Teardown team open-sources gadget repair guides
Virgin launches similar chargeable system
The gadget teardown experts at iFixit have decided to make the firm’s entire catalogue of gadget repair guides available to all - and for free.
With immediate effect, iFixit has licensed all of its repair manuals under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA licence – meaning anyone can read the guides for free and make alterations to them, provided they meet the Creative Commons’ terms and conditions – available here.
Guides are available for numerous gadgets, though iFixit said it has invested thousands of hours documenting how to repair Apple hardware. As a result, iFixit’s 91 Mac manuals are now available for perusal and alteration, in additions to 34 iPod guides and a couple for the iPhone.
The firm said its media servers also currently host 154,556 images and over 1000 step-by-step guides.
Why has iFixit suddenly made such a dramatic turn? Apparently, the firm feels that it is “the right thing to do” because consumers need “the ability to take control of their devices and their environmental footprint”.
In related news, Virgin has launched a company designed to help British consumers solve their problems with digital technology.
Virgin Digital Help gives consumers access to a mixture of downloadable tools, online and phone support, and home visits from tech people.
Further information about the service and its charges is available online now. ®
COMMENTS
Virgin help
http://www.virgindigitalhelp.co.uk/pages/Article.aspx?ArticleId=040934612103937 - how to secure your wireless network
Tells you to use WEP even though the screenshot they use has WPA as an option. First page I looked at, and the advice is bad.
Falls at the first hurdle...
Numerous parts of the site don't work at all when accessed with FireFox.
So, I tried to use the site to sign up to find out how to access the service with FireFox, and...
[Wooosh! Disappears in an infinitely-recursing loop...]
Information *does* matter
Even for those who are comfortable tinkering with gadgets, a little extra info goes a long way. Of course you know that the gadget's shell has snap fits and/or screws hidden under labels, but knowing the exact locations will save you 10 minutes of invectives. And so on and so forth.
I should know. I fix stuff for a living. There are so many brands and models, most of the time you'll be dealing with something you haven't yet encountered. Being able to look up (some of) the gadget's specific quirks can save a lot of headache.
Virgin Digital Help
LOL
Sounds like some sort interactive 'chat room' for men over 30 still living with their mums!
Joking aside I wonder if they will include guides for fixing Virgin Media boxes and routers.
win blows only!
What we don't do
* Help with Apple Mac computer or Linux systems.
.... so how is this different from PC-world's group of 'Tech guys' who will also charge you disproporationate fees for basic computer tasks.
