[rant]computer-illiterate ppl at the office

[Alex]

so i started working for my dads company, building new computers and doing a whole lot of little computer projects for the company... BUT since i'm around anyway I kinda double-up as 'on-call computer guy'... which SUCKS.

now i get the dumbest questions every day, that's expected... but man there's this one woman who last week called me because "her monitor was broken" (read: it said "no signal cause the computer was off"... :roll: ) ok.. fine...
then today she called me because the monitor was broken again... turns out she was pressing 'menu' on the OSD and not the big round 'power' button... WTF right?? :|

ok then a few hours later "her mouse is broken" and, much to my surprise, it was actually malfunctioning, so i leave to grab a new one and ask her to turn the computer off. when i get back the computer is still on, but the monitor is turned off... :| :| :| man wtf is wrong with her???
honestly how can she be expected to be productive in the company if she can't even use a friggin computer without bothering me and detracting me from real work 5 times a day.... ARGHHHHH [/rant]

 

[dullard]

PEBKAC issues are a major headache. You just have to be prepared for whatever stupid things could possibly happen. Whenever you see her, just be happy that it'll take just 30 seconds to fix the problem.

 

[40Hands]

I deal with these same issues....most of the people in my office know a little bit more that then that though.

 

[tami]

tell your dad to fire her.

 

[zoiks]

Your name isnt Nick Burns is it?

 

[Jfrag Teh Foul]

Lusers... GAH!:|

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: zoiks
Your name isnt Nick Burns is it?

hahahah me and my roomate in first year used to joke about that cause i was always like "mooooove!" everytime he asked me something...

its true though, every time she calls me i know it will only take a couple seconds to figure out! still annoying to get up and go all the way over to her side.... :roll:

 

[randomlinh]

welcome to tech support life.

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: dullard
PEBKAC issues are a major headache. You just have to be prepared for whatever stupid things could possibly happen. Whenever you see her, just be happy that it'll take just 30 seconds to fix the problem.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Don't forget, of course, people who manage to lock their Windows domain account out through their inability to enter the word "password" and press Enter (I have tried pointing out that this isn't a good idea for a password...).

Three times.

In one week.

Gah.

 

[jagec]

dude, you're getting paid...and it only takes 2 seconds. Deal with it.

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: franguinho
so i started working for my dads company, building new computers and doing a whole lot of little computer projects for the company... BUT since i'm around anyway I kinda double-up as 'on-call computer guy'... which SUCKS.

now i get the dumbest questions every day, that's expected... but man there's this one woman who last week called me because "her monitor was broken" (read: it said "no signal cause the computer was off"... :roll: ) ok.. fine...
then today she called me because the monitor was broken again... turns out she was pressing 'menu' on the OSD and not the big round 'power' button... WTF right?? :|

ok then a few hours later "her mouse is broken" and, much to my surprise, it was actually malfunctioning, so i leave to grab a new one and ask her to turn the computer off. when i get back the computer is still on, but the monitor is turned off... :| :| :| man wtf is wrong with her???
honestly how can she be expected to be productive in the company if she can't even use a friggin computer without bothering me and detracting me from real work 5 times a day.... ARGHHHHH [/rant]

Welcome to IT...
this is how the real world is...
15 years doign this and those same BS calls every day...

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: CVSiN
Welcome to IT...
this is how the real world is...
15 years doign this and those same BS calls every day...

QFT. Those who *stay* in the industry call it "job security", sink or swim?

 

[kgokal]

Got a funny related store, i did tech support for a college, and all the pcs gaps had to be taped up because so many COLLEGE students mistaken them for the "CDROM HOLEY THINGY"
I mean we are talking about kids that grew up in the computer age

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: kgokal
Got a funny related store, i did tech support for a college, and all the pcs gaps had to be taped up because so many COLLEGE students mistaken them for the "CDROM HOLEY THINGY"
I mean we are talking about kids that grew up in the computer age

LOL

 

[walla]

I would say everyone gets to ask stupid questions once. Some people just don't have much experience with computers. It never surprises me.

If they ask more than once, thats when I'd get mad. If the same person killed their computer with Kazaa spyware twice in a row, thats when I'd slap them.

 

[Homerboy]

uhhh its your job. You're getting paid to answer those stupid questions. Im sure if you had to do their job you would ask what seemed like "stupid" questions to them wouldn't you.

If you don't like getting paid to fix easy things then I suggest you get a job digging a ditch or something else.

 

[icejunkie]

cliffs.

 

[PingSpike]

Get used to it.

You'll also have the users that think you should be the master of all software applications ever created because you're the computer guy.

 

[meltdown75]

I know how you feel. I'm not the IT person here at the office - thankfully - but I'm sort of the "family/friends" IT guy, which can be even worse. A couple examples of kick-ass user smarts...

- person creates new profile in XP (just to 'add a password' ), logs in, notices 99% of icons are gone (ie. new profile). Panic ensues, call Melty.

- person trying to extract a .zip archive onto a CD and wondering why it will not work. Panic ensues...

The biggest drag is when you get people that won't even *try* to figure something out. Their first reaction, even before thinking, is to pick up the phone or holler for assistance.

edit: oh and btw tonight I have to go on a service call of sorts. Should be interesting - this one isn't family OR friends. I can already feel the eyes over my shoulder...

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

she wants you

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
The biggest drag is when you get people that won't even *try* to figure something out. Their first reaction, even before thinking, is to pick up the phone or holler for assistance.

Well thats a two edged sword. Sometimes the ones who try to figure it out on their own, in the process, fvck things up so badly that you have no idea how to fix it.

But thats what ghost images are for.

 

[Patt]

I'll chime into the ubiquitous "Get used to it" chant. Don't let the occasional loser-user detract from your attitude, or everyone will see you as the pr!ck who always sighs, then quickly types in a solution.

Called real life. Imagine the frustration mechanics feel when someone brings in a car that has never had the oil changed .... everyone deals with this.

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: lnguyen
welcome to tech support life.

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: meltdown75

The biggest drag is when you get people that won't even *try* to figure something out. Their first reaction, even before thinking, is to pick up the phone or holler for assistance.

yeha i know what u mean happens all the time

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
she wants you

lol shes in her 30s and i really hope she doesnt cause she's NAAST

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: PingSpike

Originally posted by: meltdown75
The biggest drag is when you get people that won't even *try* to figure something out. Their first reaction, even before thinking, is to pick up the phone or holler for assistance.

Well thats a two edged sword. Sometimes the ones who try to figure it out on their own, in the process, fvck things up so badly that you have no idea how to fix it.

But thats what ghost images are for.

This is very very true. My brother-in-law likes to 'explore' Windows XP. So he calls me up and a) tells me that service pack 3 is out, wondering if he should install (i later deducted he could have stumbled upon a service pack for Windows 2000 or even Office..) and b) asks what the "Compress Files" option does for a hard disk. I say, "I have no idea, but I wouldn't try it. You have an 80-gig HD, you have plenty of space." After some badgering on the merits of file compression, I told him to start using Google and Microsoft.com for some of his basic questions.

So yeah, it is definitely a double-edged sword. My brother likes to browse through his HD and delete files he "doesn't need". Periodic reinstalls... good times.