On 20 Feb 98 at 9:38, Craig Atkisson wrote:
<SNIP>.I called Compusa (just for kicks) and they
> where $69.97....a minmum of 3 hrs, I also called a a local store in
north
> seattle, and they where $70.00 an hr. My question is...is $70.00 an hr
to
> much?

Craig,  it depends on where you live and what kind of
quality/reliability/stability of tech you require and are willing to pay
for.

For example,  I reside in a rural community about a half-hour's drive
frome State College, PA (home of Penn State's Nittany Lions).  Locally,
there is no service available,  but in State College I can buy tech
service from/for:

1). Retail Store(s), drop-off /$60 - $150 per hour  (who pay their bench
techies $8 - $ 12 per hour and have labor force turnover every six
months.  "Who worked on this system?  Wasn't it Bill,  oh no,  I mean
maybe Phil,  I think??  Or was it Jill???").
2). My guru ([log in to unmask]), local Vo_Tech Instructor & Author,
on-site or drop-off / $75 per hour (plus travel time or S/H UPS) who
lives in State College & does the work himself, (and who is willing to
let you watch him work & will explain things to you in the context of the
work he is performing).
3). Penn State student, on-site /$25 per hour plus pizza & beer (but
(s)he may be gone by the time problems appear.
4). Someone who "taught myself computers,  just printed up business
cards, and can't believe I'm actually making money doing this." /$However
little you can haggle him or her down to!

The important thing is to know how important your computer is to you/your
business/your family, and then follow the ancient rule, "CAVEAT EMPTOR"
(Let the Buyer Beware)!

Shop around,  ask ten (10) friends/relatives/business contacts in the
local community who they use and can rely on.  Disregard any comments
which sound like carping that someone paid too much,  and then found out
they could have got "the same service for much less!"  Then find your
local "guru" and form a long lasting relationship with him or her,  and
never, never ask for "freebies" nor call-up and expect an answer for free
when you say, "I just need to ask you one question, blah,blah,blah!"

If I can't get an answer from one of the lists I subscribe to or off the
web, I call my "guru" and start off by saying,  "I'm on the clock with
you as of right now,  so start your meter running.  I need to know,
etc., etc."  And I never begrudge him his fees,  even if the solution
doesn't work right,  because,  invariably,  I discover that I didn't
listen carefully enough and write down every step of the procedure he
specified!  Computers are just dumb machines which require highly
specific human intervention to properly accomplish theirt tasks.
Remember that other ancient saying, "GIGO" (Garbage In, Garbage Out).

Best of luck,

Jead deSpenser      [log in to unmask]


_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]