PLEASE STOP using windows
[rant]
i'm so very sick and tired of troubleshooting people's windows problems from the other side of the country. if you people insist on using a shitty operating system you have to sit down and learn how to use it yourself. the rest of us with a sense of independence and a need for real software have dropped that usesless garbage in favour of something that actually works.... i didn't walk away from all of that crap just to have to fix it for other people.
seriously, how can you claim that "windows is just easier" if you're going to insist that someone else fix it for you every time it breaks?
[/rant]
Comments
... okay. I see you haven't filled Dr. Chris' prescription yet. ;)
Seriously, Dan, not everyone in this world is as comfortable with computers as you. While I'm sure you realize that logically, it might be nice not to alienate friends and family by effectively calling them stupid and incompetent. Just a suggestion from a fellow geek. ;)
that's not it. my problem is that i'm being expected to troubleshoot someone else's computer for them when i'm not even using the same setup. if you know how to use a computer (ie you, and others like you) then there's no issue. but if you don't, then stop using windows and use something i can help you with... or don't ask me for help anymore. i'm tired of troubleshooting garbage for people who think they have to use this thing 'cause it's "easy"... easy for whom?
Okay, fair enough. I still think it's a little harshly worded, but then I suppose that's just you. How about you politely tell your loved ones that you're not available for tech support anymore? No matter how often they ask? Either that, your start charging them. That way you get something for your aggrivation, and they get their help. ;)
you're right. it was harsh. and it likely has to do with my near-complete lack of sleep last night and the fact that it's monday. but i swear i'm justified.
the problem is (and you know this as well as anyone), you can't say "no" to family that needs help. if my grandmother is wigging over some email she got, what're my choices? "uhh, sorry grandma, but i just don't do that anymore. good luck to you". no, can't do that.
at the moment, it's matt's issue. he installed a new shiny copy of windows98se on his computer and needed drivers. try to explain the concept of getting drivers for a windows 98 box based on a serial number you found on the back of a piece of plastic.... he doesn't know what he's doing and i'm blind on this end. ...all this because windows sucks ass and everyone is two damned afraid to use something that doesn't suck ass.
well DOH. doesnt win98 do all the 'automatic detect' stuff for hardwares 'n stuff?? isnt it all supposedly pretty straight forward anyways? that's why it's 'easy'. otherwise there IS always google... hehehe.
sadly, no. while win98 has considerably more built-in drivers for a lot of stuff, it's still very much lacking in drivers for the simplest of things... like freaking network cards.
as it turns out, this whole thing started with my brother trying to do a full re-install of his computer and me doing all the geeking from 4300km away. the drivers were broken... somehow (description by non-geek on the other end very unhelpful) so i told him to just go to the store and blow $20 on a new card. comes with drivers and everything.
so he did just that, told the guy there what was going on and the guy offered to do it for him for the same $20. problem solved.
so there's the future solution. "call someone who knows this stuff. i'm done with windows" ...except for photoshop ;-)
hey tell matt to give paul a call next time.
heh. will do. paul can be my "vancouver office" ;-)
You are a geek so you say so you should know all the geek stuff! (Joke) I think people are just lazy about learing other operating systems (like me). Good Rant though i liked it!