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:Upgraded to Linux

[Anonymous Coward]

Well golly gee Batman, at least with Windows you have the opportunity to open a document or plug in a whizbang device.

With you l33t Linux, its a matter of is there even any application software that is halfway functional. Whizbang devices. Forget about it. By the time device drivers are ready, its obsolete.

Is that the Clue Phone I hear ringing?

Re:REJECTED SUBMISSION--PLEASE READ!

[Anonymous Coward]

You again? Let's concentrate on making America free for existing CITIZENS. We're being spied on, lied to, and kept in the dark about what our governments are doing to us. We're being screwed by corporations left and right.

Let the damn ILLEGAL immigrants go back to their home country. Close the borders tight, for all I care. Shoot anyone who crosses them.

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.