Well - after 1 1/2 hours of playing around with this, I feel like a complete dummie. I have resolved myself to having nearly 3000 contacts to import to my Gmail contact list. But I can't get anywhere. I have my AOl address book imported into Yahoo. When I try to import into GMAIL (doesn't matter if I use the older or newer version), it asks where to import from - and I can't find the .csv files. I have no idea where they'd be. Whe I select browse, it takes me to my documents - and it's not there. If I try to browse someplace else, I can't find it. It also occurred to me that it may not be in .csv form yet - but when I try to export from one Yahoo account (to say, thunderbird or another yahoo account) - it suggests I can export as csv file - I click on ("Yahoo! CSV: export) - and then it brings up a screen that says: you have chosen to open yahoo_ab.csv file from http://address.yahoo.com. What should firefox do with this file? My choices are "save file" or "open with: browse". If I click "save file" - I don't think anything is happening. And I wouldn't know what to select if I used open with .... Going back to GMAIL import, I have tried entering various names that I've seen in Yahoo mail. Including "yahoo_ab.csv" - but again, nothing happens. I had a similar problem trying to import into thunderbird - I simply don't seem to be able to locate the files to do it. I'd rather go directliy from yahoo to gmail (without going through thunderbird - bc. from what I was reading, thunderbird does not maintain my address groups - and that is important to me. In fact, if I could only import my groups - that is most critical part). I'm sorry I can't be more articulate about where I'm getting hung up. I have truly never felt so in the dark dealing with computer things (even as untechy as I am, I've had a little more grasp than this). Thanks. Lynn.

okay, I got your address. the books will be sent out Friday, so expect them early next week.No need to reimburse me, I'm just happy they will be going to a good "home". Enjoy them!

The internet was young when I had my store so internet vs. yellow pages experience from then wouldn't apply now. Personally, when phone books arrive here, they go directly into the recycle bin. I did order a yellow pages CD from Qwest and installed it but never really used it since you need to update it so often. When I needed a plumber, I looked on the internet. Same with looking for appliances and someone to seal my driveway. I found a van to buy on the internet. When I'm looking for a certain business I look for their website and when they don't have one or I can't find it (and I'm pretty good at searching!) it's a black mark in my book. A basic website at least is as much of a requirement these days as a business card. Don't overlook advertising with the local Chamber of Commerce or local organizations. Restaurants that have advertisements on the menus or placemats can be good. Search for review places that apply to your business to get your name in there with info and even some reviews and opinions. That many more hits with the crawlers. TV & radio are possibilities. We got some good rates through the local cable company if that would work for you. They'd target the channels that we chose and worked with their suggestions too. We used local papers for successful advertising. Word of mouth was of course best and having a storefront in a high traffic area helped. Other ideas: Sometimes the back of taxi cabs can be reasonable, depending on the area. Some still put signs on. Local "free" papers, giveaways, can be good. If you're targeting a bargain hunting clientele there's "saver" type magazines and publications that might be an option. I should say that we got a lot of response from cable. People saying "saw your commercial", but frankly I'm not sure how much we sold from that group. Whether it helped to bring them back for repairs or something, that's possible. I know what you're going through. We had the same problems. Good luck. It's the small businesses that built the country and the ones people run to for local support. Yet, all too often, the ones people neglect when it comes time to spend their dollars!

I get three phone books delivered for free each year: White pages for Long Island (two countis), Yellow pages for same and snaller local book. I keep last years little book in my car. The other three are in my bedroom near the phone. I do use them occasionally. Gnerally, if have to look up a business, I'll use Google. My computer is alkways on. So no, I don't really need to keep those phone books. Except the one in my car.