I recently heard of this site, and on a whim, looked up my "computer guy", and was astonished at the review by "Technopop". I can only assume that he was never invited to one of those infamous lunches with Gord. Bear with me for a bit of background.
Back in the pre-Internet days, Gord was selling and repairing "off-brand" computers called "Touch" by Supercom. Today the biggest and most respected electronics store in my city sells primarily Touch. Anyhow, I got one from Gord, who was then operating under the name "Advent Computers", and leaned on him and his staff to help me limp into the computer age. Then, and until recently, he employed IT students in Work Experience programs to deal with the customers like me, and to do computer repairs, which generally, is not rocket science. (Actually, it still is to me, but at least they could take phone calls sensibly).
Somewhere along he way, I got to share one of those lunches, and to learn more about both computers and Gord. Here is a totally fascinating individual with one of the brightest minds I have ever come across. Aside from computers, he is an eminent Geologist and highly regarded Astronomer, particularly for his celestial photography. What he is not, in my opinion, is a Salesman; he is too direct and openly candid with customers who are more comfortable with soft soap.. A techie with an engaging personality, yes, and one who constantly seeks the shortest road to an objective.
Years ago I moved from Etobicoke to Peterborough, and being one of those who too frequently fail to back up, have had occasion to haul my computer to my computer doctor to rescue me from disaster. Now I buy him lunch, which over the years has allowed me to follow the transition from Advent to FIXSYS, and learn enough about the fine art of data recovery to refer corporate clients who are inevitably thrilled to recover from otherwise certain loss.
I have learned that as technology has increased, so has the complexity and intricacy of data recovery, a very specialized field which Gord has now exclusively embraced. But while his own capabilities in the field are, in my view, limitless, the availability of increasingly sophisticated equipment to deal with some problems is not, and the desperate customer is best served by taking his problem to FIXSYS, where Gord (or his genius-level partner, Alex, will quickly advise if a specialty situation exists, and needs to be handed to one of the "big boys". For most issues, they will address it themselves, and at an advantageously competitive rate. This can be expensive surgery.
I find it amusing that while Gord has absorbed the science of computer surgery to the n'th degree, he can no longer handle some of my entry level operating queries. Since my last visit, he has moved to quarters, more efficiently suited to data recovery and largely abandoning minor computer repairs.
I might add, that as an accountant , some of my insights have come from doing some research based on learning that, in anticipation of eventual retirement, Gord is keeping his eye open for a buyer for his business, only to find that it is primarily his and Alex's know-how that is in high demand. I saw evidence of lots of satisfied customers' making Intra-organizational referrals, but in this business, the lack of returning individual customers is a sign of work well done and lessons learned. read more
