====== Computer Help At No Charge ======

As a neighborly act that makes use of my (hopeful) more technical talents, I help people with their computer questions and issues for no charge.  In exchange, I share a little of my understanding of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ as I have learned it from [[http://www.mormon.org|the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]] and perhaps a story or two from [[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm|The Book of Mormon]].

===== The Best Way to Contact Me for Help =====

I have a quite demanding job fixing computers for a major state university system and a quiet demanding family and religious life, so I must be careful as to how my "neighborly help" interferes with those things.  Even if you know my work or home phone numbers, I //really, really// don't want to address your problems over the phone, as it forces me to drop whatever I am doing at the moment, which is likely very important!  I definitely //ignore// appeals for neighborly computer help that are phoned in, so please be considerate of my time.

I ask that you send me an email with some details about your problem at:
**jason@qix.me**.  This gives you a chance to think about your problem and maybe come up with your own solution before contacting me and it gives me a chance to think about your problem as well and come up with good help for you.  //I understand that you may not be able to send emails because your computer isn't working, so you may have to have another friend email me on your behalf.//  I have to be this way because I am pulled in so many directions!

===== My Qualifications =====

As many of you don't know me very well, it may reassure to know that I have over 25 years of experience with computer repair.  I am CompTIA A+ and Network+ Certified and my work since 2004 has been as a technologist for state universities.  Beyond whatever consumer-grade Windows-based computer problems you might have, I am CompTIA Linux+ certified, I have a LPIC-1 certification, and am a Novell Certified Linux System Administrator and Data Center Technical Specialist.  Basically, I am really quite competent at not only your computer, but a whole class of computers that you, as an average person, are likely not permitted to touch!

===== Frequently-Asked Questions =====

**I would be willing to pay for your help! Can't we make some deal?**

I really am very busy with my job and other endeavors and I cannot have a business-ish committment to you that might interfere with them.  Also, depending on where I am and various labor policies, I cannot be self-employed or behave like I am.  This is the reason that I help you as a neighbor and that it cannot be construed as anything else, especially to the authorities.  If you need professional service, please look in a local business 
directory for such.

**Why are you so strange about not using the words "service" or "free" when talking about this?**

Words mean things, especially in an official way that governments use them.  If I were to provide a "service", even for "free", I would likely violate some regulation, especially if I happen to be a guest of the country where I am offering help.  I might be taking the food off someone's table if my "service" reduced someone else's "business".  I specifically have to do what I do in an un-business-like way, which is inconvienient enough for others that they are more likely to use a "computer shoppe" for their needs.  I can help out a friend, but I can't provide a "service", even if I don't charge money for what I do.  I can't use such words and I can't just do the same thing and call it by a different name.

**Can't I just drop off my sick computer and pick it up when you have fixed it?**

//Absolutely not!// That puts me into direct competition with computer repair businesses and I could get into trouble! As a friend, I might come to your house and help //you// to fix //your own//
computer or give you some neighborly technical advice, that is fine.  When you walk away from the situation in some way and leave me to solve things for you, I am providing a service that competes with others that provide the same service, usually for a fee.  To add insult to injury, I would be undercutting that competition by offering to do it for "free".  Not a way to make friends and be a good neighbor, stealing away another person's livelihood!

**I don't understand why you refuse to do this for money, as a business...**

My purpose is to get out into the community and meet new people and to be useful in some way. I also use it as a way to share the things I have learned about God and the LDS Church.  I want to be upfront about it without being overbearing, so people will not be confused about why I do these things.  God has been so kind and generous to me that I want to be kind and generous to others, as much as I am able.  One way I can do this is to help people through my computer experience. I am really not interested in doing anything technical beyond that.