Feb 6, 2007
The Worst Part About Being a Techie
By Timothy R. Butler | Posted at 0:3:0
You know, I think the worst part about being a techie is that everyone expects you to fix their computer problems. I like helping, but some now expect it, rather than just hoping I'll be of help. Worse, if I cannot help for awhile, I get the sense that the same people become more than just a bit irritated with me.
Sometimes I wish I had not bothered to learn IT stuff at all.
Dave: Glad to hear it isn't just me.
Josiah: I think I'll try the t-shirt route.
Timothy, that's deserves a real groan.
Ed: Sounds good. Although, I'm not sure people would go for that 'round here. Of course, maybe I just need a tougher skin.
Christopher: How are you feeling?
AN IT support guy was at a Cocktail Party (strange, I know!) and he met a lawyer. “So tell me,” he said to the lawyer, conversationally, “do you often get people asking you for legal advice?”
“Oh yes!” says the lawyer, “All the time.”
“How do you deal with it?” asks the IT guy
“Well, I answer their question, and then send them a bill in the mail.” the lawyer replies.
“Oh, I'll have to try that” says the IT guy.
The party ends, everyone goes home…
3 days later, the IT guy gets a bill in the mail from the lawyer…
:)
Any more, I tell people I no longer support Windows. I hand them two CDs. One is loaded with free protection-ware, and an HTML page of instructions, with lots of sermonizing about wasting the Lord's resources on insecure OSes. The other is any one of several Linux distros.
Here, here.
Or is that hear, hear. I'm still not completely well.
You were right the first time, Christopher.
Sounds familiar.
I've come up with a whole slew of reasons I shouldn't touch someone's computer. It can pretty quickly get really messy. When someone asks for my help I give them suggestions and avoid working on their problem unless they directly ask me to. Even then, I'm picky about who and what I'll work on. Gotta have those boundaries.
I've found, “Is it still under warranty? You should talk to your warranty provider because I could void your warranty if I worked on it” to be a very effective response. I also hand out the traditional spyware/virus advice like a fully-auto machine gun. Of course, if they are dealing with spyware and virus problems, the only sane solution is to wipe the computer clean. As soon as I suggest that as the most likely solution, they hesitate to ask my assistance.
You could always get one of those t-shirts that read “NO! I Will NOT Work on Your Computer”