A few months ago, I rented a small boutique in historic downtown Westerly, which is a lovely old-fashioned brick retail walking area.

It’s in the heart of Westerly’s Historic District, complete with Victorian walking park right across the street. I am very fortunate to have found this room, even though it’s TINY, about 7×20. But, it is right across from the town library, and town hall, and has a nice big window and display block.

Solace now has a new look and new offerings. It’s now a computer learning facility. There are two types of learning: One-on-one personal, and small classes with no more than three students.

More information can be found at the new website, www.solacelearning.com. Please check it out and let me know what you think!

My target clientele is any user who wants to learn “street smarts” about computing. In trying to provide a unique method of learning, I am avoiding any cliches and sterile computer training preconceptions…

Many people who want to learn about computers/Internet cannot find the training they need because they get frightened away by a few key things. Certificate programs, price, location, intimidating websites - these are *not* user friendly, and they are certainly not targeting the beginner computer user.

This is where people can gain a little Solace. My office is boutique-like. The walls are painted a soothing sage green. There’s no picture of bland professionals in generic business suits on my website. And, most importantly, the classes I offer are practical in nature, and 100% hands-on. People can call for a one-on-one appointment, and bring in their own list of miscellaneous questions to go over for the 55-minute session.

The first two hands-on classes being offered are:

Protecting Your Privacy Online
1 hour
May 10th at 10:00AM

Preventing and Removing Adware/Spyware
2 hours
May 11th at 10:00AM

Email me here if you are interested in signing up for these classes.

Solace’s mission, framed with a big “Why we’re here” header:

Solace believes that everyone has a right to learn how to use the technology they have access to, and that education should be affordable, and easy to find. We also believe that everyone should learn how to use the Internet respectfully and safely, both for their own sake, and the sake of others who are using the same Internet on the same global network with them. Solace supports open-source software, which promotes global learning and improving technology.

Why did I add the disclaimer about the open-source software? It’s actually in the hopes that many people will ask me about it. Many, many home users I come across on a daily basis don’t realize they have a choice in what software they use. It’s all about which they *prefer*, and not necessarily what came with their computer. Internet browsers, anti-virus, there are LOTS of choices. Let’s build an awareness!

Anyway, that’s my big news. And why you haven’t heard from me in awhile.

Somerville, MA
The New England based Stop & Shop grocery store chain has long sold generic brand products, such as selling “Sierra Mist” instead of Mountain Dew soda. Other examples include “Tasteeos”, the generic version of General Mill’s Honey Nut Cheerios, and “Fruity O’s”, better known as Kellogg’s Froot Loops.

Now they are cashing in on the technology industry.

Generic brands, sold with the absence of a brand logo, is a common practice among pharmaceuticals such as CVS and big grocery chains. Many times, the products are created on the same factory line, and split off to get its new brand-free label. To keep costs down, the generic brand is usually free of a few ingredients. Canned fruit cocktail may have less cherries, which are generally the most expensive of the bunch. Generic brand mixed nuts will have a higher ratio of peanuts.

What will make their technology line different, besides being free of the burdens of advertising? An absence of a manual, for one. Technical support will be unavailable, as will warranty service.

Here’s what you can look for on the shelves soon at Stop & Shop: a cell phone device capable of email will be a small unit known simply as “The Raspberry”. Customers can have their choice of in-store cell phone providers, Plural and BeforeSay. Their e-mail service, being offered later this month, is the nondescript “A Nation Connected.”

Most consumers are delighted at being able to stretch their one-stop-shopping habits even further, however, not everyone is as happy.

Sam McGill, an employee at America Online, is not pleased. He works at the boxing facility, and says his headaches have just begun. “Now we have two different wrappers for the same piece of software, our lives are twice as difficult. Although”, he brightened, “I suppose we can do it quicker because there’s no manual.”

Others are just plain annoyed. “You’d think they’d at least change the color of the little yellow man,” according to Barry Evans of Newport, RI.

As for selling the technology? No problem. Stop & Shop grocery stores routinely have fast turnaround employees of high school students ? and no one knows the technology better than they do. Suddenly they are in high demand. “I was making, like, $6.75 an hour last week,” said Stephanie, a local sophomore. “Monday they came up to me and offered me $50,000 a year if I’d, like, tell people how IM works. Oh, wait a sec, I’m not allowed to call it that anymore, ‘quick chat’, I mean. Do you know how many iTunes songs I can buy with $50,000? D’oh, I mean, like eSongs.”

Asked if the lack of manual will discourage buyers, Stop & Shop President Marc Smith had the following to say: “Who reads it anyway?”

Founded in 1914, Stop & Shop is a 46-million dollar retail grocery store, the largest grocery chain in New England.

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