Everyone's gotta have a hustle, rite?
4 year degree? sure that's great, but during the recession it don't put turkey bacon on the table. I am in Americorps so I'm not permitted to be employed to work during my service. But there's nothing wrong with a dollar here and there on the side. Especially while I wait for my Food stamps to get re-activated... that's a rant for another day.
Alot of people who know me and who call OTX have computers already. Or want faster, shinier computers than our free beige desktops with the CRT screen. But then those break and all we can do is refer them to ReliaTech (which is pretty cheap I must admit) but even still some people want really basic help. Like recently, a senior citzen just wanted me to go to their house, set up their computer and transfer the data from their old computer to their new computer. They said everyone they called said they charged at least 75usd. So I offered to do it for a much lower fee.
I know that they had Windows 98 which worked fine but the modem had allegedly died but what I failed to ask was the internet connection.
dial up <<>
The new computer they bought was shiny, black, and new with Windows 7 premium 64 bit, cd/dvd burner, 2 gb ram, and a half TB of Hard Drive. And they wanted to use it with dial up.
But of course the computer didn't have a modem. So we rode down to my work, hoping I could find a modem to work with their computer. We install Windows XP 32bit but I figured I could maneuver something with drivers or something... no such luck. In the mean time I installed Office 2000, took off Norton and put on AVG. AVG isn't the greatest but who can afford Norton after the trial? I also installed the Net Zero software
So I called Fry's and they had the modem. So on Saturday we rode down there. I installed the modem and the internet still didn't work. Turned out it probably wasn't the old modem at all, but a broken adapter on the telephone line. Got that replaced and everything was fine. I installed the printer, and found them one of the sexiest rollerball mouses I've ever seen and all I have left to do is transfer the data from the old Hard drive to a flash drive. I didn't have an enclosure with me and because of the dial up connection I was unable to efficiently install drivers for my flash drive (b/c they had the first version of 98 and my drive works with SE3 and higher).
So I will do that tomorrow.
After which it's all said and done I have still charged less than 75 usd. We all know most companies would have charged over $100, especially because it's an in-home repair. Crazy am I? What could I do? A retired senior who just shelled out for a new pc, paid for the modem, and bought a flash drive? It's not their fault. Would I do it again? Not willingly. But then again, I'm learning to ask seniors what type of internet connection they have and their computer has. I still can't believe I put a56k modem in a Windows 7 machine! How random.
Well I'm certain that I got a good recommendation, which should generate more business for this ACE of all trades.
Cheers,
DK
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