I make a living fulfilling a variety of functions for my clients. Much of my time is devoted to development and maintanence of web sites for a variety of smaller businesses. I also act as a network Administrator for a couple of clients who have needs too demanding to be met by whoever the “in-house” tech enthusiast is and yet they aren’t of sufficient size to possibly warrant a full time, qualified, network administrator.  By way of referral, I have also become a technical resource for a number of clients working in SOHO environments. 

I truly enjoy working with clients in smaller business settings. There is an immediacy to the people and work being done which is difficult to sustain in bigger corporate settings. When working with my clients, whether in a formal office or SOHO settings, my work is important to them and appreciated. Long ago, I determined that I didn’t want to be a “reseller” of any kind. In fact, I openly pass on any discounts I might be eligible for when purchasing hardware and software for my clients. This solves a number of real and potential conflicts I see some of my competitors face. Further, I am able to dispassionately look at a client’s current and anticipated future needs and recommend changes and upgrades which truly serve their best interest without regard to my financial well being. This policy has served me, and my clients, well through the years (besides, I sleep better at night knowing my clients are getting precisely what they need and are paying only for my expertise with no hidden charges of any kind).

I mention this by way of background. Today, many clients and small businesses rely on a fundamental set of software tools to accomplish their goals. There are of course exceptions, but many of the small offices I encounter, can accomplish most, if not all, of their computing needs using software in Microsoft’s Office Suite; Corel’s Office software;and a web free web browser be it Internet Explorer, or Mozilla’s Firefox . 

An accounting program such as Quicken Premiere or Quickbooks.  or are also often needed on one or more workstations. (Quicken Premier Home and Business is often overlooked by many SOHO practitioners. Too often, many of these individuals find themselves thinking Quicken is inadequate for their small business and automatically migrating to Quickbooks which has a steeper learning curve and often has a feature set which is beyond the scope of their needs.)

Every workstation, either through standalone utilities or server driven solutions, needs a trinity of key utilities. Antivirus, Spyware and SPAM filtering solutions aren’t optional for even the most casual user. I recently read that a new, unsecured, system connected to the internet will “survive” just twelve (12) minutes on average before being compromised. (I will detail what I consider to be the best cocktail of critical utility tools, including a number of freeware solutions, in an upcoming article.)

For individuals falling into this end user category-- where real productivity using the kind of software tools described nearby satisfies their computing needs, falling hardware prices becomes a real issue. Dell’s 2400 XPS current Home and Home Office offerings begin at just $299 and offer adequate horsepower to run all of the applications many users require. At this price, the system comes with Windows XP Home Edition pre-installed and a limited, 90 day warranty. If current application software CDs are available for installation and some care has been taken to either have current backups of data files and/or these key files stored on a separate hard drive (either for real time access or nightly backup), purchase of a replacement system should be a strong consideration in the event of almost any hardware related problem (even a failing CRT monitor) and, in some circumstances, software related issues.

The math becomes compelling. At $300 (plus tax but free shipping is often part of the special online offer), you receive a new system, copy of Windows XP, 17” CRT monitor, 80 Gig Hard Drive, 256 KB of RAM, limited warranty and more. Even this entry level system exceeds the specifications of nearly all two and three year old systems I am routinely asked to work on. It is impossible to generalize on the average cost of a workstation repair; there are far too many possible variables; but I think it is safe to say, on average, even relatively routine upgrades and repairs cost $150 and more..... In fact, many cases of workstations overrun with spyware and virus issues, require either several hours of expensive professional clean up or, in extreme cases, a complete operating system reinstallation. These services performed by a professional can easily approach the cost of the entry level system Dell and others now offer.

There are a number of assumptions in this decision; assumptions which are often far from the norm in the offices I frequent (at least initially).

• First, application CDs are physically available and the needed license keys for reinstallation are at hand. Try going into the average small business, why not take a tour of your own office, and compare the CD collection with the installed operating system and application software, you might be surprised how challenging it is to get your hands on all of these “critical application” sources.

• Data files are stored in a way which makes migrating to a new system relatively painless. If data files are strewn across a patchwork of directories, folders, and drives, the migration process becomes more involved and the risk of data loss much more real. These factors often lead to using professionals for the upgrade process which adds to the conversion cost and may well tip the equation back towards repairing the workstation even if the technology is clearly antiquated. The fact of the matter is, migrating from an old system to another is too difficult. There are tools such as Aloha Bob which make the relocation process less painful but these aren’t perfect and, in the case of this software solution, not free.

• The cause of the original problem can be effectively eliminated by the upgrade. Obviously, if the upgrade is driven by a hardware related failure, the problem can be avoided (at least until the new system experiences its own issues). However, if the problem involved severe virus, spyware, software conflicts, or other issues, there exists the very real liklihood the replacement workstation will experience a similar fate unless it is properly set up initially. Even with the best of intentions, getting all of the proper utilities and applications installed and configured properly often falls beyond the expertise of anyone “in-house” bringing a professional IT person back into the equation.....

• Your time is also money! Whether you use your local network or computer repair technician such as myself, or ask your in-house enthusiast to handle the steps needed to replace a damaged PC with a new system, time is required. You may discover that the process takes more time, especially for someone in a SOHO or small office environment who doesn’t tackle this kind of thing routinely, than you are willing to devote. Often the down time involved by yourself or staff is simply not worth “the savings.” This doesn’t mean considering a system upgrade may not be worthwhile, but you might consider including some flat fee installation price which myself and others offer.  This may entail sharing the burdeon, allowing a professional to get the new system securely online with critical updates in place, while you or your group take responsibility for reloading application software (or paying an additional hourly fee for this service).

At the very least, I hope this article provides some thoughts and ideas which might get you thinking about how to handle that next crisis. You may want to discuss alternatives with your local computer repair expert. Better yet, before the next tragedy strikes, how about finding those CDs; getting your data files organized; perhaps even considering use of a tool such as Norton Ghost, which can create an image file of your current system which can make the transfer to a new hard drive or new workstation even easier.

As the price of hardware continues to fall while the price of onsite, expert, help, remains relatively constant in today’s dollars, the decision to upgrade or repair becomes more interesting for us all.....