The Good, the Bad, and the Idiotic: Family Tech Usage

[OSUKid7]

Basically I just want to rant about some problems my family has had with computers. I try to help, but they just keep going back to their old ways and ignore my advice.

Well, two years ago we got my sister a Dell laptop since she was going off to college. My mom was convinced she should have a near-top-of-the-line laptop so it would last 4+ years. It was a very nice laptop, and came out to over $3000 when done - with software and everything. We got her a docking station and monitor stand since she didn't like the idea of working off a laptop monitor, and I didn't think she could really handle the connections when taking the laptop to the library, class, etc. Big mistake. She decided she didn't want the monitor since it would take up too much space, and then about a week into school, apparently she had a problem with printing (USB printer), so someone apparently got it to work without the docking station. Woopdedoo. She won't even try using it again. Why? Because it works fine without it.
Same thing with Outlook. She doesn't use Outlook (XP) anymore (which btw I had setup with both her home and school accounts before she left). Why? Same thing. She had problems with it during her freshman year, and someone told her not to use it, but to use Outlook Express instead. :bad-words: In addition, almost every time she's brought her laptop home, I find loads of spyware and sometimes viruses on it. Fortunately last time I didn't find any, since the automatic NAV and Windows Updates I setup were actually still in place and doing their job.

Alright, on to my mom...hah. Well, she really wants to learn computers. Good for her, but she's still afraid to click around. Just like my sister (and I suppose most of the non-tech public), she likes consistancy. BTW, I gave her my old iPaq 3650, and she still claims to use it, however, most of that consists of plugging it in to sync every few days. She still uses a planner for calendar and notes. I just can't get her to convert. Anyway, yesterday I helped her install the free checklist from PocketGear. She really didn't know how to download the program. :| So I said, just click where it says "download" ...yeah, then how do you install it to the PDA? hmm...you get the idea.
Another thing that bothers me is how she uses Outlook. Email especially - she uses flags, but just to keep track of important emails. However, she has something like 800 flagged emails. That's not gonna tell you which emails are important! lol

Ah and my dad. Truthfully, he probably wouldn't use computers if he didn't have to. He loves surfing college websites (kinda addicted to researching colleges), but other than that, not much. His homepage was set to MSN.com at one time or another, and that seems to be the only way he explores the Internet outside of college sites. If there isn't a link to it off the MSN site, he doesn't see it. Good thing MSN has a search engine for colleges! :lol: Also, about a month ago, he tells me his emails are gone, but no big deal. No big deal?! If I lost all my emails for good I'd be in some serious pain. Well, I change his PW so I can login, and yep, all his emails are gone. I make sure his outlook data files are there and everything, and they are, only extremely small. Well, he must have done something, but I have yet to figure that out. I did a few system restores, but it didn't work. And yeah, partially my fault, he didn't have backups. But he didn't mind. They're just a few emails. :wink: :shocked!:

The other thing is, I don't think I've ever gotten a virus on my computer or laptop. Well, maybe once or twice, but they were gone within an hour or so. My family computer has gotten somewhere in the teens of viruses, and my sister's laptop has gotten a couple. I use my computer so much more than all of them combined. How am I so lucky? Guess I actually listen to my advice and update my AV, Windows, and other software.

Alright, I'm done ranting. Really guys, I love my family, but I just can't take the way they use computers sometimes. They're good people though, really. :werenotworthy:

How about you? Any good stories about your family's tech usage?

[buckyg]

My grandfather got me into computing way back in the 80s. It started as a hobby for him & me, later it became my career. I always thought that was neat. Back then, he'd got a new app. that I'd never seen. During the day, I'd be in school, he'd be learning how to use it. I'd come over at night or the weekend. He'd drive me nuts getting me to figure out how to do one feature that's advertised on the box but not shown in the manual. Mind you, this is the first time I'd ever seen this program. For example, he was trying to do some advanced spreadsheet functions, I'd never seen a computerized spreadsheet before!

Sadly, he's getting way up there in years and his mental abilities have slipped over time. It's gone from as described above to "You have to install this, I can't figure it out" (Insert CD, click Install from the menu that pops up). Other times, he just clicks away. We never were able to get him to understand Uninstall vs. just deleting the program's folder. He too, has done stuff none of us can figure out.

My wife does pretty good, both on the PC and her iPAQ. She's catching on well. I still have to help her out occasionally.

We also have friends from my wife's hometown who are considered family. I'm their IT support staff. They keep getting the absolute nastiest spyware from the places they visit and stuff they download. Then when I point out what they have, where they visited, it's "We *NEVER* went there!" Um, so why does it show someone visiting there yesterday in IE History? And funny, you guys were just talking about somthing that is the subject of that site.

Family and friends, gotta love them. I suppose if I were a doctor, they'd would be like, "I got this pain". If I were a mechanic, "My car's making a funny noise", etc.

[Kati Compton]

Sadly, he's getting way up there in years and his mental abilities have slipped over time. It's gone from as described above to "You have to install this, I can't figure it out" (Insert CD, click Install from the menu that pops up). Other times, he just clicks away. We never were able to get him to understand Uninstall vs. just deleting the program's folder. He too, has done stuff none of us can figure out.
Part of that is "but this used to be how you got rid of programs". Once you're trained one way, it's hard to do it any other.

We also have friends from my wife's hometown who are considered family. I'm their IT support staff. They keep getting the absolute nastiest spyware from the places they visit and stuff they download. Then when I point out what they have, where they visited, it's "We *NEVER* went there!" Um, so why does it show someone visiting there yesterday in IE History? And funny, you guys were just talking about somthing that is the subject of that site.
Maybe they don't get that clicking a link in an email or from another site gets you there just as surely as typing in the URL?

[milkman dan]

if I have ever been able to relate to someones pain as much as yours, I cannot remember who. Being a computer tech, all your friends and family ask you for SOOOO much computer advice/deals, but then ignore the advice you gave them, and coem back weeks/months later with problems :?

[Jon Westfall]

Basically I just want to rant about some problems my family has had with computers. I try to help, but they just keep going back to their old ways and ignore my advice.

OSUKid, let me tell you - I share your pain. And I'm freaking certified in computers and teach them at a local college - but that doesn't mean I know anything about them to my parents / friends mind you.

There was the girlfriend's dad (possibly future father-in-law... ) who didn't listen to me after I built him a new computer. I setup Win2k with limited accounts for everyone and one central admin account. My rationale: if you run it with admin rights, you'll have viruses run amok and more. What did he do? After being badgered he gave his entire family the admin login, they disabled norton internet security, and over the past 2 years, I've had to clean that thing more than you'd believe. Adding insult to injury, 2 months ago, he bought norton internet security 2004 and is "amazed" at how the computer doesn't crash as much.

I've had numerous people ask my advice on computers, not take it, and then have numerous problems that wouldn't have happened if they had taken my advice. I don't care if people don't take my advice, but don't ask for it if you don't think you'll take it!

Ok, my rant is over. The only advice I can give you is make sure everyone in your family uses their OWN computer, and if they break it, don't fix it for them without making them try some things on their own (i.e. "Here's the restore disk, pop it in and follow instructions" vs. doing it from start to finish yourself).

[mrkablooey]

Nobody's as good as us, plain and simple.

If they were, they'd be here, too.

End of story.

0X

[OskiO]

Someone's pain is my paycheck. If it wasn't for people NOT following my directions then I would be out of a lot of repeat business.

[Pat Logsdon]

I just flat out won't build computers for anyone anymore. I don't mind doing tech support at work, but when I come home, I ain't doin' it. Get a friggin' Dell and let them figure out what the problem with the email is. My only advice to people these days is: Use Opera, The Bat! and Zone Alarm, run SpyBot S&D every week, and have Windows XP download updates automatically. If they've done all of that and still have problems, they shouldn't have have clicked where they clicked or opened what they opened. :mrgreen:

[Kati Compton]

if I have ever been able to relate to someones pain as much as yours, I cannot remember who. Being a computer tech, all your friends and family ask you for SOOOO much computer advice/deals, but then ignore the advice you gave them, and coem back weeks/months later with problems :?

Well, it's kind of hierarchy thing. So, my family asks me and my husband when they need help, and I ask mchang and Janak when I need help. ;)

[Janak Parekh]

I ask mchang and Janak when I need help. ;)
:oops: The perils of being a sysadmin -- you're at the "top" of the food-chain, and if you can't figure it out, it's a long night ahead. :P

(Of course, Kati only asks good questions... ones I frequently don't know answers to, so it's not exactly support per se. ;))

On a more serious note: even though it's frustrating sometimes, I don't mind helping my (extended) family and friends for a few minutes if I'm visiting them. It makes for good relations. :) If it's a bigger problem, there are two options: for family, I'll tell them "I really can't do this now, if you want to get it fixed immediately find someone, otherwise I'll fix it as soon as I can get to it". For friends, I'll point out that I typically consult for this stuff, and I have very limited time, so if this is urgent for them they might want to treat this as a consulting call. It's really hard to pull that off, but I've been consulting for many years, so it's something I've actually done without damaging friendships. As long as you're clear with them, most people are pretty respectful of your time. The real challenge is extricating yourself from a preexisting "free support situation". I avoid getting into those in the first place, but if you're stuck in one, good luck -- it'll take some careful tact.

Also... I'm fortunate that my immediate family generally listens to my advice, and I feel sorry for those of you whose immediate family doesn't, as it's hard to back out of support for them. For the rest, once Firefox 1.0 comes out, I'll be installing that on their machines. :P

--janak

[Jon Westfall]

I find myself facing a hard choice when I am asked to help a friend (or even friend of a friend) with a computer issue. On one hand, I don't want my friend to take up my valuable time (This is really an issue when its friend of a friend who I really don't know). On the other hand, I don't like to see my friends go out and tell me something like "<some electronics store> charged me $40 for a modem and then $50 for the install". I find myself feeling like I could have popped in a new modem for them and saved them the $50, which I feel is too high for a modem install most of the time anyway.

So my new solution? I usually help someone one time. If they bring up compensation, I ask them how much money they feel my services were worth (Which is usually higher than I'd rate them). They pay me that and we're happy. If they don't bring it up, then I don't come back.

[Janak Parekh]

I find myself feeling like I could have popped in a new modem for them and saved them the $50, which I feel is too high for a modem install most of the time anyway.
I used to think that way, but no more. I perceive my time as too valuable -- based on my commercial consulting rates now, the cost wouldn't be that different. ;) Unless they're really good friends, in which case I'm proactively willing to spend my time with them.

So my new solution? I usually help someone one time. If they bring up compensation, I ask them how much money they feel my services were worth (Which is usually higher than I'd rate them). They pay me that and we're happy. If they don't bring it up, then I don't come back.
That works well too. :) I usually gently point it out at the end of the "first free" consult -- that I do this as a profession, which usually gives 'em the hint.

--janak

[juni]

I've long since given up on trying to help relatives over the phone (it is just too frustrating) unless they run XP so I can capture their screens. Usually they have some "computer expert" close by which I tell them to use.

You know they have some new virus when you start getting virus messages. :D

[Jeff Rutledge]

Just do what I do and "accidentally" delete a bunch of their data. They never seem to invite me back after that. ;)

Just kidding...

I do try to push people into getting a Dell as well though so they can do the support. That seems to be a common techie trick. 8)

[Jon Westfall]

I do try to push people into getting a Dell as well though so they can do the support. That seems to be a common techie trick. 8)

At times, I've considered pushing certain people to sell their computers and go back to pencils & paper!

[kosmicki]

If they bring up compensation, I ask them how much money they feel my services were worth

I'll have to keep that one in mind. I'm trying for my A+ on the 28th, going to enter the repair industry soon hopefully. And there are ALOT of people I know that ask me questions now and then (I really don't mind that much) but I just know once word gets around I am 'Certified' they will want free tech support... :roll:

[mrkablooey]

I do try to push people into getting a Dell as well though so they can do the support. That seems to be a common techie trick. 8)

At times, I've considered pushing certain people to sell their computers and go back to pencils & paper!

I use that line all the time with my boss. "Just stick to pencil and paper," I tell him at least every other day. :twisted:

[Janak Parekh]

At times, I've considered pushing certain people to sell their computers and go back to pencils & paper!
There's been only one instance when I've ever thought of doing this. I was teaching someone basic computer skills years ago, and the poor person at the computer had no logic constructs whatsoever. I must have taught her File, Save at least 10 times over the period of a month, and she still couldn't remember it. :(

Apart from that, the people I interact with find computers too rewarding for me to be able to make that suggestion in a non-humorous tone. ;)

--janak

[JackTheTripper]

My wife and I use mac which is pretty hard to mess up so luckily I've not had the problems some of you listed. Just "I opened this email and clicked on this file but it won't open." "That's cause it's a virus for PC's but you're on a mac." "Oh, so I shouldn't have opened it?" "No, you shouldn't have. But you're safe from it." Then anytime she does have a little problem like a crash or can't find a file she blames it on the virus. :roll:

But the worst is watching her work on a word document and she wants to undo multiple times. She does this by doing Edit > Undo Edit > Undo Edit > Undo.... etc...8O I have to get up and leave the room. :?

And yes, I've shown her the keyboard shortcut for undo as well as for copy, cut, past, close window, quit etc..... but she just won't use them.

[poshdaphne]

On behalf of all of those confused friends and family members out there, sorry! It's not our fault we just don't GET it! :D But my boyfriend also comes to me with questions like, "what is this sticking out thing on my rib? is it part of my bone? what are bones made of anyway? so how did that evolve?...... etc..........." I figure answering and laughing at his questions is a good repayment for him answering and laughing at mine about computers.

[Janak Parekh]

On behalf of all of those confused friends and family members out there, sorry! It's not our fault we just don't GET it! :D
The fact that you've learned how to register and use this site demonstrates you're far beyond the kinds of people we're talking about. ;)

--janak

[Kati Compton]

On behalf of all of those confused friends and family members out there, sorry! It's not our fault we just don't GET it! :D But my boyfriend also comes to me with questions like, "what is this sticking out thing on my rib? is it part of my bone? what are bones made of anyway? so how did that evolve?...... etc..........." I figure answering and laughing at his questions is a good repayment for him answering and laughing at mine about computers.
Hahahahahaha - are you a doctor?

[Brad Adrian]

Hahahahahaha - are you a doctor?

I guess the point is that we ALL have our own professional hazards with people asking for help and/or advice. My brother is a physician and I wouldn't trade my "the-blue-thingy-under-the-red-thingy-isn't-where-it-should-be" computer-illiterate questions for the stupid requests for free medical advice and treatment that he gets! It's amazing the things people will ask a doctor to do!

[Jon Westfall]

On behalf of all of those confused friends and family members out there, sorry! It's not our fault we just don't GET it! :D
As Janak said - if you're here, than you are WAY above the kind of people we're talking about.

Here is a simple test you can take to determine where you are on the computer knowledge scale:

1. Do you know what a search engine is?
2. Do you know what IRC is?
3. Do you know how to save a file to a floppy disk or burn a CD?
4. Do you know what operating system you are running?
5. Do you know what processor your computer is using?
6. Do you know how to count in binary?
7. Do you know what Windows CE is?
8. Do you know how to use notepad?
9. Do you know what AOL Instant Messenger or ICQ are?
10 (Freebie). Do You know the muffin man?

Scoring: If you scored 10 - you're awesome. If you scored 6 - 9 - you're pretty technical. If you scored 3-6 - you're learning! If you scored 1-2 - Keep trying! If you scored 0 - here's a hint: He lives on drury lane...

Hope you enjoy this simple test ;)

Oh and welcome poshdaphne - 3 posts is how all of us "over 500 posters" got addicted I think.

[poshdaphne]

No, not a doctor, but I've taken a lot of courses in osteology (bones) and evolution because I've just finished a degree in biological anthropology ("physical anthropology" in the US). And that test was hard! haha! I know how to do some computer things because I've been taught, but I'm clueless about figuring things out by myself. I've had a ppc for the past 2 or so years, but I'm sure I didn't ever use it to its full ability. Anywho, I registered here so I could get some info on which new ppc to get because I broke the screen on my old one. :(

All of you are really nice and helpful. It's nice to have a place to have a laugh and learn some stuff.

[juni]

but I've taken a lot of courses in osteology (bones)

Do you get a lot of "bone" related questions from family and friends? :D

[hdsalinas]

I am a system administrator and sometimes it can get very frustrating. There is only like 2 other people in my office who know their way through a PC. The rest of them (30+ only know how to use office - but if you mention "Office" they have noidea what your are talking about, they only know it as word or excel)

I have a lot of funny (but frustrating back then) stories that i would like to share


1) When they get an "error" message on their screen, they immediately call me and when I ask them what does the message says they have no idea because they have not read it. Most of the time is not even an "error"

2) Classic phrases over the phone are
"hey, I just got an error what is it?"
"Out of the blue I get this call "Why cant I print?"
"Why cant I get on the network"

3) I work in Honduras and some of our machines are in Spanish and some in English. Sometimes I send them patches via lotus notes and tell them that they have to install the one that correspond to the version of windows (language wise) they have installed on their machines. I always get a few phone calls asking me how can they tell what language is the windows in their machine

4) One I had a case when an end user wanted me to figure out why she could not play some "mp3" she ripped from a music CD. It turned out that what she did was to copy the content of an audio CD to her harddrive thinking that she converting it to mp3.

5) Most of the user have no idea how to drag something from the network to their harddrives much less to navigate through out the entire network.

I could go on forever. There was a time that I tried to go over my way and fix people computers just for the challenge and to help them. Now I dont feel that urge anymore. In fact when I come home from work the least i want to do is work on computers.