Hit the nail on the head Paul. Good Job! ahclist wrote: > 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>
