Forums are slowly dying

[copyman]

Ha-ha, this should be last thing that comes to mind about "true techs", when some techs retire they come back to these forums to help out. Slim, Syn, Black Cat, a few others I can't think of right now. Hopefully me soon
When most people retire from other trades they never want to see that work again!

[copyman]

Also I bet a lot of the good "true techs" posting in this thread took apart things as a kid to see how they work. Back was I was young things were more mechanical. I remember my dad giving me the belt on my ass for taking my sisters radio apart and couldn't put it back together. Think I was around 7 or 8. I also built a lot of electronic kits. I actually have a large collection of UNbuilt Heathkits.

One other thing comes to mind about being a "true tech", someone who can fix anything around the house, or at least attempt to fix before calling in the expert

[Larhal]

This may be a stupid question, but have you ever been hung up on a problem and gone to bed with it on your mind and woke up the next morning and soon as you open your eyes, you suddenly know the answer?

Not a Stupid question. yes I have. Determined and I don't quit until the problem is solved and done. And sometimes my curiosity makes me dig deeper and investigate the failures further to determine the cause. Then I go to the Pub.

[BillyCarpenter]

This may be a stupid question, but have you ever been hung up on a problem and gone to bed with it on your mind and woke up the next morning and soon as you open your eyes, you suddenly know the answer?

[BillyCarpenter]

Could also be a generation thing. Got my S**T together when I was in the military and it stuck with me for all my life.

You may be right. I've always kinda believed its something we're either born with or not. In any event, techs that don't push themselves above and beyond, never learn anything new and incomplete a bunch of calls for tech assist. And I hate cleaning up their mess because you never know what the fuck they did. LOL

[Larhal]

I can't speak on OCD but I believe it comes down to pride in our work and just not wanting to lose. Its us vs the machine and we refuse to lose.

Over the years I've run into a lot of lazy techs. When a problem gets tough, a lot of techs throw their hands up in the air and run away. It's true. It doesn't bother them at all to give up on a problem. It's kills my soul.

Could also be a generation thing. Got my S**T together when I was in the military and it stuck with me for all my life.

[BillyCarpenter]

I think you have to be OCD to be a good tech, one cant stop until the problem is solvef and defined.

I can't speak on OCD but I believe it comes down to pride in our work and just not wanting to lose. Its us vs the machine and we refuse to lose.

Over the years I've run into a lot of lazy techs. When a problem gets tough, a lot of techs throw their hands up in the air and run away. It's true. It doesn't bother them at all to give up on a problem. It kills my soul.

[Larhal]

I think you have to be OCD to be a good tech, one cant stop until the problem is solvef and defined.

[Hansoon]

This one really goes out there and is probably only me but I've oiled customers squeaky doors and chairs without them asking more than once. And over the years other small repairs with nothing to do with the copier.

I'm exactly doing the same and always believed I'm weird.
My daughter, a physician, told me I have definitely some OCD characteristics.........
😁

Hans

[JR2ALTA]

I go back a ways, and before CTN to d-net (for Kyocera)

1) Way less mom and pop dealers. Most companies now are Platinum/Diamond that get top notch support. (plus their own in-house IT guys)
2) Better machines
3)Retirees
4)Political a-holes
5) Not everyone keep up to speed with the new CTN revamped site, so just faded off.

[copyman]

By the way, I mentioned "true technician" in my prior post. Let me define what I think is a true tech (see below) Please add to the list.

A "True Technician" is someone who:

Goes to bed at night and can't sleep because there is an UNsolved issue with equipment they worked on that day.

Doesn't mind getting their hands dirty

Improvises and does what ever it takes to get a machine working, even if it's temporary until they come back with part.

This one really goes out there and is probably only me but I've oiled customers squeaky doors and chairs without them asking more than once. And over the years other small repairs with nothing to do with the copier. Not sure if that is being a true tech or just OCD

[slimslob]

Agree membership is really down but I have to disagree about the political crap causing it. The rants & rave forum is now obscure and has nothing to do with lack of members. Actually I post in the R&R section once in awhile just to vent. I do think politics has something to do with every aspect of life, work, etc. and should be discussed, but not on a copier forum. Unfortunately what you get in the R&R forum here is the same 4-5 people going back and forth on the same subject over and over! This is been going on for many years. Hundreds of posts about the same thing!
The lack of members is due to a change in type of techs being hired now a days. Most hires are IT people trained to be techs. They have a different way of thinking and don't spend time on tech forums looking for a solution to a problem. Many of the "true technicians" have retired or died.
Would it help if all the forums here were tech only? I don't think so, 4-5 people fighting about politics in that R&R forum don't define this whole website.
Back when the R&R was showing up on home page this could of chased some members away but like I mention earlier the R&R is obscure now.
Just my humble opinion........

In addition to that I believe there are at least 2 other causes. First and foremost is that the newer models being sold in the last few years are far less prone to failure and much more user friendly and operator serviceable. This leads to fewer techs needed in the field.

Second, add to that the number who lost their jobs as techs during the pandemic and had to find alternative employment that have decided to stay with their newer professions rather than start all over again at entry level pay. Or found the other employment more satisfying.

[copyman]

Agree membership is really down but I have to disagree about the political crap causing it. The rants & rave forum is now obscure and has nothing to do with lack of members. Actually I post in the R&R section once in awhile just to vent. I do think politics has something to do with every aspect of life, work, etc. and should be discussed, but not on a copier forum. Unfortunately what you get in the R&R forum here is the same 4-5 people going back and forth on the same subject over and over! This is been going on for many years. Hundreds of posts about the same thing!
The lack of members is due to a change in type of techs being hired now a days. Most hires are IT people trained to be techs. They have a different way of thinking and don't spend time on tech forums looking for a solution to a problem. Many of the "true technicians" have retired or died.
Would it help if all the forums here were tech only? I don't think so, 4-5 people fighting about politics in that R&R forum don't define this whole website.
Back when the R&R was showing up on home page this could of chased some members away but like I mention earlier the R&R is obscure now.
Just my humble opinion........

[slimslob]

Sadly I already forgot my beloved Joke of the day topic. Old one was closed new one I didn't posted in thus it's buried quickly by cr*p.

Another part of my topic was we have to hardly rely on small group of old dogs and retired techs.
They are way more knowledgeable and willing to help than 99.99% of rest of the community.
Makes me wonder for the future.

I'm "newbie" close to 50 and when I started this game was different.
Many members participated more active and reported real field problems with in action solutions etc which I love to know how to deal with whether they arise or not.

To my understanding you gotta love your job or be freak to understand which I'm both being guilty.

I just posted one so it should be right at the top of the page for a few minutes.

[tsbservice]

Sadly I already forgot my beloved Joke of the day topic. Old one was closed new one I didn't posted in thus it's buried quickly by cr*p.

Another part of my topic was we have to hardly rely on small group of old dogs and retired techs.
They are way more knowledgeable and willing to help than 99.99% of rest of the community.
Makes me wonder for the future.

I'm "newbie" close to 50 and when I started this game was different.
Many members participated more active and reported real field problems with in action solutions etc which I love to know how to deal with whether they arise or not.

To my understanding you gotta love your job or be freak to understand which I'm both being guilty.