"Moore is, among other things, a computer coach. Nearly six years ago, Moore threw over her career as a University of Rochester librarian to devote her time to running her own one-woman firm, Net Results."
'NETTING' DAD IS TALL ORDER FOR PC COACH
by Steve Orr
Democrat and Chronicle , Rochester, New York
July 28, 2002
So far as I know, my father has never used a personal computer.
Retired for some years from his job as a newspaperman, he wrote most of his stories on a now-archaic device known as a typewriter. In the latter stages of his career, he used a VDT, a "dumb terminal" that was little more than a keyboard connected to a mainframe comptuer.
So no PC, and certainly no Internet, an innovation I'm not sure he grasps all that well. I've brought up the idea of him getting a PC with a Net connection, but he always demurs, saying he doesn't understand all that stuff.
If he lived closer than western Michigan, I'd give Barbara Moore a crack at him.
Moore is, among other things, a computer coach. Nearly six years ago, Moore threw over her career as a University of Rochester librarian to devote her time to running her own one-woman firm, Net Results.
The firm designs Web sites, specializing in relatively simple pages for small businesses and organizations. Moore also offers training for local librarians on Internet-related topics.
And she coaches. Perhaps four times each week, she drives to someone's house and helps familiarize them with various digital devices and techniques.
An $80 fee gets you two hours of her hands-on tutoring plus written instructions, and three weeks worth of answers to follow-up questions. (See www.netresultsusa.com for details.)
Moore handles many basics. She'll show someone how to get online and help them set up America Online, which she often recommends. She'll set up an address book or teach people about e-mail attachments.
Moore will tutor people on Microsoft Word or install programs for them. She'll guide them through online tasks; she has even demonstrated how to begin buying and selling on eBay.
"I'm very patient. Being a librarian also helps; I'm very good at explaining terms and complex operations in language that people who are not familiar with computers can understand," she said.
From computers, Moore first branched out to help people learn about digital images on their computers. Now she is adding hand-held devices such as Palm Pilots to her repertoire.
"It's amazing how many people I've heard say, 'Well, I've got this, now what do I do with it?'," Moore said.
About 60 percent of her clients are retirees, Moore said. Nearly all are neophytes who are eager to find their way in a puzzling new world.
"It's a lot of fun because they're always so excited about it," she said.
But would Moore be up to a challenge as great as that posed by my father, who remains wedded to his battered old Smith-Corona? The mind boggles at the possibility.
I wonder if she'd consider a road trip to Kalamazoo?
Net Results, LLC
Rochester, New York
585.748.1850
bmoore@NetResultsUSA.com
www.linkedin.com/in/barbaramooreny