http://www.schiffkey.com/schiffkeynews.htm
November 2, 2008 - News by Jerrold Schiff
Halloween 31st - Don't let the viruses scare you!
Web Site of Distinction:
www.3973cds.com - Historical recount from an Air Policeman
stationed in Moron, Spain in the early 1960's during the Cold War.
The Great Depression
Based on this terrible economy - I'm about to offer 'a new deal' !
Most people call when their computer will no longer boot up,
they've lost all their data, or when they can't get on the internet.
A better approach would be to subscribe to a yearly maintenance plan.
At the recommendation of certain clients who have asked me to
draw up something similar to LAWN CARE, POOL MAINTENANCE and
DENTAL CLEANING - here are two suggestions:
1) Primary Care: Six times a year (every two months) two hours per call.
Program/windows updates. Virus Scans. Defrag.
Unlimited email support. Limited phone support (if I am not with a customer).
Takes up to 2 hours per visit, for one computer. Pre-set scheduled time.
Cost: Annual prepaid cost: $480. The regular price would be $840
(2 hrs times $70 per hour * 6 trips). If a backup and reinstall of the
operating system is required, substitute "2 visits" (A $280 value).
2) Secondary Care: Twice a year (every six months) three hours per visit.
Program/windows updates. Virus scans. Defrag.
Unlimited email support. No phone support.
Takes up to 3 hours per call, for one computer. Pre-set scheduled time.
Cost: Annual prepaid cost: $360 (Regular price: $210 per visit).
Major overhaul costs an additional $70 and counts as "1 visit".
Since my last newsletter (in JUNE!)
I've been very very busy.
Gas prices went way up. Today, prices seem almost reasonable.
Computer prices went down. Today, a good desktop is around $600
and a laptop is around $700.
COMPUTER BUYING ADVICE: $30 PREPAID
MOVING DATA ACROSS TO THE NEW COMPUTER: $70
DE-CRAPPIFY NEW COMPUTER, INSTALL PROGRAMS: $210
Good news: RAM (memory) is cheaper - for SOME computers
RAM is the second fastest way to speed up your computer!
The first, of course, is a good clean up (also called maintenance).
CALL ME ABOUT UPGRADING YOUR COMPUTER WITH MORE MEMORY
CALL ME ABOUT SPEEDING UP YOUR COMPUTER THRU MAINTENANCE
Bad news is that HARD DRIVES continue to fail at an alarming rate.
The hard drive stores your operating system, pictures, emails and
documents. Hard drives are 'the only moving part' in a computer.
The longer you own a computer, the more likely a hard drive will die.
CALL ME ABOUT BUYING (and installing) A SECOND HARD DRIVE
SPAM and VIRUSES have kept my phone ringing off the hook.
Some people are prone to getting caught on the net.
This week, as a test, I set up one computer as a 'honeypot'
to catch viruses. Removed all anti virus software. Removed
the firewall(s). Hooked directly into a fast broadband modem.
Changed my passwords to "password". Put fake financial data
and links on my desktop. Left the computer wide open for
24 hours. Results? Within minutes my computer was infected!
Advice about viruses?
If you do not have a ROUTER get one! (called a hardware firewall)
CALL ME FOR ROUTER INSTALLATION AND WIRELESS SECURITY
I have ONE router available for sale: $20 plus $70 installed
If you have Bright House - installation and security: one hour
DSL (Bell ATT etc) - max charge - one hour (takes two hours!)
