IT requires Skill and Knowledge

[trust]

I just received this from a friend :lol:

There's always one.... I think this guy should have been promoted, not fired.
This is a true story from the Word Perfect Helpline, which was transcribed from a recording monitoring the customer care department.
Needless to say the Help Desk employee was fired; however, he/she is currently suing the Word Perfect organization for "Termination without Cause".

Actual dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee.
(Now I know why they record these conversations!):

Operator: "Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?"
Caller: "Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect."

Operator: "What sort of trouble?"
Caller: "Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away."

Operator: "Went away?"
Caller: "They disappeared."

Operator: "Hmm. So what does your screen look like now?"
Caller: "Nothing."

Operator: "Nothing?"
Caller: "It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type."

Operator: "Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out?"
Caller: "How do I tell?"

Operator: "Can you see the C: prompt on the screen?"
Caller: "What's a sea-prompt?"

Operator: "Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?"
Caller: "There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type."

Operator: "Does your monitor have a power indicator?"
Caller: "What's a monitor?"

Operator: "It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV.
Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on?"
Caller: "I don't know."

Operator: "Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that?"
Caller: "Yes, I think so."

Operator: "Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall.
Caller: "Yes, it is."
Operator: "When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one??"
Caller: "No."

Operator: "Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable."
Caller: "Okay, here it is."

Operator: "Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer."
Caller: "I can't reach."

Operator: "Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is?"
Caller: "No."

Operator: "Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over?"
Caller: "Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle - it's because it's dark."

Operator: "Dark?"
Caller: "Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window."

Operator: "Well, turn on the office light then."
Caller: "I can't."

Operator: "No? Why not?"
Caller: "Because there's a power failure."

Operator: "A power... A power failure? Aha, Okay, we've got it licked now.
Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in??"
Caller: "Well, yes, I keep them in the closet."

Operator: "Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from."
Caller: "Really? Is it that bad?"

Operator: "Yes, I'm afraid it is."
Caller: "Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?"

Operator: "Tell them you're too ******* stupid to own a computer!!

[imported_mrcol]

this is extrmely old and fake....

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

[willofgod]

Operator: "Can you see the C: prompt on the screen?"
Caller: "What's a sea-prompt?"

Not very convincing either. I mean why would the narrator choose to replace 'C:' with the word 'sea' in the above? Thats a dead give away. That said some of it rings true, users can be infuriatingly difficult to deal with, and answers like "i dont know" when you ask a simple question, can make you want to kill em! :twisted:

The thing I really hate is when people ring up and ask the same thing time and time again every few months because they cant be arsed to learn something or write it down. That really pisses me off!

[BuLLiTT]

8) my mates brother works at pc world (someone has to!), and there ARE people like those in Trusts post, computers for some people are just to complicated to use, so they shouldnt waste their money :roll:

[willofgod]

I always wonder how people with almost no IT knowledge cope with their PCs when problems crop up. I mean just how does Jo Public cope when Windows refuses to boot or crashes randomly??? I have enough problems sorting these things out and I'm supposed to be an IT professional. God only knows how these poor sods with no practical knowledge of computers or Windows deal with things. No wonder PC World can charge an arm and a leg to do the simplest thing like install a RAM module or remove a virus. That said, changing things on other peoples PCs is fraught with danger. I thought I was doing my mates sister a favour by installing XPSP2 on her machine... until it refused to boot anymore! Sorting that one out for horrible. Fucking Windows, if I ever catch Gates on the streets I'm going to give him such a dirty look!

[trust]

errrmmmmmm is this an admission Willow :lol:

I have enough problems sorting these things out and I'm supposed to be an IT professional

[Villan]

That's why he reinstalls Windows on a weekly basis. Just in case.

[willofgod]

Absolutely!

This subject is huge. I'm sure 30 years ago there were people about who probably knew everthing there was to know about systems (I know someone who claims to be such a person)!

But these days the more I learn the more I realise how little I actually know. Some of my friends and family think I'm some kind of genius just because I've managed to sort out some obscure problem on their PC's, where in reality I believe I know very little.

The secret is knowing enough to be able to research a problem and knowing where to look solve it.

[willofgod]

That's why he reinstalls Windows on a weekly basis. Just in case.

No, thats called being effcient!

You spent 2 frustrating weeks faffing around trying to solve a problem you could easily have fixed with a quick reinstall that would have taken you half an hour. Thats why I choose to reinstall every so often - because its quick and gaurantees a fresh start!

And if I could be bothered to get a copy of Norton Ghost and suss out how it worked, things would be much easier still as I wouldn't have to download patches and install COD every time!

So rub that round your rhubarb!

[Maggot]

I always wonder how people with almost no IT knowledge cope with their PCs when problems crop up

Now that time has passed and your average joe has been through several pcs in a vain effort to keep up with the games market, when the pc of the moment dies what you do (what I've done before) is boot up the old P60 you used to have as your pride and joy and go online to search through tons of knowledgebases (these days I'd probably just ask Col :wink: )

[willofgod]

these days I'd probably just ask Col :wink:

Yes, he does have a rather good interactive interface doesn't he, and you can query him in plain english! :wink:

[Falkwing]

An indian guy I worked with in Stockholm was considered to be an IT God by the bank's management.... until he called ina service engineer because his CD drive wouldn't work.

The engineer quickly diangosed the problem.... the CDs were inserted upside down.

[Falkwing]

An indian guy I worked with in Stockholm was considered to be an IT God by the bank's management.... until he called in a service engineer because his CD drive wouldn't work.

The engineer quickly diangosed the problem.... the CDs were inserted upside down.

[Villan]

No, thats called being effcient!



No that's lazy ignorance.

Don't bother to found out what's wrong and fix the the problem, just re-install Windows and hope it goes away till the next time.

Why don't you apply for a job with PC World then?
You'd fit in nicely.