Regarding all of this card bus fuss.... Many list members here have pegged me for "free" information -- because I also commercially repair powerbooks and occasionally post here. Over the years, I answer occasional questions, and try to educate/correct where bad information is posted. Like any business, I have proprietary techniques. They aren't copy-righted, they are simply my techniques that I have learned from Apple or other sources over time -- call them skills. Some of the very people complaining (about Calvin posting how to do something based on his reverse-engineering of work by MCE and others) have asked me personally about my own trade secrets. I find this hypocrisy very disturbing. No, I'm not interested in "giving away the farm" regarding how I fix powerbooks. But I also don't want to silence others from distributing accurate information. Just like MCE, it is a business practice common worldwide. Part of what makes After Hours or MCE or DT&T successful is that they (we) treat our customers with respect, honesty and perform to the best of our abilities. That may or may not include disclosing trade practices. It is the professionalism and more accurately: convenience that one buys when you send a system to be repaired by one of us. Why do we bill $100 or so? Because you are demanding that we take hours out of our life to help you. The $100 it would cost for me or Kevin to activate your powerbook includes opening the box up, disassembly of the unit, the actual repair, reassembly, testing, reboxing and the time it takes to ship it back to you, along with the paperwork. You know what? That generally takes a lot longer than the hour billable we charge. That consumes our resources and our time -- so why isn't it worth money to you? Should the tables be reversed, I'd be willing to bet you folks would do the same. This isn't gouging the customer, it is an appropriate charge. We take huge risks in even opening a customer's box. We don't know if you have destroyed your computer in some other fashion, if you have lied to us, or if there are other _unknown_ issues involved. We receive a unit in good faith and basicially risk our reputations every time we work for a member of the general public. We don't know if we'll be facing other issues that we have to decide to address for free or alert you (and be accused of making "work"). All to make $100. This list is a non-commercial forum for discussing and disseminating information about your favorite category of computer. To tell someone that they cannot or should not discuss a technique that they have developed to help themselves or others is is foolish and self-defeating. If Calvin is wrong about his notes (I'll neither confirm nor deny the accuracy of his information), then it is his headache and that of anyone who copies his method. But he should not be told to shut up just because some of the rest of us wish to keep it a trade secret. I am very disturbed at the tone the list has taken of late. You folks used to help each other. (Even cheap shots at one's choice of ISP) While I truly believe most of you are just having a bad day over all of this, the current behavior does not become you. Regards, paul vail after hours consulting www.afterhoursconsulting.org ---------- Duo/2400 List, The friendliest place on the Net! A listserv for users and fans of Mac subportables. FAQ at <http://www.themacintoshguy.com/lists/DuoListFAQ.shtml> Be sure to visit Mac2400! <http://www.sineware.com/mac2400> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Need help from a real person? Try. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ---------- Dr. Bott | 10/100 Ethernet for your 2400 is finally here! MPC-100 | <http://www.drbott.com/prod/mpc100.html> NineWire | If they are cool enough to host this list... Digital Solutions | ...you should check them out! http://www.NineWire.com/ Midwest Mac Parts ][ <http://www.midwestmac.com> After-market parts for Macs. ][ 888-356-1104 ][ MacResQ Specials: LaCie SCSI CDR From $99! PowerBook 3400/200 Only $879! Norton AntiVirus 6 Only $19! We Stock PARTS! <http://www.macresq.com>
