As is my custom, whenever I visit the different locations (our people are spread throughout the country), I offer up my services to help. Armed with only my wits, my leatherman, and my cell phone, I was able to help.
I gave the couple managing this Kokopo center some warning that I would come by today and to have questions ready.
They did.
-sort through box of gadgets - save what is useful, discard the junk
-open the laptop to check for ant damage (ants can build nests inside of electronics and short them out. I dismantled the laptop and found it clean. One trick she used was to spray bug spray on newspaper and wrap the laptop with it, so the ants would leave
-join the wireless network
-add a network shared printer
-fix a printer issue (wrong paper size) with the main finance computer
-setup data backup to sync to usb drive (I did this without asking, knowing that CTS sees data loss often at these region centres)
-etc. etc.
To my computer savvy friends, you already know how simple this was, and how it only took about 2 hours to accomplish their entire list.
But to people who live in a remote location, when you run into a problem you can't solve, it doesn't matter HOW large it is.
When I was done, they said 'thank you, you explained that in a way that I could understand it!'
Of course to solve 2 of the issues, I called back to the CTS team in Ukarumpa for assistance. It takes a team.
The point is, I'm still also doing computer support work, and finding needs in the most remote of locations. I am still completely stymied by the fact that up until 2004 I had no idea that computer support was needed in the mission world. It seems so silly to have thought that, but I did. Even a single couple living in a remote location had a list about ten items long they needed help with.
p.s.
one of the things I explained was a confusion about Microsoft licensing. They were told they needed office 2010, having only had office 2007. So they bought an upgrade license. Only it was for the home and student version, (which excludes access and outlook). Having replaced the former managers, they found this upgrade license key on a desk, and were confused. Does this mean I have 2010? I need 2010? Where is the CD? etc.
I explained that they could take this key, and do away with it. It wasn't what they needed, and it is easy to get confused because Microsoft made it complex. They tried their best to do what needed done, but thanks to the complexity that is Microsoft licensing, they didn't quite achieve their goal. Was it wasted missions money? Was it about $90 down the drain? Most likely yes.
I harbor a bit of a grudge against Microsoft bilking missions out of thousands of dollars with the new licensing structure and their removal of all their donated licenses to our center. But I hadn't anticipated that the confusion would also cause errant purchases. The need for computer support is everywhere.
