sites is a gift just about anyone can appreciate.

All you have to do is surf the Web, collecting bookmarks as you go. Save them as separate files, and share them on a floppy disk, send them by e-mail or burn them on a CD-ROM.

Tech stocks

Don't laugh; a few bucks can go a long way here. After their double-digit slide since the beginning of the year, tech stocks are cheap. And with 10 rapid-fire cuts in the prime rate by the Fed, they're sure to come back at some point.

Just go to Gomez (gomez.com), look for discount brokerages with no minimum purchase restrictions, and then look for undervalued companies with solid fundamentals.

Leonard Fischer contributed to this report.