Talk:Computer repair technician

Article Creation

The creation of this article was inspired from friends asking me what you need to have to be an efficient computer repairman. As an apprentice at Eastside PC, (www.eastsidepc.com) in Milwaukee, I have learned by observation, and experience how my Master works, and why. As this icycle is editable, I know it may but cut and chopped.

The tools of the trade section is based on my own backpack, as well as my Master's, and colleagues' I have in the field. It is by no means universal or complete, but a guideline.

The ethics section is just plain business smarts. --Ben414 22:33, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

Ethics may be a very important section to this. I have far too many collegues who insert plan-to-fail items, just to get quicker return business. The same goes for using protection products with known issues, just because of a big price tag (Norton anyone?) Yue.san 06:03, 23 February 2007 (UTC)

I can see your point that you'd rather hire an ethical computer r3pair dude than an unethical computer repair dude. However I think that if you were realistic, then you'd acknowledge that the sort of pay-scale that a computer repair dude operates on typically gives him a margin not so far up from a janitor, especially when compared to stock-broker or a anesthesiologist. Expecting some chump who is that low on the ladder to carry a really strong sense of ethics with him as he plods around town turning wrenches on old single-core processer x386's in your mom's dusty basement so that she can email you doesn't seem to take into account that if he does a super job he's unlikely to get a lot of repeat business and that, in any event, it's unlikely that you're going to give him a large tip. Rather than argue with you, though, I should concede the point that ethics is marginally important to any occupation and that computer repairs, being an occupation, should not be exempt from that. Also, I'm sorry if some computer repair dude burned you in the past and you feel short-changed. To be consistent, though, if you want to add an ethics section to computer repair tech, we should also add an ethics section to traipese artist, and most certainly to sushi chef. After all, we wouldn't want anyone to get sick from bad sushi.

--some guy

Being in the field, I have only been deceived a few times when I first got a computer, but there are those who insist on questionable practices. I see it all the time when I am shopping somewhere and hear these sales people merely thinking about their pocketbook, rather than a client/customer's needs. This will be discussed better in a wikibook. --Ben414 12:37, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

Suggestion

This may seem a little vague, but I think like a of ten or so most common problems with computer hardware would be handy? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 164.58.224.236 (talk) 18:48, 5 February 2007 (UTC).

A Common Diagnosis Items section may be in order. For example: toolbars anti-virus anti-spyware "is it plugged in", ect. Yue.san 06:08, 23 February 2007 (UTC)

I agree. How do we do this without padding the article?? There are those who want to snip and clip at articles that grow too large. I will add a wiki I saw somewhere detailing common problems. Ben414

Commercial links

This is just asking for spam. Can we have consensus to delete this section please?Pedro |  Talk  14:21, 21 February 2007 (UTC)

Please explain why. Commercial products are a major part of the toolbag. Yue.san 06:10, 23 February 2007 (UTC)

See WP:SPAM. Pedro |  Talk  16:37, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

I agree that the section should remain, but needs to be watched carefully. It's hard to be taken seriously if you're using some product that isn't an industry standard, whether it's official, or un-official. A Generic listing should be used as opposed to a commercial one, unless the commercial one stands far above others in the repair tech community. --Ben414 —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 70.94.7.252 (talk) 05:16, 23 March 2007 (UTC).

Certifications

I'm going to add a certifications section later. The link to A+ is good, but I think more specific titles should be included. (A+, Microsoft, Apple Certified, ect) Unless of course, a listing exists elsewhere? Yue.san 06:13, 23 February 2007 (UTC)

I second that there is a need to mention the certification and training needed to become an IT tech. Lukjad007 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Lukjad007 (talk • contribs) 14:42, 5 September 2008 (UTC)

Trailblazing

I need to find some concrete sources to keep the editors happy. Now I am a tech who is forever learning, and has asked my local techs to add to the article what they see fit. Normally those opinions are valuable, but having had a few articles deleted from me, I am understandably paranoid. Is there somewhere besides our own experience we can use to satisfy wikipedia's censors....and haters?? Ben414

P.O.S.T. CARD

I KNOW PCI, ISA, PCI-X, Mini-PCI, EXPRESS CARD, AND PCI-E POST CARDS EXIST BUT I AM SKEPTICAL THAT AGP P.O.S.T. TEST CARDS ARE REAL? I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A DEVICE AND DOUBT THEY EXIST; A GOOGLE SEARCH RE-AFFERMS MY BELIEF. CAN SOMEONE POINT ME TO ONE AND IF NOT THEN THE REFRENCE TO AN AGP POST TEST CARD IN THE ARTICLE WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED. --Root Beers 15:33, 29 March 2007

As a pc tech for seven years now, I've never heard of an AGP post test card either, only PCI and ISA. Maybe it's too expensive for most pc repair shops to purchase. Jcchat66 15:31, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

I know some repair shops have some very expensive test equipment so a Simple POST card would not be a biggie.. Ultra X makes some of the best POST cards on the market and they cost around $500-1500. Those PCI, PCI-e, and ISA cards test the AGP port via their native interface. It sounds to me like someone is just pulling stuff out of their imagination.

• https://thekingrepairs.com/computer-repair-mac-burlington/ --Root Beers 15:47, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

Restored Article

This article was restored due to a couple of people trying to dictate the direction of it. This article does not exist anywhere else to my knowledge, so I will fight to prevent any excessive edits to it. We have a talk page for a reason.

The people who have been contributing have an inherited knowledge of the subject from their schooling, experience, and training.

As stated in the Update 12/22/06 Section of this talk page, I will not intervene as long as the article follows somewhat along the path I pushed it towards.

The free utilities section cannot be spam, since these are unofficial programs of the trade. The anti-spyware programs are from here, and others are from advice from my colleges, as well as contributions from other users.

The Suggested Premium Utilities and Tools section is a short list of programs the pros already use, and they offer, or recommend. Examples of the most popular utilities was mentioned, as well as a link to other utilities mentioned on Wikipedia.

The philosophies sections should be there, albeit, it should be modified for a more NPOV if I have leaned one way or the other.

BOTTOM LINE. An article does not exist in this detail anywhere, at least to my knowledge. You have a responsibility to preserve this article, and discuss problems you have on the talk page, in a diplomatic way, as the creators of Wikipedia intended. Of course this article might not conform to certain standards... that happens with new things and is normal. The world is not black and white, as there is an infinite number of greys. --Ben414 04:38, 28 April 2007 (UTC)

Please read WP:NOT and WP:OWN in their entirety. I'm going to continue to remove prescriptive information from this article until it either finds an appropriate direction or withers to nothing. If you want to create a page of the sort you seem to be defending, please do so on Wiki books, which was specifically designed for this purpose. Chris Cunningham 14:04, 28 April 2007 (UTC)

I am sorry, but I also am experienced in this area to an extent, and I do not see how this article covers the topic well at all. The reason I had pruned it was to remove unnecessary lists, un-encyclopaedic language and WP:POVish suggestion of specific tools - I don't see how these have a place here.--Konstable 11:11, 29 April 2007 (UTC)

I think this article should have a link to a real example of a computer repair technician. ? : ] — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tim45books (talk • contribs) 16:46, 1 February 2011 (UTC)

Concession and Reasoning from Creator

I will concede that I am protecting this as my own. I know of no other source anywhere that listed anything related to this subject, and as such fought to preserve something I felt was one of a kind. I use wikipedia to learn many different things, and it is my first source when researching a topic or curiosity. The articles on the site are to varying degrees unmonitored, or caught in an edit war. I just saw the need for something a bit more detailed than "this is what a computer tech is", the end.

Is it the consensus that I have crossed into a how-to? If so, I have no problem with a basic article here, and then a wikibook somewhere also (how do I start one of those??). Do I have a motion for a basic article here, and a detailed, advice guided sister article on wikibooks??? --66.93.197.82 00:41, 1 May 2007 (UTC)

The lists in this article, IMHO, are not necessary and do not contribute to the article. It would be wiser to generalise and condense the main points into coherent paragraphs. If you want to see a good example of an article about a profession, I suggest to take a look at Security guard, a GA-quality one. Best luck! --Gimlei ^{(talk to me)} 14:52, 21 May 2007 (UTC)

I agree. The list of "hardware used" seems to me to be quite random, ranging from commonplace to highly specialised items (several of which are not available in my workplace). What it isn't is a useful description of the sort of toolkit one would wish to have. A few of the comment seem odd and wrong: "must be an OEM machine to legally be installed for Microsoft OSes" is, in so far as I understand it, not correct. Commercial software (including MS software) must have a valid licence, but this can be in more than one form (single OEM or end-user licences up to volume and site licences). Overall, while I feel that such an article is be valid, this one does not give a good feel for what an IT Technician job involves, or what is required to gain or such a job. For a shorter, but IMHO better article see prospects.ac.uk - User: Robhogg Sun 2 September 2007, 02.36 UTC

Awful article

This article is simply bad and just list all computers parts and needs a rewrite ((butcer))

Please elaborate on your complaint, because as-is, it does not contribute at all either way. --Ben414 01:55, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

One problem with this page space is that most online links are (bound to be) a sort of advertising

I don't see a bunch of stuff online which is non-commercial. There's a really good link in the top five at Google which offers flow charts which do help understand the process, but also links to the fellow's (I'm sure worthy) book. So I can't really use that. I've fixed the intro to represent what the task base encompasses, but finding links that aren't tied to manufacturer, platform or operating system will be a bit problematic. Please feel free to make it better. BusterD 18:19, 2 September 2007 (UTC)

To be completely neutral about types of tools and software used without mentioning a product is impossible. Think of an article about mp3 players without mentioning an iPod or Zune. Think about an article on video games without mentioning Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft. A neutral POV is preferred but if you get too neutral you really can't express an article effectively. Besides, ask a few repair services what they use and you will start to see a pattern-- a pattern that mirrors the original content of this article. Until such a neutral, non-advertisement related tools and software can be mentioned w/o ruing the tone of the article I say their content cannot be contested. --Ben414 02:05, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

I second that this link was I think relevant, Computer Repair Technician but a draconian links policy is, I think inhibiting some good examples and resources.

Tim Books 13:01, 2 February 2011 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tim45books (talk • contribs)

Internal links to notable companies would be good examples. A commercial external link that only exists to sell a service is not (see WP:ELNO). Apparition^{11 Complaints}/Mistakes 03:47, 27 February 2011 (UTC)

Cleanup

Is anyone currently monitoring this page or working on cleaning it up? It looks a bit rough as is but I don't want to step on anyone's toes if they have a plan for how to clean this article up. My plan is first to get some sources cited on the page to get rid of the citations for verification alert that is 12 years old. Second (or at the same time really) is to clean up some of the grammar and rough sentence and paragraph structure.

I read through this entire talk section and it looks like there is not much of a consensus about adding additional sections. I will work inside of what is established although I really think we could put some info in about A+ and common certifications (if there's a consensus instead of just sprinkling those into the current areas we could break that out into its own section...your thoughts?).

Let me know who else is on here and wants to work to get this area about our (or at least my) profession a little more respectable. Thanks for all your help Kc7txm (talk) 07:10, 24 May 2019 (UTC)

Help is always appreciated. When I created this article I was heavily involved with this field but have been in another field for some time. Much has happened in the computer world since then. For example, now personal portable devices far outnumber computers and there is an entire subindustry which repairs and maintains these. I agree that the page could use new sets of eyes. BusterD (talk) 14:35, 24 May 2019 (UTC)

Sounds good BusterD, thanks for the okay. I'll start working on it over the weekend then. If anyone else has some input let me know. Kc7txm (talk) 05:18, 25 May 2019 (UTC)

Cleanup Project May 2019

I'm going to list out some areas I think could use improvements and if anyone else has ideas or wants to add to the list please feel free to add to this. - Kc7txm (talk) 18:26, 25 May 2019 (UTC)

1. Cite some sources for everything in the article (definitionally what all articles are suppose to have)
   1. updated dead linkMicaDrenaline (talk) 19:47, 16 December 2019 (UTC)
   2. linked to definition articles on wiki.MicaDrenaline (talk) 00:17, 17 December 2019 (UTC)
   3. added 6 sources (more to come)MicaDrenaline (talk) 00:17, 17 December 2019 (UTC)
2. Clean up some of the sentence structure
   1. reviewed and updated Software section sentence structure. Will review overview and hardware next.MicaDrenaline (talk) 00:17, 17 December 2019 (UTC)
3. Add section or just info about common computer repair technician certifications
   1. added section on certifications and added one for education (will add more to education next)MicaDrenaline (talk) 00:17, 17 December 2019 (UTC)
4. Since the intro section states computer repair technicians do three things (hardware repairs, software repairs and networking) and we have a section from software and hardware, we should build out a network section

Any other things to add?

End of May (practically June) update. I'm a little slower on getting this reworked than I originally planned, I guess it's turning more into a May-June 2019 cleanup project ;). Since no one has had any comments on the four areas to address that I outlined above that will be the goal of my rework. I am slowly working my way through all four items and we will have a nice and more in-depth article developed over time. If anyone wishes to help or tack on some additional cleanup items (even if you want me to do them, I'm all ears, waiting for suggestions) feel free to post. I just got one additional external citation posted (we really need a bare minimum of three per article and one of ours is a dead link already). I have also been getting all the internal references placed throughout the article as I rework the sentence structure and work on the grammar. I'll try to put a little effort in close to daily. Kc7txm (talk) 07:24, 31 May 2019 (UTC)

There was some talk about an ethics section early in the talk page. Perhaps something can be added during this cleanup. According to Google, This occupation has been riddled with fraudsters to the point of being cut off by Google Advertising. Rather than an ethics section, perhaps this would be a good Challenges section that points out the difference between a first party and a third party computer repair technician and the challenges that fraud has caused the industry. Restricting ads for third party tech support service Thousands of computer repair technicians have stopped doing business since 2018 specifically due to the lack of advertising available to them. It can also reference the Right to Repair movement and standardized ethics which help technicians work through these challenges. MicaDrenaline (talk) 19:37, 16 December 2019 (UTC)

REMOVED "Article Needs.."

It has been some time since the changes above have been completed. I removed the note requesting additional citations and relying on too many primary sources as they were addressed in the last update above.--MicaDrenaline (talk) 16:56, 6 February 2020 (UTC)