For about eight years, I owned and operated an, “on the side” computer repair business during the evenings and weekends while teaching high school during the day. What prompted me to go this route was that, since I was fixing my friends’ computers for free, I might as well turn my services into a business.
When I first started out, I thought I knew everything there was to know about computers but as time went on, I soon realized that there were a billion things that I had yet to learn which only went to show that I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was.
About a couple of years ago, I migrated out of the business after eight years when I decided to "close up shop" due to increased competition with other computer technicians in the service industry as well as my increasingly busy schedule. I am now back to just servicing friends' computers once more.
Now, for the most part, you can give me any computer and I should be able to diagnose and fix whatever problem it has … as long as it is a PC. Give me an iMac and I am at a total loss at what to do. Fortunately, no one has ever called me to fix a Mac computer and if they did, I would have to turn them down as I have absolutely no knowledge regarding them. I haven’t even used one before! I have had no reason to do so… until now.
About a month ago, a friend of mine gave me a used iMac G4 computer that her boss had no longer any use for. I was ecstatic. I wanted to get my hands on one for a long time but could never afford one. The only problem was that it did not work.
“Hmmmm… I am a computer tech guy… I should be able to fix it.”
Three weeks later, I am still unable to fix it. I am sure if the same problem was on a PC it would be fixed by now but being with a Mac, it is like trying to fix a computer from another planet... not because of it being a Mac but because I am a Mac "newbie." It ceases to amaze me how Geordi LaForge of the Enterprise (all trekkies should know what I am talking about!) is able to fix anything on an alien spacecraft and yet I am unable to fix a computer from the planet Apple!
Anyways, my goal is to get this computer up and running by the end of February. I will let you know how it ends up regardless of whether I have egg on my face or not. Maybe, If I am lucky, I shall post my February 28th post on my blog via my new used iMac G4! Wish me luck!
Now for a little humour… watch these two videos!
Monday, January 29, 2007
My New/Used iMac G4
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20 comments:
since I was fixing my friends’ computers for free, I might as well turn my services into a business.
Did you start charging your friends after this? :) I would have!
I like the 'trekkie' analogy. Funny. I used a Mac G4 at a job years ago & found it rather backward to the PC I always used at home. Good luck tinkering with it.
Hi Dave, I've been reading you blog for a few weeks without commenting so far... the Mac picture made me do it. I know nothing about computers and am in the exact opposite situation you are since I've always been a Mac user.
Anyway I like your blog very much and particularly enjoyed the pictures you share with us.
Keep posting!
Laurent
I did the exact same thing, turning fixing friends computers into a business. It became sucessful but when maintaining growing companies databases on 20 year old computers without losing data was getting a little stressful. It was fun while it lasted but I gave it up to take care of my kids full time.
I did learn how to fix macs though. Replacing modules and parts isn't too bad as long as someone else is paying for them. They don't have many clone aftermarket compatible parts so most of the time unless they are under warranty, it's not cost effective.
Nice blog you have here, I'll put you on my bookmarks.
..Hi Dan!... No I have not though I am sure that I should. However, I have always felt that it is never a good idea to do business with friends as it is not worth the risk of losing a friendship over a business transaction gone bad. I would rather do them a favour rather than having them pay me...as long as they don't take advantage of me...Which they have yet to do...then lookout!! :-)
Hey Becky!... Don't tell me you are a Star Trek fan as well! I have always been a PC guy because of my opinion that PCs are more up to date so to speak but iMacs are sure picking up steam. :-)
Hi Greglo!... Pleased to meet you... Maybe I should be coming to YOU for help!! :-) Don't worry, you won't find me knocking at your computer door... LOL I am confident that I will find the solution to my iMac woes! :-)
Hi Hammer!... Nice to meet you! We seem to have a lot in common. You are so right when you speak about the cost of fixing Macs... It sort of reminds me of the cost to fix foreign cars!
Good luck and i hope you'll enjoy your mac ;-)
Yeah a bit of a Star Trek fan - liked the original of course & I was a Next Generation fan! Never liked Voyager or Deep Space 9 but Enterprise was ok before it got canned.
Using a Mac was ok, supposedly power houses for graphics which is what I was doing, but just different than my PC.
I have never used a Mac either and this PC works great so I'll stick to that. I only have enough savvy about computers to keep my own running smoothly ;) Look forward to reading the post about your fixed Mac! :)
I was always wary of a MAc but used one at a friends house end of last year and it was surprisingly good. If I could afford it, I get one. But I can't. Sadly. Oh well - my PC works so who's complaining!
Good luck Dave - hope you get it going.
My daughter has a Mac and just loves it to death...I don't so much. just give me my old trusty pc and I'm happy...when it works right...piece of crap.
I love those commercials!
Ahhh...the infamous "blue screen of death"! I've seen a few of those in my lifetime. More than I care to remember. I've always been a PC guy out of necessity. Our tax software and other stuff we run at the office is PC only so we have no choice but to go that route.
But I might get an Apple for my next personal laptop when I decide to upgrade. I've always wanted to play with their stuff. Just hope it talks to my wireless network okay.
Bill Gates was on the Today Show on NBC this morning, talking about his new Vista(?) operating system, and he was saying how much better PCs are than MACs (well, of course he's going to say that). It will be interesting to see how the new operating system works.
Josie
P.S. I love the PC vs MAC ads.
Hi Passero!...Nice to meet you and "thank you!"
Hey Becky!... It was just like I wrote your Star Trek interests myself... The other day I checked out the Episode Guides of the original series and TNG and I discovered that I have seen every episode.. some of them more than once.
Hi Janice... I will be sure to let you know. Wish me luck!
You are right Wendz...They ARE very costly!
Hi Beth!... I have a friend who loves hers at work as well. When she comes home to her PC, she doesn't like it as well.
Hi Keith! ... YES the blue sceen of death!!! Always reared its ugly head on Windows 95, 98, 98SE, Me ... How I hated it!
Hi Josie!... We shall see about Vista won't we! I, no doubt will get a copy in the near future. Hopefully by the end of February, I will also have a working copy of OS X for iMac as well.
I'm 100% Mac - at work and at home. PC's always seem like taking something that should be fun and easy and turning it into work. But hey, as long as we can get to our blogs, it doesn't matter which machine we use! LOL
Good luck on the repair. Would be fun to have one of each in the house, I bet.
Hi em..."Yes," it is going to be fun to have another computer language in the house. Will keep you all posted! :-)
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