PC Support

By Doug Bills Monday, January 21, 2002 I have a PC support page here. This page is on my business site rather than in these family pages. Those of you who know me know that PCs are my business - that's why the support pages aren't amongst the family pages. I will continue to support friends and family with their PCs free of charge (within reason) but it is my business so if you want to find out something or book my time, you'll have to go there. Working For Free Talking about PC Support for friends and family raises an interesting subject which is seldom talked about but can be a problem if there are any mis-understandings. For this reason I'm going to voice my opinion here and how I handle Working For Free and (try to) balance my work time and family time. It's far better to get this stuff out in the open and sorted out now rather than not mention it and then it could cause conflict later. I love working with computers. This is what I know, this is what I'm good at. I have often said that if I had enough money so that I didn't have to work, I'd still work with computers even if I didn't get paid! It is my hobby as well as my career. Friends and family give each other presents... and not just on special occasions. It's a way of telling them how much you value and appreciate the relationship between you. Just so we're talking about the same thing, I'll give some examples: Excess Food When you have a 'bumper crop' of say fruit from your fruit trees, or vegetables from the garden, you share the produce with your loved ones. Money This doesn't happen very often but, if somebody wins a big lottery prize it is common for them to share their good fortune with their loved ones. Skills This is the one that I am able to offer - If a friend or relative has a particular skill and we need help in that area then we should be able to ask for help. Examples are trades (building, painting, electrical, gardening) as well as hobbies and sports (knitting, sewing, sports coaching) etc. People In Need We give to the poor and needy but we especially give whatever is required if there is a loved one in need. I have heard that people hesitate to ask for help because they think I am too busy. Sometimes they are too embarrassed to ask for help because they think it is like begging. I don't want anyone to feel this way. I want people to be able to ask for my help. But I also want them to not be offended if I say that "I can't help you right now." I will explain why (probably either because I don't know how or because I'm too busy) and will quite often be able to help them solve the issue by helping them at another time or pointing them in the right direction to solve the problem. What I am trying to say here is please, please ask. We should be able to work something out :-) We used to sing a song in Sunday School that, I think, says it all: Brother, let me be your servant. Let me be as Christ to you. Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant too. Doug Bills is founder of AI Environments - a company developing environments having Artificial Intelligence.

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