This reminds me of a story a friend told me: he locked himself out of his house, he calls up the emergency locksmith, locksmith takes a look, and says it will be £150.
My friend (annoyed) asks what is he going to do. Locksmith pulls out a bent coathanger. My friend gets angry. Says he could do it himself, he has a coathanger upstairs, he doesn't need the locksmith, £150 is a total rip off, calls him every name under the sun.
Locksmith: "Okay mate, you have a coathanger now?". Friend says no, agrees to pay him. Door opened. £150 well spent.
I think too many people here perceive tech as something that meets their needs when it should be about providing a service to others.
That anecdote applies to more than locksmiths or tech.
A MacBook repair shop may replace a $0.50 transistor, but charge $200+. What you're paying for is the knowledge and experience in identifying and solving the problem. It's unfortunate that so many consumers don't understand this principle.
My friend (annoyed) asks what is he going to do. Locksmith pulls out a bent coathanger. My friend gets angry. Says he could do it himself, he has a coathanger upstairs, he doesn't need the locksmith, £150 is a total rip off, calls him every name under the sun.
Locksmith: "Okay mate, you have a coathanger now?". Friend says no, agrees to pay him. Door opened. £150 well spent.
I think too many people here perceive tech as something that meets their needs when it should be about providing a service to others.