How much would you pay (per month) to have your own personal IT person?

I have my document...........regular files that I have saved.
I have put some on CD (don't know if that has anything to do with the problem)
but, I have shortcut's to each of them that I can't delete. It seems when I delete them it just makes more short cuts. I have 100 shortcuts to each file. HELP How do I clear them from my computer.

I need and IT person!!!!!!!!! BAD!!!

I will call the show Saturday

A cursory Google search for the acronym "IT" reveals that there are literally dozens of "IT" acronyms, several of which contain the word "technology." So does your use of "IT" in your poll question stand for "Information Technology" — or what? On behalf of my fellow ignorant 30%ers, please ssshhare (that's touchy-feely lingo) the info.

$30 to $60 Hr help like Rick & Adam if I need help works for me . No big franchise thank you .

Really like your site as a resource. Thanks.

Murray

While I voted for up to 50/mo, actually I try to reslove my own problems at this point. I need IT help only occasionally these days. And the reason I still require some assistance from time to time is because I am diving into all kinds of new things. The goal of course is to become self sufficient in computer technology for me.

I like to believe that I either know what I'm doing or know how to find answers when I don't... but every once in a while I reach a dead end... when it would be real nice to be able to reach a real geek. (I do not place any negative connotations on the word geek - which I use affectionately for people who are *realy* into, and knowledgable about, geeky things like computers).

Back in the day, when calling tech support was a useful option (mid '90's), I loved it when I'd actually reach some guy who seemingly wrote the software for the program I was calling for help about - he (always a "he") would guide me through a series of dos commands which would get to the core of fixing the problem at hand.

Today, you get some drone who is walking you through a step-by-step playbook, like a flowchart. Painful experience at best - sometimes it's possible to reach a "supervisor" who *might* be more helpful, or not.

Anyway, a real expert, on call for those rare sticky situations, would be great.

Time is money. I based my valuation ($50-75) on an estimated need of only about an hour or two per month.

I have reached a time in my life when days and hours need to be productive and not squandered on computer problems, software fixes and frequent learning curves. At my age, I am highly motivated by a desire to explore the internet world for knowledge and understanding. Not interested in being a techanic. Not consumed by geekery. Not turned on by digital trickonometry. Uninspired by gamebusting. I am totally inspired, however, by those superior beings among us who have mastered the ability to resolve the inner mysteries of computer-based software, hardware and internet installations. They be the gods of the digital age. To them I am beholden.

I am willing to give them their due. But, please reserve the insolence, superior attitude and self-righteous intolerance for their favorite chatgroups. For us mere mortals, who yearn only to surf without suffering, avoid the predatory technoratie who exploit the unwary and escape the clutches of the ubiquitous web marketers, please deliver us from being crash test dummies and learn or burn cybernaughts.

I would willingly subscribe to a dedicated, on-call, in-home, basically uninterruptible service. Asking too much? I get these blessings when I buy water (and sewage), local and long-distance telephone, electrical power, cable TV, broadband ISP, streaming music; there are other lifestyle choices, I'm certain, that fit the description (lawn service, snowplowing, doggy dooty). Any of the above cost me under $50.00 per month.

For emphasis, I can obtain whatever my wife and I need from any individual service or utility for less than $50.00 monthly. I don't have to be a plumber, electronic technician, electrician or a cable guy. There's a cavaet, of course, broadband ISP (or any other ISP service) also delivers stealthy undesirable visitors. Erecting and maintaining defenses against viruses, spyware, phishers, spammers, oh my, is an unending chore. Of course local taxes enable law enforcement, emergency services, street and public utility maintenance, among others, to assure compliance and safety.

Getting to the point, securing dedicated computer, maintenance as a subscription service, strongly appeals to me. A monthly accruable fee, applicable to a periodic (scheduled) house call, would be tolerable for peace of mind, freedom from digicyber anxiety and comfort on the keyboard. What will the market bear? Good, dependable service will set the standard for "voluntary taxation" supporting security, maintenance and software updating on line. The watermark will seek a comfortable level, for the needy and the nerdy alike; balanced between lowball opportunistic or high-end predatory pricing. Let's negotiate...

Since my home computer is used only for email and a little internet browsing and shopping, I probably don't need a monthly IT person on "retainer". But since getting my new HP computer that came with Vista, I could sure use a one-time visit from someone who could clean up the "crapware" and re-install the Outlook email system. Have had nothing but trouble since I put that on my PC. Don't want to resort to the "name brand" service since I feel they may have "sold out" when they joined a franchise. Your advice has helped me with some issues in past, but this is more than I feel I can handle myself. Don't worry, I will get through it.

I like computers.
I'm not a guru.
Don't want to be - I just USE computers.
Always have a glitch or two to resolve.
Would make life easier and more productive to HAVE them resolved!
May be quarterly. At an hourly rate.

Note: If "on-site" the IT Tech does the fix and there is no learning! A program to "meet" on the phone and/or fix together remotely would be more beneficial to me - and would either stimulate MORE involvement or SATISFY my needs and require less involvement?

Ed

You left out an obvious answer: "I don't need an IT person monthly." I would imagine that would apply to most of us amateurs.

I don't need an IT person because I have you two! And, my use of the computer is usually limited to very elementary stuff. Sue