I have been building computers for over 25 years, originally for myself, but often for gamers and those with high-end video/audio/3D rigs. I prefer to be a gun for hire — solving the weird problems that many won’t tackle and that few are willing to take on.
Why Work Directly With Me?
The Geek Squad and Genius Bar have their time and place, but there is a lot they don’t offer. They aren’t going to setup a pi-hole so that every device connect to your home network doesn’t get served ads, they won’t show you how to get you off data broker lists, they aren’t going to setup your own cloud photo server, they aren’t going to fix your 3D printer (or teach you how to use it), they won’t set you up with own your own email domain and host it privately, they won’t setup a travel VPN so it looks like your working at home no matter where you are in the world, and they aren’t going to teach you about strong digital security hygiene using password managers & hardware keys. I will give you my full attention, honest advice, and follow up with you.
Privacy First
I’ve built my own infrastructure around privacy — running Proton Mail with my own domain, using hardware security keys, and maintaining a largely de-Googled workflow (the big G is hard to fully pull away from). I have spent a lot of time doing the heavy lifting of trying different services and comparing them, and can tell you the pros and cons of many of them. Security is one of those things that has become increasingly important, and unfortunately, more and more of a luxury. It is also a personal decision and preference on how far to take it, as the more private and secure you are, the more time-consuming and inconvenient it becomes. I can help you streamline things for sure, but ultimately, what that line is is different for everyone depending on their needs. I’ll help you go over pros and cons and guide you to the system that is right for you.
The Maker Side
Beyond IT, I build things: 3D printed parts, custom PCBs, stop-motion animation rigs, molded props, and whatever else needs making. That hands-on experience means I think differently about problems — and I can fix things most techs won’t touch. I also just like making really cool things, so maybe you have a digital art project you need help with. If I can’t help you, I certainly know people who can, and we can make your dream a reality.
// Get In Touch
Ready to fix something or want to get something set up? eric@digitalrivets.net