FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s happening at J2 Consulting?
J2, jjmarcus… What’s the diff?
What’s a Power User?
Where can I find out more?
What do we believe?
How do we work?
How do we charge?
Do we work with Windows computers?
Do we handle emergencies?
Should I backup my computer?
Do we do hardware repair?
What’s happening at J2 Consulting?
We are pleased to announce the birth of jjmarcus. Everything about J2 Consulting is transforming into jjmarcus, and rest assured we are still here for you—for your gadgets and computers, in your business and your home.
The philosophy behind jjmarcus is Play | Work | Sync.. That’s knowing how to enjoy using your tech, to balance the work you have to do with the things you love to do. We aim to give you confidence in your tech, at whatever level you desire. Try it: be a Power User.
J2, jjmarcus… What’s the diff?
The major differences that our existing clients will notice are that:
- You can now get the best rates on our service by purchasing time in advance on our online store on Facebook.
- Our time is now differentiated between Consultant and Lead Consultant hours.
- Unscheduled support—like texts, email, and phone consultation—will be available exclusively to clients who maintain pre-purchased time with our Lead Consultant, Jonathan Marcus.
- The best way to request service, when you have a question or problem, is to email our Help Desk at help@jjmarcus.com. This will start a ticket that our whole team can see and respond to.
Jonathan is available by phone and email to clients who keep some pre-purchased Lead Consultant time.
What’s a Power User?
Someone who can play a Mac like a musical instrument. Someone who uses technology to be more productive, to create without hindrance, and to keep life organized. Someone who can show any geek a thing or two.
Where can I find out more?
First, please read this FAQ.
Soon our new web site at jjmarcus.com will be your destination for our take on the latest developments in Apple, discussion of this new “cloud” stuff, and recommendations for every kind of user.
We’ve fired up our “Play | Work | Sync” Facebook page with quick tips and tricks. Please stop by and give us a “Like,” and spread the word!
We are also scheduling regular Sync Labs every few weeks. Stay tuned to our Play | Work | Sync page for the schedule.
Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the tech news that matters to you, and to find out about our monthly specials!
What do we believe?
We believe that:
- Anyone who can read can learn to work a computer.
- Anyone who has faith in themselves, and patience in learning, can become a Power User.
- Everyone on the planet should have access to a laptop or a tablet computer, and an internet connection. (And clean water. That’s important, too.)
- Working online, “in the cloud,” is the way of the future.
Some tougher truths:
- There are two kinds of people: Those who back up all of their data every day, and those who will eventually lose their data. (See Backups below.)
- Any tech can fail. To stay happy with your tech, keep a spare. If printing is important to you, for example, keep a spare printer. If internet is important to you, keep a spare internet connection, such as the one on your phone or iPad. And if you can’t live without your computer, own two computers.
- If you don’t maintain a good, strong password on your online accounts, you will be hacked.
How do we work?
To give you expertise in your technology, we work with you in two phases, Setup and Training.
During Setup, we help you choose the right equipment for your home or office, and we come on-site to put it all together and make sure it is configured to work best for you.
In Training, we teach you how to use it.
Our lead consultant, Jonathan, focuses on Training. We can conduct Training in person or by phone, screen sharing, or live chat.
HOW DO WE CHARGE?
Please see our Rates page to learn how to get the best hourly rates for our custom tech consulting.
Do we work with Windows computers?
We love to make people happy with their computers, and we find that this is easy to accomplish with Macs. And, in our experience, kinda difficult with Windows. But if we need to fit the occasional PC into a Mac network, or help you run Windows in a virtual machine with Parallels Desktop or VMWare Fusion, we can do that.
Do we handle emergencies?
We help you be proactive about preventing emergencies. We can set up your systems so that, if any piece fails, you have a ready alternative.
Clients may also call us to get out of jams during normal business hours. We don’t guarantee response time, but we will help as soon as we can.
If you are experiencing such a technological emergency, we ask that you visit our page on what to do in a tech emergency.
Should I backup my computer?
All jjmarcus clients must keep active, daily backups of all of their data. We like to use the 3-2-1 Rule of Backups:
Thou shalt keep:
3 copies of any data,
on 2 different media on-site,
and 1 copy offsite.
The 3-2-1 rule applies to any piece of digital data, however minor, small, or seemingly unimportant. We have established easy, elegant, and cost-effective methods to achieve 3-2-1, and we will work with you to find the solutions that best fit your business.
We can not provide service to any individual or organization that declines to maintain data backups. But for those who value their data, we are ready and willing to help you keep it safe!
Do we do hardware repair?
jjmarcus can modify two hardware components in most Macs: memory (also called RAM) and hard drives. We can replace or upgrade memory in any Mac except the MacBook Air. And we can replace a filled or failed hard drive Mac Pros and some laptops.
Any other Mac hardware repair should be handled by Apple when a Mac is in warranty, or an Apple Certified Macintosh Technician for out-of-warranty service.
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