apple technician

[mpw]

Oh gee, you caught me. Wow, when I went to go look at my profile, there was a space between the a and the t. Must have mistyped and after I hit save on my profile, I've never needed to go back and look at it. Maybe you need to admire yourself everyday and would catch that, but I don't. I work for a living, fixing computers. And certainly typing one letter off is enough to put me in the same league of grammar hell as the original poster. Damn, take me away in chains.

Jeff

The point of a profile is, surely, not for one to admire one's own but to communicate the information held therein to others. If you're as serious about the ‘rules’ you apply to communication you should check the detail, and as a computer technician I’d assume you’d appreciate that the omission of even a single character can be pretty serious.

The ‘rules’ of English aren’t set in stone anyway English is a living and therefore evolving language today’s English bares little resemblance to the English used 100years ago and probably even less to the English that’ll be used in 100years from now. That you feel comforted by these self imposed rules communicates more about you than your forum profile.

 

[mrfrosty]

Maybe you'll notice I never stated English, I stated "his grammar" which could point to any language. Regardless of which language is his first, no punctuation is frowned upon in any language and if he bothered to put a little more effort into it, I wouldn't have said what I said. And since I'm being accused of being a grammar nazi, a sentence with "and" should be said as 2 separate sentences to find the tense of the words used. "A trained technician should start by studying his grammar schoolbooks" and "A trained technician should learn punctuation" are the correct ways and neither sounds retarded so you have no grounds to criticize me.

I am a computer technician and one thing I can't stand when dealing with other computer technicians is that most of them have no social skills and are horrible communicators. Part of what we do for a living depends on communicating to people with little or no technical knowledge. Also, illiteracy is on the rise and there's no excuse for it. So if I'm a little testy and come off a little hard, maybe it's because the school system won't come down a little hard and make sure people can read and write at a decent level. And maybe I'm trying to make sure that this person doesn't just take a certification test and think he can get a job fixing computers. I've met way too many folks who've taken a week long course, passed a test, and have no aptitude for computers after all that, but still try and get jobs. Almost all jobs rely on communication, so that should be the very first thing you work on before computer skills. Better to fix him now than after he's joined "Geek Squad".

Jeff

Yes I do. It does sound retarded. But listen, to take the time to answer each of the critisims levelled at you takes shows that you are truely on the edge. Did you ever see Falling Down ? When your customers are not as grateful as they should be do you get angry ? Would you like to hurt them ? I suspect you might. Don't worry though, we probably all do at times whether our job is fixing computers or cleaning up dog sh*t

 

[Lukasha]

Yes I do. It does sound retarded. But listen, to take the time to answer each of the critisims levelled at you takes shows that you are truely on the edge. Did you ever see Falling Down ? When your customers are not as grateful as they should be do you get angry ? Would you like to hurt them ? I suspect you might. Don't worry though, we probably all do at times whether our job is fixing computers or cleaning up dog sh*t

No you don't. No it doesn't. The reason I'm taking time to answer these criticisms is that I don't appreciate being personally attacked, especially when I am trying to help someone. I'm so far from the edge I'm in the middle of a desert. Maybe I didn't get all cuddly bunny nice with the OP to help, but just because you would doesn't mean my way isn't equally valid. But yet everyone starts calling me jerk or ****** or "hey my penis is bigger" and makes it personal. So I'm defending myself. Believe me, I don't take out my frustrations on my clients. That's what video games are for. I have never wanted to hurt a client or anyone else, unless they've physically threatened me or my family. And if you were to read my other posts on this and other Mac boards, you'll see that 99.9% of the time, I'm nice and supportive and friendly and helpful. But as I've stated before, I've dealt with way too many techs who either a) are some high school/college kid who knows how to install a video game and thinks he's super tech, b) has taken a quickie course in MCSE or A+ and thinks he's super tech, or c) may have all the knowledge in the world, but when they deal with people (which is a large portion of our job), they make the average person think "wow, what a weirdo" or "wow, what a geek". If you're going to do a job, any job, they you should be at least competent in ALL the aspects of it, not just one.

Jeff

 

[Lukasha]

The ‘rules’ of English aren’t set in stone anyway English is a living and therefore evolving language today’s English bares little resemblance to the English used 100years ago and probably even less to the English that’ll be used in 100years from now. That you feel comforted by these self imposed rules communicates more about you than your forum profile.

But I'm not speaking with people from 100 years ago or 100 years from now. I'm speaking to people that live right now. If communication doesn't follow commonly accepted rules at that time, then communication doesn't happen. I'm not being comforted by self-imposed rules. I'm just trying to communicate well with the people around me. Railing against the system is appropriate sometimes, but if it makes it so that no one understands you, what good is rebellion?

Jeff

 

[annk]

Let's remember the point:

1) The clearer you can express yourself, the easier it will be for others to help you.

2) The clearer you can express yourself, the better you'll be able to give others help.

In my experience, people on this forum - for the most part - are really very good at writing in a way that makes things clear. When they aren't, the others who are taking the time to try to help them, ask them to be clearer. Sometimes people are a bit harsh. I agree that that's unnecessary. But the point is still valid.

It is reasonable to expect people to use capitalization and punctuation. We will all make mistakes when we write, and some don't have English as a first language. But using capital letters at the beginning of sentences and punctuation is possible even if the grammar isn't perfect - and it helps.

Isn't this just common sense? Isn't it easier to get and give help when everything is as clear as possible?

 

[mpw]

But I'm not speaking with people from 100 years ago or 100 years from now. I'm speaking to people that live right now. If communication doesn't follow commonly accepted rules at that time, then communication doesn't happen. I'm not being comforted by self-imposed rules. I'm just trying to communicate well with the people around me. Railing against the system is appropriate sometimes, but if it makes it so that no one understands you, what good is rebellion?

Jeff

Well obviously not, and I never suggested you were. My point was that how do you think the form of English used in the past changed to become today’s language and how will today’s English evolve into that spoken in the next century? They didn’t adopt these ‘rules’ in 1900 and force change, language changed because people using it all use it slightly differently and others pick up nuances from many different sources.

I don’t think I, or the OP are railing against ‘the system’ we just choose to use our language slightly differently to how you do.

We to are just trying to communicate to those around us, and I don’t think anybody, yourself included reasonably failed to understand or misinterpreted what the OP was asking. If I’m right in that then the OP use of English did exactly what was intended, it communicated his question.

The style of written communication, which I think is what you’ve got issues with, concerns not just the facts being relayed but also has an inference of tone or the attitude of the writer. Your original post communicates the information, that you feel good communication a necessary skill, and also a very condescending tone. I think it’d fair to say it’s more your tone that’s got people’s back’s up not the information.

To be fair this does show that you have good communication skills, but perhaps a character that many seem not to like.

Your first post also implied that the OP could neither type nor speak well. I touched in my posts on why I disagree with you on the former and you’ll have to agree that neither of us should comment on the latter as we simply don’t have any evidence.

Of course you’ll now be able to reply that that comment was meant generally and not aimed at the OP in anyway. To which I point at that if the tone of your comment had been less vitriolic I may have believed you, but it wasn’t so I don’t, and that’s because of how you communicated.

 

[jadekitty24]

I think we may have to re-name this thread..."The Jeff Thread!!"

Lots of good points there, mpw

OT...I didn't want to start another thread on this, so I'll add on to this one...anyone here have any experience with the Apple technician training that they have on the Apple site? The $300 one. I was wondering if anyone tried it, was it worth it, etc. Also, the OP may be interested in this as well.

 

[munkees]

Let's remember the point:

1) The clearer you can express yourself, the easier it will be for others to help you.

2) The clearer you can express yourself, the better you'll be able to give others help.

In my experience, people on this forum - for the most part - are really very good at writing in a way that makes things clear. When they aren't, the others who are taking the time to try to help them, ask them to be clearer. Sometimes people are a bit harsh. I agree that that's unnecessary. But the point is still valid.

It is reasonable to expect people to use capitalization and punctuation. We will all make mistakes when we write, and some don't have English as a first language. But using capital letters at the beginning of sentences and punctuation is possible even if the grammar isn't perfect - and it helps.

Isn't this just common sense? Isn't it easier to get and give help when everything is as clear as possible?

points one and two are valid.......but i must add, that its not done like this

A trained technician should start by studying his grammar schoolbooks and learn punctuation. Basically, being able to type and speak in full, complete sentences that are not run-on is a must. Once you've got that nailed, come back and ask again.

making point like "I find you question difficult to read", or "can you reword it is a better way please", not like "don't post until you been back to school". i am writing this in my forum english btw(lower caps not shouting here). i am very lazy writer unless i have to write good, then i do, life is way to short. cool thing about this internet that u can write in shorten form, caps are not important UNLESS YOU ARE SHOOTING. lol

He slam the poor guy, just was not nice.

It is important to be able to communicate effective, not what is being discussed in this in this thread, but the way it was put.

well i am done with this point. time to go and play some games

 

[mklos]

Well to get back on the original topic:

You can also buy 2 good books from amazon.com. These are AppleCare Certified Training Series books and they're MUCH cheaper than buying the AppleCare Certification Kit.

Here are the links to them:

Desktop/Laptop Training Series

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...f=pd_bbs_5/002-8598711-2653662?_encoding=UTF8

Mac OS X Training series:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...8711-2653662?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155


Some of the stuff is very basic in these books as its a training book that will teach almost anyone with some Mac experience/computer experience how to properly be a Mac Technician. So depending on your skills, you'll most likely need to skip around.

These are very good books and I recommend them. I have both versions (though the versions before these). These will train you how to take and possibly pass the AppleCare Certification exam(s) if you choose you go that far. Like I said, these are Apple Certified Training Books.

 

[EvilDoc]

A trained technician should start by studying his grammar schoolbooks and learn punctuation. Basically, being able to type and speak in full, complete sentences that are not run-on is a must. Once you've got that nailed, come back and ask again.

Jeff

an school books is NOT one word..

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

Go to Borders or some book place and see what they have, they have a good selection for just learning Macs, then just go on to the more difficult stuff.

are there any good books on troubleshooting and fixing macintoshes both hardware and software and also what is recommended for being a trained technician as in what should a trained technician be able to accomplish?

A trained technician should start by studying his grammar schoolbooks and learn punctuation. Basically, being able to type and speak in full, complete sentences that are not run-on is a must. Once you've got that nailed, come back and ask again.

Jeff

Ooooh. n00b vs. n00b.

 

[Artful Dodger]

To clean this up some Two books to study that cost my friend a total of $600 from Apple. The money shouldn't be an issue depending on what your goal is. My friends goal is to be a head genius at an Apple Store, so with that said he is always reading/studying. Yes you can study very hard and still just pass as he even said some of the questions have a set order of answers. This means it "must" be done in that order when you answer on the test for Apple.
The tests (two of them) are not cheap ($300 each) but look at what you will be doing for a career, it's well worth it. I'm sure there are books out there that are cheaper and will do just the same so it really is up to you what you want to do with all the info some have given you here.
Just remember to take your time and enjoy your studies along the way as some day you maybe helping one of us at an Apple Store

 

[Artful Dodger]

A trained technician should start by studying his grammar schoolbooks and learn punctuation. Basically, being able to type and speak in full, complete sentences that are not run-on is a must. Once you've got that nailed, come back and ask again.

Jeff

As for your comment, MS Word does a bad job at this and look at how much those (I'm guessing they are) educated derelicts get paid to "nail it" yet they can't Great, let's support those programs and pound on someone looking for a good path to go down.
There is something to be said about being half of a people person to others. Some day you might need help with something that has nothing to do with a PC or a Mac, so I hope you get treated better than you treat someone looking for some direction and a good future in their head.
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