Adam, at 12:56 on Apr 24 1996, you wrote to Kenneth Vaughan ...

DD>> Being a sysop does not prepare one in any great way
DD>> in the field of PC support.  He would be better off
DD>> doing a Computer course at a TAFE or such.

KV>>If you think running a BBS doesn't give you a great of 
KV>>experience in the area of computers then that is your problem 
KV>>not mine, but then again ask any SYSOP what computer skills 
KV>>would you need to run a BBS.

AH> Hehehe,
AH> I quite agree, I've found that running a BBS has forced me 
AH> to learn a hell of a lot about the internal mechanics of my 
AH> PC.

AH> As for TAFE courses, the level of instruction is, from what 
AH> I've seen, pretty lame.
AH> I often fix the screwups made by "Qualified" technicians on 
AH> other peoples PCs.

AH> Want some examples?

AH> 1) One of my BBS users offers to pay me to fix their system. 
AH> Floppy drives not working since they had their new HD 
AH> installed a few months before by Technician in computer  
AH> upgrades/sales outlet. I pull the case off and find they've 
AH> left both floppy-drive connector cables off.

AH> 2) User tells me he's disappointed by his systems 
AH> performance since he had a new motherboard & CPU installed 12 
AH> months ago. He brings the PC over to my place for me to have 
AH> alook at it. I have a look at the CMOS and find that both the 
AH> Internal & External cache has been disabled. He's rather 
AH> impressed by the speed difference after I change this 
AH> setting, to say the least.

AH> 3) User calls me up for a game of Doom, we connect but game 
AH> runs very slowly. I chat with him on the phone, and he tells 
AH> me his PC (486 DX/66) doesn't seem to run as fast as it 
AH> should since he paid for an upgrade 6 months ago. This sounds 
AH> vaguely familiar to me (see above example), so over the 
AH> phone I explain to him how to check his CMOS settings, and 
AH> guess what......?

AH> 4) User has been having modem problems and calls service 
AH> technician. University qualified technician goes to his 
AH> house, spends three hours trying to rectify the problem, 
AH> finally gives up. User phones me, and I explain to technician 
AH> over the phone how to fix problem. Modem working fine 5 
AH> minutes later. Technician still has the hide to charge user 
AH> $50 for call-out. User silly enough to pay it.

AH> These are just a few, there's been plenty of other amusing 
AH> incidents, including being recently asked how to install a 
AH> modem by a guy who had recently Graduated from University 
AH> with a degree in Computer Engineering.

AH> Better off doing a course at TAFE?
AH> I dont think so.

Are you currently employed?  If so what as?

David
@EOT:

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