Homecomputers

Blessed are the Geeks, for they shall internet the earth

If You Repair an End-Users Home Computer, You'll Be a Monkey's Bitch Life-Partner Douglas Chick  Nothing irritates me more than to walk into my office to find someones home computer sitting in my chair or beside my desk. And then to discover that there is no name, no explanation of whats wrong with it or any software whatsoever. What the hell are these people thinking? 

For every favor theres a punishment A seasoned computer person knows better than to jump up and help someone at the moment of his or her request. This is especially true when it comes to repairing someone's home computer. End-users have to be trained to value your time. If you jump every time they call you, they start training you. This is the number one mistake that most new computer people make. Running to their every need tells them that your time has no value. They have to learn to respect your time; if they dont you will never get your job done. Your career as a network administrator, or help desk tech, will be more fulfilling if you are strong enough to say no when someone asks if you can fix their home computer. If you cant say no, with every error there will be a phone call and with every problem it will be somehow linked to you. Your pager or cell phone will be a curse to your existence. Remember, the moment you touch someones home computer you will be a slave to his or her piece of junk for the rest of your life.

Owners and CEOs Its not enough to work for a company, come in at night and the weekends or be on 24/7 call, but to have the owners or CEOs of your company call you at home or have their friends and relatives call you, is enough to make you go peculiar. Only go to their home and fix their computer if you absolutely feel you have to and never do it for free. And even then make it at the most inconvenient time you can so they will never ask you again. You are not doing these people a favor by fixing their computer for free or when the time is good for them. If you dont mark my words, they will have you over their house for every little nothing, not only for them but also for all of their friends and neighbors. Also, dont be afraid to charge a premium price for your services. Your knowledge is worth just as much or more than a place they would typically have to take their system, and they dont make house calls. Just because you work for their company, doesnt mean they own your every waking moment.

How to get out  If you are already doing this and need a way out it may already be too late. They will never just let you stop helping them. You are their boy, their computer guy. They even tell people, I have a computer guy. They will never want to give you up. If you run away, they will find a way to have you brought back. Most computer people in this predicament are forced to find another job. That is, those that can escape. If you are one of the fortunate ones, make sure in your next job when someone says, the computer person before you used to fix our computers, you say; Sorry, not allowed to work on employees' home computers. Or Sorry, I dont feel comfortable going to your house. Or even, I may lose my certification if I break the manufactures warranty. 

And if you come back to your office and find someones home computer sitting there, re-image it, place a company inventory sticker on it and give it to accounting.