Whiz-bang Frequently Asked Questions (and their answers!) UPDATE: We have learned that Whiz-Bang! is not compatible with Windows 7 or Vista. It is now on the list of projects for our website guys to work on.. but that is already a rather long list. It could easily be 2012 before we have a new updated version of Whiz-Bang. In the meantime, we will continue to send out notifications via our website email announcements. You may also have noticed that we have started to take the old catalog down on Thursday or Friday before a new one opens, replacing it on the home page with a wrapped-up cover of the new catalog and displaying the opening time countdown clock below that. At that time a news article about the new catalog is posted also. So, when you also remember that our catalogs generally open on a Monday (unless there is a holiday on Monday), it is pretty easy to stay up to date on when the new one is coming out. As soon as a new version of Whiz-Bang! is available, we will make an announcement and have it on the website as a free download. Q: How much does this cost? A: This service is offered free of charge. Hard to beat free! Q: How often will these messages appear on my screen? A: Not very often. This is intended to be used like the email notifications, which only come out prior to a catalog opening. Expect to see a new message once every 6-8 weeks. Q: So, how will I know if Whiz-Bang! is working? A: You will see this small icon located in your system tray: if that icon is there, then Whiz-Bang! is installed and working. Q: I have Dial-Up internet. Can I use Whiz-Bang!? A: Yes you can! Whiz-Bang! checks the website for new messages once per hour, so if you are never connected for more than an hour, you could miss a message. Q: Will this take up a bunch of space or slow down my computer? A: No. Whiz-Bang was specifically designed to be small and not interfere with other programs. That is one reason why it only checks for new messages once an hour. We would have made it once per day, but needed to make it more frequent to accomodate customers with dial-up. Q: So why the big (25mb) download size? A: We bundled it with a windows installer and Microsoft’s .net application (needed to run Whiz-Bang!). Many computers already have these, but we wanted to save you the extra steps if yours did not. The installer determines whether or not you have them, and if you already do, they are not installed. Q: My dial-up connection died in the middle of downloading the program. Is there any other way for me to get Whiz-Bang!? A: Yes. Just email us with your name and address, and we will send you a copy on CD for free. Q: My computer warns me that I should not download this: what do I do? A: You might see warning messages because the program is an .exe file, or because the publisher is not recognized by your machine. Don’t worry. This is just standard security warnings to help you avoid downloading things that you do not want. In this case (we presume) Whiz-Bang! is something that you want, and you know who we are, so go ahead with the download. Q: Why should I use this? A: Whiz-Bang was designed to give you advance notice of upcoming AGM catalog posting dates and times. We used to do this exclusively by email, but more and more customers tell us that they "did not get their email notification." Though plenty of good stuff is available and gets sold in the weeks following a catalog opening, the fact of the matter is that nearly half of the items sell within the first day. Knowing ahead of time when the catalog opens gives you a significant advantage. Q: Will you still be sending email notifications? A: Yes. Though the ’spam’ filters take these emails away from many customers before they even get to see them, there are many others who do not have this problem. We have no plans to discontinue sending the emails. Q: I got the last notice just fine - why should I install Whiz-Bang!? A: Just because you got the last catalog notice does not mean that you will get the next one. Internet service providers are constantly changing their filter plans. We are constantly getting emails from customers saying "hey - why didn’t you send me a notice this catalog?", together with emails from others saying "hey - you fixed it! I got my notice this time!" It is hard to explain that we have not changed a thing - instead, their internet service providers are the ones that are playing with the dials and switches. There seems to be no way for us to control or predict who will or will not receive the emails, so Whiz-Bang seemed to be the only logical answer. Q: If I install this, will you be able to see what is on my computer? A: No (Bill), we cannot see what is on your computer. We would like to, but are too busy fixing the black helicopters. Seriously, this is one-way communication. Your computer checks our website to see if there is a new message, and if there is one, it tells you about it. Once installed, there is no way for us to even know who has it and who does not... other than those who are using Whiz-Bang! are much more likely to be placing successful orders than those who are counting on email to keep them informed.

Whiz-bang Frequently Asked Questions (and their answers!)

UPDATE: We have learned that Whiz-Bang! is not compatible with Windows 7 or Vista. It is now on the list of projects for our website guys to work on.. but that is already a rather long list. It could easily be 2012 before we have a new updated version of Whiz-Bang.

In the meantime, we will continue to send out notifications via our website email announcements. You may also have noticed that we have started to take the old catalog down on Thursday or Friday before a new one opens, replacing it on the home page with a wrapped-up cover of the new catalog and displaying the opening time countdown clock below that. At that time a news article about the new catalog is posted also. So, when you also remember that our catalogs generally open on a Monday (unless there is a holiday on Monday), it is pretty easy to stay up to date on when the new one is coming out.

As soon as a new version of Whiz-Bang! is available, we will make an announcement and have it on the website as a free download.

Q: How much does this cost?
A: This service is offered free of charge. Hard to beat free!

Q: How often will these messages appear on my screen?
A: Not very often. This is intended to be used like the email notifications, which only come out prior to a catalog opening. Expect to see a new message once every 6-8 weeks.

Q: So, how will I know if Whiz-Bang! is working?
A: You will see this small icon located in your system tray:
if that icon is there, then Whiz-Bang! is installed and working.

Q: I have Dial-Up internet. Can I use Whiz-Bang!?
A: Yes you can! Whiz-Bang! checks the website for new messages once per hour, so if you are never connected for more than an hour, you could miss a message.

Q: Will this take up a bunch of space or slow down my computer?
A: No. Whiz-Bang was specifically designed to be small and not interfere with other programs. That is one reason why it only checks for new messages once an hour. We would have made it once per day, but needed to make it more frequent to accomodate customers with dial-up.

Q: So why the big (25mb) download size?
A: We bundled it with a windows installer and Microsoft’s .net application (needed to run Whiz-Bang!). Many computers already have these, but we wanted to save you the extra steps if yours did not. The installer determines whether or not you have them, and if you already do, they are not installed.

Q: My dial-up connection died in the middle of downloading the program. Is there any other way for me to get Whiz-Bang!?
A: Yes. Just email us with your name and address, and we will send you a copy on CD for free.

Q: My computer warns me that I should not download this: what do I do?
A: You might see warning messages because the program is an .exe file, or because the publisher is not recognized by your machine. Don’t worry. This is just standard security warnings to help you avoid downloading things that you do not want. In this case (we presume) Whiz-Bang! is something that you want, and you know who we are, so go ahead with the download.

Q: Why should I use this?
A: Whiz-Bang was designed to give you advance notice of upcoming AGM catalog posting dates and times. We used to do this exclusively by email, but more and more customers tell us that they "did not get their email notification." Though plenty of good stuff is available and gets sold in the weeks following a catalog opening, the fact of the matter is that nearly half of the items sell within the first day. Knowing ahead of time when the catalog opens gives you a significant advantage.

Q: Will you still be sending email notifications?
A: Yes. Though the ’spam’ filters take these emails away from many customers before they even get to see them, there are many others who do not have this problem. We have no plans to discontinue sending the emails.

Q: I got the last notice just fine - why should I install Whiz-Bang!?
A: Just because you got the last catalog notice does not mean that you will get the next one. Internet service providers are constantly changing their filter plans. We are constantly getting emails from customers saying "hey - why didn’t you send me a notice this catalog?", together with emails from others saying "hey - you fixed it! I got my notice this time!" It is hard to explain that we have not changed a thing - instead, their internet service providers are the ones that are playing with the dials and switches. There seems to be no way for us to control or predict who will or will not receive the emails, so Whiz-Bang seemed to be the only logical answer.

Q: If I install this, will you be able to see what is on my computer?
A: No (Bill), we cannot see what is on your computer. We would like to, but are too busy fixing the black helicopters. Seriously, this is one-way communication. Your computer checks our website to see if there is a new message, and if there is one, it tells you about it. Once installed, there is no way for us to even know who has it and who does not... other than those who are using Whiz-Bang! are much more likely to be placing successful orders than those who are counting on email to keep them informed.