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geekygrandma

New Member
Hello everyone,
I am a Grandma and I am a very knowledgable computer geek. I have actually worked in the field for over 15 years. Now that I am semi retired I would like to help people my age and older. I am thinking of starting a service where I can remote into individual's computers and show them show them how to send and receive emails to loved ones, create and maintain a Facebook account safely, among other things. Besides having a background in computers, I have also worked with older individuals for many years before I changed my career and went into technology.

What do you all think? Is this something that would interest any of you, or do you think anyone that you know what be interested in doing something like this? I do have a local ad on craigslist and I am wondering if I should create a website take it further.

I am not trying to drum up business, I am really trying to find out if this is something that I should do. I would like your feedback.
 

I'm with Jujube, won't let anyone access my computer remotely unless they are proven to be reputable. Definitely wouldn't let someone from a craigslist ad have access, that would be like allowing the spam callers I get on my phone once a week to make changes on my personal computer...not wise. Good for you that you're knowledgeable about computers and good luck with any business ventures.
 

Thank you so much for your input. I definitely understand what you are both saying. This has been very helpful. Would it make any difference to either of if I told you that you would have complete control, that you can end the remote connection by just clicking on a button, and that the entire session is recorded?
 
geekygrandma said:
Thank you so much for your input. I definitely understand what you are both saying. This has been very helpful. Would it make any difference to either of if I told you that you would have complete control, that you can end the remote connection by just clicking on a button, and that the entire session is recorded?
Click to expand...

No, I don't think that would reassure me. It doesn't take long to plant a virus or a bug or malware or whatever the heck the hackers are coming up with these days. By the time I got suspicious, I'm pretty sure the damage would be done.

This isn't meant to cast any aspersions toward you. You sound like a person who wants to help people, but there are so many people out there who only want to help themselves and help themselves to my possessions. As far as computer repairs, help, etc., there are too many well-known and established computer repair businesses to pick someone off Craigslist.
 
I think having a website would be a necessary step toward achieving legitimacy.

Perhaps your potential clients would feel safer if THEY signed up for your services from a place where they could read about what it is you offer. You could also perhaps offer phone support from the same site. That could lead to the diagnostic software usage in a less-threatening manner.

Just a thought ... I wish you luck whichever way you go.
 
geekygrandma said:
Thank you so much for your input. I definitely understand what you are both saying. This has been very helpful. Would it make any difference to either of if I told you that you would have complete control, that you can end the remote connection by just clicking on a button, and that the entire session is recorded?
Click to expand...

No, it wouldn't make a difference to me. I don't have complete control if I allow an outside person access to my personal computer. I wouldn't trust the session ending with the click of a button, and being recorded wouldn't mean a thing to me if it were being recorded by the potential hacker. Like others have said, nothing against you personally, but you did ask outside opinions.
 
jujube said:
No, I don't think that would reassure me. It doesn't take long to plant a virus or a bug or malware or whatever the heck the hackers are coming up with these days. By the time I got suspicious, I'm pretty sure the damage would be done.

This isn't meant to cast any aspersions toward you. You sound like a person who wants to help people, but there are so many people out there who only want to help themselves and help themselves to my possessions. As far as computer repairs, help, etc., there are too many well-known and established computer repair businesses to pick someone off Craigslist.
Click to expand...

I don't take it personally. Its a shame because I can really offer a lot of assistance to people who are feeling alienated and alone. I will stick with talking to people on the phone and walking them through the steps instead of removing into their computer.

Thanks again for your help :)
 
SifuPhil said:
I think having a website would be a necessary step toward achieving legitimacy.

Perhaps your potential clients would feel safer if THEY signed up for your services from a place where they could read about what it is you offer. You could also perhaps offer phone support from the same site. That could lead to the diagnostic software usage in a less-threatening manner.

Just a thought ... I wish you luck whichever way you go.
Click to expand...

I think you might be right about the website. I will have to think about this for a little bit.

Thank you for your help.
 
There's a need for the service. That's for sure. How to provide it safely is the problem. How about staying local and going to peoples houses? Of course you have to think about your own safety. Being a senior techy who can teach is definitely a positive.
Perhaps doing something with or out of the public library?
 
Underock1 said:
There's a need for the service. That's for sure. How to provide it safely is the problem. How about staying local and going to peoples houses? Of course you have to think about your own safety. Being a senior techy who can teach is definitely a positive.
Perhaps doing something with or out of the public library?
Click to expand...

I thought about teaching at the local community center or library, but I honestly don't think that that environment works very well, especially for seniors. My mother did that a few years ago, and other people that I know found that they forgot everything they learned when they got home. When I worked for a large technology company I would remote into peoples computers all the time, and I know that seniors feel intimidated by computers and the internet. Unfortunately, they have usually had a bad experience with an impatient tech on the phone also which didn't help at all. I want to offer them an alternative to just "sitting on the sidelines" as the technological world goes speeding by.
 
I am looking for feedback

Hi all. I am a Grandma and I am a very knowledgeable computer geek. I have worked in the computer field for over 15 years. Now that I am semi retired I would like to help people my age and older. I am thinking of starting a service where I can remote into individual's computers and show them how to send and receive emails to loved ones, create and maintain a Facebook account safely, among other things. Besides having a background in computers, I have also worked with older individuals for many years before I changed my career and moved into technology.

What do you all think? Is this something that would interest any of you, or do you think anyone that you know what be interested in doing something like this? I do have a local ad on craigslist and I am wondering if I should create a website take it further.

I am not trying to drum up business, I am really trying to find out if this is something that I should do. Thank you for your time.
 
I remember the exact thread too, BW...now it's moved here with the original replies if anyone want to add more.
 
Sure!!! I am more than happy to allow a complete stranger access to my computer. After all, if the invitation is on the Internet it must be safe, right? Sure come on in! Have some coffee and oh.... Would you make sure you lock up when you leave?
 
I find that half the fun of working with a computer is figuring out how to do something myself...via trial and error. That way, when I DO figure something out, I am far more likely to remember it. In my recent transition to W10, for example, I found all sorts of things that were different from W7. Browsing through the Internet, looking for tips from the "experts", I found that most of the time, these "experts" were either wrong, or misleading....or they wanted to charge for every little piece of advise. Nuts to that...it took a few hours, and I still run into something new, but for the most part, I feel as comfortable with W10, as I ever did with W7.

BTW, virtually every Internet product, of any worth, has its own support structure. In my transitioning to W10, I found a conflict between Avast Anti-virus, and Yahoo e-mail. Working with both those services, I eventually convinced them they had a problem and Avast released an update.
 
Hi Geeky!
Several years ago, I lived in a senior bldg. (you might try those!) where a teacher came in and taught a class in computers 2 days a week for 9 weeks... Some people started from scratch...other wanted to do more than what they already could do (emails, etc) ...She didn't charge for this...and I am not sure if you would like to charge or not... but teaching in senior housing bldgs. might be a way to go... Anyway good luck!
Betty
 
I wouldn't allow anyone to remote control my computer. I am even afraid of the Dell and Microsoft people as I am sure a lot of that work is outsourced to people in other countries. Joe Blow in India doesn't need access to my computer where I think he could somehow get my password and get into my online banking accounts.

And I think if you tried to have some classes teaching seniors you might wind up driving yourself crazy. I used to help my elderly neighbor across the street and she'd forget what I had taught her the next day. It was like living ground hog day over and over. I wasn't charging her, just being a good neighbor. Finally I said to heck with it and stopped helping her. I think if people are going to be computer savoy they can learn a lot from the computer books. I know there is even a Computers For Senior Dummies book. It would be even better if they could go to a hands on class and have a book too. I use YouTube a lot if I have some particular problem I need help with. I've worked with computers since the mid 80s and I still have a lot to learn.
 
I've had Dell remotely accessing my computer to unscramble software or get rid of trojans, etc., both here and at work, and have never had any problem. Since I don't want to chuck out the computer every time it gets messed up, I have to let someone repair it. Even if I took it in to a repair place, they'd have as much access as a remote guy would.

Don't store passwords on your computer, and don't use that "save my password" option if you're worried about it. Real hackers can get past just about anything anyway. I'm just very careful about what I do and what I save, and only let legitimate repair people work on my computer, i.e., Dell.
 
You are correct Butterfly, a computer repairman also has access to your computer information. I don't have any passwords saved on my computer but I still think a person could leave something on the computer that would notify them when I logged on and then could somehow pick up my passwords for bank accounts. And they could wait for several months to do anything with it, it doesn't have to be an immediate thing. Everyone just has to do what is on their own comfort level.
 

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