samba, MS Access and file/record locking. OT Addendum

[Chris Mauricio]

Gonna make another recommendation.

Unless the optometrist gives YOU free eye exams and glasses, put together a
rate sheet for them up front..best to set the rules *now*.   I'll use David's
quote in a different context..

>        This is a famously bad idea, which I usually describe as
>        "a free sample of crack cocaine"

Once you give them a free "sample" of computer help, they will not stop asking
you for help. This is called 'being a Sysadmin'. I wonder if you were a plumber
or an electrician or a lawyer would they ask you for that kind of help because
your wife works there? Probably not. 

Do yourself a tremendous favor (and I speak from years of authority on this
matter ) Give them a printed rate sheet, with a nice discount "..'cause they're
family.." 

I find that the sum of $65 / hour , materials+10%  generally discourages
anything other than the most desperate of situations. If they aren't willing to
pay for it, they don't really need it. After you spend 2 weekends in a row
there, 7 hours a day for free, "...Oh , we want to add a printer and some
kind of backup... and Sally's sound doesn't work.." you'll see what I mean. Chris


Dave Reed <dreed at capital.edu> wrote:
<SNIP>

> Right now I don't have the time to learn how to do this.  I'll let
> them know that if they ever want to expand, they'll need to do this.
> The staff there has minimal computer skills - they just know how to
> use what you give them.  The current setup was made by a friend of the
> owner (before my wife started working there).  Once the owner found
> out I was a computer person, he's talked about me "fixing" things, but
> I've been too busy and didn't really want to do it.  It sounds like
> the problem is getting worse and this $700 solution is so much less
> expensive than the $3500 NT/Back Office/SQL server that someone else
> is recommending and I figured it would be enough for the job.
> 
> Thanks for all the info.
> 
> Dave