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TechAmok :: View topic – 10 Reasons It Doesn’t Pay To Be “The Computer Guy”

Man people just don’t get it.

I read once that the computer is the most complicated device you have in your house.

If you have 1 digit an 8 instead of a 9 it can totally bork things up, and this is why working with computers and giving advice is so hard.

90% of the time the solution is just looking at the screen. Much like test driving a car to find the problems.

I figured I’d make some pointers for asking for help from your computer friends … who you’ve drafted to be their tech support.

1. Do some research first.
   • Google It
     • So many times a simple trip to wikipedia.org, google.com or even ask.com can solve all your problems, and you’ll possibly learn more about a given subject than your computer friend can convey.
   • Read The Manual
     • You decided to install ____ OS/program on your machine, learn about it on your own. Don’t expect your computer friend to know all about it, and hold your hand through your experience.
   • Irc
     • If you run linux, then get an irc client and head over to irc.frenode.net. People sit in these rooms and talk about their distro all day long, and the great thing about these rooms is once you’re done with giving/receiving support You can leave. This is great because you’re not asking your computer friend the same question over, and over again.
2. Don’t expect them to know the answer.
   • You computer is the most sophisticated device you own.
3. Don’t ask the same question over and over and over.
   • You computer is the most sophisticated device you own. – If you haven’t noticed that’s the 3rd time I’ve mentioned it.
   • Sometimes it’s so incredibly stupid that #1 – research – would have answered all your questions more completely than if you ask your computer friend.
   • Sometimes we just don’t know the answer.
   • Sometimes we just have a basic understanding, and can’t put it into words, and even then it’s so full of holes that #1 – research – is much better information, and more reliable.
4. The movie hacker does not exist!
   • It’s fictional plain and simple.
   • You can’t type 80 WPM without using the space bar.
   • Normal people can’t just pull up all you information in seconds. In most cases you need Clarence from some government agency/financial Institution to access that information, and if you don’t it’s a felony.
   • Seriously … some of the stuff they show you in the movies about computers is about as possible as making a nuclear power plant from a paper plate, and a cardboard tube.