I've fixed a few of my friends' iPhones (cracked/smashed digitizers), and got asked to fix an iPod touch just last week. But I don't mind 
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That won't stop people asking if you'll build them a computer.
Septic sucking service.
"Here it is. The **** detail!!!" - Woodstock
Finally! People I identify with This should be a good laugh for all you "computer people" out there: http://xkcd.com/627/
But yes, I'm completely familiar with inane requests. The other week, an acquaintance called and told me that her friend suspected her husband of cheating and wanted me to hack into his email account to see. ....Really?
Also, a friend of a friend emailed me to tell me that they couldn't figure out how to put a header in a Word document. I looked up the exact "Help" article (gives step-by-step instructions) and sent it to them, but they still couldn't figure it out. I proceeded to call; still no luck. In the end, she had to email me the word document, wait for me to put the header in for her, and then I emailed it back to her.
*Sigh*
This should be a good laugh for all you "computer people" out there: http://xkcd.com/627/But yes, I'm completely familiar with inane requests. The other week, an acquaintance called and told me that her friend suspected her husband of cheating and wanted me to hack into his email account to see. ....Really?
Also, a friend of a friend emailed me to tell me that they couldn't figure out how to put a header in a Word document. I looked up the exact "Help" article (gives step-by-step instructions) and sent it to them, but they still couldn't figure it out. I proceeded to call; still no luck. In the end, she had to email me the word document, wait for me to put the header in for her, and then I emailed it back to her.
*Sigh*
Yeah i get it too, i get questioned all the time about why does this work, or how do i do this?
I also get questions on why doesn't my tv work or why can't i get sound from my back speakers etc.
At work obviously a different stories.
Staff are asking me how i do this and that with a mac, or iPhone / iPad. Asked to perform jail breaks on there devices. I mean god you are in the same industry have you not heard of google? LoL
I have had staff turn up at my house and put stuff in my garage for me to look at when i drag my self out of bed on the weekends.
Recently i am being asked about How to setup a Exchange Server / SQL for a local college. I dare say i will some how end up there being involved some how but who knows what the future holds!
I also get questions on why doesn't my tv work or why can't i get sound from my back speakers etc.
At work obviously a different stories.
Staff are asking me how i do this and that with a mac, or iPhone / iPad. Asked to perform jail breaks on there devices. I mean god you are in the same industry have you not heard of google? LoL
I have had staff turn up at my house and put stuff in my garage for me to look at when i drag my self out of bed on the weekends.
Recently i am being asked about How to setup a Exchange Server / SQL for a local college. I dare say i will some how end up there being involved some how but who knows what the future holds!
Yup, I'm that girl for my circle of friends. Partially because I was the first one of have a Macbook and slowly they all eventually all got one too. And also because I have a degree in computer science I suppose... even though programming != IT (but they don't seem to understand that)
Yupp, I'm that person. .
Luckily for me, I'm only learning programming now/the past couple months. Before that, I was more into IT.
I'm always the person in the family that people go to with phone help, and computer help.
My friends circle is another thing. Some friends come to me, some go this other friend. To be honest, he knows some stuff, but doesn't know a lot - what he DOES know, however, is how to google, and how to find out stuff. So it works.
. Luckily for me, I'm only learning programming now/the past couple months. Before that, I was more into IT.
I'm always the person in the family that people go to with phone help, and computer help.
My friends circle is another thing. Some friends come to me, some go this other friend. To be honest, he knows some stuff, but doesn't know a lot - what he DOES know, however, is how to google, and how to find out stuff. So it works.
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)
9 times out of 10 a PRAM reset or hard reset on an iOS device fixes issues I see. Or the battery is completely dead.
I die a little inside when it's the ladder.
9 times out of 10 a PRAM reset or hard reset on an iOS device fixes issues I see. Or the battery is completely dead.
I die a little inside when it's the ladder.
My parents told me that were buying a PC laptop, so I told them they'd be completely on their own and I wouldn't support it.
They bought a Mac instead.
(I've built PCs before, and used Windows for years - but life's too short to keep fixing that stuff)
They bought a Mac instead.
(I've built PCs before, and used Windows for years - but life's too short to keep fixing that stuff)
Today I got a nice reasonable request from my best friend who I will help.
He is moving and asked me to show him how to set up his wireless router at his new place. Key words: show him how. I never mind helping him because he always wants to learn how to fix things, not just have me fix it and be done with it. (I even saw a list of commands I had him run that he wrote down beside his computer like netsh winsock reset and ipconfig /release and /renew!)
He's set his router up before but ran in to a lot of issues and it took awhile for him to set up (and it wasn't secured, I fixed that later).
The comes the not so reasonable request (shortened) from the friend who knows enough to be dangerous:
"I'm going to get a Mac mini and an HP server so I can have everything on my server and access it from my Mac mini, my Macbook Pro, my Windows tower and my Windows laptop. I'm going to run a gigabit network to all of it can you help me set it up?"
Um...what??
Oh, and I don't run cable. I'm terrible at crimping.
He is moving and asked me to show him how to set up his wireless router at his new place. Key words: show him how. I never mind helping him because he always wants to learn how to fix things, not just have me fix it and be done with it. (I even saw a list of commands I had him run that he wrote down beside his computer like netsh winsock reset and ipconfig /release and /renew!)
He's set his router up before but ran in to a lot of issues and it took awhile for him to set up (and it wasn't secured, I fixed that later).
The comes the not so reasonable request (shortened) from the friend who knows enough to be dangerous:
"I'm going to get a Mac mini and an HP server so I can have everything on my server and access it from my Mac mini, my Macbook Pro, my Windows tower and my Windows laptop. I'm going to run a gigabit network to all of it can you help me set it up?"
Um...what??
Oh, and I don't run cable. I'm terrible at crimping.
This Is When The Transition
From handholding to letting them find out themselves occurs. It's time for your buddy to learn how to setup his own gigabit equipment, if you do it for him, you are going to be stuck with plugging in ethernet cables etc. for the duration of the friendship!
Like I posted above, the buddy I help freely admits to being PC / Mac illiterate, and therefore I don't mind helping him out. When people start buying routers themselves and begin to dabble in higher end configurations, that's when they should learn to seek out the information they require from sites like this.....And for them to "Spread their wings" so to speak!
From handholding to letting them find out themselves occurs. It's time for your buddy to learn how to setup his own gigabit equipment, if you do it for him, you are going to be stuck with plugging in ethernet cables etc. for the duration of the friendship!
Like I posted above, the buddy I help freely admits to being PC / Mac illiterate, and therefore I don't mind helping him out. When people start buying routers themselves and begin to dabble in higher end configurations, that's when they should learn to seek out the information they require from sites like this.....And for them to "Spread their wings" so to speak!
I don't mind looking after my parent's computers as they've looked after me enough times in the past. They are both retired and prefer spending their spare money on holidays so I recently upgraded their desktop by fitting a new CPU, Motherboard and RAM package and re-installing Windows. They are thrilled to bits with how quick their 'new PC' is, especially as it only cost £100.
On the other hand, I got fed up with fixing Windows on my brother's PC and persuaded him to get a Mac as he's not computer savy enough to look after a PC on his own.
On the other hand, I got fed up with fixing Windows on my brother's PC and persuaded him to get a Mac as he's not computer savy enough to look after a PC on his own.
The gigabit guy won't be getting my help. I'll let him "live and learn" so to speak. Not to mention I'm no networking expert, I work in a different area of IT. I know the basics of networking and some trouble shooting but I also have a friend who is an expert at networking that I consult when something may be over my head. (I help him with writing scripts, he helps me with networking, its a win win).
He basically is buying a ton of equipment he doesn't need (a Mac mini because he thinks leaving a Macbook Pro on will hurt it is one example, the server is another.)
All he wants to do is share his movies across his network, something he is already doing via an external drive hooked to his Windows desktop. Why this isn't sufficing is beyond me. If he doesn't want to run it through his desktop he could get a NAS and be done. I explained that once and was met with many reasons (that made no sense) why I was wrong and it basically boiled down to the fact that he didn't want any storage attached to his Windows computer (which stays on all the time) but instead wants it attached to his Mac that he doesn't have yet.
Sure Windows can sometimes be a pain to network but to share a movie folder it isn't. I also still don't see the justification for a dedicated server but oh well. He will live and learn so to speak and then maybe I can pick that server off of him for cheap. I'm always after extra storage
I just told him that I offered a solution and if he doesn't want to take it he's on his own.
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I don't mind looking after my parent's computers as they've looked after me enough times in the past. They are both retired and prefer spending their spare money on holidays so I recently upgraded their desktop by fitting a new CPU, Motherboard and RAM package and re-installing Windows. They are thrilled to bits with how quick their 'new PC' is, especially as it only cost £100.
On the other hand, I got fed up with fixing Windows on my brother's PC and persuaded him to get a Mac as he's not computer savy enough to look after a PC on his own.
I bought my parents and sister Macs and it was the best investment in time I ever made. I haven't had to mess with anything since.
My Mom is actually better on a computer than she thinks she is with some things. She set up and configured her wireless printer and troubleshot it by herself by searching google (I was impressed!) but couldn't figure out how to save an image from an internet page (odd but whatever).
My Dad actually uses the computer now and my sister, she just about destroyed her Macbook because she puts it in her checked luggage when traveling but at least I didn't have to fix anything on it.
I still have to sort the odd problem with my brother's Mac but it's usually a quick fix, unlike the mammoth problems he had in the past. He still has no idea what he's doing with computers and is happily running Leopard on his Mac mini. He's oblivious to the major OS updates which have been released since he bought it and is also still running iOS 4 on his iPhone.
I'm not saying anything because he'll only bugger it up and I'll end up fixing it again.
So very true. Big difference in Bits/Bytes and fixing computers.
This time, I tried something difference. A friend asked me for assistance on his laptop computer. I recommended a few places to get "professional help" and it worked. He followed my recommendation. Call me happy.
Also, I forgot to mention this one case that happened a week or two ago.
My friend (Who I barely see, but we continuously text all the time - she lives kind of far) texted me saying her mom had a problem with her computer, and if it was okay for her to give her mom my phone number. I said sure, it most likely wouldn't take that long. Her mom called me, and thoroughly described the problem. Even admitted that she knew nothing about computers - didn't even know the difference between hard drive and RAM. And so, over the phone, I explained a few problems that could be the issue for her computer slowing down. I suggested (Blindly) maybe an upgrade to the RAM (Her computer is a few years old, so I doubt it was 'fully equipped'), said to take her computer into Best Buy whenever she gets a chance, and they'll find out which RAM to buy. Turns out, she had 8gbs of RAM inside the machine, and the only upgrade would be for 16gb, and that costs about $190.
But luckily, they knew what the problem seemed to be - an overflow of the 'temp' folder, and so they defragged the disk.
She called me thanking me for help, even offered to pay me (I declined), and said she now knew how to defrag, so everytime it started slowing down she'll just do that.
Works for me. I suggested a few things to begin with, that were unneeded (From the phone, I never looked at her computer): 1) Spyware of some sort. 2) RAM upgrade. 3) A faster hard drive never hurt 4) Reinstall Windows.
None of em were needed..
My friend (Who I barely see, but we continuously text all the time - she lives kind of far) texted me saying her mom had a problem with her computer, and if it was okay for her to give her mom my phone number. I said sure, it most likely wouldn't take that long. Her mom called me, and thoroughly described the problem. Even admitted that she knew nothing about computers - didn't even know the difference between hard drive and RAM. And so, over the phone, I explained a few problems that could be the issue for her computer slowing down. I suggested (Blindly) maybe an upgrade to the RAM (Her computer is a few years old, so I doubt it was 'fully equipped'), said to take her computer into Best Buy whenever she gets a chance, and they'll find out which RAM to buy. Turns out, she had 8gbs of RAM inside the machine, and the only upgrade would be for 16gb, and that costs about $190.
But luckily, they knew what the problem seemed to be - an overflow of the 'temp' folder, and so they defragged the disk.
She called me thanking me for help, even offered to pay me (I declined), and said she now knew how to defrag, so everytime it started slowing down she'll just do that.
Works for me. I suggested a few things to begin with, that were unneeded (From the phone, I never looked at her computer): 1) Spyware of some sort. 2) RAM upgrade. 3) A faster hard drive never hurt 4) Reinstall Windows.
None of em were needed..
I am that girl.. Unfortunately I don't know much about computers, just more than my family does.
I usually just give them a number of someone who owns a computer fixing business. They've stopped calling me on every little problem.
But now they call me with their iPod problems, which I can usually solve.
I usually just give them a number of someone who owns a computer fixing business. They've stopped calling me on every little problem.
But now they call me with their iPod problems, which I can usually solve.
I too am that guy, and since I have TONS of hobbies I get harrased with every thing (programming, web design, graphic design, cameras, movie editing photo editing, cars, TVs, home audio, home automation, plus other things) I normally don't mind fixing stuff or answering questions. I just hate the rude ones or the ones who expect it from you. When I am helping out because I am being nice, don't demand.
Oh, and don't blame things YOU do on me!
I fixed my cousins computer once(and never again after this). Set every thing up give their computer back to them. I get a call saying I ruined their PS/2 port for the keyboard and mouse. In my 20+ years of using a computer I have NEVER made such dumb mistake, plus I used a USB mouse and keyboard so never even touched those ports!
It was their first computer ever, so it was obviously their own dumb faults for sicking the keyboard in upside down.
I went to their house straightened the pins with tweezers and said NEVER ask me to do anything for you again.
Though my younger brother is sometimes scammed into helping her. I yell at him and say she is the devil, but he is too much of a nice guy.
One thing that I am starting to get annoyed by recently is this.
Since I now make iPhone apps and games, I constantly get family members giving suggestions of their "great ideas". EVERY time their ideas already exist and normally on the front page of the app store.
Plus they always seem to come up with these 'idea's right when we're super busy on a project!
Oh, and don't blame things YOU do on me!
I fixed my cousins computer once(and never again after this). Set every thing up give their computer back to them. I get a call saying I ruined their PS/2 port for the keyboard and mouse. In my 20+ years of using a computer I have NEVER made such dumb mistake, plus I used a USB mouse and keyboard so never even touched those ports!
It was their first computer ever, so it was obviously their own dumb faults for sicking the keyboard in upside down.
I went to their house straightened the pins with tweezers and said NEVER ask me to do anything for you again.
Though my younger brother is sometimes scammed into helping her. I yell at him and say she is the devil, but he is too much of a nice guy.
One thing that I am starting to get annoyed by recently is this.
Since I now make iPhone apps and games, I constantly get family members giving suggestions of their "great ideas". EVERY time their ideas already exist and normally on the front page of the app store.
Plus they always seem to come up with these 'idea's right when we're super busy on a project!
I love calling people the devil.
Nah, I'm not that guy (I wish I had enough experience to be that guy though). I can work through Windows pretty well, but not anything with computer internals.
Yes hobbies can be a terrible thing to let people know about! My hobbies are game development, photography, snowboarding, 3D modeling, snowboarding, kayaking, painting, and clay sculpting. I get asked for help on things related to all of that! (Including painting which I am NOT good at, I just enjoy it and enjoy getting better at it, or photography which I can be great at when I want but usually I'm too lazy). I'm always getting photoshop requests though for things like "Can you cut me out of one picture and put me in another and make it look awesome?" (Um..no because that NEVER works unless you plan ahead and have consistent lighting.)
Ha! I know that all too well too! I'm always getting told about "great game ideas" (because games only take a day to make :roll eyes
and people asking why a game I've been working on for a year still isn't done. (They forget I was working full time and going to school up until October 23rd). Oh, and that I have to make all graphics, sounds, artwork, and do all the programming solo so yea...it takes a long time. Unfortunately there is always that friend who wants you to make them a WoW clone with bigger better graphics and awesome 3D etc etc in the course of a weekend.
Oh, and I got ANOTHER help request. This one has me baffled:
"Hey man stupid question for you! What does it mean when your comp say to press the configuration button on your access point?"
Um...a wild shot in the dark would be to press the configuration button
The baffling part is I've never seen a computer say that or a button like that on a router (I'm assuming he has a router not an access point) unless its some new fangled thing thats out there.
This week is definitely an unusually busy week.
I am the computer girl, both at work and amongst my friends. I am actually the informatics pharmacist so I deal with everything technology in the hospital and pharmacy. That means when a report needs to be run, or when there is something quirky going on with the system, I am the one they call.
Amongst my friends I am the one they go to to fix their laptops, phones etc...as well as give them buying advice. Whether it may be as gifts or to validate "good deals" thats my job haha.
Amongst my friends I am the one they go to to fix their laptops, phones etc...as well as give them buying advice. Whether it may be as gifts or to validate "good deals" thats my job haha.
I'm not really the "computer guy" per se, I'm the "Mac Guy" in general. Slightly annoying because after every new product announcement/refresh I get the patronising "So are you going to queue up for that too?" comments (I queued up for the original iPad only...for a couple of hours).
At work everyone thinks I'm a complete geek though, I get asked about everything from computers, to tablets, to games consoles, software etc. Very frustrating, especially the manager who always asks me "how the Xbox was" when I come in after the weekend
" comments (I queued up for the original iPad only...for a couple of hours).At work everyone thinks I'm a complete geek though, I get asked about everything from computers, to tablets, to games consoles, software etc. Very frustrating, especially the manager who always asks me "how the Xbox was" when I come in after the weekend
I'm a director for an IT company and classed as '24/7 IT support' for friends and family, a couple of good ones are:
Phone call from my Dad, who most of the time is pretty IT clued up being an avid mac user. 'Son, every time is go into my photos on the iPhone it comes out to the icon screen.' 5 mins of over the phone trouble shooting turns out he had taken a pic of his home screen as was looking at the picture!
A friend of mine asked if I could load some CD's onto his new macbook for him, sure I said, an hour later he turns up at my house with 2 arch file storage boxes full of CD's. I kindly showed him how to do one and sent him on his way.
Phone call from my Dad, who most of the time is pretty IT clued up being an avid mac user. 'Son, every time is go into my photos on the iPhone it comes out to the icon screen.' 5 mins of over the phone trouble shooting turns out he had taken a pic of his home screen as was looking at the picture!
A friend of mine asked if I could load some CD's onto his new macbook for him, sure I said, an hour later he turns up at my house with 2 arch file storage boxes full of CD's. I kindly showed him how to do one and sent him on his way.