Get dsl or cable BB before calling me!

[jonb33]

As resident(free) computer expert, I'm sure you have been asked for help from less tech-savvy relatives and friends.  What do you tell people with 56k dialup, who will not spend the money for dsl or cable broadband?  I hate to do it, but I say "sorry, I don't help people without dsl or cable broadband.  Modern pc and mac systems CANNOT be updated properly at 56k. The hours-long downloads usually fail midstream, or users shutdown midstream.  Call me back when you have dsl or cable, or let me help you get it." Why waste my time when their system requires hours-long update downloads before a fix is possible?  And don't tell me to bring their box home and update it on my broadband connection.  This is a poor shorterm solution. I have told too many of these people "don't shut down your computer while it is updating."  I'm sure they shutdown anyway, not realizing it is updating or wanting to "save electricity".  Sorry if this is not the appropriate forum.  It has most activity.

[jerryheavyarms]

Why not just charged them if they want you to take home their computer to be updated? I think its just reasonable. Or maybe you could burn them an installer disk with all the upgrades that their computer needs..

[jonb33]

I just help as a favor and never charge.  Do you realize how much trouble that is to diagnose problem, figure what updates they need and  burn relevant updates on a cd?  Automatic updates is the only practical way unless you live in the same house.  Only automatic updates knows what the critical updates are.

[soybean]

I say "sorry, I don't help people without dsl or cable broadband.  Modern pc and mac systems CANNOT be updated properly at 56k. The hours-long downloads usually fail midstream, or users shutdown midstream.  Call me back when you have dsl or cable, or let me help you get it."

I'm inclined to agree with you, unless they actually have no broadband options in their area, which is still the case in some rural areas.  I went through this scenario with my mother.  She was on dialup from Dec. 1999, when she first started using a computer, until about 6 months ago when I persuaded her to get DSL.  Actually, for the first 6 years or so, dialup was her only option; neither DSL or Cable were available in the rural area where she lived.  Then, she moved to a small town about 6 miles from her previous residence.  I did some research and found that she could get DSL but would have to switch telephone service providers, which I persuaded her to do.  She subsribed to the basic DSL service which is 768 Kbps download, but that's still about 15 times faster than dialup and the cost is about the same as her former dialup service.

[Aegis]

Maybe these people don't want to pay, or can't afford to pay the ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS rates the rest of us pay for the dubious privilege of streaming video, audio, and (agreed) faster download of large file content.

Even if money is not an issue for them, it's their choice of how to spend it.  It is also your choice to help whom you will.

For the price of a portable drive, you could be a local hero for these folks.

And don't tell me to bring their box home and update it on my broadband connection.  This is a poor shorterm solution

Why?

She subsribed to the basic DSL service which is 768 Kbps download, but that's still about 15 times faster than dialup and the cost is about the same as her former dialup service.

OK, that's a good argument and reason.

[jerryheavyarms]

I just help as a favor and never charge.

Yep, I see your point. But if its a relative or a friend, for me, its not a big deal.

Do you realize how much trouble that is to diagnose problem, figure what updates...

In fact, I do.
Well, just tell them that in the long run it will be beneficial for them. Just as whatt soybean did, try to do some research for them with regards to rates of DSL providers in their place.