Posted on: Tuesday, December 25, 2001

Q & A
Key offers shortcut for reaching end of a line

Tamara E. Holmes

Q: I've never been able to figure out what the "End" key on my keyboard is supposed to do. What does it end?

A: The "End" key doesn't end anything. Rather, it is designed to help you to more easily maneuver your cursor about a screen or document. If you press the "End" key while inside of a document, it will most likely take you to the end of the line you're currently working on.

Q: What happens to my e-mail address if my Internet service provider goes out of business? Is there any way that I can transfer it to another service?

A: Unless another company buys your Internet service provider (ISP) and decides to maintain the accounts and e-mail addresses of the old ISP, chances are you're going to have to create a new e-mail address with another Internet service provider. The fact that Internet users generally can't take their e-mail addresses with them is one of the drawbacks to changing Internet providers, and for many people it's the reason they stay loyal to one provider over time. To avoid going through this hassle, some people turn to services, such as Host Express.com (www.hostexpress. com/aliasf.html), that "alias" e-mail addresses and forward them to another real e-mail address.

Q: Is a 'fatal error' as serious as it sounds?

A: In computing terms, "fatal errors" generally don't cause as much damage as the term implies. They do, however, tend to be more annoying than some other computer errors because fatal errors often require computer users to restart their computers or back out of an application. If you get a fatal error one day out of the blue, it may not be time to panic. However, if you get them frequently, particularly when using the same software applications, you might need to re-install the software or call technical support to see if a support person can help you figure out the underlying problem. Diagnostic software, which often is included with new PCs from manufacturers such as Dell, Compaq and IBM, also can help narrow down the cause of errors.

Tamara E. Holmes, assistant technology editor at usatoday.com, answers questions daily at usatoday.com/tech.htm.