I love computer illiterate people

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: hanoverphist

i guess i deal with people that dont understand everything about computers but use them daily in the course of their jobs more than most people. my "office manager" can work circles around me in quickbooks and excel, but god forbid she realize the monitor is not the actual computer. i gave up on explaining the difference between local and network hard drives years ago.

I expect more from people, and I think more SHOULD be expected from them. When I was surveying, I knew everything about the instruments I used. I wasn't qualified to do a complete breakdown/rebuild, but I could perform calibration and maintenance, and it was expected of me. People don't/won't do it because it's not expected. The bar needs to be raised, and people need to be familiar with the tools they use.

when i want accounting, HR or payroll info i go to my office manager. she knows the job better than anyone i know. when i want to know what kind of hard drive is in her computer she uses to get me the info, i look for myself instead of asking an accountant for details on IT. the computer is a fancy pencil in the hands of an accountant, nothing more. i dont expect laymen to understand details of my job. other professionals dont expect me to know the inner workings of their professions either. thats why we specialize.

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Some clients I have serviced systems for, refer to the entire computer case and all its contents as the CPU.

not unheard of. even in my first CIS class they taught that for simplicity sake. box is the CPU, input is keyboard/ mouse/ scanner output is monitor/ printer/ plotter. easy enough to get people familiar with a basic understanding of computer systems.

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: Crusty
Good for you, now think of your average joe/jane. They'll have no clue what goes on inside of a car except for a few big name parts(engine, transmission). Kind of like the parts of a computer, most people can name some important things, but they can't tell you what it does or how it does it.

It's no different then a mechanic ripping you a new one for not knowing the ins and outs of your car.

How many little kids do you know who could build a car from scratch? It's not even remotely the same thing.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: hanoverphist

i guess i deal with people that dont understand everything about computers but use them daily in the course of their jobs more than most people. my "office manager" can work circles around me in quickbooks and excel, but god forbid she realize the monitor is not the actual computer. i gave up on explaining the difference between local and network hard drives years ago.

I expect more from people, and I think more SHOULD be expected from them. When I was surveying, I knew everything about the instruments I used. I wasn't qualified to do a complete breakdown/rebuild, but I could perform calibration and maintenance, and it was expected of me. People don't/won't do it because it's not expected. The bar needs to be raised, and people need to be familiar with the tools they use.

Expect what you want from people, I suppose; but expect that many people feel you expect too much when it comes to computers. I'm not surveyor, but to be honest, I can't imagine how complicated surveying tools can possibly be? The program with computers is that the concepts can be far too abstract for many people to easily understand.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
I'm not surveyor, but to be honest, I can't imagine how complicated surveying tools can possibly be? The program with computers is that the concepts can be far too abstract for many people to easily understand.

The instruments I used had onboard computers, and were completely servo driven. They had to be routinely checked for accuracy using several processes that involved electronic calibration, and manual calibration using tools. If the instrument couldn't be made right with user maintenance, it went into the shop.

 

[Jeff7181]

People like the OP are proof IT support staff need to refocus attention on providing good customer service, not just technical support. Rather than being a condescending prick, how about offering some suggestions on what they should look for?

 

[Wheezer]

I love computer illiterate people

so do I because instead of mocking them I teach them and in the process I earn some nice "under the table" money.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
I'm not surveyor, but to be honest, I can't imagine how complicated surveying tools can possibly be? The program with computers is that the concepts can be far too abstract for many people to easily understand.

The instruments I used had onboard computers, and were completely servo driven. They had to be routinely checked for accuracy using several processes that involved electronic calibration, and manual calibration using tools. If the instrument couldn't be made right with user maintenance, it went into the shop.

That's my point exactly. Many people can grasp the concept of measuring something manually, adjusting something with an electronic control, and plugging in the appropriate numbers to calibrate the device. Not nearly as complicated as understanding how information is stored on a HDD/in RAM, what a SB/NB are.. why they are different, what cache/FSB/clock speed/etc.. etc.. actually mean. I think we, as nerds, take for granted how much technical garbage we know off the top of our heads.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: Wheezer

I love computer illiterate people

so do I because instead of mocking them I teach them and in the process I earn some nice "under the table" money.

What bothers me is people who refuse to learn. Nobody is born knowing everything, but I expect willingness to learn. "I can't" and "It's too hard" piss me off. There's nothing difficult about any of this, and it's only laziness that prevents people from bettering themselves.

 

[vshah]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: BrownTown

This is usually the best one to get a computer nerd all shook up. Alot of people will think you are a car newb for paying someone to do something as simple as changing your oil (just like most computer nerds will think you are an idiot for paying someone to replace your RAM).

There is this thing humans invented thousands of years ago called "division of labor", which is the reason that we have been able to develop so far. The point is that people don't have to be experts in EVERYTHING, only in ONE thing. You are an expert in your field and can make money doing that and then use that money to pay an expert in another field to help you out there. For example I spent four years gonig to college learning about computers, so yeah I know alot about them, but I still couldn't tell you where the hell the oil filter in my car is because I pay someone else to replace it for me.

There's nothing wrong with paying someone to do work for you, but you should still understand the basic operation of all your tools.

that's what she said.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: Wheezer

I love computer illiterate people

so do I because instead of mocking them I teach them and in the process I earn some nice "under the table" money.

What bothers me is people who refuse to learn. Nobody is born knowing everything, but I expect willingness to learn. "I can't" and "It's too hard" piss me off. There's nothing difficult about any of this, and it's only laziness that prevents people from bettering themselves.

I've tried to teach my father certain troubleshooting procedures ever since I left home and honestly, no matter how many times I've shown him.. it just doesn't sink in. Most likely because I originally taught him on Win95, then 2k, then XP, now Vista.. so he doesn't handle that change (even if it is only a slight difference between OS) very well. Also, he doesn't have the time to repeat these steps every day to make sure he knows them, so when the program does arise .. he just remembers that there's "something" he should do. Bottom line is, he's older - doesn't learn as well as he used to, and quite frankly, he's got many more important things to take care of on a daily basis to have to worry about learning how to troubleshoot computers. Sure, if a person is not learning simply for the sake of being ignorant it's fairly absurd - but in reality, some people just don't have time for this shit. 😛

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok


That's my point exactly. Many people can grasp the concept of measuring something manually, adjusting something with an electronic control, and plugging in the appropriate numbers to calibrate the device. Not nearly as complicated as understanding how information is stored on a HDD/in RAM, what a SB/NB are.. why they are different, what cache/FSB/clock speed/etc.. etc.. actually mean. I think we, as nerds, take for granted how much technical garbage we know off the top of our heads.

But I had to know when something was wrong, and know where to look to find the cause of the error. I don't expect people to know the minutiae of computer operation, but they should know what part is computing(cpu), where data is temporarily kept(ram), and where it's permanently stored(onboard hd, or network drive), in addition to what O/S they're running, and routine maintenance of the above. If you don't take care of your tools, you can't properly do your job. People don't learn because they're lazy. If they were told to maintain their machines, you can be sure they'd learn how to maintain their machines.

If you're interested in seeing the user manual for the gun I used it's here...

http://www.eltopografo.cl/desc...and%20600PRO%20ENG.PDF

It takes forever to load though, and isn't of much interest to someone who isn't in the business.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: TheVrolok


That's my point exactly. Many people can grasp the concept of measuring something manually, adjusting something with an electronic control, and plugging in the appropriate numbers to calibrate the device. Not nearly as complicated as understanding how information is stored on a HDD/in RAM, what a SB/NB are.. why they are different, what cache/FSB/clock speed/etc.. etc.. actually mean. I think we, as nerds, take for granted how much technical garbage we know off the top of our heads.

But I had to know when something was wrong, and know where to look to find the cause of the error. I don't expect people to know the minutiae of computer operation, but they should know what part is computing(cpu), where data is temporarily kept(ram), and where it's permanently stored(onboard hd, or network drive), in addition to what O/S they're running, and routine maintenance of the above. If you don't take care of your tools, you can't properly do your job. People don't learn because they're lazy. If they were told to maintain their machines, you can be sure they'd learn how to maintain their machines.

If you're interested in seeing the user manual for the gun I used it's here...

http://www.eltopografo.cl/desc...and%20600PRO%20ENG.PDF

It takes forever to load though, and isn't of much interest to someone who isn't in the business.

Not a bad manual for a technical instrument. Pretty nice really for what is (to me) a fairly (incredibly) boring piece of equipment. 🙂 Here's an interesting thought, and one which may be along the lines of your point. I imagine you were provided with a copy of this manual as part of your training, or at least it was on site for reference when needed? Computers are essentially a tool used in many many occupations these days, but do we really see any good training with the devices? Nope. When a problem hits, you're supposed to call IT. Perhaps that's part of the problem as you see it? Maybe people are just so used to NOT having to know anything - because they're usually told to just call IT. Or perhaps there is a difference expectation placed on people in regard to computers because we often use them at home, as well as at work whereas I'm doubting you take that gun home to play. Is that right, though? Simply because you use a computer at work, should you have to spend hours at home learning how to better use one in case things happen at work? A number of interesting questions, I'm just not sure if I can view a computer on the same plane as any other "device" one may use at work and be expected to understand in more depth.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok


Not a bad manual for a technical instrument. Pretty nice really for what is (to me) a fairly (incredibly) boring piece of equipment. 🙂 Here's an interesting thought, and one which may be along the lines of your point. I imagine you were provided with a copy of this manual as part of your training, or at least it was on site for reference when needed? Computers are essentially a tool used in many many occupations these days, but do we really see any good training with the devices? Nope. When a problem hits, you're supposed to call IT. Perhaps that's part of the problem as you see it? Maybe people are just so used to NOT having to know anything - because they're usually told to just call IT. Or perhaps there is a difference expectation placed on people in regard to computers because we often use them at home, as well as at work whereas I'm doubting you take that gun home to play. Is that right, though? Simply because you use a computer at work, should you have to spend hours at home learning how to better use one in case things happen at work? A number of interesting questions, I'm just not sure if I can view a computer on the same plane as any other "device" one may use at work and be expected to understand in more depth.

You raise some important points. I think people should sent out of school with the basic understanding of how these things work, and should keep up with advances on their own time. It doesn't take hours of study to keep up with the technology that pertains directly to your job. I don't expect an accountant to understand server admin, but he should understand how his machine works, and at least know some of the ramifications his actions can have on the network as a whole.

Is learning this on one's own time unreasonable? I don't think so. Yes the company's getting "work" out of you without you getting paid, but you're gaining knowledge, and hopefully learning easier ways to handle your tasks, which makes your job easier in the long run. If the user could handle the little problems without calling IT, it would save much frustration on both parties.

 

[marvdmartian]

You should've told them you had a computer with windows 2010 on it. Wouldn't have been that difficult to make a start-up splash screen with that on it!! 😉

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: TheVrolok


Not a bad manual for a technical instrument. Pretty nice really for what is (to me) a fairly (incredibly) boring piece of equipment. 🙂 Here's an interesting thought, and one which may be along the lines of your point. I imagine you were provided with a copy of this manual as part of your training, or at least it was on site for reference when needed? Computers are essentially a tool used in many many occupations these days, but do we really see any good training with the devices? Nope. When a problem hits, you're supposed to call IT. Perhaps that's part of the problem as you see it? Maybe people are just so used to NOT having to know anything - because they're usually told to just call IT. Or perhaps there is a difference expectation placed on people in regard to computers because we often use them at home, as well as at work whereas I'm doubting you take that gun home to play. Is that right, though? Simply because you use a computer at work, should you have to spend hours at home learning how to better use one in case things happen at work? A number of interesting questions, I'm just not sure if I can view a computer on the same plane as any other "device" one may use at work and be expected to understand in more depth.

You raise some important points. I think people should sent out of school with the basic understanding of how these things work, and should keep up with advances on their own time. It doesn't take hours of study to keep up with the technology that pertains directly to your job. I don't expect an accountant to understand server admin, but he should understand how his machine works, and at least know some of the ramifications his actions can have on the network as a whole.

Is learning this on one's own time unreasonable? I don't think so. Yes the company's getting "work" out of you without you getting paid, but you're gaining knowledge, and hopefully learning easier ways to handle your tasks, which makes your job easier in the long run. If the user could handle the little problems without calling IT, it would save much frustration on both parties.

I know "computing class" were becoming more common when I was going through junior high/high school so hopefully that's a step in the right direction. I haven't been inside a high school since graduation so I have no idea if schools are including basic usage/troubleshooting in their computer curriculum these days. Also, this type of instruction is going to be very time/money sensitive. Some schools can afford computers and to upgrade as necessary to keep current, and others (many urban schools for example) cannot - creating more educational disparity? Perhaps it's a generational thing that we, as a society will outgrow? We're still at the point where computers appeared on the scene while the majority (or at least pretty close to it) of the work force was already working and had to adapt around technology. So perhaps these minor tech problems will become less of an issue in the next 20 years as PCs are essentially a necessity at home.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
My favorite is our "Administrative Assistant" who has a BS in IS Administration. She asked where the best place is to get more "memory" for her friends computer since he is running out of space to put his music. :sigh;

To be fair, she's a pretty cool person aside from her Bull Shit BS.

Didn't know IS Administration had anything to do with hardware.

 

[SonicIce]

When some people say "hard drive" they mean the whole pc tower. then her message makes sense

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: SonicIce
When some people say "hard drive" they mean the whole pc tower. then her message makes sense

I have heard 'hard drive' refer to the monitor too.

 

[Apathetic]

I don't mind working with people who don't know anything about PCs. What I hate is when someone is ignorant, refuses to learn, and yet keeps complaining when things don't work the way they wanted.

Dave

 

[Wheezer]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: Wheezer

I love computer illiterate people

so do I because instead of mocking them I teach them and in the process I earn some nice "under the table" money.

What bothers me is people who refuse to learn. Nobody is born knowing everything, but I expect willingness to learn. "I can't" and "It's too hard" piss me off. There's nothing difficult about any of this, and it's only laziness that prevents people from bettering themselves.

agreed but those are the ones that I make the most off of.

With people that refuse to learn, are too scared to learn or just plain lazy to learn something news there is no need to be a corrupt pc tech.

With some many people in that mind set there is almost too much business.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: Wheezer

I love computer illiterate people

so do I because instead of mocking them I teach them and in the process I earn some nice "under the table" money.

I'd love for you to try to teach some of these people anything. Yesterday, I had someone using "Interlope Explorer" and their antivirus was "Tramp Marco".

Some people just can not follow directions- computer related or otherwise. I once thought like you---I now know better 😉

 

[Kirby]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: SonicIce
When some people say "hard drive" they mean the whole pc tower. then her message makes sense

I have heard 'hard drive' refer to the monitor too.

My dad uses 'modem' interchangeably for the monitor, tower, and modem.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: Wheezer

I love computer illiterate people

so do I because instead of mocking them I teach them and in the process I earn some nice "under the table" money.

What bothers me is people who refuse to learn. Nobody is born knowing everything, but I expect willingness to learn. "I can't" and "It's too hard" piss me off. There's nothing difficult about any of this, and it's only laziness that prevents people from bettering themselves.

No worries. She will probably buy a Mac because the guy is cute and you won't get H1N1 using one.

I hate having to explain stuff to them too, but for most folks, it is like the toaster and that is all they want to invest in it. I don't let it bother me and get them to buy extended support contracts from someone I have no affliation with.

 

[schneiderguy]

Originally posted by: nkgreen

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: SonicIce
When some people say "hard drive" they mean the whole pc tower. then her message makes sense

I have heard 'hard drive' refer to the monitor too.

My dad uses 'modem' interchangeably for the monitor, tower, and modem.

My mom calls everything "the box". Her monitor is black, so it's "the black box". Her case is silver, so it's "the silver box".

She used to call the monitor the CPU but I trained her not to do that 😉