Computer illiterate colleagues really annoying me lately

J

Jim Davis

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Does anyone else feel that if you show any type of aptitude with computers you then become the go to person for the most inane computer questions?

I’ve been working with a new group of people for approx a year and during that time if someone was having difficulty with their computer/software I would offer my help. With the benefit of hindsight, anyone else reading this should take this advice, don’t offer to help! Let them figure it out or ring up the software provider and go thru the troubleshooting process. Otherwise they will ask you because it’s easier than having to learn how to do it themselves. Most of the time it’s really basic stuff e.g.

Q: Can I scan this and email it?

A: Yes, but you can just print and save it as a pdf.

Q: But the client said they want it scanned.

A: It’s the same thing.

Q: So why did they say they want it scanned?

A: Arrrgggh

Another Example:

Q: Can you have a look at my mouse isn’t working?

A: Is it plugged in?

Q: Oh, it’s working now


The problem for me now is that people get ****y when I tell them to google the answer to their IT questions e.g. how do I turn on read receipts in outlook? Although it’s a genuine answer and they will get the answer to 99% of their silly questions from google, in their mind I’m being a dick.
 
Jim

You are lumbered and I am surprised you did not realise the outcome from the start. You are now seen as the easy option and as you did help in the past you will be expected to continue doing so. You are now the epitonomy of the AA AD, "" I dont know but ... I know a man who does"

Just think of all the kudos you have earned and as you look around at all the people you have helped and noticed that no one else gets asked questions as they have you.

You may get lovely presents at xmas.

naoh
 
Jim Davis said:
Yes, but you can just print and save it as a pdf.
Click to expand...

But I havent got a printer?

Seriously though - try working in IT - I got a call one day to fix a photocopier because 'thats a technical thing isnt it?'. Or another memorable one was 'youre in IT, youd know about radiators - why is this one cold?'.
 
Seriously though, I don't work in IT but have an average level of IT knowledge and I mean average. The print and save pdf function is so annoying because I explained it so many times, I even emailed around the instructions. Now when I'm asked I say "did you look at the email I sent you" and the response is along the lines of "I havent opened my email in two days"

I could go on about this all day, somebody would ask for contact details of a supplier, I would forward them the outlook contact to their email which they would receive and open. They would then ask me for the contact details the next day!!!

When someone has a problem with particluar software they start asking me to come and fix it for them, and the funny thing is they don't think they've done anything wrong and when I have to say "you'll have to call support to help you with that" in their mind I'm being awkward.
 
truthseeker said:
Or another memorable one was 'youre in IT, youd know about radiators - why is this one cold?'.
Click to expand...


Love this!

I work on an IT helpdesk and a typical phone conversation can go like this:

User: i can't log on
Me: Are you getting an error message?
User: yes
Me: what does it say???
User: it says my passsword has expired and to choose a new one
Me: and have you done that?
User: no.....will i do it?
Me: Yes!!!!!
User; oh it's working now thanks
Me: for f%*& sake!!!

Seriously in some cases technical ability means nothing, a command of the English language and basic competence will suffice.
 
Ciaraella said:
Love this!

I work on an IT helpdesk and a typical phone conversation can go like this:

User: i can't log on
Me: Are you getting an error message?
User: yes
Me: what does it say???
User: it says my passsword has expired and to choose a new one
Me: and have you done that?
User: no.....will i do it?
Me: Yes!!!!!
User; oh it's working now thanks
Me: for f%*& sake!!!

Seriously in some cases technical ability means nothing, a command of the English language and basic competence will suffice.
Click to expand...

On the flip side, I love when you ring a helpdesk and say your computer isn't working. After 10 minutes of ansering questions and getting nowhere, it always comes down to the same solution. Reboot. Do you think I didn't try that already before I rang you!
 
Here, let me save you a phonecall to helpdesk
"Did you turn it off and turn it back on again?" :p
 
One or two of those phonecalls i can handle but when you get a load of calls on a monday morning from people who've forgotten their passwords over the weekend it can get grating! Who forgets their password every single weekend!!!
 
I forget mine most Friday mornings, coming in hungover

"Hi guys,I've locked myself out"

They probably hate me :eek:
But I'm not the only one. 9am on a Friday morning is a peak time for helpdesk

Ah these guys.
The blocked www.lotto.ie and said it was a gambling site. What manager came up with that???

Strangely they left www.racingpost.co.uk unblocked.
 
I received a nicely parcelled up laptop recently that was sent back to me for analysis/repair.

I opened it and the username and password were taped to the inside of it.

Good to know that the money spent on encryption software is cash well spent eh?
 
My wife worked for a company where the staff didn't even know how to turn on their computers in the morning. She would be the first in and would switch on computers, lights etc. The rest of the staff would arrive in and start work on their switched on computers. When she didn't do it one day there was consternation in the office.
"The computers are broken".....
 
truthseeker said:
I received a nicely parcelled up laptop recently that was sent back to me for analysis/repair.

I opened it and the username and password were taped to the inside of it.

Good to know that the money spent on encryption software is cash well spent eh?
Click to expand...

I'm putting my hands up in relation to the OP's post. Even rang the technical guys (not IT) for the heat which they are somehow going to increase by remote control from somewhere else.

Also have the username and password on the wall in front of me at home and taped to the front of the laptop and at work have a spreadsheet with all passwords for all the systems beside my desk where I can find it easily. (Except for bank accounts) I couldn't care less who looks in my PC.

I could do with a technical person at home, we discovered podcasts this year but OH somehow managed to make the computer put them upside down. Googled the answer to that one after I couldn't put up with it after 2 weeks.. But we cannot currently (4 months) record on the DVD recorder.
 
Bronte said:
Also have the username and password on the wall in front of me at home and taped to the front of the laptop and at work have a spreadsheet with all passwords for all the systems beside my desk where I can find it easily. (Except for bank accounts) I couldn't care less who looks in my PC.
Click to expand...

I would be sacked on the spot!
 
I got a phone call from a client one morning (the day after they bought their computer)

Client: I can't log into the computer
Me: Did you type in the password?
Client: It won't let me. Whenever I start to type it in only asterisks come up!
 
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