Comp-U-Talk

Comp-U-Talk, Inc.

Making Computers Speak Your Language

Looking for knowledgeable computer help? Look no further. Comp-U-Talk has been in existence since 1984. We "Grew Up" in the computer industry and understand the "Ins & Outs", "Whys & Wherefores" of the industry.

Computer Sales & Repair

Whether you are looking to purchase a new computer or repair an existing one, we can help. Our knowledgeable staff will help you choose what is right for you and keep it inside your budget. We will patiently explain the terminology and when your computer is ready to go home we will give you a demonstration of "Problem Solved" or if purchasing new, provide a two hour orientation to be certain you are comfortable with the navigation of a new operating system.

Network Installation

Have a network? Want a network? Comp-U-Talk is a Microsoft Certified Small Business Specialist. In English: We can install and maintain your business network regardless of whether it resides in one building in one city or if it is scattered across several buildings and several cities.

Network Monitoring

Once the network is functional, it is fairly important to keep it functional. We can provide 24/7/365 monitoring of your environment and respond to and solve problems oftentimes before you even realize there is a problem.
Backup Services

90% of businesses that experience a major catastrophe such as hurricane, fire, earth quake, fail within 5 years of the disaster. Comp-U-Talk can help you determine a backup plan, both for offsite backups and local backups. No one plans to fail, but when you fail to plan, failure is eminent.

Web Site & Email Hosting

Professional businesses use email accounts that match their business name. Only the shady and lazy use yahoo, gmail, hotmail and other free accounts as their professional calling card. If you are in need of a web page and/or professional email addresses, give us a call. We can improve your image.

Training

Need to fine tune your computer skills? We have staff who can teach you the most popular applications, including Word, Excel, Publisher, Power Point, Access, E-mail and basic computer/internet usage.

Comp-U-Talk, Inc.

Comp-U-Talk was born in 1984. It was an unplanned birth. I never set out to be a business owner but over the years I have come to realize that God has perfectly designed me for this business. Here is my story:

The Education:

When I was little, girls dreamed of growing up to be a teacher or a nurse. That was frustrating to me because I didn't want to be either. Somewhere around junior high, a welling meaning relative suggested that I should consider becoming an accountant because I was good at math. A dream was born.

After High School I headed off to college with the hopes of becoming a CPA, but even as I drove off to campus that first day, I knew in my heart I would go crazy if I had to sit at a desk and add numbers all day.

Fortunately for me, Oregon State University required that every business major have a minor. Minors were plentiful and way more fun than my major, so I choose two: Social Science and Computer Science .

Social Science deals with human behavior. What makes people tick and ticked - and trust me, they are two very different things.

Computer Science taught me to program computers using punch cards and computer languages like Fortran, Cobol & Pascal. It perfected my typing skills.

Career Hunting:

My accounting grades reflected the fact that I didn't really want to become an accountant. My career opportunities were limited.

Fortunately for me, the business computer had just been introduced. The problem: the only available software was an operating system and a database program named dBaseIII.

I took a temporary position with Aims Software in Corvallis. I used my programming skills to write accounting programs. Now this I could do! This was fun!

When Aims Software went out of business, one of the abandoned clients contacted me with the request that I continue to work on their project until finished.

I needed a job, Oregon Hydrangea needed a programmer, it looked like a win-win situation to both of us. So I headed to Brookings to finish up the project.

If You Don't:

Norman Yock was president of Oregon Hydrangea. Norman had MS. I was his entertainment. Because of limited mobility, he was unable to work in the fields. Instead he would sit with me during the day and I would explain to him what I was doing. He would try to point out why it wouldn't work. We made a great team.

As time progressed, Norman suggested that I should start a business. I wasn't real wild about the idea. I was more concerned with making enough money to purchase a new car and get health insurance. (Funny - here we are almost 30 years later and the goal is the same.) Then one day Norm said: "If you don't, you will always wonder if you could have made it!"

The Business:

The self-employed like to joke that the best part of being self-employed is that you only have to work half days - and it doesn't matter which 12 hours you work! To some extent that is true.

I gave up trying to keep track of the hours I work long ago. After all, if you love what you are doing, it really isn't work.

Comp-U-Talk is my first born. It has morphed from programming, to computer sales & repair, to computer training, to networking, to web design, to marketing, to whatever computer related niche might come next.

This isn't a job for everyone. To be successful here you have to love learning and love a challenge. And it sort of helps if you like people too!

So poke around on the web site and see what we can do. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please send me an email. And thanks for taking the time to read my story,

Janet