But what do you DO?

I am a network engineer/administrator, firewall admin and Unix systems admin. I am also (on occasion) a web designer. My resume is here.

Q: Can I hire you?

A: Sure. I will always entertain job offers in my field as well as contract and consulting work. I specialize in Cisco routers, Solaris, Linux and Firewall administration. I also have experience in virus/spyware removal, Windows installation, network setup, wireless LAN and hardware upgrades. Contact me at for more details.

Q: How much do you charge?

A: This is negoiated on a per-job basis. I am willing to work for trade in some circumstances, if you have a service or product that interests me. Once again, contact me at for more details.

Q: Will you come to my home?

A: Yes. I do make house calls.

Q: How do I know I'm getting a good value?

A: Well, I know the answer to fixing most problems is NOT format the hard drive. This is an extreme situation and for the most part, people simply don't need to do this except in the case of a serious virus infection that cannot be removed. I have access to many freeware and open source utilities to remove "the bad stuff" so you likely won't have to worry about exorbitant expenses of purchasing extra software. It's always an option to get a commercial product, but why shell out money you don't need to.

I try to avoid repeat business by showing you how to protect yourself from viruses, spyware and other nasties. I'd rather my next job be helping someone you referred to me rather than having to fix your system a second time. Get it done right the first time and we're all set. Although I'm happy to work for you again, I'm always hoping the second time around isn't for the same problem, and might not even be a problem but something fun like setting up a wireless network.

The best way to help people is to teach them to be self sufficient, although I recognize that not everyone wants this status. Recently a friend told me of another friend who hired a tech to hook their computer to their local network for Internet access. The tech was unsuccessful, wound up formatting the hard drive, and convinced the friend to purchase SpySweeper. In the end, the problem was a bad Ethernet cable. A $10 cable turned in to possibly hundreds of dollars in costs. A good technician knows where to start. I don't want this to happen to you.