**WARNINGS:**This post may not belong here, but it seemed like the best place for it. Also, this post involves a freelance business opportunity therefore might violate the Terms of Service agreement with The Straight Dope and/or my company’s ISP. Moderator: please delete this thread IMMEDIATELY if I’m in the wrong.
I’ll get right to the point. I edit the reviews sections of a home office magazine; one of those sections is devoted to home networking and broadband (cable modems and DSL). Unfortunately, very few of my freelance contacts have broadband service.
Normally, I’d be content to rely on those blessed few, but occasionally an emergency comes up. Like tonight. One such reviewer, who has half the products for the networking section, can’t review the products I sent him because his cable modem cannot work with the products. Neither tech support nor his own ingenuity can fix this. I’m working on sending the products to another reviewer.
In the future, I wish to avoid the Friday night panic that I’m suffering right now. If any Dopers (a)have experience writing tech product reviews of any sort and (b)have cable or DSL Internet access, please post here. I will keep you on my short list of broadband reviewers for future products. I’m making this offer here because I tend to like my fellow Dopers, and would rather spend my employer’s money on people I can at least pretend to know.
Cap’n, it’s okay to leave this topic for right now . . . we’re trying to help you out here, but we don’t want to start a trend of MLMPs and business schemes, either, so be aware that this is unusual and is not an invitation for us to be flooded with opportunities.
A note to our Teeming Millions; if you ever have a question about posting something to the board, you can always ask us first. Drop an email to the moderators of the affected forums and/or to me. No harm, no foul. We’re your friends here, remember?
your humble TubaDiva
Administrator
The Straight Dope
I do have cable modem Cap’n. I am not a writer by trade but I am quite technical and do read a whole bunch of reviews. With a bit of an example of what you are looking for I could fill the bill in a pinch.
And, if time allows and you find someone who isn’t a writer by trade, I have a bit of editing experience. I can help clean it up a bit if you don’t already have people doing that for you.
“Buffalo Bills? Oh, yeah. The guys that always snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.” --WallyM7
I could also help out a bit, if you like. I have no formal background in this sort of thing, but I do end up doing some small amount of this at work. As the others mentioned, I wouldn’t mind a bit of an example.
I have a DSL modem and experience with PC programming. I haven’t done technical reviews but I have done other writing (articles, technical documentation, users guides, etc.). Let me know if you need help. Email me at gumpy3885@netscape.net.
You people kick butt. Thanks very much. I knew I could count on ya. I’ll be in touch within a week to trade contact info and explain what I might need.
In the mean time, my mag is Home Office Computing. Our Web presence is harly worth mentioning, but you can take a peek at http://www.hoc.smalloffice.com for a general idea.
Reviews run 300-350 words, and don’t dig any deeper than normal setup and use of the product – put it through its paces if you think it’s warranted, but it’s not always necessary. We’ll talk.
I’d be happy to help too. I have broadband access(Lan then T3s) via my college and lots of free time that mostly gets spent on this website. I don’t have DSL and cable access so if you specifically need those connections I can’t help.
But seriously, I have strong writing skills when I think about it, and have DSL plus 10+ years of online experience to compare it to. If needed.
Wow… I just did the math… my dsl only downloads 640 times faster than the 1200 baud modem I started out on. Seems faster. Pointless though, I only read at 2400 baud.
http://www.madpoet.com
I’ve got a little black book with me poems in. I’ve got a bag, toothbrush, and a comb.