Computer genius that can’t use a computer

I work in IT but I don't have a clue what is going on in the world of desktop or server hardware, because I don't care.
 
AHarvey said:
I had a phone call once from a girl with a computer science degree raging at me because I'd broken her computer when I used it the evening before... I'd maximised the resolution so I could see more...
Click to expand...

I installed a few 24" screens in an office once and had a call after I'd gone that everything was too small and they couldn't see what they were doing. They ended up dropping the resolution down so everything was massive and looked horrible. These were all relatively young people as well.
 
Clav said:
Kind of like this, I've got a career in IT and hobby with building computers, gaming etc. But I'm not great with mobile phones, couldn't figure out how to post a link from Amazon app into Whatsapp last night so ended up taking photos on my desktop PC and sending those instead :D
Click to expand...

This is me 100%!
 
Street said:
I installed a few 24" screens in an office once and had a call after I'd gone that everything was too small and they couldn't see what they were doing. They ended up dropping the resolution down so everything was massive and looked horrible. These were all relatively young people as well.
Click to expand...
Why not just use scaling?
 
Clav said:
Kind of like this, I've got a career in IT and hobby with building computers, gaming etc. But I'm not great with mobile phones, couldn't figure out how to post a link from Amazon app into Whatsapp last night so ended up taking photos on my desktop PC and sending those instead :D
Click to expand...

I know very little about PC's but did build my own to gaming spec but I don't play games - I think it was the challenge - I am happy to say my smart phone has broke - I hate them and struggle with them - Our laptop is now 5 yrs old and I still can't figure out how to right click using touch pad. - plug a mouse in -simple.
 
Worse than people who don't know how to use a computer, are those who *think* they know how to use a computer. Example in this case being my FIL who's only tool to fix a computer is to clear temporary internet files. Computer running slow? Clear temporary internet files - it frees more RAM. Won't print? Clear temporary internet files! It eases the load on the CPU!
 
Probably because they work in shells most of the time and not in windows. Knowing a bunch of windows shortcuts doesn't make you a computer genius (even if your mum tells you that you are).
 
Clav said:
Kind of like this, I've got a career in IT and hobby with building computers, gaming etc. But I'm not great with mobile phones, couldn't figure out how to post a link from Amazon app into Whatsapp last night so ended up taking photos on my desktop PC and sending those instead :D
Click to expand...

Snap, I have minimal interest in phones for anything other than talking to someone. So I do not learn about them. Desktops, I have used since the 1980's.
 
I came in expecting this thread to be about the Japanese minister of Cyber Security:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...inisternever-used-computer-yoshitaka-sakurada

I was reading this the other day and thought it was a good idea. He is going to have to trust the advice from the experts employed to actually give advice. He's not going to bring any of his own misconceptions to it like somebody may do if they have a bit of knowledge. There's also zero chance his email/computer will get hacked.
 
Doogles said:
Why not just use scaling?
Click to expand...
Spunkey said:
Have you tried using scaling? It works with the OS but breaks 90% of applications as they just aren't designed to support it; buttons off screen, overflowed text etc.
Click to expand...

Yep, that was why. They used a third party piece of software that broke when scaled. Dropping the resolution worked fine and they were happy.. It looked horrific to me though!
 
I don't really care what level of ability people have, as long as they can do what they need, that's all that's important.

One thing which does bug me a tiny little bit though is watching people enter passwords.

Their password starts with a capital letter. They hit caps lock, type the letter, then hit caps lock again.

WHY?

They don't do this when working in documents, what's special about the password entry field?
 
I find a very similar issue with many people who I work with. I've had to help several BA's reformat files because they couldn't work out how to edit them correctly. They knew Excel and were trying to build data files with that (which is never going to work properly). I also find a lot of my own IT Support team don't know the very basics about scripting. This isn't a PC support team but a team that supports the applications on investment bank trade platforms. I think in both of those cases it's a case of people going into the role due to the money rather than because they genuinely love technology. I can always spot people who enjoy tech; they know loads of things that their immediate role doesn't need them to know. They learned extra things because they love tech.
 
Feek said:
I don't really care what level of ability people have, as long as they can do what they need, that's all that's important.

One thing which does bug me a tiny little bit though is watching people enter passwords.

Their password starts with a capital letter. They hit caps lock, type the letter, then hit caps lock again.

WHY?

They don't do this when working in documents, what's special about the password entry field?
Click to expand...
I don't do it myself but I can understand why. Quite often if you hold the shift key down then then you may capitalise the first and second letter by mistake. You won't know until the password is rejected because what you type is hidden. But if you press the caps lock instead, and then release it by pressing again later, you know for certain which letter is capitalised.
 
I use caps lock always instead of shift. I started doing it when I was a kid and didn't know you could do it with the shift key, these days it's just muscle memory. A quick double tap of caps instead of a quick hold of shift.

I tried to break the habit a couple of times but it didn't work.

People always notice when they see me type. :p

I work as t2 app support at an insurance software company.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom