I was reading a post by a computer tech. The first thing they would ask – “Is it plugged in?” Tech said people would get irate at the implication they were stupid. Of course, upon insistence they would look and lo and behold, the answer was NO!!
This would have been funny if it had not actually happened to me. In the mid-80’s the company for which I worked was automating U.S. Army battlefield processes.
Although I was a database developer at the time, when it came to supporting exercises, part of my job description was “field service.” When we said “field service” we meant that we actually made tent calls. My ability to read a 1:50,000 scale topographical map came in handy since there was NO street address and GPS had not yet been invented.
I would hike in with a backpack with a motherboard, memory board and a box of floppy disks loaded with software.
I was called out to troubleshoot a monitor. When I got to the tent I was directed to the miscreant piece of equipment. My first question was “Where can I plug this in?”
For you old geeks who can remember RS-232: yes, you can run a cable up to a half kilometer and still have it work.
I’ve been reading Reddit posts from tech support people. One story involved an office manager who decided those big ugly towers under the desks had to go then couldn’t understand why the computer system was down.
I had very much the same experience the first Adult Ed class I taught on computers. I told the class they could go ahead and turn on their computers and at least half of them asked how.
not the stupidest computer user I’ve heard of. Just a few days ago I heard of a woman who recently upgraded her computer so it could use wireless networks, and she thought that meant she wouldn’t need any wires at all, including the power cord, so when her battery died after a couple hours of use she blamed the network providers for her computer not working anymore.
Templo S.U.D. over 4 years ago
Alfred Yankovic would be calling Roger “technologically impaired.”
sirbadger over 4 years ago
It’s “on” the desk. Which direction am I supposed to turn it?
jpayne4040 over 4 years ago
Your computer is a lot more than just frozen, Buddy!
NeedaChuckle Premium Member over 4 years ago
I was reading a post by a computer tech. The first thing they would ask – “Is it plugged in?” Tech said people would get irate at the implication they were stupid. Of course, upon insistence they would look and lo and behold, the answer was NO!!
dflak over 4 years ago
This would have been funny if it had not actually happened to me. In the mid-80’s the company for which I worked was automating U.S. Army battlefield processes.
Although I was a database developer at the time, when it came to supporting exercises, part of my job description was “field service.” When we said “field service” we meant that we actually made tent calls. My ability to read a 1:50,000 scale topographical map came in handy since there was NO street address and GPS had not yet been invented.
I would hike in with a backpack with a motherboard, memory board and a box of floppy disks loaded with software.
I was called out to troubleshoot a monitor. When I got to the tent I was directed to the miscreant piece of equipment. My first question was “Where can I plug this in?”
For you old geeks who can remember RS-232: yes, you can run a cable up to a half kilometer and still have it work.
1simplecat over 4 years ago
“Hello It. Have you tried turning it on and off again?”Roy TrennemanThe IT Crowd
Teto85 Premium Member over 4 years ago
“RTFM”
marilynnbyerly over 4 years ago
I’ve been reading Reddit posts from tech support people. One story involved an office manager who decided those big ugly towers under the desks had to go then couldn’t understand why the computer system was down.
the lost wizard over 4 years ago
Ctrl, alt, delete. That’s all they ever told me.
BiggerNate91 over 4 years ago
A computer is easy to understand – that is, if you’re not Roger.
KEA over 4 years ago
I had very much the same experience the first Adult Ed class I taught on computers. I told the class they could go ahead and turn on their computers and at least half of them asked how.
yangeldf over 4 years ago
not the stupidest computer user I’ve heard of. Just a few days ago I heard of a woman who recently upgraded her computer so it could use wireless networks, and she thought that meant she wouldn’t need any wires at all, including the power cord, so when her battery died after a couple hours of use she blamed the network providers for her computer not working anymore.
craigwestlake over 4 years ago
A typical Id-10-T problem…