Got a question about your Mac, its software, iPod, or iPhone?  There are several good ways to get help, most of which don’t require any monetary expenditure or time lost on hold waiting for the “next available representative”.

First, check out the “Support” section of Apple’s website, accessible through the Support tab at the top of Apple’s home page (a broadband internet connection will make the process faster and more productive).  Support information is provided in a number of ways:  Articles, Discussions, Manuals, and Video Tutorials.  Information is organized by product, so you can quickly click through to your particular Apple gizmo.

You can start by simply typing a question, in plain English, in the search field at the top of the page.  For example, type in “How do I change the backlight settings on my iPod” and you’ll get a list of 150 “hits” referring to the procedure.  Obviously, the more specific the question the more specific the results will be.  And, the more you know about the Apple product you have, the faster you’ll find results.  Like, do you have a second or third generation iPod nano, or, which version of iPod software are you using - those kinds of details.

If you can’t find an answer in the tech articles, or your question is more “off the wall”, try the “Discussions” section of the Support site.  There you’ll find “threads” similar to other online forums, where you can see how other people have answered questions or solved problems similar to yours.  You can input a question in the “Search Discussion” field, or select a product and go directly to the Discussions about that product.

When I get “stumped” by a question or problem (I know, I know, it’s hard to believe) I go to the Discussions.  99% of the time someone else is experiencing the same or similar problem, and 80% of the time I’ll find the answer among the threads.  One caution: although the threads are moderated by Apple support folks, proceed at your own risk.  Specific Mac configurations are as varied and diverse as individual users, so another user’s remedy might be your poison.

On the Support site you can also access video tutorials describing how to accomplish common Mac tasks (even more is you’re a .Mac subscriber via www.mac.com) and specific illustrated and step-by-step “How Tos”.  Check it out.