Since announcing the beginning of our private BETA I have been asked about places on the web where one can brush up their XP skills and even pick up some new ones. I have looked and looked and solicited some info. from others. Armed with this information I have been able to compile a decent list of places you can visit to reinforce even the most simple of fixes.

I’ve also been asked when the tests will be ready. It seems like December 1 will be the day when we can all sign on, take our tests and become official Certified MinuteFix Technicians. To be honest, I can’t wait! In the meantime, I encourage you to pass on the MinuteFix opportunity to other tech folks you may know and help our community grow even stronger than it already is.

Online Resources for MinuteFix Certification

Windows XP

• theeldergeek.com
• c|net forums
• The Expert Zone

Antivirus

• Hoax Busters
• McAfee
• Bullguard

PC Hardware Issues

• TechNet
• Hot Hardware

If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends.
If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.

JEFF BEZOS

Ok, so maybe the title is corny. But you gotta admit. BETA sounds like better…at least if you live in the South….you know, drop the ‘R’ sound? Oh well. So my jokes are horrible. It is still an exciting day. Today we our launching our private BETA. This means that 100 of the world’s best PC technicians are getting the first glimpse at MinuteFix. If you reading this post you are probably even one of them. So? Congratulations! It is going to be such an exciting time. There is so much ahead of us. In a little over a month we are going to open our doors to customers all over the globe that have had it with the 3am printer headaches and the hidden preference panes in their favorite word processing app. So, enjoy the day. I know we are.

Oh, and don’t forget to invite others to join us. Send your friends to the MinuteFix homepage where they too can sign up to become a Certified MinuteFix Technician.

I remember those days in elementary and middle school when our class would prepare for the state-issued standardized tests. As if monks in an abbey processional my teacher would repeat aloud the test mantra, “Make sure you get at least eight hours of sleep, eat a good, well-balanced breakfast and please bring two, sharpened #2 pencils.” By the time I graduated 5th grade I had almost perfected my quasi-concerned, overly-articulated teacher impression. So what does all this mean to the MinuteFix Community? Ladies and gents, it is test time. (A shutter washed over the keyboards) If you will remember I mentioned during early recruiting that we will find our team of Certified MinuteFix Technicians through a process of proficiency testing. The subjects are: English Proficiency, Anti-Virus, Customer Service, PC Misc., Vista and Windows. You can expect questions like:

1. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings. Choose the correct word to complete the question:
She read the story _________.
o allowed
o aloud
o a loud
o alowd

-AND-
2. Which tool is built into Windows XP for the purpose of managing imaging devices?
o Imaging Wizard in Accessories
o Scanners and Cameras in Control Panel
o Cameras in Control Panel
o Printers and Scanners

But never fear my friends. I know that each of you is a highly qualified technician with the capacity to impart your knowledge to others. If not, you will have other opportunities to become part of MinuteFix. Until we release the tests though (which rumor has as being in the next 14 days) you have ample opportunity to amp up what you know and eliminate what you may not know. Oh, and don’t worry. I have to take the test too!

Many of you have more than likely arrived at this post due to a link within an email or by suggestion through newsletter. Whatever the case, we are pleased to have you. You are not alone. This blog is viewed by a lot more like you - including myself (yes, I know, I wrote it so why should I read it? I am conflicted). Since we began our search for qualified, motivated and exciting Certified MinuteFix Technicians we have had more than 65 people answer the call. Taking a break from the sun in Miami, Florida, riding in from the rodeo in Austin, Texas, swimming in from Novia Scotia, thawing out from Montreal, Quebec, piping in from Glasgow, Scotland and dusting the sand off from Virginia Beach, Virginia, MinuteFix candidates have overwhelmed us with good wishes of success and possibilities for immediate success.

Matt Marcoux writes, “…to be offered as awesome an opportunity as yours and be there at ground zero as opposed to the aftermath of being well established and slimmer chances for advancement, you have my full support!” “This job sounds completely awesome. I’ve worked with Sitel under the HP Handhelds contract (laptops and iPaqs and Journadas) for a while then I worked with Dell covering basically everything they do + Windows Vista. This is a great opportunity,” added Ashraf of Montreal.

Boasting experience in everything from LAN, WAN, Linux, DHCP, Windows Servers, Novell Netware, Apache, C++, MySQL to Win95, WinXP, Win2000, Vista and host of other acronyms and abbreviations that have us still reeling with excitement, MinuteFix is pleased to say we anticipate the strongest team of tech support available to the average computer user.

Thank you for joining us and, please, keep those referrals coming.

There is no doubt that Windows users across the globe are often unfamiliar with all of Microsoft’s licensing requirements and features. It goes well beyond a simple UELA. This lack of familiarity often breed dissatisfaction and frustration. I thought I would put together a few common FAQs that I have either heard or read in the last few months.

What are the upgrade paths available to me that would enable me to run MS Vista?
You can basically just purchase a fully-loaded copy of Vista in the box. If you are looking for more info you can search here.

Can I sell or give away old versions of my Windows software when I acquire or purchase an upgrade?
No. You will need to keep your old version in order to establish your eligibility for the upgrade license.

If I have upgraded from an earlier version of Windows, do I still need to keep my earlier copy of Windows as part of my legally-licensed software?
Yes. You will need to keep the earlier version (including all media, manuals and the Certificate of Authenticity) in order to establish your eligibility for the upgrade license.

Can I install my OEM Windows Vista on more than 1 PC?
No, Windows Vista is licensed per device - this means one license is required for each device that it is installed on and must be purchased pre-installed on a fully assembled PC.

I have purchased OEM Office 2007 and can I can install a second copy on my laptop PC?
No, OEM Office is tied to the original PC and does not have portable use rights. These are only available in Full Packaged Product or Volume licensing.