Pimping out ITonRamp!

[YPestis]

It looks like the latest blog post on the Maxwell website has an interview with a satisfied ITonRamp customer. The interview transcribed is pretty dry (like everything else the Maxwells do). The Maxwells used to separate their family ministry from their home consulting business. I include the ITonRamp in their home business as it clearly is a nonreligious product (albeit with a thin veneer of religious preening). They don't advertise their construction business or their CCI company or Christopher's photography on the blog, but here, ITOnRamp is clearly getting extra attention.

 

I wonder how business is going with that. With the recession and the cheap or free material available out there to self-teach computing basics, I'm surprised anyone's willing to shell out thousands of dollars for the ITonRamp classes. I don't think the classes themselves are bad, as the Maxwells have shown themselves to be technically proficient, but it's like buying material from a mom and pop shop versus Walmart. The latter is just so much cheaper and does the same trick. I was formerly an IT person, and yes, I spend money to go to college for my computer science degree. However, the theory I learned enables me to self-teach new languages or technologies, which saves me from having to shell out to programs like ITonRamp. Pity the other fundies don't realize this, or they wouldn't waste so much money on these classes. You could learn far more with the same amount of money in college or a CC.

 

However, I'm curious if the Maxwells are hoping to transition into online courses as their ministry visits dry up. Online courses would allow them to stay home even more, but still "minister" to others (i.e they can still sell their wares to unsuspecting customers). And it has the added benefit of cranking out more ever more crap to sell as "new classes" emerge. Anyway, just some musings here.

[Mary C Doates]

The interview/"endorsement" seemed pretty tepid. Description of the curriculum seemed vague. Seemed like it was being marketed to a young-ish (CollegeMinus!) audience. I didn't get the impression that this is a real popular business venture, and the tone of the interview was so...blah that it didn't seem likely to draw more students.

(Well, except for the personal emails and weekly phone calls from a Maxwell. Maybe Rebecca !!!11!!!! should sign up?)

[gibbsgirls]

(Well, except for the personal emails and weekly phone calls from a Maxwell. Maybe Rebecca !!!11!!!! should sign up?)

From the Maxwell ITonRamp FAQs

To enable propriety and no possibility of defrauding, direct phone conversations will be from a person of the same gender. Therefore, if there are ladies in a track, the phone call to them will be via a female mentor assistant. The mentor assistant will not have the technical experience that the mentor has, but she will provide the one-on-one personal encouragement that the mentor would have provided. Since, the forum is the place for technical questions, this will not be a hindrance in any way.

bolding mine

Doesn't look like poor Rebecca !!11!!! would have have any contact with a Maxwell male.

And, is it only me that reads the ITonRamp as "1 ton ramp?" I always have to catch myself. lol

Edited - because I should be able to spell "as" properly!

[SisiL78]

The interview makes it pretty clear that this kid hasn't gotten a job due to his training. You'd think that they'd try to find an EMPLOYED customer of the program.... if there is one.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

All I can say is, a while ago I did a google search on "IT On Ramp" trying to find testimonials or ANYTHING, really, and only came up with two students, both of whom were very young guys like this guy (all homeschooled, but seeming high-school level). Not only that, but the two I found are friends with each other in real life.

Surely there's more students than only these two, but I do find it interesting that as an IT outfit they're not being mentioned on more blogs, even fundie high schooler blogs.

Quickly checking back now, I see the two kids I found were a "Nick" and "Nathan." You can see Nathan's minimalist blog post about it here: theadventurousfellow.blogspot.com/2011/10/itonrampcom.html

So Gabriel is presumably someone else. Still... must google moar...

Meanwhile if the Maxwells can find a way to sell their extra commas somewhere they could bring in quite a haul.

[sparkles]

That was the most unenthusiastic testimonial I've ever read.

[snarkyjan]

That was the most unenthusiastic testimonial I've ever read.

I wonder if the Maxwells offered a tuition rebate or a discount in exchange for the imprimatur?

[FloraDoraDolly]

All I can say is, a while ago I did a google search on "IT On Ramp" trying to find testimonials or ANYTHING, really, and only came up with two students, both of whom were very young guys like this guy (all homeschooled, but seeming high-school level). Not only that, but the two I found are friends with each other in real life.

Surely there's more students than only these two, but I do find it interesting that as an IT outfit they're not being mentioned on more blogs, even fundie high schooler blogs.

Quickly checking back now, I see the two kids I found were a "Nick" and "Nathan." You can see Nathan's minimalist blog post about it here: theadventurousfellow.blogspot.com/2011/10/itonrampcom.html

So Gabriel is presumably someone else. Still... must google moar...

Meanwhile if the Maxwells can find a way to sell their extra commas somewhere they could bring in quite a haul.

Keep in mind that fundie boys are not allowed to spend much time online. They only get to visit a handful of pre-approved sites and can't even access the Internet at all unless Mama or Big Sister signs them in. Otherwise, they will do nothing but look at pornography all day long. :o

[lilith]

It looks like the latest blog post on the Maxwell website has an interview with a satisfied ITonRamp customer. The interview transcribed is pretty dry (like everything else the Maxwells do). The Maxwells used to separate their family ministry from their home consulting business. I include the ITonRamp in their home business as it clearly is a nonreligious product (albeit with a thin veneer of religious preening). They don't advertise their construction business or their CCI company or Christopher's photography on the blog, but here, ITOnRamp is clearly getting extra attention.

I wonder how business is going with that. With the recession and the cheap or free material available out there to self-teach computing basics, I'm surprised anyone's willing to shell out thousands of dollars for the ITonRamp classes. I don't think the classes themselves are bad, as the Maxwells have shown themselves to be technically proficient, but it's like buying material from a mom and pop shop versus Walmart. The latter is just so much cheaper and does the same trick. I was formerly an IT person, and yes, I spend money to go to college for my computer science degree. However, the theory I learned enables me to self-teach new languages or technologies, which saves me from having to shell out to programs like ITonRamp. Pity the other fundies don't realize this, or they wouldn't waste so much money on these classes. You could learn far more with the same amount of money in college or a CC.

However, I'm curious if the Maxwells are hoping to transition into online courses as their ministry visits dry up. Online courses would allow them to stay home even more, but still "minister" to others (i.e they can still sell their wares to unsuspecting customers). And it has the added benefit of cranking out more ever more crap to sell as "new classes" emerge. Anyway, just some musings here.

But the courses available in Walmart wont hold you accountable and guard your heart.

Why, you might call up the helpline and be answered by a member of the opposite gender. And we all know what that leads too...... I mean, whenever I'm put through to a male in an Indian call centre he instantly defrauds me, and I feel compelled to send him naked pictures and pieces of my heart. My heart (and images of my boobs) is now scattered all over the Indian subcontinent, and I have no hope of getting it back. If only I had restricted my contact to the sisters of men who put together online IT courses..........

[Justme]

Only 2 comments, and one is from Nathan. He said Gab was a "good learner". :shock:

Not many comments in general on their posts. Even John only received 11 bday greetings. (to date) A few years ago they'd get tons of comments, especially on bday posts.

[Roycroft]

Why, you might call up the helpline and be answered by a member of the opposite gender. And we all know what that leads too...... I mean, whenever I'm put through to a male in an Indian call centre he instantly defrauds me, and I feel compelled to send him naked pictures and pieces of my heart. My heart (and images of my boobs) is now scattered all over the Indian subcontinent, and I have no hope of getting it back. If only I had restricted my contact to the sisters of men who put together online IT courses..........

And what if you were female, and it was one of the Maxwell ladies (their usage, not mine) who set your vulnerable heart (or other bits) a-flutter? Just call the helpline, and you'd be in like Flynn. :lol:

Maybe they should just shut the entire defrauding helpline down. It's purely a highway to hell, I tell ya.

[Ramona]

From the Maxwell ITonRamp FAQs

To enable propriety and no possibility of defrauding, direct phone conversations will be from a person of the same gender. Therefore, if there are ladies in a track, the phone call to them will be via a female mentor assistant. The mentor assistant will not have the technical experience that the mentor has, but she will provide the one-on-one personal encouragement that the mentor would have provided. Since, the forum is the place for technical questions, this will not be a hindrance in any way.

bolding mine

Doesn't look like poor Rebecca !!11!!! would have have any contact with a Maxwell male.

And, is it only me that reads the ITonRamp as "1 ton ramp?" I always have to catch myself. lol

Edited - because I should be able to spell "as" properly!

So wait - a person would have paid for a course taught by the "professional" but when they call, if they are female, they won't get the service for which they actually paid - they'll get something less.

Aren't there rules about that sort of thing in a business?

[gardenvarietycitizen]

And what if you were female, and it was one of the Maxwell ladies (their usage, not mine) who set your vulnerable heart (or other bits) a-flutter? Just call the helpline, and you'd be in like Flynn. :lol:

Heh. Happy to know I am not the only one thinking in that direction!!! :lol:

[TMS]

Why do they call it one-ton-ramp? What does that even mean? Obviously, I'm not very technical.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Why do they call it one-ton-ramp? What does that even mean? Obviously, I'm not very technical.

They don't. It's "IT On Ramp" (as in, the on-ramp to the Information Superhighway). WE call it "One Ton Ramp" because their logo seems to read that way and we're snarky. :)

[Ramona]

Yeah I thought it was I ton ramp at first -- they really need a better name :-p

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Yeah I thought it was I ton ramp at first -- they really need a better name :-p

Seriously - all misreading due to font issues completely aside, 1995 called and wants this name back. :lol:

[ncb]

Don't you just love it when they post about their "business" and no one comments? I think that is pretty fair evidence that the On Ramp isn't getting much traffic :)

[YPestis]

Don't you just love it when they post about their "business" and no one comments? I think that is pretty fair evidence that the On Ramp isn't getting much traffic :)

You know, I haven't gone back to their website the last few days but that's pretty funny. They get a lot of comments for their birthdays, births, courtship/wedding announcements, I just figured most were from happy clients. I guess many readers also follow their blog for the family developments, just like me.

I do start to wonder if their businesses are not as popular as we like to think. All their pictures of their tour shows them getting mobbed at the book counter, but that could hide flagging sales and diminishing profits. I actually think it would be sad if the Maxwells decided to completely go online like with ITonRamp. Their tour is one of the few ways the Maxwell kids meet new people. I'm still hoping Sarah will meet someone on these trips and run away!

[fundie_junkie]

My husband has worked in the IT field in Kansas City area for the last 10 years and told me he has never heard of any of the Maxwell people in the KS/MO IT field. He took a look at their IT website and laughed. He said they have an elementary level knowledge of IT at most.

It's sad that they could have successful careers if mommy and daddy would let them get a real education.

[jockosmom]

My husband has worked in the IT field in Kansas City area for the last 10 years and told me he has never heard of any of the Maxwell people in the KS/MO IT field. He took a look at their IT website and laughed. He said they have an elementary level knowledge of IT at most.

It's sad that they could have successful careers if mommy and daddy would let them get a real education.

It is sad, isn't it? Such selfishness on the part of the parents to deliberately hobble their children the way they do. Boggles the mind.

[Seven Severn]

Are they going to leave this post up until the Jan. 21st deadline?!? Surely cabinets got polished or lunch was made or Uriah got cleaned - all things that have warranted blog posts in the past.

[clarinetpower]

Gabriel learned this:

*overall knowledge of computer hardware

*software and in-depth knowledge of the operating systems for Windows

*how to communicate better in a strategic manner with the customers—learning to use words that make sense to them.

*troubleshooting techniques and basic understanding of how a computer works

Which pretty much sounds like what every 2nd grader already knows. I mean, come on, my 2 year old knows how to run the ipad better than I do.

But why do we need a class for this?

Doing self-study in that area can be very beneficial, but I’ve found that being in a class environment makes for easier/better accountability. You benefit so much from the webinars, forum, and calls every week, and it equips you for knowing how to study in a way that is streamlined and effective.

Translated from SOTDRT:

"Because I'm never allowed to learn anything by myself, so that must be bad and sinful. I must have a Godly Man to teach me how to open a window and how to control+alt+delete. If I don't, God might be disappointed."

Because you know:

It is one of the basic foundational, certifications that you can get.

THAT'S BECAUSE NO ONE WHO ACTUALLY LIVES IN THIS SOCIETY NEEDS A FREAKING CERTIFICATION TO RUN A COMPUTER. WE'RE NOT IDJITS!!! WELCOME TO 2012!!! IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKE 1983!!!

Sigh.

[fundiefan]

The Maxwell's are so pathetic. What a sad attempt to trump up business. A pre-teen testimonial! That'll win the world every time...not.

I spent years in IT. It was a constant learning experience. I am out of that business now but still work surrounded by real IT people. No Maxwell or Maxwell fan/trainee would cut it. Ever.

Real world fail, right there.

[mockingbird]

They don't. It's "IT On Ramp" (as in, the on-ramp to the Information Superhighway). WE call it "One Ton Ramp" because their logo seems to read that way and we're snarky. :)

Um... yeah so I totally got that it was called "IT on ramp" but I thought the "on ramp" part was analogous to being ramped up (excited). I guess I thought it was a reference to being high? LOL I so did not get the superhighway part and obviously I am way too wordly for the Maxwells :lol: