Home Computers Can Make You Rich, by Joe Weisbecker (Hayden, $7.95)
WEISBECKER’S BOOK is full of ideas on how to turn your spare time and your interest in computers into dollars. You don’t have to own a computer to appreciate this book, or like computers, but it helps.
Home Computers Can Make You Rich gives us a very short course in business procedures, in which such topics as money-making principles, trend-watching, and possible pitfalls are discussed. Weisbecker encourages us to make money “for fun and profit” in our spare time and assures us that it is “easy to do.” We are introduced to our potential customers: “hardware-hackers” (those who play with circuit boards, electronic gadgets, design and build kits, and so on), technicians, engineers, repairpersons, and other computer enthusiasts.
This is essentially an ‘idea’ book. There are many interesting ideas presented that could be developed into a supplementary income, but these would prove financially worthwhile only after much careful thought and planning. Weisbecker makes his money-making ideas seem easy, and downplays the time, skill, and business acumen required to commit his (or your) ideas to reality and actually have them pay off. His message is clearly optimistic: “You can do it.”
Among the potential money-making ideas presented are writing articles for various publications, writing a newsletter, writing a book, creating and selling programs, becoming a computer consultant or repairperson, or renting out computers by the day or week. There are some novel ideas too, such as using your computer to entertain at parties; for childrens’ parties, you’ll also need a funny hat and costume.
Available from Hayden, Home Computers Can Make You Rich may well be the motivational boost you need to get your ideas off the ground and start turning your bits and bytes into dollars and cents.