Sometimes a computer problem occurs which can be easily sorted out by ‘someone who knows’. However, often, the only solution is to take the computer to your local shop, to spend hours on the phone to an expensive help line or to ask a knowledgeable friend to come and lend a hand. Often these solutions can be inappropriate or expensive and it is this need which I aim to cater for.
If you live locally, I’m able to come to your house and do my best to remedy a technical problem or to sit down with you to explain, in plain English, how to use a piece of software to achieve what you’re trying to do.
So, what aspects of computing might you need help with? Here are a few things which I’m often asked to do…
- Set up a new computer system, tablet, printer or router which has arrived on the doorstep with too few (or too many) instructions, or ones that just don’t make sense to the layman.
- Install software and hardware and/or explain how to use it.
- Diagnose problems with, and fix, malfunctioning software and hardware.
- Make your computer run more quickly again – like it did when it was new!
- Show you how to organise your digital photos and files into folders and transfer them to CD / DVD / USB drives/ external hard drives / Cloud storage for backup.
- Advise on, and set up, the best ‘free’ software to rival expensive commercial alternatives.
- Set up internet connections and e-mail accounts.
- Set up broadband routers.
- Set up home WiFi networks.
- Set rid of spyware, malware and viruses.
- Explain which pop up messages should be ignored and which ones should be followed. You are in charge of what your computer does, not the other way round!
- Diagnose the source of error messages and fix the problems which cause them.
- Tuition in computer use and tablet use, apps, word processing, spreadsheets, photo/image manipulation software, video and audio editing software, website creation software etc.
- Design and / or host your website or blog.
- Transfer your website / email / domain name from one provider to another.
- Convert VHS video to DVD / Burn HD footage from your phone or video camera to DVD or blu-ray disk
- Advise on what to buy to achieve a given purpose.
- Consultancy in the educational use of IT.
- Support with PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android tablet, SMART TVs etc.
- Any other problem where you’ve just run out of people to ask!