Why does anybody need support for a desktop computer is hard to believe.
most of you guys are plenty tech savvy.
when something breaks, which is rare, you just replace the part.
i do not have an hackintosh, only genuine macs, but i can see how some people are comfortable using one.
I actually know a few who do use it successfully fr high end editing and PS work.
I have visited the Tony mac site a few times and it seems that building one is fairly straightforward.
plus when you buy the parts for building one, they all come with a minimum of 3 years warranty. that sound almost as apple care.
1. I used to think this. With computers being so easy to work with I found it hard to imagine others didn't find it as easy. And then I realized I'd been on the first wave of PC's from way back so what was easy for me isn't easy for others. I paid a big chunk of my way through college by offering custom PC builds along with set up and a few hours of instruction. When I first started it was aimed at students and I was surprised when my main client based turned out to be professors and other academics. This was my first exposure to people who just wanted a computer to work and to not think about anything else. They wanted to put it in simple terms like "I want the latest best computer but not extreme" and then to trust the person building it for them to give them just that.
This is basically what people have been doing with Dell, HP, etc.. for years. They catch a few buzzwords like "Pentium" and "VGA" and figure if their computer has these things then the rest of it must be good too. But many have found out the "service" is lacking and that they really can't trust these companies to act in their (the customers) best interest.
So.. a career and a half later.. here I am offering custom build PC's. Again. Except now my clients are photographers and most recently day-traders who want 10+ screen configs. Same mindset though "give me the latest and greatest but don't go overboard" or "go overboard, money is no object.." I started off doing this for one workshop client as a favor, he told someone else who told someone else, and it didn't take long to turn it into a rather profitable use of my time.
I think what brings most of these clients to me.. is trust. They've learned through years of experience the Dell, HP, etc, isn't their friend. They think I am. What I really am is 100% honest with them, even if I know I'll loose a client. So it works. They want someone else to think about the design, build it, and in some cases to set it up. And they really like having someone a phone call away which has turned into extra income.
When I move back to Thailand in a few years I'm seriously thinking about offering a concierge service and corning the day-trader market. These guys have a host of issues they're dealing with operating from their locations in a third world country, and most that I've met are really good at figuring out that even if they're tech savvy, their time is more profitable trading than it is fixing PC's. Plus I've found I like these guys, mostly independent self-sufficient folks with a quick mind and who grasp the obvious faster than the average bear. I've had more than a few offer to put me on "retainer" already.. they know it can break, but when it does they want the best insurance. Me.
So ya, there is a lot of room for support services in the PC/Mac world. And there are people more than willing to pay for real support they can count on. Other companies have tried it with "gold support" type services, often charging $500 or more for a three year period. but they haven't got it yet. The people willing to pay $500 and a lot more.. want to know the first name of the guy who fixes their computer (and his phone number).. When they need a custom workstation on their new 50 foot boat, or their vacation home set up, or what equipment is needed to get the most out of the area they operate in.. they do not want to call a company and talk to a guy earning $10 a hour for reading prompts from his screen to customers, and always get a new guy every time they call. They really want their concierge computer guy. I'm constantly surprised by just how much they're willing to pay for this service. To them it's money well spent.
2. They are. And I don't think Steve Job's will be knocking on anyone's door mentioning the EULA's.. Assuming everyone actually owns the software they're operating with I just don't see enforcement happening. First, I don't think it's high on their list of priorities or even on the top 1000.. and second, it would be extremely costly to learn just who decided to build and use their own Hackentosh.. what will they do, bug your phone? Just don't see it..
I know the Mac guys want to think their hardware is special, and that Apple somehow buys their components from the same guy selling magic beans, or the electronics have some design edge that makes them special.. but they don't. Apple learned (finally) that PC hardware was pretty damn good, and because there was such a huge market cheap too. And by using Intel they could put all their resources into design (pretty boxes). And marketing. Their marketing is superb, the fanboy base is huge and they're dedicated. The masters of Kool-aid..
