I provide consulting services primarily to individuals and small
businesses. For my clients, I
am a substitute for an in-house IT department. I provide training, hardware and
software installation and service, and acquisition advice, all on an as-needed
basis. The fact that I am not a reseller enhances my ability to offer an objective
viewpoint. If required, I can recommend providers of other computer services.
(Even thirty years of varied experience doesn't qualify someone to do everything!) I
often help clients identify computers, software, or peripherals for
purchase. I can also help with the migration of files and applications
to a new computer and help with the configuration of the new machine to
make it useful as quickly as possible. I do hardware repair, broadband
installation, and set up small networks, particularly for the home. I
can also give an older machine a tune-up—users frequently assume they
can buy a computer and then forget about it—and suggest economical
hardware or software upgrades. Clients can call me any time, night or
day, in a crisis. Many
of my clients are new to computers or have have learned how to
perform only the most basic operations. These people
can benefit
from one-on-one (or sometimes -two or -three) instruction in the use of
Microsoft Windows or of applications such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft
Outlook. In the case of more advanced applications such as
Access, I sometimes play the role of a mentor. Whatever the subject of training,
my approach is always to concentrate on understanding the application and the
models on which it is based, rather than merely providing a list of how to
accomplish various tasks. And,
of course, this kind of personal training can proceed at whatever pace is
comfortable for the learner. I
design, implement, and maintain custom databases in Microsoft Access. I design templates and other custom Microsoft Office solutions.
(Call me for any computer problem, and I will help you find a solution.)
This work often
provides an opportunity to analyze the operation of a business and to suggest
ways that computers can be used more effectively. I also design Web sites, but I
should emphasize that I am more writer than artist. My editorial and
user-interface skills are more important to my Web development clients
than my artistic skill. I write
documentation and provide other specialized writing and editing services. I've
even been known to program a VCR while making a visit to do training and
configuration, though this isn't one of my standard services. But then,
organizations sometimes make surprising demands on IT departments. Finally,
I provide training to software development organizations in software engineering
techniques and in software process improvement. I work
primarily in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh, but I have worked with clients
throughout the Greater Pittsburgh area and beyond. To find out how to contact
me, click here. I maintain a Web site for
clients that provides limited advice of general interest, as well as
pages for specific clients. Click here
to explore the site. As a convenience to clients who would prefer to
pay their bills with a PayPal account or with a credit or debit card,
you may click on the button below. When taken to the PayPal site, enter
the amount you are paying, and click Update Totals. You may then
either log in to PayPal to use your PayPal account, or you can click
Continue under Don't have a PayPal account? at the bottom of
the page to pay with a credit or debit card.
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