Do we have the same fate as TV Techs?

[dgiles79]

You just have to evolve your skill set to match what the customers need. There will always be a need for technology services, it will just look different from how it does today.

[compnet]

I fully agree - adapt or die. But viruses aren't going anywhere - in fact they are just getting worse and more rampant.

Web browsing is 100 times as complex as changing the channel.. TVs have x number of channels that do one thing - display an image on your screen. The internet has multiple browsers using multiple runtimes accessing uncountable websites, to do anything from displaying an image on your screen, to playing games, to uploading a virus on your computer.

A TV also has two plugs and requires no setup aside from what your tv provider will do for you with their service. Also, when they fail, its almost always an expensive part that comes to close to the price of a new TV.

Also, there is no value aside from the parts in a TV. People have data on their computers that they will pay to get back.

I do think shrinking price tags will hurt us, but I don't think the dying TV repair industry is a good analogy to computers.

[SprinterTech-WI]

If anything TV repair MAY go up as more have integrated software (waiting to see one get "infected" and open a camera up, or only allow certain stations etc...) also more and more "normal" people are getting sophisticated HT setups, and full network integration.... just adapt! I'll bet those TV places would still be in business if they also repaired computers.....

[OldSchoolPC]

People are willing to pay $1000+ if their hard drive fails. People are also too cheap to get Mozy or Carbonite, and or too lazy or don't know how to use it properly. When PCs were 2000 each, the money was in hardware first, and data second. Now, it's the other way around. Data recovery, security, and business network related work will withstand until we are dead. In-home repair of residential PC customers is the only sector that is really dying. Adapt or die. Do remote support, and/or transition to the business sector.

[altrenda]

So you are saying that if malware disappeared tomorrow, you would be out of business. That should scare you.

It's funny you should mention tvs. I was telling someone that I was replacing the capacitors in an imac power supply, and they asked if I could recap their Visio TV.

[OldSchoolPC]

Originally Posted by altrenda

So you are saying that if malware disappeared tomorrow, you would be out of business. That should scare you.

Certainly doesn't scare me. Viruses drive software sales. It's not in Microsoft's interest to develop an operating system that is immune to viruses. Also, anti-virus companies would be out of business. There is big money to be made by "victims" like Microsoft. "Our new operating system is immune to XYZ virus, buy an upgrade!" Then, a new virus comes out for that. Easy money. Besides, when it comes down to it, malware is no different than any other software program as far as a computer is concerned. Computers will never know right from wrong, or good from bad, or wanted from not wanted. To a computer, it just processing code. So was Gator malware? Most of us would say yes. Some end users actually reaped benefit from it (or felt they did). There will always be bad people in this world who will make viruses or malware to either scam you, or f*ck with you. Malware/viruses have been around since before the internet, they aren't going away.

[Dameize]

I dont mean completely out of business but if everyone received 0 income from viruses I think its safe to assume their businesses would go down by 50% or so.

[OldSchoolPC]

Now that, will be the case for those who don't adapt. I can certainly agree with that. But of course, it will be a long time (never) in which there is 0 income to be made from virus/malware removal. TV techs are pretty much extinct. However PC techs have alternatives. That is, remote support, data recovery, and working in the business sector. Those three things with GROW. So there is plenty of potential for growth for those who adapt.

[Rosco]

Originally Posted by compnet

I fully agree - adapt or die. But viruses aren't going anywhere - in fact they are just getting worse and more rampant.

Web browsing is 100 times as complex as changing the channel.. TVs have x number of channels that do one thing - display an image on your screen. The internet has multiple browsers using multiple runtimes accessing uncountable websites, to do anything from displaying an image on your screen, to playing games, to uploading a virus on your computer.

A TV also has two plugs and requires no setup aside from what your tv provider will do for you with their service. Also, when they fail, its almost always an expensive part that comes to close to the price of a new TV.

Also, there is no value aside from the parts in a TV. People have data on their computers that they will pay to get back.

I do think shrinking price tags will hurt us, but I don't think the dying TV repair industry is a good analogy to computers.

+1 for the new guy. adapt or die. there are so many things that go on in a computer there will always be something to fix. We just need to provide services that people want and need!

[acesdeals]

yes a lot of things have changed with technology and many stores have closed but a lot of new businesses have opened

IT will be around for a while

A lot of TVs are becoming SMART so many people will probably need help settings them up, calibration is the new thing now and i am sure you can incorporate that into your services offered

Building HTPCs for customers is also something that very profitable, parts can be had for cheap and you really only need an atom based processor and most of the software is cheap or free if using linux and the only reoccurring cost for them is the hulu or netflix subscription