Please Don't Ask Me About Windows On Christmas

Like many Slashdot users I spend a wee bit of my otherwise leisure time doing gratis tech support for people I may not even know. I usually don't mind too much but last Christmas I got more than one call from distant relatives that, along with wanting to spread holiday cheer, had me weigh in on whatever might be wrong with their new gadget. I was pleased as punch to see this article in the NYT (F.R.Y.Y.Y) about where I might be able to send the less techo hip. If you do *Windows* tech support for grandma after hours this article might also come in handy." Here are a couple of previous articles about the sorry state of conventional support options -- perhaps articles like this will spark some entrepreneurial ideas, too.

Comments

My tech support advice come Christmastime?

[Hawthorne01]

"Gee, Uncle -insert name of relation I haven't seen in 5 years-, that sounds real bad. You may have a serious problem. I can't say I've ever had the same problem with the Macs I use, why didn't you get one instead?"
--Sullen silence.--
"Sorry you're having troubles, well, have a merry Christmas!"

Seriously, despite my best advice, my technophobe parents bought a Windows laptop over an iBook, because "they needed MicroSoft Office" (sigh). It's needed warranty support twice now in a year, and I'm trying to be the kind son and not laugh out loud each time they tell me about a problem with it.

Re:Ah yes...

[Twirlip of the Mists]

Try going shirtless for a while!

Eww! Man-teats! Eww!

Re:Isn't the answer obvious?

[Natalie's Hot Grits]

"Who wants to spend Christmas afternoon downloading Windows drivers??"

What is the difference in downloading drivers for Windows, or drivers for Mac? Answer: nothing. both must be downloaded. both must be installed. You obviously don't know the actual difference between the two platforms. Oh well.

Re:Whos grandmother doesnt use windows?

[1lus10n]

not to be blatantly hostile .......

but WTF ? does grandma even *know* what OS she is running ? i mean for god sakes all she needs is a web browser , email , maybe an mp3/movie player and AIM. and guess what ? they all run just fine if not BETTER on linux. (i say better because NO BROWSER should ever be part of the OS. its an add on not a neccasity.) anybody who says they want as basic computer and asks me gets redhat. (and depending on how basic they want i usually give them 7.3. cause 8.0 plays microshaft style and breaks alot of shit.) and most people who use there computer dont do jack shnn with it. hell i once had a guy about 2 years ago come up to me in circuit city (yes i *gulp* worked there at one point.) and tell me he wasnt running windows. i asked what he was running and he couldnt tell me so i had him bring in his box and guess wha ? he had deleted every desktop icon on the box. thinking that got rid of windows.

and the moral of the story is: if you dont play games you dont *need* windows. and most people dont have a damn clue what windows *is* exactly anyway.

and yes i am perfectly aware that all the microsoftees are going to flame me about stoopid shit like photoshop. something that most grandma's and un-savvy users dont use to begin with.