Today's scam

Let's combine the naive (college freshmen) but rich (97% or so have newish laptops) with a real issue (computer security).

Park a truck on campus in September. Offer "computer cleaning and tune-up services" with a nice large bulletin
board of services you perform. Probably ought to put up three tiers of service. Tune the prices to appeal to college students -- say, $20, $35, and $60. Make it clear that the $35 service is the one to go for.

Take the laptops, hand them a receipt, say you'll be back tomorrow, so make sure you have your receipt.

Option #1. On to the next campus, with 200 laptops to sell on ebay.

Option #2. Slap in a CD that changes the wallpaper and runs a free registry-cleaner and turns on the firewall.

Option #3. Install Linux.

Today's scam

Let's combine the naive (college freshmen) but rich (97% or so have newish laptops) with a real issue (computer security).

Park a truck on campus in September. Offer "computer cleaning and tune-up services" with a nice large bulletin
board of services you perform. Probably ought to put up three tiers of service. Tune the prices to appeal to college students -- say, $20, $35, and $60. Make it clear that the $35 service is the one to go for.

Take the laptops, hand them a receipt, say you'll be back tomorrow, so make sure you have your receipt.

Option #1. On to the next campus, with 200 laptops to sell on ebay.

Option #2. Slap in a CD that changes the wallpaper and runs a free registry-cleaner and turns on the firewall.

Option #3. Install Linux.

SCA membership

My membership in the SCA expires this summer. I'm thinking about not renewing it.

The cons: I would not be allowed to be an officer, including running events. Each event I attended would be $3 more expensive.

The pros: I would make SCA, Inc., a tiny bit unhappy.

SCA membership

My membership in the SCA expires this summer. I'm thinking about not renewing it.

The cons: I would not be allowed to be an officer, including running events. Each event I attended would be $3 more expensive.

The pros: I would make SCA, Inc., a tiny bit unhappy.