After I started working professionally in IT I actually told my friends and family that I wasn't a help desk, and that the last thing I wanted to do in my personal time was more of what I do for work... So if they wanted my help, it'd be under the same conditions as if I was being contracted.
I'll help my family and friends without an invoice as such, but I expect something in kind. They usually deliver, or they know they owe me a favour down the track.
My father in law installed my TV antenna in exchange for fixing his computer.
My mum provides me with delicious meals once a week for her stuff (she's a really good cook. $40 a head restaurant quality I'd say).
My brother lets me use space in his garage to leave some of my shit in Sydney, instead of me having to pay for storage.
I made it clear to all of them that I don't expect cash, but I do expect compensation for my time and effort.
That said, I agree with the sentiment in general.
People won't pay for IT work because it's white collar and they feel they should be able to figure it out themselves. Probably because of all the movies and TV shows that make computers seem like these easy to use things.
Fact is that computers werne't then, and still aren't now, easy to use. They require training to use properly.
Any idiot can turn on a circular saw and push a piece of wood through it, but it takes years of training to be able to angle the wood just so to get an attractive curve that you could then use to hold a gutter up on the eaves, or something like that, and to treat & stain it properly.
