Dont you hate it when people find out you are a computer guru?

[cerebusPu]

Originally posted by: jntdesign
one time i got a call while i was at the bar
sitting there at 10pm, bartender hands the phone to me

i answer it and it's some lady i didn't even know asking me to help her with her printer
she got my name from a friend of a friend of a friend

she didn't even know my last name, she just knew of me as "troy" the guy who hangs out at Mulligans (the bar)

geezuz. thats crazy. you win in this thread

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: xUCIxDaiSHi
looks like someone else already linked the thinkgeek shirt. nothing like driving an hour away to determine that someone needs an isa network card for their 8 year old compaq. i should start demanding meals for payment at least, or a nice massage

I used to fix friends computers for parts + meals. It was a great way to eat home cooked meals through high school. (my mom is a busy woman)

 

[acemcmac]

My name and number gets passed all around my college campus and surrounding town. At a state school, the only man who knows how to fix computer problems is the king of free alcohol of his choice and to demand the wages he wants. It's such a profitable venture, it's replaced my dumpster diving all together.

My only thoughts though are that

1) I hate having to operate within the constraints of what a person legally has licences for... nothing is more arigvating than having to fix whatever the problem is without leaving windows ME or even being able to do a format. I always walk away from those.

2) I'm almost programmed now to just spit out a 15 minute monolog about how to avoid downloading spyware and how to reformat a fvcked computer to people who dont want to pay me... I hate listening to myself give that one... yet it happens 4 times a week at the least.

I appraise free, fix real challenges free... but mundane stuff... don't expect me to leave without 60$-100$ in my choice alcohol, cash or both...

 

[billandopus]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: jntdesign
one time i got a call while i was at the bar
sitting there at 10pm, bartender hands the phone to me

i answer it and it's some lady i didn't even know asking me to help her with her printer
she got my name from a friend of a friend of a friend

she didn't even know my last name, she just knew of me as "troy" the guy who hangs out at Mulligans (the bar)

That's really sad.

On the other hand, it does show that there's a market for this type of work (one which can't be outsourced to India).

I don't know. I think that this actually confirms that people are really cheap and socially obtuse to phone an absolute stranger at a bar to ask (really, to obligate and demand) "help" with their printer.

At least some people who call tech support and it gets outsourced to India do it because it's the appropriate path to take - to use tech support.

Those who don't have access to tech support will usually try to take the easiest path and many times it means crossing over social boundaries to do it - rather than pay for computer help at your local comp store or Best Buy.

I mean, I have this guy calling me once in awhile to ask for comp help. I don't mind talking to him on the phone but lately his incompetency with computers has really been showing. Eventually i'll just have to tell him to quit calling me if he can't figure it out himself - and I don't want to sound like the bad guy. I mean, this is a guy who has problems figuring out win98se and now wants to triple boot 98/xp/linux ... great.