Comp-U-Doc grew out of one man's inability to say "No" to people who needed help with their computers. As my friends found themselvs in need of assistance, they'd call on me for help. Then they'd tell their friends where they got help. In time, I found myself spending so much time helping my friends, that I no longer had any time for my own life.
So in self-defense, I started charging for this assistance. To my amazement, they were not only willing to pay for it, they were actually eager to do so. It rapidly became clear that the vast majority of technical assistance out there is "user hostile". They were only too happy to pay for time where they actually benefitted from it.
My philosophy is simple: I want to help. Fortunately, I've spent years assisting users and have developed a deep respect for the multitudes of people out there struggling to get their computers to do their bidding without actually understanding how their computers work.
Let me be clear on this point. You shouldn't have to understand how your computer works to get it to work for you. To use the automotive analogy: I don't understand my engine. I couldn't tell you a crank case from a water pump. And yet I drive my car every day without crashing it. Cars have come a long way since you had to have an understanding of their internal workings in order to drive them safely. Likewise computers. You shouldn't have to know there are 1024 bytes in a kilobyte in order to use your computer. It's the computer's job to deal with that minutae.
My experience has been that people who use computers are not stupid. They merely have different priorities. If they wanted to spend the time and effort learning about computers as I have, they would know as much about them as I do. But they have other things going on, so they go along using their computers without all that knowledge... until something goes wrong. Then they call a mechanic.
Unfortunately, mechanics are generally nicer to their clients than most computer techs. The tech seems to feel that since he knows something you don't, he should hold it over you head and make you feel stupid. Never mind that you may know a multitude of other things that he doesn't. At the time, he thinks he has the power, and he'll make you pay with discourtesy and ill-will. This is just WRONG!
There is nothing that a tech knows that he cannot explain to you. The only thing is, he has to be able to relate it to something you understand. And of course, he as to get off his high-horse to do so. That's where I come in.
My goal is twofold. First, I want to fix whatever the problem is. Second, I want to explain things well enough that you will be able to avoid similar problems in the future. After all, it does no good to change a tire if the driver's just going to run over nails again!
With that goal in mind, please explore the rest of these pages to see if the information provided is of help to you. And if you have a question that isn't addressed, please let me know. Remember, if you don't understand it, the chances are good that many other people don't understand it either. By bringing things to my attention, you're not only helping me, you're helping countless others.
And isn't that what life's really all about?