Q&A
Some ISPs limit accumulation of in-box e-mail

By Tamara E. Holmes
USA Today Assistant Tech Editor

Q. A number of people have told me that they've tried to e-mail me but they keep getting error messages saying my mailbox is too full. Is there a limit to the number of e-mail messages you can receive, and if so, what is the limit?

A. Some Internet service providers do limit not the number of e-mail messages you can receive, but rather the number of e-mail messages you can have sitting in your in-box at any given time. Messages that sit in your in-box take up space on the mail server. Many ISPs will impose limits on the number of messages you can store in your in-box. When the limit has been passed, e-mail generally will be bounced back to the senders with a message stating that the recipient's e-mail box is full.

Q. If I buy a digital camera, I'll never have to pay for film again?

A. Digital cameras do not use film. However, keep in mind that you'll pick up other costs, namely those associated with printing supplies such as photo-quality paper and replacement cartridges for your printer. An alternative to printing out pictures yourself would be utilizing an online photo printing service such as Shutterfly.

Q. Could you name some of the companies that specialize in software for small children?

A. Humongous Entertainment is one of the bigger companies, with many of its software titles combining educational lessons with entertaining characters. Its Putt Putt line of software and Pajama Sam series, featuring a car and a superhero, respectively, are among the more popular titles. Disney Interactive produces "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire For Kids" and several titles based on movies such as "Aladdin" and "The Lion King." The Learning Co. produces many software programs for children including "Scooby Doo Jinx at the Sphinx" and "Kid Pix Deluxe 3."

Q. How do I know what type of expansion card I should buy for my personal digital assistant (PDA)?

A. There are a number of different technologies, such as CompactFlash cards, SecureDigital/Multimedia cards and Sony Memory Sticks, all of which offer added capabilities to PDAs. Among the types of enhancements expansion cards can provide are increased memory and a boost in data storage capability. However, different PDAs support different expansion technologies and many are not cross-compatible.

Holmes answers questions daily at USA Today's Tech site.