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MyPCMyWay™came into existence in 2009 when my husband was laid off from his job with a major computer manufacturer after 12 years. We had been wanting to start a business for several years and weren't able to. With his lay off, we attempted to get MyPCMyWay™ up and running. We registered our Business name in the state where we live. We purchased five domains to support the business, MyPCMyWay.com, MyPCMyWay.biz, MyPCMyWay.info, MyPCMyWay.net and MyPCMyWay.org. We tried to secure Angel Financing to launch our business. We we not successful because they don't support "service based" business ventures. We are still looking for investors who believe in customer care through implementing TQM standards and putting the customer FIRST. Interested, please read on!
We offer a free site as well as a subscription site. The subscription site is designed to allow us an income while building the business. We have been using PC computers since they first came out in the late 70's and early 80's. When we moved to Texas and I was working as the Marketing Sales Manager for Papa John's Pizza® I started learning how to take a computer apart and fix it. Most computer repair facilities were charging $80.00 an hour in the early 90's to fix software or hardware issues. This was an expense my manager didn't want to have to incur regularly. So, I began troubleshooting the system for hardware and software problems. I began taking them apart and replacing parts and even began building a system from scratch.
I have been building desktops (not laptops) since 1997 and maintain a small network in our home for our kids in addition to the websites, my blogs and Substitute teaching full-time as allowed. With our combined experience working in computer manufacturing and my building, Dan and I know how the system is built, how the software is installed and the politics that go along with this process. This is why we build all of the desktops in our homes and give advice to friends on how to purchase one from a major manufacturer. While buying a pre-built computer isn't bad, there are certain things you should look for to get the most value for your $$$$. My 29 year-old son, John, has been building with me for many years now. At least two of my four kids are serious gamers and spend a lot of time on their computers. John and I love to visit our local Fry's Electronics and shop for parts and deals (P.S. this is OUR Toy store :0) Having done this for so many years, we can look at a system and tell you if we believe it to be worth the cost and what you should look for to best serve your needs. One of my neighbors purchased a brand new system, years ago, only to find out it's components would need to be replaced within a year or so to stay current and serve her needs. Sometimes, she purchases a system at a discount store only to learn it won't be able to do what she bought it to do because of the low price she paid on outdated hardware or software. Once the purchase has been made, I can do little to help when she has issues except show her that open source can still support some legacy products. This is the gamble manufacturers of electronics play. They want to keep you purchasing new computers/phones every 24 months so THEY have a steady revenue stream. Sometimes this is valid because of changing technologies and sometimes it's just to keep the coffers full. The effect of all these discarded electronics is taking it's toll on our environment as well as our pocketbooks. I have a box full of "old" cell phones that I don't know where to dispose of because I get ugly pictures of a landfill of electronics that aren't bio-degradable. My husband and I used our last cell phones for 5 years before we purchased new smartphones. Our desktops we build for ourselves typically last 4 years or more before we have to change failing parts or because we want to upgrade to newer parts to give us a better system. The school district I work for is still using Windows XP® on it's school computers. There is value in legacy products if they still do what you want/need them to do. I have been suggesting a switch to Linux systems for years as a way to save the district money. No bites yet, so; I will keep trying to show them the value in switching to open source.
MyPCMyWay™ supports open source software and believe the consumer should be given better access by hardware manufacturers including drivers to support open source as well as closed source (ie proprietary). There are a lot of factors influencing the relationship between software and hardware manufacturers. These factors ultimately impact the consumer when purchasing computers. The majority of hardware support is in writing drivers for proprietary software only. Some hardware vendors are slowly starting to include drivers for Linux as well; but, not nearly enough see the value in doing so. Despite this, open source is still gaining ground in community members and some companies are starting to see value in having multiple programmers making improvements for the end-user (US!) To some, it's no longer ONLY about the $$$$ associated with closed source.
Our business, MyPCMyWay™, is our dream to become part of the open source community and support consumer changes in the computer hardware and software industries. In an age of technology to include computers, smartphones, tablets, etc., we believe the consumer should have the right to CHOOSE what is installed on their devices. After all, we ARE consumers too! We use computers and hate the "trial" software that is placed on one when it's built by large manufacturers such as HP and Dell. We use cell phones and LOATHE the "bloatware" and vendor installed apps that take up space and often deliver ads to us when we clearly are not interested! We believe you should be given a choice as to what is installed on your phones or at least given a way to delete them. I really am NOT going to use Nascar or Football on my phone and it is taking up valuable real estate that I could use for apps that I WANT. We don't use Blockbuster anymore or Amazon MP3 and yet they are on our phones (even our kids!) and the only way to delete them is to ROOT the phone (which the cell companies don't want you to do and will NOT support your phone if you do!!!!). Not being able to control what is on my phone or computer is like "renting" it instead of owning it! I am seriously thinking about giving root a try as my phone is past it's one year warranty. I am constantly getting "low dis space" and am forced to choose to delete apps I WANT because I can't delete the ones i DON'T want unless I root the phone. Shame on cell carriers and phone makers selling out by not giving the user a way to delete unwanted programs.
When you purchase a home or a car, you customize it to fit your needs and likes. We strongly believe you should have the same ability when purchasing your technology gadgets as well. You and I should be able to "choose" which Operating System we want installed on our manufacturer built computer and which supplementary software is added to it. If I don't order it, don't put it there! Often, when you delete these programs from your computer you are left with residual issues and then you need to take it to someone and pay $$$ to have it fixed. We are all adjusting to the New Economy where many of us are simply trying to get by. We need to get the best value and service out of our electronics and open source software is a GREAT way to do this. If you would like to find out more about MyPCMyWay™ and what our goals are to support technology users, click on one of the links below. The Dream is to make MyPCMyWay™ and open source companies like it as big as the major hardware, software and gaming companies.
MyPCMyWay™ supports freedom of customization on technology products!
Dan and I have been together for over 20 years now! Our family includes four children and two beautiful daughters-in-law. Dan and I both hold Business Degrees from Louisiana State University of Shreveport (LSU-S) = Geaux Tigers! Our Majors were in Accounting. Dan has attended a semester at UT in pursuing his Masters Degree, and has spent the last twelve years working for a major computer manufacturer in Austin. I spent the last ten years raising children and working on computers and Substitute teaching. I have the experience of building a system from the box up. (my secret...Fry's and a LOT of PATIENCE!). I have used both the Windows® and Linux Platforms. I am VERY familiar with searching troubleshooting sources online. I am also a Download junkie...I love themes, screensavers, icons (pretties as I call them), free games (and some paid for ones too!). I have been downloading and burning to CD/DVD for about 10 years now and I really know some Great programs and places to download from. For years, my neighbors have been calling me to fix their systems or what they should buy to replace ones they have. I help my fellow Teachers/Students, at the Middle School where I substitute teach, with Anti-Virus and Firewall issues and give them tips on other software they can use (usually open source or FREE).
I have been offering "free" advice and services for my friends/teachers/neighbors for the past 10 years. With our combined household experience with computers, we would like to devote our "entire" day to providing "real" computer customer service while continuing to contribute financially to our family. We decided to charge a fee rather than plaster our website(s) with Advertisements as a revenue stream in supporting our household and to establish/maintain the growth of MyPCMyWay™. We took the amount from Blizzard® because we pay were paying for 2 subscriptions for kids in our home and because we felt $15/month wasn't a burden for households using computers.The owner(s) of MyPcMyWay™ are attempting to develop an online business which will demonstrate how home computer users can benefit from installing and using open source software. Open Source software can often replace proprietary versions or may serve to compliment existing proprietary software. The two major manufacturers of computers currently offer and recommend the most current Windows® Operating System on the majority of their products. The manufacturers will then pre-install other proprietary software that home users can use on a trial basis. The goal is to garner a sale, once the user has become accustomed to using the trial software. For example, a new manufacturer built computer will typically have the current Windows® Operating system installed with various trial software on it. When we purchased our HP laptop in 2009, our Vista Home Premium® included a 60-day free trial of the Microsoft(MS) Office® Suite (this is no longer being offered as of 2012, they are no longer offering the entire suite as a trial, but are including parts of it). The Pro version of MS Office® suite usually sells for between $300 and $400 dollars (this was the current price in 2009, it may have changed since now in 2012). As computer consumers ourselves, we believe this cost is a burden on a typical household, especially with our economy suffering during this time. Households are having to tighten their budgets and this will often include computer purchases. A computer with a Linux Operating System (ie. Kubuntu or openSUSE ) plus an Open Source version office suite (ie. Apache Open Office® or Libreoffice® Suite can perform just as well and in some cases even outperform the Windows® system. The cost for the Linux Operating System -- Ubuntu or Kubuntu (difference is the user interface) and the openSUSE operating system is minimal; a CD or DVD plus the time it takes to download a free ISO image and burn the media. The price of the Office Suite to download is approximately 10-15 minutes of the user's time or less.There are numerous online resources to guide you in installing and using these software versions. Our free site offers install instructions and links to the software.
MyPCMyWay's™ passion is to create an online community to educate computer users on the availability of open source and free software as well as help them become better at fixing minor computer problems at home when possible. We believe Open Source should be the software initially offered on computers and the decision to "purchase" additional proprietary software should be the consumer's choice. In our home, including what is referred to as "bloatware" and leaving US to uninstall it isn't giving us initial control over what we buy. While the overall price for a PC computer has come down over the years, for some households this is still a major investment and more so if they have multiple computers. We stretch our computer budget with 4 children by adding open source software whenever we can. I am working on this website from a desktop system I built and installed Linux (openSUSE) as my operating system instead of Windows®. This was my choice as I built the system. Ok, not all consumers want to build their own or even know how to. Aha, we can help with that if you do want to try your hand at building. If not, we still think you should have some control over what gets installed on your system if you order from a large manufacturer instead of the "cookie cutter" configurations designed so that you need to replace the unit approximately 24 months later.
To visit the "Member's Only" site and help us build the largest online computer community dedicated to YOU getting the best performance from your computer(s), please click the link to MyPCMyWay.biz below and sign-up. (You will need to have a Pay Pal account--as we grow and gain customers, we will look at offering Credit Card payments--right now, pay pal is handling our subscription fees--if we receive a significant inquiry about Credit Cards, we will look into offering them as a payment alternative.)