At 01:56 AM 31/07/02, you did spake with authority thus (but kindly): COMMENT #1 Hello, What I don't understand is how we receive the newsletter boasting of such great news regarding their financial status etc. and then when it comes down to it they are laying off key players. What can you really believe? -- Thank you, Vincent A. Primavera.
************ Vincent, this is the way of THAT world. After more years than I care to recall as an international corporate "fixer", the lie has always been the first "solution". Just look at the combination of the last year: Dot.bombs, Enron, Xerox (!) etc. etc. Want to see something really amazing about "loyalty" ? Go look up the saga - still going - of Cyberwings.com and the strange behaviour of its owner. COMMENT 2 FAR MORE POSITIVE! > Take a look at what we have here, someone who has a lot of skills, > deals well >with people and seems to have lot of drive!! This is someone that should >have his >own tech support business. I dont think that I have ever met anyone who was >REALLY happy with his or her job working for someone else for more than a few >years. Self employment has been a great way for me and a number of folks I >know >to get out of this rut. > I would think that if someone like civilme were to open some sort of > Linux tech >support business even if only starting by selling his services on ebay in >a few >months or a year he could really do very well for himself and never have >to worry >about a layoff again. > And what a asset to linux!! > > Marc Good Thinking Marc, but in fact most people do not want to run their own business. Otherwise "Big Business" couldn't exist. It is nowhere near as hard as it looks to start a business if you have a *marketable* skill. Civileme, go for it! I am a an ex-professional in this area and I have watched you here for a loooong time. A good LOYAL and dedicated employee - AND - well liked. KEYPOINT: Well -liked. An axiom in IT is that to find a Geek who can even be invitable to a party is a rare thing, much less get near the paying customers! :-) There is a VAST difference between geeking and client support - and usually the twain rarely meet. A fact of life in the industry. One small suggestion: Do not get involved in support like this area! It is (a) too time-consuming (b) won't feed your starving wives and kid - EVER. As an example I give you: Mandrake......................... nearly gone - as -I predicted (sadly) ( Do it as a hobby by all means.... or as a contribution to Linux comm) BUT Get into the REAL world REAL User Market. Businesspeople are used to being ripped off by Microsoft. Set up as a Small Business Network Consultant. Specialise in <10 bums on seats. Offer handholding for a year cheaply ( $10 per support call by email/phone) There is a logic in this.... Go get a quote for a 2, 5, 10 seat Microsoft SBO Network. Price to it. NEVER under-quote! OVER-Service! Offer complete packages and "serious upgrades". That means: supply equipment, install it, Internet them Setup a Website for them Make it ACTUALLY work............. GUARANTEE your work. Be UNDERSTANDING. Just remember, the real world could not care less about Linux/Microsoft/Fruit............ We only want something that works!!!! So long as *you* SET EVERYTHING UP FOR THEM and *you* NEVER MENTION THE COMMAND LINE you will make more money than you ever dreamed. The only catch with this scenario for anyone else that gets excited, too: With the exception of Lindows - frightening M$ so much that they are seriously trying to stop them now..... Linux is still a ^%$#$%^&*&^^ of a product to install and setup in a business-workable format. DON'T even THINK about going into the business unless you know as much as Civileme!! AND can be polite under stress - and never, ever smartass a User because of your own ego. There! That knocks out 98.87% of all the people who play around with Linux. :-) Good luck, Civileme, this should be the best thing that ever happened to you. If I can help you in any way, contact me - this is *my* area of knowhow. John Rigby
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