Non Technical Tech Question

eOmniz · Post by **eOmniz** » June 13, 2005, 6:46 pm

Hi, I've recently had some financial success doing easy computer maintenance shit for some random friends of friends and making better money doing it than I would at a real job, so much so that I'm considering putting an ad out in the paper for it. Question, is there anything illegal about it? I assume not as long as I report it on my taxes or whatever, but I'd like to make sure! Thanks.

Soreali · Post by **Soreali** » June 13, 2005, 6:49 pm

I do it as well.. Its not illegal.. Just make sure to watch the people you do jobs for.. I've had some where I just wanted to shoot them... You can make some pretty good money for doing the most basic of things..

Stalker Vacio · Post by **Stalker Vacio** » June 13, 2005, 6:52 pm

Just keep in mind your personally liable if you mess something up (or they think you messed something up).

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » June 13, 2005, 6:53 pm

There's nothing illegal about it but if you work on someone's system that has a fast net connection, try to set up a back door app so we can use their system as an FTP site for extra VV storage.

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » June 14, 2005, 9:04 am

I have strongly considered going into business for myself doing this. Even laid out a plan for myself for the day when we lose our contract with where I am now.

I have doubts that people read the newspaper, so my basic plan means running a shit ton of flyers and hitting electronics stores during the weekends after Thanksgiving. Advertising for setups for those systems these inept morons buy and setting up networks etc.If you really want to make some serious $ per hour, open yourself up as an after hours support person and target these neighborhoods where people have way more money than sense. You can charge $100 an hour as an after hours person.

One of the guys I work with was paid $500 to do nothing more than setup a Dell desktop and printer etc for one of the area's morons.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » June 14, 2005, 10:48 am

if you target your neighborhoods correctly, you can definitely make good money.

go to http://www.claritas.com and click on the "You are where you live" thing.

Enter in the zip codes around where you live, and if you find zip codes with people in the top 5 Aflluency Rankings, that is your target.

Claritas data is awesome, but you have to pay to get the real specific info. What i'm showing you is only how they demo the product. Our company has used it to target markets for advertising for various show launches, with success.

at any rate, you can totally use it to find your broader geographical targets near you.

dibit_eq · Post by **dibit_eq** » June 14, 2005, 11:08 am

I've done it more than once to pay for the books I use in a quarter. Just make sure they're not complete strangers who are out to make a quick buck. Occasionally, you'll find someone who will come back a month or two later and look for a free replacement because when you formatted the system it set up a delayed effect of the graphics card burning out. Then they might expect you to buy them a top of the line new one, since their Voodoo 3 3500 was top of the line when they bought the system....

not that that's ever happened to me.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » June 14, 2005, 1:14 pm

You always run the risk of people that refuse to learn and keep calling you for advise after you help them once for payment. It's a potentially high maintenance job.

You could make a killing in retirement communities if you have the patience for it. Go to some of the more recently developed communities and leave your flyers or post your service on the bulletin board and you'll be getting calls in no time and eventually be getting free recommendations from the people you help. Many older people are amazed at the most common things you can do on a computer.

I don't think I could do something like that. I'd be wanting to show them how to download pr0n on newsgroups right off the bat before they knew how to use email. Old grannys would have top of the line systems even if they only read emails once a week.

You could also try being a home theater tech and go calibrate people's TVs, etc.

archeiron · Post by **archeiron** » June 14, 2005, 4:09 pm

Voronwë wrote:if you target your neighborhoods correctly, you can definitely make good money.

go to http://www.claritas.com and click on the "You are where you live" thing.

Enter in the zip codes around where you live, and if you find zip codes with people in the top 5 Aflluency Rankings, that is your target.

Claritas data is awesome, but you have to pay to get the real specific info. What i'm showing you is only how they demo the product. Our company has used it to target markets for advertising for various show launches, with success.

at any rate, you can totally use it to find your broader geographical targets near you.

Claritas has some very quirky names for their files; they make me laugh.

If you are using the data for targetted marketing (direct marketing), I would recommend that you have your company look at Acxiom, Equifax, Dunn & Bradstreet, or Experian consumer files, which are larger files with a tremendous amount of demographic information that can be filtered on.

Jassun · Post by **Jassun** » June 16, 2005, 11:32 pm

Also, keep in mind that most people know shit about networking and are willing to pay $$$ for help.

Four months ago I helped secure a secure wireless network for my brother-in-law. He has an EE and knows a lot about computers, but because he runs his own business from home, he was concerned about security and wanted an expert to review and tweak his design. Price, 12 pack of beer.

He then told me about his neighbor who was having problems setting up her wireless network. I offer to help her and she offered to pay me $1000 to get it work. I charged her a 12 pack and a sandwich:)

Then she told me about her friend who couldn't get his wireless laptop to work. The idiot didn't even have a wireless router or access point. I guess he thought it worked like a mobile phone. I took him to Bestbuy, helped him pick a router and set it up for him. Price, another 12 pack and an invitation to his next BBQ.

Then my brother-in-law told my dad what I had done for him. My dad also runs a small business from his house and wanted to install a wireless network. I took him Bestbuy...I think you get the picture. Price, another 12 pack, a BBQ for my birthday, and I get to use his 18' trailer to haul some junk from my house to the landfill. (my price keeps going up)

You could make a fortune just wardriving, finding unsecured wireless networks, and showing people how to secure them. The day I showed my brother-in-law how to sniff wireless packets to make sure his network was secure, we captured unencrypted wireless traffic from 5 other houses.