What's New? (2000 Archive)

Added tool reviews to the Repairware page to help diyers pick out the tools they need to work on appliances.

American Express Blue is now the official card of Fixitnow.com and Mr. Appliance of New Hampshire. The new Blue card from American Express is truely cool (I own one myself): no annual fee, revolving charges, it's the only card to use for internet transactions because of enhanced security technology--it has a microchip built in! Personally, I only use American Express cards. I have a corporate gold card for my business purchases and a cool Blue card for personal use. I do not use a Visa or Mastercard nor do I accept them in my appliance repair business because they are monopolistic ripoff organizations run by banks. Just click here for more information and to apply on-line.

Changed newsfeeds to Lycos. It's absolutely free to you but this website gets $0.03 per click through on either the stock quotes or news retrieval so, please, be informed! I need the operating money.

Added a live newsfeed in nine different categories in a pulldown menu at the top of the home page. These news feeds are actually pulled fresh from sources all over the world so you're assured of getting the most comprehensive, up-to-date news.

I've been forced to go with advertisers in order to keep running this site. I'll be adding many more ad banners in the near future, junking up the site so much that people will have a hard time finding the appliance stuff because of all the ads choking up the pages. The pages will probably become real slow loading, too, 'cause they'll be full of ad banners. Oh well, it was a either a clean site paid for by repairware or a junky, clunky site paid for by advertising. The people have spoken--advertising it is!

Completely re-designed the navigation of the site. Instead of the frame, I now use a text nav bar at the bottom of each page. A real pain in the *ss to make this change but it whould help some browsers and give the site a cleaner look.

Archived the What's New log for 1999 here.

Added yet another new link on the links page to The Virtual Repairman, run by Jim Campbell.

Added a new link on the links page to Appliance Factory Parts, a niche site that fills the gap in supplying parts for gas grills, humidifiers, and vacuum cleaners.

Folks, this website just ain't makin' it. It costs me too much money to operate each month and the spousal unit is pretty pissed that I'm spending so much time doing this when it doesn't do anything to feed the reproductive units. After an on-line consultation with fellow appliance guru, John Pahl, I've calculated that repairware (the information service you received from this website) needs to be a required fee of $19 under the Honor System (just like shareware). Please see the repairware page for the full story.

Added two, count 'em, two new Zaplets in the Appliantology Reading Room: "How Do I Replace My Fridge Door Gasket?" and "How Do I Take Apart My Dryer?"

Get your free, private email from Fixitnow.com! Packed with features including seamless integration into your email client (Outlook Express, Netscape, etc.), notification, spam filtering, and lots more! Show the world your appliance geek pride by getting an email address with YourName@Fixitnow.zzn.com!

Added live, real-time, real-human help. It's a cool new thing from HumanClick. Check it out now--click the chat icon at the top of the page. If I'm on-line, I'll talk to ya!

Added yet another Zaplet on dryer venting in the Appliantology Reading Room. DAMN, I'm sick of talking about this subject but people either don't read the other Zaplets on the subject or they just don't get it. (Question to self: why would someone spend the time to surf the web trying to find out why their dryer overheats or takes forever to dry, and then not bother to read the friggin' information when it's slappin' 'em upside the head right on their computer screen? Hmmm...I'll ponder this one over a beer.)

There got to be so many humor pages and non-appliance links that I had to collect them onto a separate page of Cool Stuff.

Added a new link to The Appliance Guy in the links page.

Added a new article to the Appliantology Reading Room on the hard facts about hard water.

Re-arranged the Appliantology Reading Room so that the articles are now grouped by appliance. This should make it much easier to find what you're looking for.

Added a new article to the Appliantology Reading Room on water fill problems with washers: flooding or no hot or and/or cold water.

Added a new article to the Appliantology Reading Room on identifying the manufacturer of your Kenmore appliance. No, Virginia, Sears did not make your Kenmore appliance. Someone else made it and they just sell it. And if you want me to help you fix it, I need to know who made it. How ya gonna know? Read it and weep.

Added a new article on what it takes to be a good Democrat.

Added a new article to the Appliantology Reading Room on identifying the type of icemaker you have. I wrote this one 'cause I was getting lots o' questions in the Do-It-Yourself Appliance Repair Forum about icemakers and the Gurus in the forum would invariable have to spend the first part of the thread trying to figger out what type of icemaker the person had. Well, this hyere Zaplet'll solve that right quick. Ya hey.

Fellow Appliance Guru John Pahl was kind enough to let me know that the Netscape browser really butchers my site, especially this page. I use style sheets to control the site's appearance and Netscape implements them differently than Internet Explorer. I'm not going to change the site just for Netscape users 'cause they only comprise about 13% of my user base, the remainder being almost all Internet Explorer. I will, however, provide the link ratcheer for you Netscapers to download Internet Explorer free:

Added a new Interactive Newsletter^® on how to make basic electrical tests because I discovered through interacting with Grasshoppers in the forum that most people didn't know how to do this most crucial first troubleshooting step.

Rounded up and exterminated the blue language on the website due to a single, but very reasonable, complaint.

Added a new article on Maintaining a healthy mental attitude while engaging in appliance repair. These practical, time-honored techniques can keep you from succumbing to the "Violent Appliance Death Syndrome" (VADS)--this tragic disease results in the merciless beating death of the appliance with a 10# sledge hammer by the frustrated DIYer. It is always fatal for the appliance and, ultimately, hugely embarrassing for the diseased individual.

Added two new articles on dryers to the Appliantology^® Reading Room.

Added an inspirational and touching page on things my customers love to hear to share my true, inner feelings for them. I love you, man!

Started adding the best of the Tips O' Da Week to the Appliantology^® Reading Room.

NEWSFLASH: Samurai Appliance Repair Man today announced his endorsement of Harry Browne, Libertarian Party, for President. In a statement earlier today, the Samurai dude explained that he, "wanted to vote for the Pot Party candidate dude but my wife told me there was no political party called the 'Pot Party.' Bummer, man. So I changed my endorsement to the Libertarian Party 'cause...uhhh...what was I saying?"

Added several new consumer education pages:

• Take the Cheesedork Challenge®.
• Things I've learned as an appliance tech.
• Affirmations for effective appliance repair.
• Is your appliance tech a cheese head? (not to be confused with cheesedork customers)
• Is your appliance tech a redneck?

I'm back, I'm black (in a manner of speaking), and I'm madder than hell (not really but it flows so layoff me). Yes, boys and girls, ladies and germs, after being out of service for more than six months due to a back injury and susequent surgery, I'm on the road again, fixing your stuff at your home.

Many of you were very depressed because you feared that the best appliance technician in the state of New Hampshire, yours truly, was permanently out of commission. Oh, contrare, Pierre (that's a little French lingo just to show that I am a cultured, educated, man-of-the-world. Hell, I'd even eat those little slimey snail things...if I was starving). If you need your broken appliances fixed, you call me at 763.2838 today to have it personally repaired (and autographed, if you like) by yours so very truly.

Added Links to our on-line Shaklee.net store. This is how we fund this website so if it has been helpful to you, please consider buying stuff you normally would buy anyway from us. Shaklee's products are top quality and fully guaranteed. C'mon, at least check out the store, we won't bite, honest.

Mr. Appliance Corporation bought the On-line Appliance Repair Manual and they operate it now at their server.