Computer advice rant

[KurtNYC]

My aunt recently sent an email to everyone in the family asking for advice on what to do for her sick computer. It seems something is using all the RAM and slowing the machine to an absolute crawl. She threw in a line about how she "doesn't want to pay some geek" to fix it (guess what I do for a living?)

So next I see about 4 reply-to-all replies telling her to get Ad-aware or other spy-ware busting programs. Someone says to delete some files from her hard drive and then defrag it.

My email to her told her to bring up task manager, go to the process tab and see what program/process is hogging every bit of available RAM (she has 256 Megs so almost nothing should top that out).

She didn't respond to my email and meanwhile, 3 days later, my relatives are still sending her all kinds of voodoo advice. Oh well.

[purr]

1. I get the same thing...

I know jack shit about computers even though I am schooled in it (HA). My aunt even still listens to this guy that screwed up her computer trying to fix it.

She just asked me the other day to fly up to canada to install her network... told her to ask John to do it. She stated she did and he didnt know how. Argh.

[Marnieworld]

2. My hubby and I are both "geeks"

We have a phrase in my house whenever clients bug us. "Stupid people pay the bills." It's very calming. ;-)

I do know the feeling when you are ignored by people who know better. I love when people prefer the advice of some teenager making $7.00 an hour at Best Buy or Computer City over us. Whatever man!

[OldLeftieLawyer]

6. Good phrase!

My law office's motto was: "Stupidity's been very, very good to us."

Let them go. Just don't take it personally.

They made me rich......... :)

[ET Awful]

8. I just tell them it's a PEBKAC issue :)

Problem
Exists
Between
Keyboard
And
Chair

It was a PC term we used so as not to piss off the executives when we filed our reports at my first help desk job years ago :).

[Marnieworld]

9. good ol pebkac!

I love that one.

[ET Awful]

10. I've also been known to tell them that their CTK Interface needed

to be replaced.

(Chair to Keyboard)

[Wickerman]

3. Your aunt sound like a Republican

wants everyone to solve her problem for free, wants a quick fix, adn doesn't want to do anything out of her comfort zone. Maybe not, but she is being a bit rude.

have fun watching the unfolding disastor.

:popcorn:

[FormerDittoHead]

4. "doesn't want to pay some geek"

...but won't hesitate to drop $400 for a new timing belt - no hesitation to pay a garage mechanic $55+ an hour. I once paid $400 for a plumber to come in and fix a leaky pipe - 1 1/2 hours of work.

Hey, I used to hang out with people trying to make money in ART - talk about 'lack of consumer appreciation', but honestly, it pisses me off how people somehow think that computer knowledge has no value.

I now do websites but I used to be a photographer! My luck I pick two careers which I have to (on some levels) compete with 13 year olds.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. I know what you mean.

A lot of people seem to believe that I exist only as a repository of free computer support. I get calls all the time for free walk-thrus.

I had one woman call me the other day, wanting me to walk her through an XP install. I passed.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

5. This will comfort you

The only client I ever had who stiffed me - and all I did was send a bill for expenses covering the $$$ I had had to pay out to other peope, like investigators - was a family member. In almost thirty years of practicing law, he was the only client who didn't pay.

And I certainly didn't charge for my time. All in all, he got a great deal.

His response to my sending him a bill?

"There'll be a nice treat for you at Christmas."

How bad do you think I felt when he got his leg shot off during deer-hunting season?

Tell you what, kid - ignore it. Don't give any advice, and try not to take it personally. Sounds like you're miles ahead of the rest of them, so just stay there, where you belong..............