Is there a market for this? Tech Support via SL

Okay, like, general Tech support. The kinda thing you wait in hold eight hours for Habib for. You'd IM me (The PEBKAC King, Burke Prefect), and I'd help fix your PC.

How I'd fix.
- Tell you how via SL, YIM, AOL, Skype, or even Phone
- Use "Flux" Remote Admin Tool (look it up, kiss mine) to slip in and FIX IT FOR THEM.
- Tell them to replace their PC with an etch-a-sketch.

What I'd Fix.
- Pretty much anything thrown at me.
- Spyware issues (Die Spyware Makers Die! Die! Die!)
- Anything that doesn't require me physically repairing hardware.

How I'd Get Paid.
- L$ or US$ (Not sure about rates)
- Items, Clothing, Casual Sex, Event Spaces for evil schemes of rocking out SL.
- Them wearing a BURKE FIXED IT! shirt/sign on them for awhile.

I know there are alot of ppl will in help for free, and maybe we can all form up to make a little group for all the n00bs and 'typical users' to call on, should the need for help arise.
I'm trying to see if there are any niches I can fit into that'd make money.

Thanks for the feedback, this forum rocks!

They already have live help. I wouldnt want anyone prowling around my pc. my laptop for example.. is what holds all of my personal financial information. Ie safety deposit box numbers/combo's it is protected with a biometric fingerprint mouse.. thats just to get into windows and it requires a print everything you try to view.. that computer is encrypted up the wazoo.. anyway my point is i wouldnt want you to touch my stuff.

I keep getting this strange "ID-10T" error on my computer... what is that?

But seriously, though... I don't suppose it's a bad idea. Mind, if someone's having computer problems, I imagine it'll be tricky for them to get onto SL for help, in some cases.

*touches Mol's computer*

...

*dies*

I dont like this idea.

Billy, Satyr, chill. I'm a security freak too. I assume you looked up Flux (Which I just send a benign access program, no installing, you have to reintiate if you restart). I don't do that blackhat stuff, that's for wankers. You don't get a reputation for being helpful if clients nudie pics show up on FYR the next day. I have my own rules about who sees what on my machine too. This is for the average user, and even though I'm an SL n00b I know my way around a sheepuser.

SL would be for non-critical stuff like spyware, things that haven't completely dibilitated the machine. I can also be contacted by Yahoo!, and by Phone. You'd be amazed how people light up after you remove spyware, reboot, and it's like they have a new computer again.

and i didn't mean 'live help' for SL, but for general PC stuff the 'manufacturer' doesn't cover.

I've done a couple dozen times for freinds on Yahoo. Even had to talk one through uninstalling 'wtools', the meanest, most entrenched peice of crapware in existance (need to kill via command-line safe mode )

I figure a few people that spend time in SL like me could rake in a little spare change doing this.

Yes i need tech support now. could you please post your phone number so we can start using this? ill pay you 10L a hour and i have 16 machines i need to reformat because of horrid spyware.

Spyware I can handle. Reformatting long-distance is tricky, and requires phonetime.

Thats why i said i will pay you 10L a hour and we can knock out my 16 machines..

L$10/hr? :lol:
If you need reformat advice I can do that, yeah.

While it would not be of use to me (my hubby and I are techies - he much more than I - so we can handle most all of our own issues), I don't see the harm in you at least setting it up and taking a shot with it as a business. I think with a bit of creative thinking like this, SL will be a platform for many types of businesses in the future that reach into RL as well. My opinion would be for you to give it a shot! Approach it like you would any new business. Be sure to have details and such about what you can do, ways you can do it, and prices (much like you hashed out a bit in your first post). I would also offer discounts or free services to some of your first customers if they would be willing to write up a short testimonial that you can use for further establishing your credibility. If you need some tips on advertising in SL, I've been noting various ways to do it in a notecard that I hope to use one day in a Business 101 class and I could give you some ideas (of course I've been planning this class forever - I *seriously* need to hurry up and start it... hehe).

If you decide to go for it, I wish you the best of success!

I think this is a nice idea Burke. You could start by creating a build where you can meet clients and guide them through things visually. The combination of shared visuals and text chat available in Second Life could really make this idea work quite well. I know there are odd things I have go on with my PC now and then I really can't be bothered searching to fix and I'd be happy to pay some L$ to see fixed.

I'd suggest this kind of format
- a location to visit
- Some free tips and docs
- Pictures to go with advice and guides you would provide
- a 'SL Tune-Up' service where you help people make SL go better
- Instructions on posting directx readouts to you.

It's a nice idea, but wouldn't you get borreeddd?

PC

Well, general SL stuff I'd pawn off on people that know this place. I'm still a n00b myself.
Keep your card drivers up to date, close any extra crap running, get some kind of RAMidle program that lets you run Windows for more six three hours at once, and for the love of god, don't jack up the specs if your card can't handle it.

As for guiding them to fix things, and general tips, I think I can do that.

Need to get a location, tho.

Agent smith agrees.

Yeah I mean you're doing tech support, just provide visual guides and others tools in-game that help people with your RL tech support.

PC

How to reformat a hard drive:

Remove hard drive from case.
Douse in gasoline.
Light.

That still might not do it.
I prefer a wirebrush to the disks, then you can hang them up all pretty on your wall.

I believe LL has some sort of policy against in-world advertising for out-of-world services. I couldn't find anything in the Community Standards, but I do have this quote from Philip's most recent town hall; in reference to a question of whether or not GM could use SL to sell real-world autos.

What Philip means by "we hold the right" is that they hold the right to change the policy.
In fact, as he says in your quote, "Whether we would invoke that to limit GM if they sold cars here (without asking) would be a function of what happened... how we all responded."

What he's saying is that while there is not currently any prohibition on advertising, Linden Lab reserves the right to change the ToS in future.

If people are willing to pay money for tech support, great. I thought about doing it myself, but then remembered that I really hate tech support, and so, tragedy was narrowly averted.