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Easing the Job of Family Tech Support?
DarkDevil writes "Ever since I was introduced to computers at a very young age, I've been the resident tech support for a household of 7 users. I've been in a cycle for the last ~8 years where something happens to my parents' computer, I spend a week or two trying to non-destructively fix the problem (and try to explain to the users what caused it and how to avoid it), and then if it's not easily fixed I'll reformat and start from scratch. Most often, the level of infection warrants a reformat, which usually ends up taking even more time to get the computer back to how my parents know how to use it. 4-8 months later, it happens again. Recently, I found ~380 instances of malware and 6 viruses. I only realized something was wrong with their computer after it slowed down the entire network whenever anyone used it. My question for Slashdot is: are there any resources out there that explain computer viruses, malware, adware, and general safe computer practices to non-technical people in an easy-to-digest format? The security flaws in my house are 9, 26, and ~50 years old, with no technical background aside from surfing the internet. Something in video format would be ideal as they are perfectly happy with our current arrangement and so it'll be hard to get them reading pages and pages of technical papers."
Mod parent up. You failed at this back when you were at "a young age". What you should have done is fake some sort learning development problem, (eg dyslexia), and saved yourself a lot of hassle.
(No, I couldn't find a link to that PA comic. Somebody else will have to do that.)
Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
So you're saying that the next time Mom asks for tech support, he should bind her up in duct tape, leaving a little hole and saying "fight your way out Mom! It will do you good!"
While amusing, I don't think that would really solve her or his problems.
-Styopa
I agree. My long-time girlfriend is a veterinarian and always makes fun of my career choice when I am "on-call" or have an "emergency."
Obviously her on-calls, and emergencies deal with life-or-death situation (of animals...) and mine deals with thousands, and possible hundreds of thousands ($$) in lost productivity, revenue, etc.
Whenever I even mention the $$ argument as a way to back up my claim as my job is important - I get the "saving lives" is more important. One of our good friends is a doctor and uses the "save lives vs. save useless lives" argument with her...funny actually. The only reason why she did vet school instead of med school (truth be known vet school is more difficult to get into) is because she likes animals better than people.
Anyway, back to the story, whenever her computer screws up, I make it a point to note that I'm saving its life. It gets her all riled up, stating she'll just buy a new computer - to which I reply I'll simply buy a new dog when mine gets hurt - or even a new girlfriend when mine is broken.
It's this back and forth that makes me wonder if we'll ever get or stay married.
Build a custom firewall that blocks pretty much everything that could even be remotely harmful. Set your MAC as the only exception. Problem solved.
If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
I took a similar route and convinced my father, mother and both my brothers to buy Apple Macs.
And before anyone starts bleating "but Macs can have problems too..." I'll tell you what I tell my family now when they call me with problems: "So what? I don't support Macs."
Or just get yourself a Mac and then claim you don't understand 'that Windows thing'.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
Baby vs. Rhino
And you picked a bad example. Dyslexics tend to be better with computers than the rest of the population. If you're practically illegible when using a pen like I am, you tend to develop fast typing (spellcheckers are pretty cool too).
And dyslexia doesn't stop one's family asking for tech support. Got all but one of them on Linux now though, which helps.
# cat
Damn, my RAM is full of llamas.
My neighbor did that and now he doesn't have any maintenance issues but he is broke.
Athiesm is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.
Wow your girlfriend is a bitch
Anyway, back to the story, whenever her computer screws up, I make it a point to note that I'm saving its life. It gets her all riled up, stating she'll just buy a new computer - to which I reply I'll simply buy a new dog when mine gets hurt - or even a new girlfriend when mine is broken.
So how comfortable is that couch?
Dude, don't leave us hanging...
So what happened to the butterfly? Was it like Forest Gump and it went on to meet presidents and stuff?
Well, the first time I refer to my mother as "shithead" will most likely be the last time I ever do anything.
Why, without your clothes, you're naked, Miss Dudley!
after 6 months you may not be looking at it at all.
I had to sell my black turtleneck sweater to pay for my Mac. Oh the irony!
All you dyslexic linux worshipers - linux is the work of Santa, not Dog!
As requested, here it is: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/05/07/
Now brought to you with the absolute latest in hyperlink technology!
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/05/07
It's click-licious!!
Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure everything I just said is completely wrong.
No kidding, she'll stop bringing nachos and mountain dew to the basement.
I'm using all of my mod points to mod ancient memes down. Please join me.
My approach, actually, is that if they have time to be surfing for cutesy screensavers on www.i-pwn-u.ru and follow links to www.xploits-r-us.ro and to re-confirm their ebay password 10 times a day, that's the problem: they have time. Forget addressing the symptoms, go for the root problem.
Me? I gave my parents WoW. Sure, it's just about as hard as giving them Linux, so you have to hit them when they're down. It's for their own good. I got mom when she was too sick to do anything else, and she contaminated dad from there. If that fails, mention that she can talk to you on group chat. It's funny what moms are prepared to do for a son as a captive audience :P
Fair warning, it takes some time investment. Be prepared to answer questions like, I swear to FSM I'm not making it up, "HOW DO I SWIM UP?? WHAT CAMERA? I DON'T HAVE A CAMERA TO ROTATE!! NO, I LOOKED IN ALL THE BAGS AND I DON'T HAVE A CAMERA!!! WHERE DO I BUY A CAMERA?" or, again, true to FSM quote, "HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS CAVE?? NO, I DON'T SEE YOU! I CAN ONLY SEE THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND MAYBE 3 FT IN FRONT AND TO THE SIDES!!"
I can see you're dying to ask, "but couldn't I just teach them to use Linux, or heck at least Mozilla in the same time?" Not so fast, grasshopper. This time they'll actually be willing to learn. In the same month you can teach them to play WoW like a pro, or you can be running in circles around "how do I start IE? This paypal password site says I need IE and Javascript" and "why does this taxform.xls.exe attachment not start when I click it???" if you gave them Linux.
Fast forward about a year, and they don't even have time to sleep. No, really, they're only recently up to 5 hours sleep a night. Surf for cutesy IE toolbars and install crap? Good grief, they don't even have time to shop for groceries outside of wednesday mornings. I think they even lost some weight, what with the occasional wednesday when the servers are back on from 5 AM.
Ah, life is good.
'Course, this might cost them a few years off the life expectancy, but it's you or them, really. The hours to support their computers would have probably added up to the same number of years of your own life. Ask yourself this, really: do you want to spend that time supporting them or grinding your own epic gear? Thought so.
A polar bear is a cartesian bear after a coordinate transform.
I've noticed that humans are illogical, Captain. They won't take the time to learn something that's free and can save them money, but they'll take the time to learn something that they spent money on and will continue to cost them money. Even tribbles act more logically.
computer viruses, malware, adware
Viruses? Malware? Adware?
What are those?
Can you explain them to me? Pretend you are explaining them to someone who has no clue what they are.
(I run linux)
There's no place like