teh Forum

Well, here is the site. It is not quite live (as in I haven't secured hosting for the domain yet). Any comments?

http://enderzero.net/gaijintech

p.s. thanks beeeph

That's nice and simple - but maybe a bit too much so.

Think about how customers are going to be coming to your site and their needs. Do they need tourist pictures? I doubt it. They may not also want to dick about with email when their 'puter is throwing fits.

I'd suggest you give some idea of scenarios that you might deal with, and prices you might charge. That would be more useful than Miyajima. As would a phone number and the times you are available. It will quickly become an issue anyway. If you haven't actually considered your pricing schedule, you need to jump in now.

You also say 'we' - I do on my site too. But it can make for disappointed customers. You really need to think whether a non-existent we is ultimately more attractive than a flexible, switched-on enderindividual. Or are you in fact legion?

You don't mention viruses, spam and unwanted porn either. You might want to offer your services in dealing with those issues (you may be able to make some money in the affiliate business there too.)

Just some thorts. Good luck1

Looks good! You may want to re-consider using the Japanese rising sun in your logo though. Its connection with right-wing nationalists and Japan's military past might not sit too well with potential clients.

If any gaijin in Tokyo don't feel comfortable having me, a fellow gaijin, fix their computer because I used a rising sun on the logo then that's fine. I spent a long time on that thing anyway, and I have always like it as a design aspect.

Yeah, I cringed everytime I typed "we" but it sound too weird to use "I." I agree the pictures are unnecessary, but they fill the space and I think make the page a little easier to look at. I will add something about viruses, that's good. I did mention internet problems and pop ups, so hopefully that will address the porn/spam issue...altho there really isn't anything I can do for the poor fellow that gets too much spam in his inbox.

I put my phone number on the contact page. I imagine people will use their best judgment regarding when to call. I don't really care. I have to deal with pricing on an individual basis. It is never been something I have felt comfortable dealing with, but i have a few guidelines.

Good idea to add some more detailed examples of work I can do. I'll think about a good way to integrate that.

This page is basically just a web presence. I am not relying on it too much for the actual recruitment of clients. I need somethign to put on my meeshi though and someplace people can see that I am legit enough (business license??? huh??? should I think about that?) to at least have a website. My target individual is Joe six-pack expat that just happens to have a PC he brought with him here and want to upgrade this or that or fix that stupid little problem. He doesn't know where to turn, but he surely doesn't want to go to the hassle of trying to deal with the problem in his expat banker level Japanese. in comes enderzero and saves the day.

I am not taking this too seriously, so we'll see how it goes.

Why not sign up with http://www.firetrust.com/affiliates/? You don't have to do a hard sell - just put a link on your website, and if anybody happens to ask you about spam and viruses in the course of things, you can recommend either b9 or mailwasher (b9 doesn't work well with Japanese yet though, although mailwasher is fine), available from your website. If they take no notice, it's no big deal. But if they do, you profit. There are probably other reputable products that you could affiliate with lightly - it makes you look like a knowledgeable 'solution provider'. (If I was doing your thing, I'd think of setting up a private area of the website with really useful links, including some soft sells thrown in.)

You really need some credentials up to get customers too, but it's a bit hard to put your own up if you're pretending to be a company. I can just about get away with it because I have a 'secretary' at home. There are plenty of freelance translators and whatnot out there who make a virtue of being highly qualified individuals. It's probably worth giving a little more thought.

BWAHAHAHA!

WOW! I'm flattered!

I think I can legally sue you for that

I saw enders page, and thought...

"Wow he totally not only copied Joe's business plan, but he even stole his corperate looking graphics."

Hey, the business plan is my own...the graphics may be beeeph's but I was doing this freelance tech gig back when fuqin joe was still etching his cd keys onto his game cds.

How's Joe making out with this business plan anyway? Is it a winner?

hey ender....

so, are you planning on doing this thing as a legit business?? dont you have to do some business things like register your company, etc.... (I have no idea). It just seems like if you are doing this under the table, having the web-site would be easy to expose...if you arent legit people might not trust your service, especially if you would offer any service guarantees (like providing additional support for a month). I dunno...just something to consider...

also,.... you couldnt answer my simple-ass computer question about installing english software on a japanese os....I am sure many gaijin are in the same situation...at least I would assume that your service would be able to do everything you advertised even running a japanese os...

hehe...sorry for being the asshole... its just how I think...

danz

Ocean11 wrote:How's Joe making out with this business plan anyway? Is it a winner?

Not bad, and thanks for asking. The OC Computer Guy is really busy at the moment and plans to be even busier after xmas. Twisted Domains is still being built, so there isn’t much web development goin down. In fact, there's none. But it should be up and running hopefully within the next few weeks.

enderzero wrote: I was doing this freelance tech gig back when fuqin joe was still etching his cd keys onto his game cds.

When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master.

HA!!!! Americans really ARE stupid!!!!


Hhehe!

Are you stupid?

Are you an American?

Are you in Tokyo?

Having trouble with your PC?

Then get Gajin Tech!!!



I'll definitely look you up...when I come to Tokyo...and I am feeling stupid...and I have a pc....that I am having problems with....printing...or something....woo...

You don't have to be a stupid American. I indiscriminately help stupid Canucks, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis and whoever else needs their ENGLISH PC worked on.

Listen, ok...

Danz is talkin shit because he asked me something about a Japanese OS PC that I didn't know. I don't know anything about Japanese OS PCs other than what is similar to English OS Windows. That is why I am doing English tech support. If you had a question about Windows that just happened to be in Japanese I might be able to help. For instance, "How do I increase my internet security for IE? Oh, BTW my OS is Japanese." Hey, no problem. I can help you _because_ the solution is the same on an English OS machine. But Danz, your question was "how do I find the setting In Japanese Windows to have my software's menus in English?" How the hell do I know? This isn't bilingual tech support. I'll tell you how... Uninstall your stupid Japanese copy of Windows and install it in English!! Just how good in your Japanese reading ability? Here, let me do it for you. That will be 20,000 Yen. Thanks and have a nice day.

Look, the thing is I don't really care about this business. I don't have a business license...fuck! I don't even have a visa. I am just sick of saying "nuthin" when people ask me what the hell I am doing in Japan. That means I have to have meeshi to show people. In order to have meeshi I need a website and a name. Thus...gaijintech. I don't want this thing to be wildly succcessful. I am planning to walk away from it in like 6 months. But if it brings in some dough in the mean time then cool, and at least I can tell people I am doing something other than snowboarding.

And I just want to clear something up. Sorry to be all serious Rick because I am sure you were partly joking, but in my many years of doing tech support I have helped (or attempted to help) many stupid people. But not all people that need tech support are stupid. Seriously, I am sure there have been things that you didn't know at one time that you just needed someone that did know to help you with. A lot of really smart and successful people are wizzes as lawyers or businessmen, but aren't too comfortable when it comes to installing the external cd burner they bought for their notebook, or setting up a wireless network. Those are things that you and I are confident busting out easily, but someone who just doesn't have the knowledge doesn't want to mess with. I would gladly exchange some of my tech knowledge for something else, like say, japanese skill.

Like I said, I imagine you were partly kidding, but my target customer isn't some idiot that used his cd tray for a cup holder. I would much rather be helping Joe Ex-pat that is a quick learner and is just looking for someone kind and knowledgeable to give him a little help.

Can you teach me how to use my cd tray as a cup holder? That'd be cool.

As far as the meshi goes, I think you should just get one printed up that says "Snowboarder". You might have more of a chance with the ladies that way.

That's a hell of an office you got there, and in the hills, too. Must cost some coin to rent that out.

YO Barok!! Glad you made it bro.

My company actually only rents out the top 4 floors. No need for the whole building.

to topple your empire...be forewarned...it's coming!!!!!


www.supasupremegaijinfastartechnomastar.com (!!!)

we will destroy you!

....

Touchy there buddy. Luckily I imagine not too many potenital client expat bankers will be checking the enderzero.net forum before hiring 'us.'

Its not quite so much a "porn syndicate" as it is a "porn cartel."

Id tighten up the chunk of text on the main page being that nobody reads that kind of copy anyway. Id replace it with a very small introduction paragraph followed by a bullet point list of all the types of problems you can help people with. It would be much more effective for immediately catching someone's attention as opposed to some marketing flavored text. People generally respond well to bullet points. That longer text would be much better suited inside something like an about "us" page.

Holy shit man are you daft? Ry, you're a smart guy and I would have figured you to have checked this out before possibly getting yourself into trouble. Japan has some strict laws about foreigners working there. Are you staying over 90 days? Have you already? This is important as you need an Alien Registration Card if that is the case. Any Japanese cop can stop you and ask to see it, and if you don't have it when you should, you can be arrested.
You need to not hawk your services until you know the rules. I don't have my J.D. yet, so you can't count on me representing your azz in court if you get nailed on something stupid.
Here's the consulate in Seattle's page:
http://www.seattle.us.emb-japan.go.jp/E ... ex_faq.htm
call them and see what you need to do to work this little scheme of yours.
Also: I enjoyed your graphics and think the site looks clutch... your office kind of looks like my office..... [/b]

Damn double posting bastard I is.......

Thanks man but I do realize how long my visa is good for. You can't get an alien registration card (aka gaijin card) on a tourist visa (actually you can but it is a real hassle and hardly worth it - and I would just have to turn it in when I left). So I don't have to show it. Technically you are supposed to carry your passport with you at all time but what-the-fuck-ever. I haver a nice photcopy in my wallet, and have only started that habit recently since I went to SE Asia. My visa is good for 90 days. So before it expires I have to leave the country and re-enter.

Anyway...everyone is making this out to be a WAY bigger deal than is needed. Just fixin some computers. No one in the immigration is coming for me...and if they do - shigata ga nai. I am leaving soon anyway.

So ender, i think i found your problem.

Domain name:

GAIJINTECH.COM

Status:
Active

Name Servers:

NS3.ACCUWEBHOST.NET
NS4.ACCUWEBHOST.NET

ns3 / ns4 dont exist as far as i can tell.

Looks like cox has the newest data, and adelphia has some old info.

Also your phone is disconected when i call the number.

So I need to find out the actual name servers from AccuWebHosting and update my registrar info? How would you go about doing that.

I have a new phone number. It deserves its own thread.

I could ping ns1 and ns2 so I changed the settings with my registrar to that. How long will I have to wait to see if that fixes it?

24 - 48 hours...

Time to call accuweb and get a week refund, for them removing 2 of their dns servers w/o warning.

the DNS change is not related with the registrar.

it's related with the global DNS database update which occurs every 24 hours.

then you got to worry about your local dns servers cache... which could take another 24-48 hours to expire.

In my registrar it only had ns3 and ns4 listed. What are those for then?

That hosting co is so lame anyway I don't even want an extra week.

Well they were probably just backup or secondary dns servers. They are either offline, or have different ip's.

You should have probably used ns1 and ns2, where did you get the info to use 3 and 4?