The family tech-support guy

[pcshark]

Why is it, when you spend your whole life geeking away at computers until you reach that point where you know so much about them that it frightens you to hear yourself talk; or even if you are new to the field, having just completed the most comprehensive course at CHUBB or some such school; or you've been in the field a few years, just got some certification, and feeling pretty darn good about your knowledge and your geek status...

It happens.

You sister calls you from Toledo to ask how to set the time on her VCR. Your dad calls at 10:30 PM and says his eBay connection was dropped, how does he get back on? Your cousins call to ask how to get better reception from their stereo. Your nephews see your technical know-how as a challenge and make disconcerting remarks like "Oh yeah? Next time you're online you are TOAST!!!"

Why oh why can't the customers stay at work? I get paid for an eight hour day, and occasionally even overtime. When I go home, I don't necessarily want to deal with this. And who told my mother I could fix her old TV anyway? Just because I'm a CNE, that does not necessarily make me a toaster repair man, too!

Next, they'll be asking me thinks like how planes work and why nuclear reactors create toxic waste. I DON'T KNOW!!! But show me a broken network and I'll get it back up for you.

I just had to get that off my chest. I feel much better now.

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R. Bret Walker, CNE

In space, nobody can hear you fart...

[Damned Angel]

Your not alone. But when It comes to family and friends I work for beer, not money.

[High*Ping*Drifter]

I hear ya...I'm to the point that only immediate family and my closest friends get tech answers from me...everyone else gets "Beats me!" or "Heck if I know, but I can tell you the capital of Equador!"

I work as a computer repair/upgrade tech at a major electronics retail store in the Chicagoland region...the questions I get frum customers are just downright scary...the sign over my work area says in LARGE letters, "Computer Repairs & Upgrades"...so, of course, every genetic misfit in 5 counties wanders in and wants me to fix his car stereo, or microwave, or cordless phone...and when I tell them "Uh...I'm a computer repair technician", they look at me stupidly and say crap like "You mean you can't fix my VCR?" or "You don't install stereos?" [Sigh] No, I don't fix stereos, or cordless phones, or nuclear reactors for that matter. WTF???

[Rant Mode OFF]


.High*Ping*Drifter.

"And a thousand, thousand slimy things lived on...and so did I."

[AlienDyne]

...Or when a customer comes in and asks about the machine he brought to you a couple of days before:
"Listen my friend, I really need it as soon as possible. We do the same work, so I can understand you. I'm a tech too".
"And what do you do for your living?", you reply. And he says "Well, I'm an Electrician." or "I work in a shipyard"!!!

Another problem is customers who demand things that don't have to do with your knowledge. Like connecting a cellular phone with a laptop and setting fax and data options for them. Or capturing a video from a VCR, or a camcorder and making a VCD. Or making music, using WAVE-LOOPS or a MIDI-organ. Yeah, right. Everybody knows some things about the above, but it's far from our duties!

Fixing friends' or relatives' computers is a nightmare sometimes.
I can fix a computer in a few minutes, no matter what the problem is. When it comes to a relative's or friend's one, it can take hours, days or can't be fixed! Coincidence, bad luck??? Who knows?

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God created human.
Human created computers.
God then got mad and created customers!!!!!

[stevet]

Being techs, we can differentiate between computers and other electronic devices. Most other people, on the other hand, see all electronic devices that they don't understand as "Little Magic Boxes". This includes toasters, VCR's, satellite receivers, Etch-A-Sketch's, etc. And they see us as "Little Magic Box Magicians".

Their reasoning: "If he can work on those amazingly complex computers, then surely he can fix my circa-1970 transistor radio - its a smaller magic box than a computer."

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Steve Taylor - Service Manager
Altoplanos Information Systems, Inc.
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho USA
www.altoplanos.net

[weazel]

ummm...what IS the capital of Equador anyway??

[ransomedson]

Ever notice that your (insert appropriate family member here) who does (insert appropriate skill/trade here) for a living wants you to spend four hours fixing his pc but when you need his help with something related to his line of work, your usually out of luck.

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There is no spoon...

[pcshark]

Actually, it seems like I'm the only one in the family who does anything USEFUL for a living. Except my uncle who paints houses. He's pretty ready to paint anything for anyone for next to nothing. So him I do not complain about. He gets all the free advice I can give (-:
Everybody else, well...My dad is a retired factory worker. They made plastic nibs. I have no use for that. My mother is a sales rep for Phillip Morris. I don't smoke. I have no use for that. I have three cousins and an aunt and an uncle who work at an aircraft assembly plant. Pretty sure I won't have a plane that needs repair for some time. The rest are counter jobs, telemarketing, etc.
My wife, on the other hand, stays at home and is an excellent mother to our kids. Her computer I'll fix ANYTIME (-:


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R. Bret Walker, CNE

I have a GUN up in my room. I'll go get it, we can shoot him together. Bang. Dead. It'll be fun.

[CJK]

I'm a network engineer, and it seems that ever since my family started to find out about this all the sudden I have aunts, uncles and cousins. I get a message on my phone from one of my family members asking to call them back. Oh, how nice there calling to see how I am.....wrong. "I have a computer and I heard your good with computers could you help me?" When I leave work I want to leave work not go home to more work. My solution screen your calls and don't call them back. Like they talk to you anyway.

[pcshark]

I hear ya! It seems like becoming a tech is like winning the lottery: all the relatives and friends you never knew you had come out of the woodwork looking for a handout! LOL

R. Bret Walker, CNE]
I haven't changed my signature yet. I'm still depressed about the Flyers )-:

[Hlodh]

The real worst part about it is that even the relatives and friends you hold closest to your heart will stop calling you, because they can always call you whenever they have a computer problem. And that's the truth. And I dare you to tell them that you don't have time to fix their computers...they will never talk to you again.

I know some of you are thinking to yourselves: "Hlodh, were YOU that little boy?" and the answer is yes, but some of you know what I'm talking about too, so don't front.

[LuvNCustomers]

Originally posted by CJK:
I'm a network engineer, and it seems that ever since my family started to find out about this all the sudden I have aunts, uncles and cousins. I get a message on my phone from one of my family members asking to call them back. Oh, how nice there calling to see how I am.....wrong. "I have a computer and I heard your good with computers could you help me?" When I leave work I want to leave work not go home to more work. My solution screen your calls and don't call them back. Like they talk to you anyway.

Wait a minute...you and I must have the same family...my favorite line "can you get me a deal on a computer?" my favorite line back "what did you get me for graduation?...nothing?" imagine that!

[drgonzoid]

a tech, no matter what field - i fix puters and printers myself - has no real friends i am rapidly discovering - they are all potential clients, i have people dropping over that i haven't seen for months saying oh while i'm here and bringing out assorted bits of electronic equipment - i don't know what other people think, but high voltage power supplies scare me lol - but they are a guarenteed way of stopping people asking u to fix things for them

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he who makes a beast of himself, gets rid of the pain of being a man....

[CW]

I use to have two phone lines. One for voice and the other for my net connection. I got so many calls asking about computer problems that I got rid of one of my phone lines.
The amount of time spent on the phone answering computer questions has mysteriously diminished after that.

Wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that my one line is tied up on the internet alot?

[mattd67]

I used to be a braggadocio, you know "I can fix anything etc" and customers used to flatter me with compliments saying how smart I am while I was fixing their snafu's. Then one day I shut my bug mouth and acted like I knew less and I had a much happier life outside of work. "What do you do for a living?" they ask and I say "Problem Solver". I could be a tech or I could be a hitman, you decide )

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