Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Computer Voodoo?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the that-you-do dept.

jbeaupre asks: "A corollary to 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic' is that sometimes users have to resort to what I call 'computer voodoo.' You don't know why it works, you barely care how it works, but you find yourself doing the strangest things because it just seems to work. I'm talking about things like: smacking a PC every 5 seconds for an hour to keep it from stalling on a hard drive reformat (with nary a problem after the reformat); or figuring out the only way to get a PC partially fried by lightning to recognize an ethernet card, after booting into Windows, is to start the computer by yanking the card out and shoving it back in (thereby starting the boot processes). What wacky stuff have you done that makes no obvious sense, but just works?"

9 of 686 comments (clear)

  1. For most problems... by QuantumFTL · · Score: 5, Funny

    For most problems, I find smacking the user is more effective than smacking the computer.

    1. Re:For most problems... by freakmn · · Score: 5, Funny

      That has to be about the most insightful thing I've ever seen here on Slashdot. And, of course, you got modded funny.

      --
      warning: This post is likely to contain gobs of dripping sarcasm. Consume at your own risk.
  2. Re:one time at computer camp... by Telvin_3d · · Score: 5, Funny

    I had to code a standards compliant page with Dreamweaver ... now THAT'S voodoo

  3. I've got the touch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    When somebody has a problem that they want me to fix, my mere presence and their attempt to repeat the problem makes it go away.

  4. Re:Walk into the room by mashade · · Score: 5, Funny
    We refer to this as 'techie karma' or the 'magic touch'. For some reason, it doesn't work as well with females.

    -- Shade

    --
    Technology tips and tricks.
  5. Random Cursing and Hitting by Couchmanx · · Score: 5, Funny

    On the first pc I built one of the best ways to keep it in line in its last few weeks with me was to randomly yell and smack the pc, it didnt know when it would happen so it didnt risk crapping out on me :P Nah, Ive never had to rely on any voodoo to keep my pc running .. but to eliminate some annoying buzzing sounds from fans nothing beats a swift smack on the top left corner of the case. I had a roommate that smacked his pc cause it wasnt working the way he wanted it to .. but it was working perfectly fine (no hardware or software issues - all user issues) .. I told him I'd have to start a support group for his electronics (he hit everything) if he kept it up. Electronic Victims of **** still lives to this day (name censored so he doesnt come after me :P)

    --
    If it takes effort to do, let someone else do it.
  6. Re:one time at computer camp... by drfrog · · Score: 5, Funny

    real nerds dont code html by hand, they write a script to code the html for them

    --
    back in the day we didnt have no old school
  7. Re:My analysis? by mkcmkc · · Score: 5, Funny
    Hardware problems.

    Do you mean the first time or the second time?

    --
    "Not an actor, but he plays one on TV."
  8. Re:Walk into the room by SlartibartfastJunior · · Score: 5, Funny

    I knew a guy who could only log into the network while sitting down. If he was standing up when he tried to log in, no dice.

    Turns out he touch typed while sitting, but had to look at the keyboard while standing - and since he "cleaned" his keyboard and put a few key tops back in the wrong places, he was mis-typing has password if he was standing up.