Consulting

Technology can be both an exciting and frustrating topic. It is exciting when everything is working and frustrating when things are broken. It is sometimes hard to know what is broken, and why things aren't working. Sometimes things are broken and need to be replaced, other times a simple fix may be in order. At the same time, things may be working, but you wonder if they could work better. Maybe you just want another pair of eyes to look at your situation and see if there is something else that could be done better. In all cases, you look for a computing professional to assist with the problem and add insight into your specific situation.

So let me be the first to say that I simply can't fix every problem. I have worked with computers for a very long time (since the 80's) and while I have seen what I could imagine is every type of failure, I keep seeing new types of issues as machines and software get more and more complex. Some hardware problems can masquerade as software and vice versa. While there are problems that will foil me, I can get to the bottom of many problems, and suggest solutions that may prevent future issues.

I have a great understanding of a wide variety of user levels, and the ability to communicate with users at their level wherever it may be. If you wish you had a friend in the computer business that could help you figure out a situation or lend some insight into a problem, I may be that missing connection in your life.

If you have an integration problem with software, I may have access to the tools or ideas on how to fix the issue.

For better or worse, there has to be some fine print we need to get into. If a computer is broken, it may be truly broken. At this point I do not have a shop that can individually swap out parts to troubleshoot failed hardware. I can assist in specifying replacement parts, but they will need to be purchased, not simply tried out to see if they fix the problem. I also do not have a clean room that can disassemble hard drives to do advanced data recovery. At the same time, many hard drive problems are “soft” in nature, and can be remedied in less evasive ways. If you have a virus, and no backup, while I can work on your machine to bring it back to life, it may get even more sick and become more problematic in the process, and YOU will have to hold the ultimate responsibility for this. It is possible that I may have to leave you with something quite dead. Let me be quite blunt and honest. Even if you have the top surgeon working on an operation, there is still a possibility that the outcome will not be positive. However, I will do the best job I can given the problem presented to me. If I can not work on the issue, I will tell you up front and not drag you and your checkbook along for the ride. At the same time, I can not work on a complex problem for free, and will need to charge for time spent and work completed. I strive to be transparent with you as to what is going on with your issue, and want to earn your trust.

My hourly fee for consultation is $75 per hour. I work in the general Orange County area. I do not accept jobs that are not a good fit, so don't hesitate to contact me with your situation. At the same time, please don't be insulted if I turn your job down. I want our relationship to be positive, and not every job is a good fit for every technician. If I am not the guy for your job, there is another eagerly awaiting your call. I do have a day job so evenings and weekends are the easiest to schedule. I can potentially be scheduled during the day depending on the nature of the job, but this needs to be coordinated well in advance.