Todd and Eric discuss the means by which they have tried to be self-sufficient, focusing mainly on the magic of finding out how to do something (or anything) by Googling whatever it was they needed to know.
Read The Podcast: Google It!
This is not a foreign topic for either Hersey Boy. Todd has been using computers for quite some time and Eric – well he tries to explain how search engines work (that is his job, you know). Even though the episode talks a lot about computers, it’s mostly about helping yourself.
Should you DIY or Hire Someone?
Is there a formula you should check when deciding to take on a project or hire a professional? Not likely.
Although there is not a set formula, you can ask yourself some very important questions.
Will you die if you mess up?
You might not want to go cutting down your own trees or rewiring your electricity if you aren’t a professional.
How bad can the destruction be?
Eric has torn apart external hard drives before. Just because you can take something apart doesn’t mean you can put it back together. Those files were lost forever.
Does it require a license or permit?
Todd put together a nice fence for his backyard. No permit necessary. Now if he wanted to build on a 2-car garage – maybe he needs a permit.
Are Computer Guys All the Same?
If you work with computers, you know exactly what we are saying. How many times have you been asked what anti-virus software to purchase? Many you are pulled over to a co-worker’s computer to explain why the internet connection isn’t working. Just because you work with computers doesn’t mean you know everything there is about computers, right?
Rasmussen College decided to describe 17 Computer Careers – all different fields. Believe it or not, the guy making your website does not know how to build your computer from scratch.
Google History and Search Dominance
There is a great deal of Google talk going down in this episode. Google tends to be the leader when it comes to “searching”. Google was founded in September 1998, but the origins go back to 1995. Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin started this juggernaut and was originally called Backrub. We won’t go into the full details of Google (you have their corporate website for that information).
Google has 86.86 percent of the search engine market as of July 2020. Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yandex are all options – but there is a reason why this episode was called “Google It!”.
If you want to try a new search engine, here is a fantastic list from Search Engine Journal. They know a thing or two about searching.
Podcast Show Notes, References, and Links
This episode has been providing assistance to all since August 29, 2020.
Listen to Google It!
