I’ve been working with one of my old clients this week to troubleshoot a Norton AntiVirus problem; basically, it stopped working (but not due to a virus) and uninstalling and reinstalling failed halfway through the reinstall, and googling the problem led to "yeah, and symantec’s ‘fixes’ don’t work." Well, fuck. Instead, I set him up with AVG, the free antivirus stuff we used at the library, and he was satisfied. However, I had taken my laptop with the Symantec fix instructions opened in Firefox to his building, and realized right away that they have an open, and strong, wireless network. I showed my client, who had been mulling about signing up for DSL, and he got excited.
So, today, I picked him up a wireless adapter at Staples and installed it while he told me all about his 1942 furnace, and how he rigged it up to a British thermostat to set the interior temp to 38 degrees, so that when he went to FLorida in the winter, he didn’t have to pay so much to heat his house. There was also a story about finding a pipe at Chop-Chop’s ("I still don’t know what his real name was, everyone called him ‘Chop-Chop’") house, buried in the back yard, and a whole bunch about photography, with the added prop of him unearthing a portrait of him and his wife that my Dad die back in the late 70s. It’s a small state.
Anyway, he was very excited to be stealing internet from his building. "I pay $1850 a month! I don’t need to ask permission!" It is the super-luxe retirement village in town, and what the hell? If they don’t lock down the network, expect people to use it. And, of course, I totally undercharged him for labor. I spent probably 5 hours over 3 days with him, and charged him 50 bucks, but he added in an extra ten "for gas." I’m sure the Geek Squad charges a lot more, but whatever, I also got a free York Pepperming Patty and the opportunity to see an elderly man reading a Nora Roberts book. It’s all good.
Tonight, hockey game! This is my fourth of the season. I can’t believe how quickly I’ve converted to total hockey fan.