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The Impact of Technophobes
fsharp writes "Most of us have experience with average folks requesting technical support. I have friends and family members that would be lost without my support. I opt for a sliding scale payment plan, usually dinner. At any rate, The New York Times has a nice piece on the impact of technophobes on the Internet (vis-a-vis MyDoom and other email-borne viruses) and their technologically adept friends and family."
. . . the biggest problem is the just-plain-dumbasses.
The bigotry of the nonbeliever is for me nearly as funny as the bigotry of the believer. - Albert Einstein
When people ask me what I do know. I am a janitor. If they push, I am a high tech janitor.
The moment a prase like "I work computers" comes out of your mouth. Or "I work on Cisco stuff" you get a nice carpet bombing of questions and requests for help.
Just lie, it is not worth the fight. Fun/Pain ratio is way out of wack on this one.
Neck_of_the_Woods
#/usr/local/surf/glassy/overhead
My parents asked me yesterday how to rewind a dvd. I laughed... and then realized they weren't jokin. Then i was sad.
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Battlewang Where the large win big
this is a shocking misnomer. people who are technophobes write letters with fountain pens. the people this article is referring to are 'techno-dumbasses'.
Go read some bible: nubible.com
Since I can't help over the phone without an identical system to examine, I require they buy me identical hardware and software. This has been so successful that I'm prepared to expand my offer to the general public. I'm available for server and network support, as well, on a unit-for-unit basis. You've got 50 servers? Buy me 50 of the same and we're good to go.
I opt for a sliding scale payment plan, usually dinner
Thats very modest of you. I also know a family that I'm usually generous with. I opt for dinner when I tell them to flick the power switch to ON.
The other rates are:
Dinner + Lunch: When I tell them its a blackout and you cannot switch it ON yet
Ride to Work for a week: When I have to tell them that their Admin password is blank
Pay monthly rent: When I have to tell them that the CD drive is not for hot coffee cup holder
Adopt me: When I have to tell them that 'Any' key really means what it means
I am working on getting into the Will soon!
Free XBox, PS2
In fact, I love that my weed dealer is techno-stupid. I average about an ounce a month from him for consulting fees :-). The fact of the matter is, he really isn't that stupid. It's not like he's calling me to install office, more like "Dude, can you help me with my fstab stuff, I can't write to my fat32 drive except as root". Nothing difficult, but not really intuitive. In reality, he is just too lazy to search Google groups. I say let'em be stupid, they pay my bills and buy my weed.
ymmv
When people ask me what I do know. I am a janitor.... The moment a prase like "I work computers" comes out of your mouth. Or "I work on Cisco stuff" you get a nice carpet bombing of questions and requests for help.
Here's a thought: consider the possibility of spending $30 on business cards. When this feared carpet bombing of questions comes, hand out business cards & tell them to call you during office hours. If/when the phone rings, start the "billable hours" clock and get a lease on a Porsche.
At least, that's the way it worked when *I* was getting started.... What? It's not the mid-90's?? Oh, never mind... maybe you really should be a janitor; you'll have better job security.
--Mid
> some kind of 7337 hacker
teet hacker? that sounds painful!
Computers don't like it when they get anthropomorphized.
that particular sentence is particularly annoying. if you go to china, YOU learn chinese or hire a translator. otherwise you don't go to china.
You are obviously not an American. WE go to China and expect everyone to speak English!
-R
I take it a little farther, actually. If a driver is proceeding along a fast road and, approaching an intersection, makes a fast left-hand turn into the wrong lane of oncoming traffic, what will happen to him? There will be a head-on collision and he will die. Will the traffic signals stop him from doing that? No. The car? No. The road? No. Henry Ford? No.
... ... ...
:-)
So, you are advocating making screwing up on a computer lethal?
Okey, I'm for that. It doesn't seem like such a bad idea.
Norris/Palin 2012
Fact: We deserve leaders who can kick your ass and field dress your carcass.
So I propose the Tech Support Mother Exchange. You answer my mom's tech questions, I'll answer yours. We'll both get fewer 3 am panic phone calls because our moms will have *gasp* listened the first time.
I've found that my posts don't format quite right w/o a sig.