but is it what I want to do?
Last week, I helped to fix Gersh’s sound. It wasn’t working; I checked the connections, and he had it plugged into the wrong jack – the line in rather than output. The plug was incorrectly color-coded; both connections were green, but they’re actually not matching. I spotted this right away. I also helped him install Office 2003. It wasn’t working due to activation problems and such.
Today, I talked with Janice at lunch about her computer’s problems. It reboots, is unstable, slow, crashes, etc. Windows XP. Could be spyware, viruses, a hardware problem such as bad RAM.. I’d really just have to take a look at it. Somehow, 99% of problems are easier solved when I can actually work on the computer that’s having issues.
It seems that there’s not really anyone else in the hall that does computer work. And I don’t particularly want to do it, either. Technical support is not an advanced job. Someone with less experience than me, but more and better training, could do a better job.
The generation of guys before me used to tinker around with cars for fun. I tinkered with PCs. Doesn’t mean they wanted to be mechanics and nor did it mean that I wanted to be a computer person. But its great to have the skills. What PC repairs does for you is to hone your analytical and research skills.
Its only a side-hobby. Besides, its nice to be the expert – and its great to able to help your friends out.
I find the most problems are user and not the machine
Hello from Italy!
I agree with you there ed!
True! Most common problems I come across are users: 1) afraid to reboot; 2) afraid to click on the auto software updates; 3) have no idea what a directory & file structure is; 4) become paralyzed when they see something new on the screen.