Jump to content
Click here to check out this guide.

FAQs | Repair Videos | Academy | Newsletter | Contact


Samurai Appliance Repair Man's Blog

  • entries
    861
  • comments
    1,396
  • views
    2,681,606

Appliantology through the Looking Glass


Samurai Appliance Repair Man

4,812 views

Back in the ‘90’s, when the internet was new and I didn’t have any grey hair yet, I started the first of several incarnations of sites that offered appliance repair wisdom online. Appliantology.org was started in November 2010. It’s an old site by Internet standards. It has evolved a lot over the years and I expect it will continue to do so. 

As it exists today, this site is dedicated to supporting the professional appliance tech community with teaching, training, information, and camaraderie. This wasn’t always the case. 

The purpose of this little magnum opus is to relate the long and storied history of this site and its predecessor, Applianceguru.com, and to reflect on how we’ve changed, some of the dysfunctional people we’ve dealt with over the years, and where we are today. 

I’ve learned a lot about running internet communities, often the hard way and by trial and error. The Internet was a brave new frontier for everyone back in the 90’s. So everyone was making it up as they went along. You’ll get a glimpse into the challenges of keeping a forum community alive and kicking. 

Come with me now on a journey through the Appliantology looking glass... 
    
History - the "Good ol' days?"

I started the old forums at ApplianceGuru.com waaay back in 2003. It was a plain-jane forum-- no downloads section, no webinars, no blogs, no galleries, just a fraction of the functionality and features of this current forum software. 

The Applianceguru.com site was started as a DIYer support forum. DIYers were the focus and it was 100% funded by affiliate parts purchases from DIYers. It was a workable part time model back in the day that brought in a little beer money.  

Other techs started coming to the site and helping answer DIYer questions. Naturally, techs started helping each other out, too. 

I started collecting service manuals in a Mediafire account. I called this “the Stash.” Eventually, I started sharing lifetime access to this file storage with techs who paid a modest one-time fee ranging from $5 to $40. That account and file storage still exists today. 

The developer of the old forum software quit or died or something and he stopped supporting it. This was at a time when smartphone usage was starting to get big and there was no possibility of a mobile-friendly version of that forum software ever being developed. 

So, in November 2010, I took the plunge and started a whole new forum-- this one-- using completely new software and at a completely different web address. Thus Appliantology.org was born. 

As a courtesy and convenience to tech members at Applianceguru.com, I migrated their accounts over to the new forum, even though the old forums at Applianceguru.com remained open until a couple of months ago (the software was completely obsolete and couldn’t be maintained any more). 

When Appliantology was first running, there was no Downloads section like we have now. The only Download available was the access link to the Mediafire account. Techs still had the option of making a small, one-time donation to access the Mediafire account. 

Eventually, I started adding files in a separate Downloads section, what is now called the Appliance Repair Manual Pot Luck Supper. Today, that library has grown to almost 4,000 files and more manuals are added almost every day and on request. All the manuals are indexed and searchable. 

Several things changed that caused us to have to restructure the business model used to support this site: 

  • DIYers started coming to the site to get help, but then shopping elsewhere (eBay, Amazon) for the part to get it for a buck cheaper. Some would actually come back and brag about it.
  • Affiliate parts sales (and hence all income to run and grow this site) dropped to almost nothing.
  • Since DIYers had basically said to hell with us, we decided to change the whole business model of the site to focus on supporting the professional appliance tech community.
  • The increased bandwidth from users and downloads required a more expensive server arrangement (ultimately getting the dedicated private server that we have today).
  • The increased hard costs and man-hours needed to run the site as a high-quality tech support resource meant I had to make a decision: either run it like a business or shut it down. 

I wasn’t ready to just shut the site down because I believed that enough people in the appliance tech community would value a high-functioning, full-featured appliance support site. So we set out to reinvent the site. We did this by making a few changes: 

  • We briefly offered a lifetime membership shortly after we set up shop here at Appliantology, until we realized it wasn’t going to support the features we wanted to provide. So we created a new membership group called Professional Appliantologist with an annual membership fee. This is used to pay for the operation and maintenance of the site.
  • All techs who had purchased a “lifetime membership” for access to the Download Stash at Mediafire from Applianceguru.com or in the early days of Appliantology still have access to that resource. They also have gratis downloading privileges but it is at a throttled speed and one file at a time. This was necessary to ensure that limited server resources were available for the Professional Appliantologists.
  • All lifetime techs likewise have access to the tech-only forums (which is now most of the site) and the live training webinars. 

Remember: most paid a ridiculous pittance, $5 to $40, more than 7 years ago for lifetime access at a completely different website, Applianceguru.com, not unlimited access to this site, Appliantology.org. In either case, the Download library did not exist as it does today. Extending downloading privileges at all to the original tech group was a pure gift on our part. Unfortunately, a small segment of these techs did not see it this way.

Accusations from Malcontents 

Most techs at this site are really great people to interact with and value what we strive to provide for them here. The malcontents and detractors comprise less than 1%. If you think about it, this is probably true with your service call customers. It’s about the same distribution anywhere you have a large group of people. 
    
One type of malcontent we’ve encountered are the “lifetime” members from the early days who thought they should get all of the privileges and benefits that our current PA members do. We were accused of various forms of selling out, greed, and “only being in it for the money”, despite all the access that they still had, as described above. 

Again, we’re talking about a handful of users. Most of the techs from the early days either were content with their legacy-member benefits, or simply upgraded to a PA membership to get all of the new goodies. 

Most people are unaware of how carefully an online forum has to be managed to keep the community healthy, to retain old members and attract new ones. This is one of those skills I had to learn by a lot of trial and error. But learn I did, and over the years I have escorted several people off the site for various reasons, which I’ll discuss in a moment. It’s always regrettable but also necessary to maintain the quality experience of the site for the other members.

In cases where a person had paid for a Professional Appliantologist membership, I refunded 100% of their money even though they had persistently violated site Guidelines and were several months into their membership term. I did this with the hopes that we could simply part ways amicably. Unfortunately, being “amicable” is not in everyone’s toolkit.

Have you ever decided not to continue on a job that you could tell was breaking bad, refunded any money the customer paid, and then they STILL talk shit about you? Then you know what I’m talking about. 

Part of my responsibility as your gracious host is to maintain a positive atmosphere at the site. Occasionally this means showing folks to the door when they persistently demonstrate one or more of these defects:

  • Uncouth or unpleasant in their communications with other members
  • Unwilling or unable to learn, either about how to effectively and properly use the site or about basic technology, such as electricity and circuits (things about which it is not a matter of opinion-- you’re either right or wrong)
  • Persistently, albeit unintentionally, giving inaccurate information even when myself and others would try to correct it
  • Bullying or overbearing personality

You’ve heard the saying, “The customer is always right.” Well, that’s bullshit. The customer is not always right if they’re not the right customer. And any business that’s been around long enough will inevitably have a few of those kinds of customers that need to be “pruned.” On the other hand, when they are the right customer, you will bend over backwards to please them.

Some people left quietly, accepting that Appliantology just wasn’t right for them. But others, despite getting their money back, have gone on to spread malicious lies about me personally and even my wife, accusing us of being “greedy” and “ripping them off.”  

All Content Creators are “turd magnets”

Do you ever wonder what causes people to leave nasty comments on YouTube or other places? They’re doing what envious non-creators have always done to creators: shooting off their big fat mouths because that’s all they’re really good at. 

You can probably relate to this in your repair business, when a customer gives you a scathing online review that shows they know nothing about what it takes to run a professional in-home service business.

It takes a lot of time and hard work to create valuable content that people are willing to pay for. If these malcontents had any real talent, you would see the results online. Instead you see them bellyaching and lying. They have never created anything online that anyone would pay a nickle for. In short, they are entitled, envious, pathetic losers. This is the same psychological profile of the infamous “YouTube hater.” 

Creating a comprehensive information and training resource takes dedication, talent, and years of in-depth education, things that envious haters are in desperately short supply of. So their lying and complaining is not really about money-- it never was. It's about rejection. And their fragile egos can't handle that. 

Again let me say that the turds are maybe 1% of my interactions. But, dayyam, they sure can stink up the place! It takes the occasional sweep with the pooper scooper to keep our community a pleasant place to hang out. Before I leave the topic, let me tell you about a few of the...

Weird pathologies I’ve dealt with over the years

One of the weirdest, most perverse pathologies that all teachers deal with is where a student attacks the teacher instead absorbing the teaching that the teacher offers. This sick dynamic exists in all teaching settings, from high schools to trade schools to here at Appliantology. There have been a few techs with whom I professionally disagreed on a technical point go on to disparage me, my site, my personal hygeine, my parentage… you get the picture. 

A related psychosis that teachers encounter is where someone benefits from the teaching and then turns around and resents the teacher for telling them something they didn’t know. I know- it’s absolutely insane! Yet it happens all the time to all kinds of teachers. 

A third sickness is where someone sifts through the mountain of information that a teacher has produced and offered over the years to find some insignificant (usually imagined or misunderstood) flaw and tries to use that to discredit everything the teacher has ever done, despite the fact that they benefited greatly from the material. This is a pathetic attempt to pull down the teacher to make himself feel better. This is the ugly face of pure envy. 

I’ve gotten pretty good at spotting these diseases early on and terminating the relationship before it festers.

This site is a business

I appreciate and value the many awesome techs who have joined me in my online appliantological adventures over the years, but let’s be clear about something: this site is my virtual dojo. I work here for a living. I don’t do this for free. Nor do I do it as a public service. My time and talents are valuable and I produce high quality content that many people are happy to pay for. I may give some away, but the best stuff I reserve for paying members. To those people, I strive to overdeliver on value for the price they pay.

This site is not a hobby run out of some guy’s basement. It is a business. That means a couple things:

  • It is professionally managed in every way: hardware, software, and content.
  • Professionals get paid for their time and talents. I am one of those professionals. So is my son, Sam (Son of Samurai) and my wife of 28 years, Susan (Mrs. Samurai

All businesses are based on voluntary exchange: people value the information and services we offer more than the dollars they’re holding and thus a free market transaction takes place. As a business, we’re always looking for ways to please our valued customers in the hopes that they chose to continue doing business with us. 

Membership here is a two-way relationship, not an automatic right or an entitlement. I choose not to associate with boors, bullies, and boneheads because life is just too short to piss it away with the wrong people. I know that most of my fellow Brethren in the Craft at Appliantology feel similarly.

At the same time, I try to make this site an appealing value, even a “killer deal,” for techs looking for a positive, full-featured information resource.  

Reasons to be or not to be here

Appliantology is open to all and all are welcome within the terms of the site’s Guidelines. Professional appliance techs may choose to purchase a membership to enjoy all its many benefits. But Appliantology is not trying to be all things to all people--an impossible goal for any business.

I’ll go over some reasons to be here and some reasons to not be here. 

Appliantology is probably a good fit for you if...

  • You want to learn new things and become a better tech
  • You want to help other techs learn to become better at their craft
  • You understand what it means to disagree without being disagreeable
  • You learned what yo momma taught you when you were little: 
    • Share everything (i.e., information, technical literature, etc.).
    • Play fair.
    • Don't hit people.
    • Clean up your own mess (i.e., close out your topics with the solution).

Appliantology is probably not a good fit for you if...

  • You have something to prove to yourself or others
  • You are unwilling or unable to learn new things like
    • How to use this site correctly and effectively (Hint: it’s not at all hard if you just READ)
    • How to read schematics, understand technology and think like a real technician
  • You're only looking for parts changing information
  • You resent the rare instances that I may correct a post you made (in the spirit of being helpful) or hide it altogether when it is not helpful, may only confuse the OP (original poster- the guy who started the topic), or is a distraction from the teaching point I'm trying to help the OP to understand. 

Do you value a tech support site that...

  • uses state-of-the-art software with lots of features and functionality?
  • has nearly 100% uptime?
  • is hosted on its own private server which enables consistently fast page load times and download speeds?
  • is monitored and maintained 24/7?
  • has no Google ads or popups for Professional Appliantologist members?
  • is 100% mobile-friendly and the full functionality available on desktop is also available on mobile?
  • emphasizes understanding the underlying technology behind specific failures, applying good troubleshooting techniques and clear thinking to problem solving rather than merely parts changing info (“if this problem, replace that part”)?
  • has three full-time people (one of which is me) dedicated to constantly improving this site, adding enhanced features to continually add value for members? 
  • uploads new service manuals and technical literature almost everyday and on request?
  • offers regular, live tech training webinars on topics and technologies that you will never learn anywhere else?
  • makes many of these webinar recordings available for you to watch at your convenience?
  • prizes accuracy and clarity of information?
  • maintains a positive and professional environment by flushing the occasional turd?

If you value these things, then Appliantology is your home because we value YOU as a member of this tech community! We are constantly looking for ways to add value to your membership and welcome your suggestions. 

Appliantology has come a long way and Team Samurai works hard to make this site the premier professional appliance tech resource on the web. If you are a member, I sincerely thank you for being a part of this community. If you're thinking about becoming a member, I hope some of my comments were helpful in that decision… or at least entertaining. :)

Lemme know what you think. Post your comments below. 

 

  • Like 5

24 Comments


Recommended Comments

Finally a full rundown of the legend that is Appliantology. Enjoyed the read. To your final point: I, for one, can't think of a thing I don't like about this site or MST. The knowledge I've found lurking the forums, watching the webinar recordings, and taking courses at MST has been priceless. Can't imagine trying to start out as a service tech without this place.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
  • Team Samurai
Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

Domo, Brother chinasky! Appreciate you taking the time to walk through the looking glass with me and I also appreciate you're being here! :cheers:

Link to comment

Thanks brother for the enlightenment it was the kick in the ass that I needed to get going on my course work again.I really appreciate all that you and your family provide. Keep up the awesome and entertaining posts and I will continue to spread the word to the brethren ?

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
  • Team Samurai
Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

Domo, mah bruvah! Keep on keepin' on with your studies- knowledge is power! :geek:

Link to comment

"But Appliantology is not trying to be all things to all people--an impossible goal for any business."

I was lucky to learn this lesson early in business, I appreciate the wisdom you provide and your support of the brethren.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
A & G Enterprises

Posted

Quote

 

you can't please everybody i have learned so much from your site  thank you much appriciated

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment

Thanks for the road behind and the road ahead. This site is so important in this crazy appliance world we live in.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Quote

life is just too short to piss it away with the wrong people.

One of the secrets of life. Unfortunately you usually realize that 20 years after you should have. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • Team Samurai
Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

10 hours ago, AlboGator said:

One of the secrets of life. Unfortunately you usually realize that 20 years after you should have. 

Yep, youth is wasted on the young. 

Link to comment
redorepairs111

Posted

hell yeah.... a glimpse of the struggle.     I personally want to thank you and your family of samurais for what you guys do....you help me make $$$ that is a valuable service you provide and I'm glad its growing and hope for your continuous growth.    

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
  • Team Samurai
Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

3 hours ago, redorepairs111 said:

hell yeah.... a glimpse of the struggle.  

Yep, a little peek behind the scenes. Hope it was an interesting read. 

 

3 hours ago, redorepairs111 said:

I personally want to thank you and your family of samurais for what you guys do.

Thank YOU (and all the other Brethren) for being the most important part of what we do! 

3 hours ago, redorepairs111 said:

you help me make $$$ that is a valuable service you provide

That's what we like to hear 'cuz that's the proof in the putting right there! 

 

Link to comment

This is a great site overall, I like the webinar recordings and the training classes for appliance repair which I highly recommend.

Keep up the good work, well worth the money.

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment

In the beginning, one of the only intelligent sources of Tech topics was the Appliance Service News publication ( it was a darn shame that had to end )... I appreciate this site and contribute whenever possible because: "We are all we got."

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment

I LOVE this place...THANK YOU, Samurai for all you've done to contribute to this field...LIVE LONG and PROSPER!

spock.jpeg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Joe B, Stoughton Appliance Repair

Posted

Thanks for the history lesson Scott.

Your "Guru" and "FixItNow" stuff still shows up in searches and sometime the timelines were confusing.  This post cleared it up.

Good luck moving forward.  We servicer's tend to help people locally.  You help people everywhere!

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
  • Team Samurai
Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

On 8/23/2017 at 11:40 AM, Joe B, Stoughton Appliance Repair said:

Your "Guru" and "FixItNow" stuff still shows up in searches and sometime the timelines were confusing.  This post cleared it up.

Those are ancient sites so it doesn't surprise me they're still showing up. I haven't posted anything at Fixitnow for years but there's still a lot of good info there so I keep it running. 

The old Guru site (ApplianceGuru.com) is used for our local service business. All the old forum links that went to the old Guru forums have been mostly redirected to this site by now. 

Since I've been around on the Internet for over 20 years, running various appliance repair websites (all the while still doing service calls), there was bound to be some confusion to people who haven't known me or my sites all that long. So that was one of the big reasons for writing that post. 

It's interesting how similar running websites is to running service calls because they both have a very big thing in common: you're dealing with the general public. In both cases, you encounter the whole slice of life, from really awesome people to the diseased and deranged. I have dealt with plenty at both ends of the spectrum in both venues. Thanks for being one of the good ones, Joe! 

 

Link to comment

I learn ton of good stuff in one year as member and going through the fundamentals course. Plan on take another course in near future. Appreciate all that Team Samurai does for appliance Technicians.  Thanks..:)

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
  • Team Samurai
Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

Domo, Brother @Quick! Hope life in the oil orchards is being good to you. 

Link to comment

Hadn't seen this thread until now...I am rarely on a desktop anymore:)

It has been (and continues to be) a lot of fun being a part of appliantology.

Your description of the humble beginnings...reminds me of the story of Delta Airlines (where my father worked for 32 years).

In the beginning...they were a crop duster outfit...just a couple of guys that just loved to fly...but needed to justify their hobby. A wild and crazy time.

Before you know it...they are taking on paying fare (customers!).

And then it becomes time to "mature" into something resembling a professionally run business.

No more acrobatics and other horseplay.

Change is sometimes a great thing:)

 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
  • Team Samurai
Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

On 9/26/2017 at 8:55 PM, john63 said:

It has been (and continues to be) a lot of fun being a part of appliantology.

Mucho domos, Brother @john63!  Your expertise in all things LG has been much appreciated! 

Link to comment
steveklein

Posted

Wow, it amazes me that people can be such, uh, &%*#*!    (Propriety prevents me from typing the words that really come to mind.)

You gave away for free the knowledge that you used to earn your living, and people had the nerve to criticize you for it?  There's a word for such behavior: Chutzpah!  (That's Japanese, right? ?)

Twelve years ago, when I stumbled across fixitnow, I had never tried repairing my own appliances.  At the time I was looking for a fix for a front-loading Frigidaire washer that wouldn't drain.  The @Samurai Appliance Repair Man advised disconnecting the hoses from the pump and "removing the bobby pin your wife accidentally dropped into the wash."  (Quoting from memory.)

I immediately sent in a donation to the beer fund (see image below).  Back then we had one kid — a son not yet 3 years old, and we were pinching pennies.  But I gladly donated to the Samurai beer fund because he saved me the cost of a service call. (And since the repair didn't require parts, my out-of-pocket was zero.)  Over the years we had more kids, and more appliance repairs.  I've fixed my dishwasher, fridge, dryer, and washing machine (twice), all with help from the Samurai and other excellent pros sharing their knowledge for free.

Although I'm not a Pro, I understand completely why you had to change your business model, and I wish you (and your pro subscribers) continued success.  I will, no doubt, eventually encounter repairs beyond my amateur skill level. And when I do, I'll make a point of trying to find a local pro who is also a subscriber!  (After all, any pro who has the good sense to subscribe is no doubt trustworthy and excellent at his/her job.)

Oh, and here's that image I hinted at above.  This is from an email receipt dated June 11, 2006:

image.png.8387dfcebd1d40aacfa6284ffc19e162.png

image.png

image.png

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Great history.  Best $197 bucks I ever spent to improve my career.  Keep it up.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
tpoindexter

Posted

I am very grateful for this site. I don't know if i'd be repairing appliance today had it not been for the site, and the endless hours you've put in making it work for so many techs. I've received support and encourage at critical times I've needed it. 

I want to sincerely thank not just you, but Mrs. and Son of Samurai.

Thank You.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
×
×
  • Create New...