Ever have a user who you think wouldn't be able to handle two computers?

[Draggar]

I've been debating giving a friend of mine an old laptop my wife got when she went to college but the issue is I don't think who it is intended for would be able to handle two computers.

Updating docs and keeping them on a USB drive, getting emails one one but not the other, etc.

A month ago I would have sent it to him in a second but now I'm having second thoughts - it might be too much for him to handle.

Comments?

[NooNoo]

If his email provider supports imap and there is a wireless network so you can setup shares... why not?

[Draggar]

Noo, he doesn't even know how to copy files over to a USB drive he was given.

He's still on 56K and has a tendency to "click to far" (clicking into ads) when he tries to download AVG.

He's at least a 16 hour drive from me.

Trust me, IMAP and wireless network would be worse than speaking Greek to him.

[NooNoo]

I know what you mean... I have a customer that can do wonderful things with photoshop but had no clue how to copy and paste! If he is that far away, I agree, there is no way you can drop things and go and sort him out... unless he is offering you a week's holiday while you train him!

[slgrieb]

Ah, Draggar, your example is only the tip of the iceberg. Slg rummages around a moment for a soapbox, clears his throat and recounts an anecdote.

I've got a client who had me build her a computer specifically so she could run the latest version of her business software. It kept a customer database, generated work orders kept bank balances, sales tax records, payroll, Woo Hoo!

Seriously, a very thorough, well thought out solution for her business. One of the few vertical market applications I've liked. But...

Customer couldn't adapt to using the software, and continued to write all her appointments, work orders, payments, paychecks, etc. on paper. Then, she entered them in her business management software.

Of course, at the end of the day you're tired and don't want to mess with data entry, so she wanted to do it at home. So I set up Logmein so she could use her laptop to do data entry from her home in the program she should have used instead of all the paper in the first place.

That worked OK for a couple of weeks, then the client complained that the cost of two internet connections was too high, and she killed the connection at the office, so Logmein was useless, but she still wouldn't give up doing everything on paper and move her data entry and record keeping to her very expensive business management software so the new computer hasn't even been turned on in two months, and she has a huge backlog of paper records to file and she's behind on payroll and sales taxes, and...

Wait! What's my name? What's my favorite color? What is my Quest? Yes, Draggar, I'd say some folks can't handle two computers.

[Guts3d]

What is the air speed of an unladed swallow?

[Niclo Iste]

That depends sir. Are you talking of a european swallow or an african swallow?

[El_Squid]

Ni!

[Guts3d]

I'll go away before you taunt me a second time...