The Linux Doctor

Making house calls to solve your Linux needs



Are you a Windows user who has heard all the recent buzz about Linux (such as Ubuntu) but don't know who to trust to offer support?

Do you already have Linux on your PC but need some additional troubleshooting expertise?

Are you a novice Linux user who needs some technical assistance from time to time?

If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, then I'd like to help. I am a Linux (and Unix) professional who will come to your house (or business) to troubleshoot, install or upgrade Linux on your desktop or laptop with the honesty, respect and expertise you deserve.

What exactly is Linux?

Linux is an Operating System (i.e., the software which runs your PC) which is a free alternative to Microsoft's Windows (and Apple's Mac OS). While Windows is the de facto industry standard, it is widely believed that Linux is better written, and more security conscious (see article " More Than 90% of Linux Systems Have Never Been Infected) and can save you a lot of money over commercially available software. For years Linux has been very popular among computer hobbyists and computer professionals, but recently it has begun to attract a much more main-stream audience, especially with the introduction of the Ubuntu (Linux) distribution. Since Windows and Linux can co-exist on a single PC, users can choose to run Linux or Windows at any given time.

While somewhat outdated, here is a set of Ubuntu screenshots to show you what one of my favorite version of Linux looks like. Caution - These screenshots are graphics intensive so may be slow to display, especially over a dial-up ISP connection.

Who am I?

My name is John and I have professionally managed corporate, "mission-critical" Linux and UNIX computers for 15 years, have served as an independent Linux consultant for numerous projects, and have maintained and used Red Hat/Fedora Linux (and other distributions of Linux) at home for well over a decade.

If you wish to see more, you can see my complete career history, education, and recommendations I have received at my public LinkedIn profile here.

Why should you hire me?

-  I have excellent references, years of experience, good tutoring skills and have always been known as a very hard working individual. Most importantly, I will treat you with respect, honesty and fairness.
-  Initially, I will come to your home (or business). Afterward, I may offer the option of working on your PC from my home, depending on the nature of the problem and your needs.
-  I will charge considerably less than more established businesses which perform similar work.
-  Users of all levels of technical expertise are welcome.

If you are a current Windows user, why should you consider Linux?

-  Most experts agree that Linux is more secure, more robust, less prone, to virus attacks, and requires less resources (meaning you can use an older, less powerful, less expensive computer).
-  You can save up to $2500* or more.
-  Linux is now more novice-friendly than ever before. Most Linux applications (web-browser, email reader, etc) are very similar to Windows applications and generally have an intuitive feel to them. Also, most of the day-to-day system maintenance is handled by well thought out, intuitive GUI's (i.e., Graphical User Interface).
-  I can put Linux on your machine without having to delete Windows, giving you the option to run Linux or Windows as you see fit.
-  Not only will I install Linux on your machine (with all the latest updates) but I will also spend a couple of hours tutoring you, as well as download a number of useful Linux-related bookmarks into your web-browser. Optionally, I can recommend and purchase a good, general-purpose, clearly written Linux book for you.

* - Linux distributions (such as Ubuntu or Red Hat/Fedora) are essentially free and include the equivalents of the following => Windows Vista Ultimate ($400), Microsoft Office Small Business ($450), Adobe Photoshop Pro ($650), Nortons Antivirus + Personal Firewall ($90), Frontpage ($190), Quicken ($100), Outlook ($100), Adobe Acrobat ($470)

How do you contact me?

The best way to contact me is to email me at = > johnc@thelinuxdoctor.org


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Updated 8/20/09
Copywrighted 8/04