Apr 08
12
I started Just Works as a way of putting my money where my mouth is. For years, I’ve touted a few basic tenets of business and success in life and Just works is my way of putting those to practical application.
First, there is the idea that the key to success is finding out what you really love to do and then finding out how to get paid for it. That’s how I got into the computer field in the late 1990′s just before the dotcom bust. I love making computers work. Really. Ask my girlfriend. I love to make a machine do something really useful, from when I installed my first web server to the creation of this blog, it is a labor of love. Yesterday, I had my first service call. Well, actuallt Jon did, so he should get the credit. He didn’t get the connection to work, so he ran his work by me. It looked fine to me and my first reaction was that the customer was trying to connect to a wireless access point that wasn’t allowing him to do so. Today, the customer came in and asked me about it.
I gave him the same answer and, because it is something I do out of love for the work, I made two follow up visits to his office to make absolute sure I was right in my diagnosis. I was. I didn’t charge him for the follow up. Jon was right the first time, so I really didn’t do any real work outside of confirming everything.
Second, for the last year or so, I’ve been saying that Mandriva Linux is ready for the home user. It’s been ready for the business user for a couple years now and for servers for years now. All the computers I sell come with Mandriva Linux pre-installed and pre-configured so as to make them the absolute easiest to use. Even Macs aren’t this easy. Come take a look for yourself. I’ve been saying it, and now, I’m backing it up and letting you decide.
Third, I have ideas about how a business should be run. I have studied leadership in the Boy Scouts and in the Civil Air Patrol as well as studying business in college and on my own since then. I’ve gotten in trouble for voicing my opinions where they probably didn’t belong… so now, I’m the boss and I’m putting these opinions to work. I believe in a balance between being firm and being accommodating. I believe that what employees do that doesn’t effect the business is their own concern, not mine. I watch the bottom line. does the job get done right? Then no problem. I don’t believe there should be a major separation socially between management and employees. The usual alienation leads to a sad disparity that gives rise to the need for labor unions. Treat your employees right the first time and unions are superfluous if not actually bad for the employees. I believe in honesty and pride in your work. Therefore everyone, management and employee alike use their real names in company correspondence. No numbers, no pseudonyms. Our full names are also on our name tags at the shop. You cannot take full responsibility and pride in your work unless you get credit for it. At work, I am me, not John Doe number 33534535. Like the old days when quality was rampant, we put our name on our work. I don’t believe in doing something a certain way because everyone else does it that way. I believe in doing it a certain way because it is the best way to do it, whether I am alone or whether everyone happens to also be doing it that way. The best way wins out. That’s why we support Mandriva Linux on our products, but will also service Macintosh and Windows computers if you need.
Just Works is a labor of love and an experiment in what business and computers should be. But don’t take my word for it. Stop on in our shop and find out for yourself.
