Family members and computers!

[Sawell]

All the time, but I tend to just tell them to drop me their base unit off and I'll look at it, I'm not always at home so it works out well. When I used to be at home more I'd always get friends and family asking to come round and sort it, did my head in. I don't mind helping out but I really find it hard understading how people are so dense when using a pc. Most of it is common sense, and if it can't be resolved with common sense then it can be with google.

 

[bledd]

you should backup everyone's stuff if you know the score mate

 

[Cosimo]

Is it just me or is having a hobby in computing a curse?

I wouldn't call it a hobby, it's just tinkering.

I have stopped building computers for friends and family because they call me and expect me to fix them all the time. I just tell them what to buy from the purple coats so they get the tech support guys phone number instead of mine.

Yup with only my exception, my sister. She is easy to support as all she does is surf/email.

 

[Hate]

I teach a friend of mine guitar sometimes, I turned up at her house one day to be greeted with her mum's computer and a request for me to re-install windows.

I've never, ever met her mother - all she knows about me is I set up her '3' internet dongle.

Narked me off that did.

Since I've moved to Mac now I just use the excuse that I'm out of the loop (which is partially true, I just don't have the patience to sit and learn something new so I can then go about fixing it)

 

[Heofz]

I don't mind people asking me to help them with their computer, but I always let them know exactly what they're asking of me and how long it will take, that way they will feel obliged to give me something in return, or at least feel like they'd be acting cheeky if they were to repeat future requests for my help, assuming the work I'm asked to do isn't an insignificant amount.

 

[GingerNinja1989]

Why do they insist on meddling all the time?? In uni, my computer (used only by me) -shiny and crud free. At home, family computer (used by my brother mainly) - full of spyware, encrusted with dirt and unloved. Guess who gets the blame for it though?

That's right, it's yours truly, all because I know about computers. Imbeciles!

 

[Richdog]

Yeah I HATE this about computers... I became my neighbours tech support for a while, spending numerous hours fixing their screwed Win 98 install bu getting them XP and upgrading their hardware etc until I stamped my foot down and said point blank politely yet firmly that I wasn't going to touch their PC any more unless I was paid £30/h. Cue shocked faces and mild muttering, but they didn't ask me about their PC again.

I now say the same to anyone besides my old man or VERY close friends, because they are the only ones that really appreciate what I do and give in return.

What a nice family you have if they don't trust you

No need for pointless comments like that, it's very normal for computer illiterate people, especially family, to blame everything on the computer-savvy son. Seen it many times.

As opposed to just 'illiterate'?

LOL OMG THAT WAS A GREAT AND VERY FUNNY ADDITION TO THE THREAD, FANX !1!!11!

 

[Happy]

All the time, but I tend to just tell them to drop me their base unit off and I'll look at it, I'm not always at home so it works out well. When I used to be at home more I'd always get friends and family asking to come round and sort it, did my head in. I don't mind helping out but I really find it hard understading how people are so dense when using a pc. Most of it is common sense, and if it can't be resolved with common sense then it can be with google.

That is the most annoying part, two seconds on google and their question is answered

 

[Richdog]

That is the most annoying part, two seconds on google and their question is answered

Oh God don't even get me started on people who seem incapable of using Google to find out basic answers... *gnashes teeth*

 

[Things change I've changed]

Yeah I HATE this about computers... I became my neighbours tech support for a while, spending numerous hours fixing their screwed Win 98 install bu getting them XP and upgrading their hardware etc until I stamped my foot down and said point blank politely yet firmly that I wasn't going to touch their PC any more unless I was paid £30/h. Cue shocked faces and mild muttering, but they didn't ask me about their PC again.

This is honestly the best policy, I've been stuck helping people out for months on end in the past for free or for a pittance, these days I'll help out close family and friends for free, that's it, even then if a friend wants a network of machines setting up I'd expect at least a healthy tip, I've cut most of my old free loaders lose now, funnily enough though some have rang me back over the years providing me with work, after seeing how much local computer stores charge for repairs I'm not surprised.

 

[Dark_Angel]

i know exactly what you mean. try sharing YOUR computer with someone like that.

i buy everything, i maintain everything.

he uses free of charge, complains and harrases me to buy new games for him to play (hes a working man of age 22) and abuses the one rule i have.

un ******* believable.

but theres nothing i can do about it so i guess we jus gota put up with it eh.

having typed that i realised its not really related, but what the hell, its a curse non the less xD

edit: i also get my dad telling me to leave the computer alone. but really how am i meant to learn if im not allowed to fiddle with my own computer that to be honest, he is starting to claim from me.

Why don't you have a choice?

 

[Ethics]

If you are computer literate you should have backed it up just incase (2 - 3 bookmarks? the end is ni! ). Then rifled through for porn as blackmail material of course...

I own all the puters in my place, so if something goes wrong i know who did it... the magic static fairy!

What i do hate is fixing something for someone as a favour and next thing you know their Gf / Wife / entire family has a problem and are now expecting you to fix them.

Also being 24/7 tech support and instantly know what's wrong when they say "the internet doesnt work"

Nevermind bloody ID cards, make people take IT license examinations, don't have a license? can't own a computer.

 

[danielmp007]

My dad used to blame me for everything.

I like visual basic so if you try this and put it on his desktop and change the desktop icon to internet or my documents

do
x=msgbox (" You've been on a dirty website",1,"Error")
x=msgbox (" Ok or cancel wont work. Tut Tut",1,"Error")
loop

Copy that into notepad and save it as... My Documents.vbs

change the icon and watch his face when it wont go away. give it a try now its quite fun.

 

[Pulse]

i just don't bother with anyone else's pc anymore. But dad use to complain about the family computer, so i built my own, funny how i stopped using the family computer and it still broke. Dad said i'm always breaking my pc thats why ive had the same vista install for 10 months and he's completely reinstalled 3 times in the same period.

 

[memyselfandi]

I'm happy to help out with immediate family, (as they mostly have hand me down systems from me anyway) ... my Dad is reasonably computer literate but his main problem at the moment is that he needs a complete reinstall or preferably a new box as his is getting on a bit. My Mum hardly uses the computer unless it's for online shopping or researching holidays. Fortunately when it breaks my Dad gets the blame, (although I do try and blame my sister).

With friends, well most of my close friends are very computer literate and work in the industry. When I have done stuff for them it normally due to a problem which hasn't been caused by a random download etc and is a genuine issue they've encountered, (that's not to say they haven't caused it themselves by doing something though). I'm happy to help them and normally get paid in food/beer/both

Other people ... nope, not any more ... it's to much hassle and it's a waste of my time.

 

[Dark_Angel]

My dad used to blame me for everything.

I like visual basic so if you try this and put it on his desktop and change the desktop icon to internet or my documents

do
x=msgbox (" You've been on a dirty website",1,"Error")
x=msgbox (" Ok or cancel wont work. Tut Tut",1,"Error")
loop

Copy that into notepad and save it as... My Documents.vbs

change the icon and watch his face when it wont go away. give it a try now its quite fun.

This will be used. A lot.

 

[Knubje]

Don't really get this anymore, although I used to a lot. I sort my computer, my gf's family computer and my mum's work laptop and that is IT.

It's extremely annoying but I have found that if it's going to be more than a 10 minute "oh, its this , that and this", then you have to state that it will require a fair amount of work and that you would have to charge for your time.

People will either come back or go to PC world and get ripped off £60 an hour or whatever they charge.

 

[stubie_doo]

Didn't mind fixing the parents computer until I went to university. I've lost count of the amount of phonecalls i've had about outlook archive messages and windows updates. All their common sense seems to go out the window, son, how do i send the email i've typed?...erm click big the send button perhaps??

The worst one though has to be talking them through installing printer drivers when I couldn't see their screen...

Me: Right, double click the blue computer icon.
Dad: Done that but nothings come up
Me: its loading
Dad: Ive clicked it again anyway.
Me: Now what does it say?
Dad: What language?
Me: if it says english just click yes
Dad: Says english (US) you want me to click next?
Me: Yes
Dad: Continue Setup?
Me: Yes if thats what it says (growls under breath)
Dad: Now it says software licence agreement, what do i do now click print?
Me: No need just click continue
Dad: you don't want me to read it?
Me: No just click contine
Dad:There's no continue button.
Me: what do you mean there's no continue button?
Dad: There isn't one
Me: what does it say?
Dad: I agree or disagree
Me: Come on use some common sense.
Dad: No need to shout at me, Right, standard installation?
Me: Yes

and it goes on...

 

[Camalot]

Ive started pretending that im not keeping up with technology nowerdays and dont know how to fix it.
.

I do the same now.