Gadget problems divide the sexes

[arkitect]

Any truth in this? Confirmation that guys never seem to RTFM and women do?

Men and women have different approaches to dealing with technology problems, according to a gadget helpline.

The service found that 64% of its male callers and 24% of its female callers had not read the instruction manual before ringing up.

12% of male and 7% of female customers simply needed to plug in or turn on their appliance.

The company, Gadget Helpline, surveyed 75,000 calls received between 25 September and 23 October 2009.

The helpline has 120,000 subscribers in the UK, most of whom are over the age of 35. The average age of helpline staff is 21.

Women spent 32% longer on the phone to their helpers than men - but 66% of the helpline staff preferred speaking to them, the survey found.

"There is evidence of a gender divide in technology, although a lot of it comes down to interpretation," Joanna Bawa, chartered psychologist and editor of the Usability News website, told the BBC.

In general terms men treat technology as something to be understood and conquered while women are more motivated by appliances that benefit them, she added.

Link…

 

[mscriv]

The average age of helpline staff is 21.
Women spent 32% longer on the phone to their helpers than men - but 66% of the helpline staff preferred speaking to them, the survey found.

Um, duh. "So, now that we've fixed that little problem of yours... uh, what are you wearing?"

In general terms men treat technology as something to be understood and conquered while women are more motivated by appliances that benefit them, she added.

Is this some new revelation. I think we all know that women prefer appliances that "benefit them" as opposed to men who want to conquer them.

 

[velocityg4]

How come in all the statistics they don't mention the percentage of callers whom are men and those whom are women? If they point out all the other differences between men and women for tech calls why not this. Though that data may be misleading as one gender may be more inclined to get help from someone they know and solve the problem before resorting to tech support than the other.

 

[dmr727]

Gadgets have instruction manuals? I'm from the old school - f with it until it works.

 

[Unspoken Demise]

Gadgets have instruction manuals? I'm from the old school - f with it until it works.

If it moves and shouldnt, use duct tape. If it doesnt move and should, use WD-40. Its the manly way.

 

[TheOnlyJon]

If it moves and shouldnt, use duct tape. If it doesnt move and should, use WD-40. Its the manly way.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

 

[savoirfaire]

If it moves and shouldnt, use duct tape. If it doesnt move and should, use WD-40. Its the manly way.

Or as I've heard somewhere:

Duct tape is like the Force: it has a dark side, a light side, and it holds the universe together.

 

[Abstract]

Wirelessly posted (Nokia 5800 Tube XpressMusic : Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.4; U; Series60/5.0 Nokia5800d-1/21.0.101; Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413)

Gadgets have instruction manuals? I'm from the old school - f with it until it works.

If it moves and shouldnt, use duct tape. If it doesnt move and should, use WD-40. Its the manly way.

Um......we're talking about gadgets, not women.

 

[Unspoken Demise]

Or as I've heard somewhere:

Duct tape is like the Force: it has a dark side, a light side, and it holds the universe together.

Um, a Hot Topic shirt?

 

[sushi]

Duct tape is like the Force: it has a dark side, a light side, and it holds the universe together.

I like that.

Can I use it as my sig in addition to the one I have?

BTW, I didn't realize that gadgets come with instruction manuals. Imagine that.

 

[instaxgirl]

In general terms men treat technology as something to be understood and conquered while women are more motivated by appliances that benefit them, she added.

That gave me a laugh. For anything more complicated than a DVD player I always at least skim the manual.

I'm the one that sits back while my dad/brother/boyfriend fights and swears then steps over them and presses the right buttons first time. Eejits

 

[Bennieboy©]

i've never been a fan of reading manuals on how to operate thing, i always find that exploring the (insert thing here) is easier and remembered better if you actually do it

for example, you cant learn to drive, reading from a book

 

[ucfgrad93]

If it moves and shouldnt, use duct tape. If it doesnt move and should, use WD-40. Its the manly way.

Amen, brother!

 

[Little HZ]

That gave me a laugh. For anything more complicated than a DVD player I always at least skim the manual.

I'm the one that sits back while my dad/brother/boyfriend fights and swears then steps over them and presses the right buttons first time. Eejits

... and that is *such* a lovely feeling, isn't it!

 

[GeekGirl*]

Yep men are dumb....LOL