Build-A-Computer Workshop

[tomx]

I am thinking to start a Build-A-Computer workshop, just like the Build-A-Bear Workshop.

I will teach kids (or adults) how to build a PC and how to install the operating system, etc. It should take ~1 hour to complete the whole session.

What do you guys think? Any input is welcome!

Tom

[vangogh]

Seems like a good idea. I don't see adults wanting to learn how to build PCs, but I can see kids being interested and I can see parents wanting their kids to know how.

On the other hand, I think fewer and fewer people are going to want to build PCs. I think most people will always prefer to just buy something that's already built so it's possible the interest is somewhat niche. I see this more as an educational thing where the idea is to learn as opposed to walking out with a working PC.

[Harold Mansfield]

I agree with VG. It sounds more lucrative to actually build and sell custom PC's than than to make a living teaching other people how to do it.

Case and point, I'm the kind of person that would be interested in building my own. But I'm also the kind of person that would rather watch podcasts,You Tube videos, and tech shows from the comfort of my home with my gear and "workshop" in front of me.

Test it out. See if you can work with your local library to offer the class for a few Saturdays, promote it yourself , and see what kind of interest there is. This way you can gauge the idea without taking too much financial risk, the library is the perfect place for it, and you get a chance to get your feet wet with promoting and marketing your idea, and fine tune it.

[KristineS]

You probably would get some interest, I'm guessing more in the kid and teen demographic than from older people. Most older people who want to build their own computer have probably already found out how. It's also not really a hobby thing. I'm guessing kids and teens might really get into it though. Sounds like a good bet for, as Harold said, a library class, or maybe a summer class for kids at a local university or YMCA.

[turboguy]

Locally our Community college has a lot of non credit classes for kids and adults that are taught by local people and not professional teachers. Yours probably does the same and getting them to sponsor it would give you a good chance to test the concept. The nice thing is you have a regular classroom to use and they do a great deal of promotion on the courses so the advertising is great. I haven't taken any of the courses for ages but did take a couple in the past.

[Harold Mansfield]

Also check out Raspberry Pi. Those are nice little devices that don't cost much, have a great community, and are a great place for kids to start. You could fill an entire classroom with those for not much money.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/

[tomx]

All good input! Really like the library and community college ideas! And will check out the Raspberry Pi ASAP.

[ArcSine]

Tomx, there may or may not be an actual underlying correlation, so take with a heap o' salt:

Not too many months ago, the Barnes & Noble I haunt regularly had no titles in the Programming shelves that were aimed at kids specifically. Then I noticed a new book with something like "Coding For Kids" on the cover. A month goes by and then there's "Python Programming For Kids", "Teach Your Kids to Code", and a couple of others. Now, that B & N has an entire section in the Programming shelves labelled "Programming For Kids". Several titles now in that section, with books focused on various languages, but all aimed at the childrens market.

One would like to think that book publishers wouldn't be dropping coin on pushing so many new such titles onto the shelves, unless their tea leaves were throwing off some strong signals of a rapidly growing interest in that direction. I dunno, maybe they've done their homework, or maybe it's just "monkey see, monkey do".

If the former, then it might bode well for your idea. Yeah, coding != building a box, but I'd think the two interests do share some common ground.

Nice ideas already here on how to test the waters; the Rasp Pi idea's cool too. I was watching a vid the other day on instances where folks have built some high-octane machines by stringing together some Raspberries.

Best of luck with it,

[BNB]

I'm sorry, but this is a terrible idea. Anyone who cares enough to build a computer can learn it VERY easily, is a hobbyist, and wouldn't be interested in a 1 hour workshop. And hardly anyone cares about building a computer nowadays, even the people I knew who used to do it (myself included) don't care anymore. Nobody wants to build computers, and especially not pay a premium to do it. Very interesting idea, but would almost certainly fail miserably.

[billbenson]

I've built many computes. I don't think the market is installing the OS etc. The market is for people who need custom machines such as Linux or powerful gaming machines. If they are at that level, they probably can already go online and get the info they need.

Just My Opinion.

[TheSEknOwer]

Hey Tomx,

I think its a great idea but more suited for an internet business. There are tons of people looking for that kind of information online.

Don't believe me? Jump on youtube and search "How to build a PC" the first video has over a million views the second about building a gaming PC has over 3 million views.

Googles keyword planner says: How to build a computer gets around 18,100 searches a month... How to build a pc gets around 12,000 searches a month.

The point is almost anything can make you money online if you do it right.

So how to get started. Well its all about building a following. You could start a blog and do videos of different builds. PC tech changes so fast there is virtually an endless stream of new hardware builds you could show.

But how do you make money?

When you build a following you can make recommendations...these recommendations can earn you money.

For example do a build showing how to install the newest intel chip...then have a conveniently placed link to purchase the chip from amazon, bestbuy or whoever it doesn't matter because they all have affiliate programs! Then you earn a percentage of the sale.

Amazons affiliate program pays 4% of electronics so on a $350 I7 chip you would make a $14 commission... you could do videos of complete build kits where you recommend everything from the mother board to the video card. Commissions could add up quick.

On top of that you could build and email list of PC enthusiast and email them new tips and tricks and recommend new products through email as well.

You could build a youtube channel and also earn revenue through their youtube partners ad share program.

for an example of someone doing something similar check out tomshardware.com/t/builds/

I hope this helps scale your possibilities.