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Rick

Velcro – reuseable duck tape

I discovered a new tool this week – the Velcro strap. I have seen them around for a few years, but I just began using them this week.

Personally, I think that cable mess is cool. I think it is a geek status symbol. However, I know that there are a lot of people out there who prefer to keep their cables tidy.

The reuseable Velcro cable strap. You can get them in the computer department of almost any office supply or discount store, I have found that they are a lot cheaper if you go to the tool or building supply department though.

“I went over to the dark side”

The title of today’s entry was a quote from a customer of mine that I saw in a store today where I stopped to get a refreshing beverage. He was referring to the fact that he bought a Macintosh computer.

Adam and I both get similar comments with reference to Macintosh computers. The reality is that WE LIKE MACINTOSH computers. We just don’t talk about them much because so few people use them. Overall they are great machines and run very well. They are safer to use on the Internet, but I don’t agree with the common misconception that they are "easier to use" than Windows based computers.  That was the case 10 years ago when Windows was still breaking out of its shell, but not so much today.

Blood relation does not equal computer expertise

A few years ago, I added two items to my list of common advice that I give.

1. Don’t let your kids fix your computer, no matter how old they are or who they work for.

2. Blood relation does not equal computer expertise.

I know that this makes me sound arrogant at times, but my first appointment this morning was a case in point.

It was a simple enough job, I was to setup a laptop and get it online. My client didn’t need any information transferred or any special tutoring, she just needed someone to tackle the initial setup with confidence.

Since this was my client’s first laptop she had consulted me a number of times about what to get and what to spend. Since Christmas, I had told her about a few good deals that were in the paper.

Don’t be embarrassed by simple problems

 

Yesterday I visited one of my favorite clients. She was having problems with her wireless keyboard. When I typed on the keyboard, nothing happened, unless we were typing in an area asking for a password. This was very similar to a problem someone called the show about last Saturday.

Her keyboard was wireless, as it turns out the little button that synchronizes the keyboard was stuck down. I pried it loose and – POOF! The keyboard worked.

Today I saw a similar problem. I received an emergency phone call from a client whose printer had stopped working a while ago, but now she needed to do some printing on a deadline.

Make a list for your computer guy

Whether I am teaching someone how to use their computer or I am fixing a computer, I have found that I am best at helping someone out when they make a list of everything that needs done.

Today I had two great clients that had nice neat lists made up of everything that needed done. One particular client had a long list of 15 or 20 things, but because she had taken the time to write them all down, I was able to get through the entire list in about an hour and 15 minutes.

I compare this to my clients who don’t have a list made up. I arrive and they try to think of all of the things they would either like me to teach them or fix. Inevitably within a day or two of leaving their house, I get a call about something that they meant to tell me about. Typically this happens after a spouse or child gets home later and reminds them about a problem (often the most important problem) that they originally called me for.

Things aren’t always the same

A client of mine made a great observation today about computers. She put into words something that I have tried to articulate for years. I’m paraphrasing, but it went something like this: "The trouble I have with computers is that they don’t always react the same way twice."

"Wow", I thought….great statement. Unlike cars or toasters, computers have many more complex instructions going on at the same time. In fact hundreds of thousands of instructions are going on at any given time when you use your computer. And the scary thing is that these instructions are DIFFERENT for every single computer.

Be courteous with your attachments

The ability to send attachments via email is great. You can attach an important work form to your employees or just a silly picture to a friend.

If you enjoy sending attachments, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1.      Not everyone has the same programs that you do. If you are sending a spreadsheet document from Microsoft Excel or Quattro Pro, save the file as a .csv (comma separated value) instead of the default format. If you are using Microsoft Word, Works or Word Perfect, save your file as a .rtf (rich text format) file. These formats can be read by any computer. Microsoft PowerPoint is also a common format for email attachments and very few home computers actually have the program on their computer.

Know where to find your vital computer information

One of the reasons I share so much information on this web site and on our show is because I like to help people learn to save time and money. Usually if a person isn’t saving time or money, they become disgruntled and agitated.

Today, two of my clients could have saved some money and time if they had had some basic computer information available. In order to help others be more efficient and frugal, here is a list of items you want to have at the ready when you need technical help:

Computers are not cars

I used to make a lot of Analogies relating computers to cars. I don’t do that much any more because I have realized that computers are not cars. Computers are not like anything we have ever used at any other time in the history of the world.

Your car is used to get you from point A to point B. It is not designed to do anything else. Sure it may have a few bells and whistles, but when you stop to think about it, it doesn’t matter how comfortable the seats are or whether it has a cooled glove box if the car won’t get you from point to point.

RTD 51…Don’t buy it!!!

On average I see about four customers day since I allow for about 1.5 hours for the visit and then .5 hour travel time between clients as a buffer. I like to load my appointments altogether and not take a traditional lunch so that I can get home a little earlier and see my kids.

To make this happen, I take a .5 gallon of water with me every day and either a home made trail mix for lunch (I’ll share that recipe later) or I eat on the road. I try to avoid drive-thru as much as possible, but sometimes that gets me into trouble.