19 replies to this topic

[ShadowTiger]

Reading this cracked.com article. Read along with me and discuss.

I'm pretty sure that anyone who has ever helped someone else with their computer(s) has encountered at least most of these scenarios. I've encountered all of them before. One old guy had all six scenarios apply to him in the span of a single year, and even then that's not all that surprising. (At one point he was trying to use Windows Vista with half a Gig of RAM. Seriously.)

[Radien]

Aaaaaand this is why I have such a hard time getting someone to fix my mom's computer. I try and I try to tell her that she needs to HIRE someone, but she insists that she can't afford to put any money into her computer, even though she uses it constantly and obviously puts some kind of priority into it.

I'm not sure how many of those were true the last time I was able to get a friend to look at her computer, but I'll definitely keep them in mind for the future. Regardless of which end of the exchange I'm on.

[Eurysilas]

THIS.

Oh my sweet motorbiking Jesus, this describes my mom perfectly when she got the first new computer she'd had in more than a decade. And half of it still applies!It took about a week to get it through her head that rule #1 is- DON'T CLICK ON THE ADS.

"No, I don't care if they offer something that interests you. Don't click on them."

"If you're so interested in this product or service, check it out from Google. Don't click on the ad."

"Mother, why did you click on the ad? FUUUUUUUUU-!"

[ShadowTiger]

AdBlock, yo. AdBlock.

On every computer I help fix, I just outright hide the Internet Explorer icons. I install AdBlock and NoScript into Firefox, and remove all of the bloatware that came with the system. It does a decent job.

[Radien]

AdBlock, yo. AdBlock.

On every computer I help fix, I just outright hide the Internet Explorer icons. I install AdBlock and NoScript into Firefox, and remove all of the bloatware that came with the system. It does a decent job.

Hmmm. Does anybody get upset that you "removed" their browser?... Now, you know and I know that all browsers have roughly the same features, and it's mostly a matter of finding where the button is. But the older generation is REALLY prone to getting set in their ways, and once they learn how to do something, they don't like to see things change.

But the last friend who helped fix my mom's computer got her using Google Chrome, which has me a little happier.

[ShadowTiger]

I explain to them the dangers of Internet Explorer, and urge them to get used to Firefox, as it's far, far safer than IE. The usual. They only view IE as a method to browse. If Firefox can do what IE can and more, they'll be more than happy to use Firefox. ... and they are. For the few things that need IE, I let them know to be careful to only browse on that page, and only if they're sure there's no malware about. You don't leave a lecture on internet security half-spoken...

[Eurysilas]

AdBlock, yo. AdBlock.

For that, you'd need Firefox. And guess who refuses to use it because "It can't possibly be any better than Internet Explorer because it's free"?

She also seems to think that, because I used Linux for a while (worst damn five years of computing EVER) and Firefox was my browser, that Linux=Firefox.

[Daemon]

The sad thing is, I learned all of those things when I was six... I have fixed things like that of my own computer though. Things like deleting those mouse icon changing programs, and such, from when I was young and thought they were cool... Now I understand they just want to take your information/advertise/destroy your computer.

[Radien]

For that, you'd need Firefox. And guess who refuses to use it because "It can't possibly be any better than Internet Explorer because it's free"?

Have you pointed out to her that both Firefox AND Internet Explorer are free, and the only reason IE is on her computer is because Microsoft forces it to be there?

She also seems to think that, because I used Linux for a while (worst damn five years of computing EVER) and Firefox was my browser, that Linux=Firefox.

Hoo boy. Good luck with that one.

P.S. -

Today's factoid/lesson learned: "internetexplorer.com" is not owned by Microsoft. Don't go there. Also, Microsoft really is negligent for not obtaining that domain.

[Cukeman]

I started to read this, and then had to leave for work, but I was laughing.
I am the "TFWIGWC" around here, just today I had to set up somebody's
wireless printer, but they did not know their own WEP user name and
password, so I had to call their router's tech support twice, and it turned
out to be something that should've been VERY easy for them to remember.
Then it had compatibility issues with the router and I had to contact the
tech people for the printer. (After downloading the troubleshooter that froze).
I was there 2 hours.

I also know someone who keeps asking me if they need to clean up their desktop
so that their e-mail will run faster. I can't get through to them that their e-mail
is not stored on their computer, and that cleaning up their desktop won't affect
their email speed.

Look forward to reading the rest of the article

EDIT: I imagine a lot of us on this forum are TFWIGWCs since they are well-versed enough to use ZC.

Edited by Cukeman, 19 August 2011 - 10:56 PM.

[Radien]

I explain to them the dangers of Internet Explorer, and urge them to get used to Firefox, as it's far, far safer than IE. The usual. They only view IE as a method to browse. If Firefox can do what IE can and more, they'll be more than happy to use Firefox. ... and they are. For the few things that need IE, I let them know to be careful to only browse on that page, and only if they're sure there's no malware about. You don't leave a lecture on internet security half-spoken...

Sorry, I missed this post earlier...

Anyway, yes, that's definitely what you should do. But despite my mom considering me the resident computer expert, she would not listen to my urgings to not use IE until we had a friend over -- an employee at the university library's IT department -- who told her she should use Chrome instead.

Funny how I'm skilled enough to ask me to do all the work, but not skilled enough to be worth listening to...

[ShadowTiger]

For that, you'd need Firefox. And guess who refuses to use it because "It can't possibly be any better than Internet Explorer because it's free"?

Radien just re-posted my reply to this in the post above this one, ... so ... ... yeh.

It's all in the phrasing. As loved ones and cherished friends, we are free to offer the ultimatum of "If you choose to use Internet Explorer and don't take my advice, please don't call me again when your computer is ridden with viruses. You would have indicated to me that you don't value my advice. If so, I cannot help you. Call for someone who charges you $50 and up to do the same thing I just did."

[sigtau]

Oh God, I love this.

What I tend to do is remove all obvious methods of getting to Internet Explorer (because most of those people can't discern between "Internet Explorer" and "The Internet"), skin Firefox to look like Internet Explorer 7/8, and then change the icon of all of Firefox's shortcuts to appear exactly like that of Internet Explorer. I also install Adblock, as well as NoScript (however, I disable NoScript so it's there to be used later, but it won't interfere with their browsing).

I also tend to be honest with people. "This happened because you did something stupid." Most of the time, they're accepting of that fact, because quite frankly, most people I know aren't that idiotic.

[Eddard McHorn Van-Schnuder]

I am no computer whiz, and if you asked me how to fix anything chances are I wouldn't have the faintest idea... however, I still see myself in this article XD

The other day my mom asked me to install Angry Birds on her laptop (which by the way struggles with moving the mouse pointer, no way it was going to run AB. I told her, but she made me do it anyway), and naturally it didn't run. I told her to remove it if she wanted to but my uncle recently told her that putting in more RAM would "fix all the issues". Which it wouldn't, because the computer is a fossil anyway. A few days later she came storming into my room demanding an explanation for why the computer has been running slowly lately, then, without me getting the chance to say anything, she claimed it was because I installed Angry Birds. I tried telling her that no, that's not why it's running slowly, that it was just an old computer that's always been slow...

Eventually we figured out that she had turned eco mode on to be more "eco friendly". Now, she still refuses to realize that eco-mode was the culprit. Bleh.

[Cukeman]

I do a lot of digital film editing in final cut pro, and my boss keeps asking me if there is a better program
-by better she means a program that doesn't have to render all the visual effects layers!!