Why don't people realize PC repair is a normal job?

[Corbett]

Something me and some of my coworkers were talking about the other day. Why is it that when someones PC is having problems, you are the first person they call? The problem is they always act like pc repair somehow is not an actual job and therefore you will do it for free because it is such an easy thing to do for people like us?

And why doesnt the same thing go for all other trade? IE - I fix your computer for free. You fix my toilet for free! Why is expecting a plummer friend of yours to fix you toilet for free frowned upon but its the opposite when someone neeeds the darned "Free Sex" icons on their desktops removed that somehow "magically appeared" and they have no idea how they got there?

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Corbett
Something me and some of my coworkers were talking about the other day. Why is it that when someones PC is having problems, you are the first person they call? The problem is they always act like pc repair somehow is not an actual job and therefore you will do it for free because it is such an easy thing to do for people like us?

And why doesnt the same thing go for all other trade? IE - I fix your computer for free. You fix my toilet for free! Why is expecting a plummer friend of yours to fix you toilet for free frowned upon but its the opposite when someone neeeds the darned "Free Sex" icons on their desktops removed that somehow "magically appeared" and they have no idea how they got there?

rant sucks.

 

[Braznor]

Originally posted by: Corbett
Something me and some of my coworkers were talking about the other day. Why is it that when someones PC is having problems, you are the first person they call? The problem is they always act like pc repair somehow is not an actual job and therefore you will do it for free because it is such an easy thing to do for people like us?

And why doesnt the same thing go for all other trade? IE - I fix your computer for free. You fix my toilet for free! Why is expecting a plummer friend of yours to fix you toilet for free frowned upon but its the opposite when someone neeeds the darned "Free Sex" icons on their desktops removed that somehow "magically appeared" and they have no idea how they got there?

It's because you are a geek i.e.you 'love' fixing computers and anything you love doing is not considered a job.

 

[Riverhound777]

you have crappy friends. My friends pay me in beer or buy me dinner. They wont let me fix their comps for free.

 

[Ika]

That's..... a very good question. *thinking cap and chair*

 

[Lithium381]

double standard is all it comes down to.......

 

[ScottFern]

I find the opposite happening. Ignorant people look at me like I am Jesus because I can format a hard drive and reinstall all their programs in 50 minutes or build a PC in 30 minutes.

 

[Phoenix86]

Because you let them.

 

[Netopia]

It depends on the situation. I have good dental insurance, but I make "deals" with my dentist. For instance, I'm helping him buy a laptop and then setting up DynDNS and remote access for the office computers at work. Not a big deal for me.... time spent at his office and his home will be two or three hours.

In exchange, he's giving me a cap for a cracked tooth and a nightguard (I grind my teeth). That's about $800 worth of work for him.

But it doesn't really cost him $800 and it only costs me time. We both make out on it.

As for personal friends/family... yeah, a lot of them want a lot of time for free. For ones that I am close to, I do whatever I can. For the people who barely know me but want me to help them for free, I usually explain how busy I am and that I might be able to get to their machine in the next month or two... but that if they need it sooner than that, they should take it to BestBuy or somewhere. I work mainly with companies, so I'm not really interested in doing paid work for individuals... too much time and too low a rate.

Joe

 

[acole1]

Originally posted by: Corbett
Something me and some of my coworkers were talking about the other day. Why is it that when someones PC is having problems, you are the first person they call? The problem is they always act like pc repair somehow is not an actual job and therefore you will do it for free because it is such an easy thing to do for people like us?

And why doesnt the same thing go for all other trade? IE - I fix your computer for free. You fix my toilet for free! Why is expecting a plummer friend of yours to fix you toilet for free frowned upon but its the opposite when someone neeeds the darned "Free Sex" icons on their desktops removed that somehow "magically appeared" and they have no idea how they got there?

I feel the same way but I think most of us don't have the heart to charge someone. I usualy don't for my friends... but they have payed me anyways.

And people can usualy live without their computer working right, but they can't live without a toilet... that might have something to do with it.

 

[EyeMWing]

Because people like you let them think that way.

 

[thirtythree]

I bet more people know how to fix computers than know how to fix TVs.

 

[codeyf]

Originally posted by: ScottFern
I find the opposite happening. Ignorant people look at me like I am Jesus because I can format a hard drive and reinstall all their programs in 50 minutes or build a PC in 30 minutes.

HE HAS RISEN!!!!!!! :shocked:

 

[Ktulu]

Because you're a nerd/geek and nerds/gee get taken advantage.

 

[torpid]

Because they are your flippin' friends and that is what friends do? I have asked my lawyer friend for advice and given her computer advice. I have asked my doctor friend for medical advice and cat-sit. Friends do favors for each other. How is fixing someone's computer any different than walking their dog? People charge to walk dogs if they do it for a living too. How about just doing something for your friends because they are your friends? If they keep pestering you, just be honest and say that you feel like you are being used.

 

[squirrel dog]

Because so many people will do pc repair for free or nearly so . Same with pc sales . At one time there was some money in pc's . Not now . Sales wise small timers anyway .

 

[bennylong]

they figure since you're a nerd, you have no social life, therefore, your free time is worthless and have no value

 

[bennylong]

Originally posted by: torpid
Because they are your flippin' friends and that is what friends do? I have asked my lawyer friend for advice and given her computer advice. I have asked my doctor friend for medical advice and cat-sit. Friends do favors for each other. How is fixing someone's computer any different than walking their dog? People charge to walk dogs if they do it for a living too. How about just doing something for your friends because they are your friends? If they keep pestering you, just be honest and say that you feel like you are being used.

Do you ask your stripper friend for a free strip show or your hooker friend for a free 1 hour sample?

 

[SampSon]

These rants had more weight to them back in the day when every little snot nosed kid wasn't into the whole geek scene.

 

[BlancoNino]

Next time they want you to fix their PC...have them watch you and make it seem really stressful and complicated. If they have an adware problem...open up the case and start making it look like you're tinkering with stuff with a screwdriver. Then, when you restart the computer...open up a dos prompt and start typing in a bunch of basic commands that seem complicated.

Then, when they're not looking...download and install adaware and have it remove the adware...but when they come back make sure the computer is in bios and be pretending to change a bunch of the settings (but when you quit make sure you don't save them)...then say "wow...that was tough man". Hopefully you can get a reward out of that.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: bennylong

Originally posted by: torpid
Because they are your flippin' friends and that is what friends do? I have asked my lawyer friend for advice and given her computer advice. I have asked my doctor friend for medical advice and cat-sit. Friends do favors for each other. How is fixing someone's computer any different than walking their dog? People charge to walk dogs if they do it for a living too. How about just doing something for your friends because they are your friends? If they keep pestering you, just be honest and say that you feel like you are being used.

Do you ask your stripper friend for a free strip show or your hooker friend for a free 1 hour sample?

I don't have any stripper friends. And if I did, I don't see how asking them to strip would be a favor in the same regard as fixing someone's computer. If a friend were hosting a bachelor party I might.

 

[Svnla]

They so called "friends" only can take advance of you IF and ONLY IF you let them. If someone asked me to fix/work on their computers, I will tell them either take to BestBuy/CircuitCity or I will charge similar rate per hour.

There is no such "free lunch" or "free computer repair".

 

[The Batt?sai]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Next time they want you to fix their PC...have them watch you and make it seem really stressful and complicated. If they have an adware problem...open up the case and start making it look like you're tinkering with stuff with a screwdriver. Then, when you restart the computer...open up a dos prompt and start typing in a bunch of basic commands that seem complicated.

Then, when they're not looking...download and install adaware and have it remove the adware...but when they come back make sure the computer is in bios and be pretending to change a bunch of the settings (but when you quit make sure you don't save them)...then say "wow...that was tough man". Hopefully you can get a reward out of that.

best advice ever. but honestly most people's computers i fix already are spyware'd up wazhoo so no need to do all that . but at work one computer wasn't booting off the harddrive (the boot order jumped somehow) and i fixed it and they were like 'wow' and the next time my boss needed help (this time her main comp) she asked me to fix it even though they have their own tech guy. i'm just there as a telemarketer

ps i usually fix computers for $25. i'm thinking about charging more. i'm fixing a laptop right now and will reinstall windows on a adware ship machine later on today.

 

[Netopia]

ps i usually fix computers for $25. i'm thinking about charging more. .....

$25 PER HOUR is VERY CHEAP. If you are talking about a flat $25, you are a SAINT!

Joe

 

[wasssup]

I just pretend that I don't know anything about computers.