General Information

Picture of David Leonard - offering remote and onsite computer support in London

Over 30 years as a PC professional and over 40 years business experience


Windows  desktop and laptop computers and their peripherals (eg printers, scanners, routers) are my main area of expertise. I can also offer a reasonable depth of support for Android and Apple tablets and smartphones. I have a growing clientele of Mac OSX users, but my knowledge with Macs is general and not particularly deep.

The computer support I provide is very “hands-on” and includes (but is not limited to) :

    • PC desktop, laptop, all-in-one, tablet, and smartphone trouble-shooting (standalone and home networks)
    • Installation and configuration of hardware and software
    • Wired and wireless internet access
    • Online security (anti-virus, anti-malware, firewall)
    • Backups
    • Upgrade management
    • Other Windows-based IT issues
    • One-to-one Training (I do not train groups)

    I work with “stand-alone” computers and also with “peer to peer” networks. These are networks in which – typically – the computers can share each others’ files, internet connection, and printers, but there is no centralised “server” holding all the information.

    My knowledge of Macs is not extensive, but I am happy to discuss your situation to see if I can help with your Mac issues. I do not support Linux- or Unix-based machines, nor games consoles.

    Repairing computers is beyond the scope of my work. I may be able to assist and advise with some hardware issues, but if you need a new motherboard, a screen repair for a laptop, a new power supply,  or something like that then you need a computer repair service.

    You can get an idea of the kind of work I do and the areas I cover by looking at some of my fortnightly blog posts. Some of the most recent posts, and links to them, are listed to the right of this column. You are also most welcome to join my free bITes service.

    Approach

    I try to look at situations from the user’s point of view, using English – not “geek speak”. Your computer system is not your passion – it’s a tool (albeit a complicated one).

  • I appreciate that computer issues are often stressful and I try hard to strike a balance by not bombarding you with too much technical information, while explaining the situation and choices in such a way that you can make informed decisions. Clients vary greatly in the amount of detailed information they want regarding their  computer issues, and I strive hard to meet the individual client’s needs in this respect.

    Method

    I provide most of my support by a visit to the client’s home or work premises. To ensure the best in personal service, response times, and costs, I can only visit clients in the London area. To find out whether I can cover your location, just send a contact form.

    Site Visits

    All visits to clients are by prior appointment only. I pride myself on my punctuality and reliability. I will call you in the very unlikely event that I will be more than 10 minutes later than the appointed time.*

    Telephone Support

    Telephone support is also available. Short calls are free of charge. If an issue looks like it will take longer than about ten minutes then I ask  the client to agree to a time-based charge. No charges are payable without the client’s agreement.

    Remote Control Support

    An increasing amount of support is becoming viable by taking control of the client’s computer via an internet connection. A telephone voice connection is also maintained during this time. The client can always see exactly what is happening and can terminate the session at any time.

    The password that gives me access to the client’s computer changes after each session so you can be sure that neither I nor anyone else can gain unauthorised access to your system. Access is also impossible if the connection software is not running.

    I use Teamviewer software for a secure and reliable connection to the client’s computer. See Remote Support for more information.


    If you are not sure whether I can help you or not, please contact me.


    * – the one exception, of course, is if I am held up somewhere that has no mobile phone reception – such as between stations on London Underground.