Computer genius that can’t use a computer

mrochester said:
Hi all.

This applies both to my mum and a colleague, but I’ve noticed that there is a group of people who are absolute coding geniuses and can write SQL to do pretty much anything, but really struggle with basic functionality of a computer. For instance, using the mouse to grab scroll bars to scroll instead of the mouse wheel, not really know how to use the start menu in Windows very well, not knowing how to take a screenshot, etc.

It just seems odd to me!
Click to expand...
I suppose it's like being able to speak English fluently but not being able to pass an English exam. See it all the time.
 
Last edited:
Another here. I'm in tech support. I can Wiz around Windows, iOS or Android quicker than almost anyone I know whether they're in the industry or not. However nor am I arrogant enough to think that makes me an expert on all things computers.

I work in an accountancy firm and I often get asked about complex Excel queries. Honestly, I often tell them I will try and help but that they probably know 100x more about Excel than I ever will as I've no need to use it for anything but the most basic tasks. I can quite happily fix it for them if it doesn't load, crashes etc but if they ask me about formulas or pivot tables or whatever then they might as well ask the wall :D funnily enough though because I am IT they think I know everything to do with computers full stop. It's a bit like asking Lewis Hamilton to repair his car when it breaks down. Different strokes and all that...
 
mrochester said:
Hi all.

This applies both to my mum and a colleague, but I’ve noticed that there is a group of people who are absolute coding geniuses and can write SQL to do pretty much anything, but really struggle with basic functionality of a computer. For instance, using the mouse to grab scroll bars to scroll instead of the mouse wheel, not really know how to use the start menu in Windows very well, not knowing how to take a screenshot, etc.

It just seems odd to me!
Click to expand...

Guy in work has a foundation IT degree. Struggles with basic IT, print screening or windows shortcuts, alt tab, moving a mouse about like your elderly gran does. Thought I was winding him up by stating one of our kit could be overheating because it may need new thermal paste (PC was like 10+ years old). He thought I'd made thermal paste up.....
 
AHarvey said:
For instance, the number of people I work with in a software analyst dept that still use CTRL+ALT+DEL to lock their laptops instead of WIN+L is shocking and are truly amazed when you show them.
Click to expand...

Whaaaaaaaaaaat??????????
 
I worked in IT Dept. at the local council when they switched over to wireless in the offices. That first Monday back was insane, we had constant calls from staff, mainly in two particular departments, all shouting about how their computers were broken and they couldn't seem to get them working. The dumb ***** had only got rid of the power leads because 'wireless'.
 
AHarvey said:
For instance, the number of people I work with in a software analyst dept that still use CTRL+ALT+DEL to lock their laptops instead of WIN+L is shocking and are truly amazed when you show them. Same as WIN+CURSOR keys for windows snapping.
Click to expand...
WOW I never knew about Win+L

I always gone to the bottom left corner and clicked the start menu and then clicked the round The icon at the top and then click Lock...:o
 
AHarvey said:
For instance, the number of people I work with in a software analyst dept that still use CTRL+ALT+DEL to lock their laptops instead of WIN+L is shocking and are truly amazed when you show them. Same as WIN+CURSOR keys for windows snapping.
Click to expand...

Like most people don't realise you can open the applications on your task bar by holding WIN and hitting the corresponding number key.
 
Malevolence said:
Like most people don't realise you can open the applications on your task bar by holding WIN and hitting the corresponding number key.
Click to expand...

The WIN+L thing was relatively recent, was it not? Like Win 7 or Vista? CTRL+ALT+DEL and enter for lock is still pretty quick. (Edit: According to wiki, it was Win2000 so yeah quite old after all - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_key)

As for your shortcut, I love that one, I use it all the time. Although it gets a bit harder after 5 or 6 and becomes more of a chore. Well it does to me. You can do the same thing with chrome tabs too - CTRL+number key for selecting the desired tab.
 
mrochester said:
Hi all.

This applies both to my mum and a colleague, but I’ve noticed that there is a group of people who are absolute coding geniuses and can write SQL to do pretty much anything, but really struggle with basic functionality of a computer. For instance, using the mouse to grab scroll bars to scroll instead of the mouse wheel, not really know how to use the start menu in Windows very well, not knowing how to take a screenshot, etc.

It just seems odd to me!
Click to expand...

Maybe they are a bit autistic? I've noticed quite a lot of very high level people in their fields, not just in computing, when it comes to socialising or doing basic every day things struggle. Medical consultants, professors, are known for it.
 
I would consider myself IT literate in that I know some assembly, C++, the usual stuff like HTML and JavaScript. I know my way around the Raspberry Pi, including how to turn them into a media server and a hardware ad-blocker, which means knowing some command line Linux as well.

Yet for really simple stuff like Facebook, I can't get my head around it. I write a post and I don't know where it ends up, even though my profile is viewable to friends only. My mum once told me to delete a post because she took it seriously and my post was intended as a joke and it took me ages to find my post again so that I could delete it. Is anyone else with me here on complex stuff vs Facebook?

Another one for me is the Office 2007+ ribbon vs older Office with file/edit/view/format/help menus. The Office 2007 family has been out for over 10 years now and I still can't get my head around the ribbon interface. Maybe it's because I'm partially sighted, but I have just never been able to memorise the ribbon command placements :(
 
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...
Never needed too, I had an issue where Windows automatically scaled earlier today but I soon set it back to 100%.
 
Pawnless Endgame said:
I would consider myself IT literate in that I know some assembly, C++, the usual stuff like HTML and JavaScript. I know my way around the Raspberry Pi, including how to turn them into a media server and a hardware ad-blocker, which means knowing some command line Linux as well.

Yet for really simple stuff like Facebook, I can't get my head around it. I write a post and I don't know where it ends up, even though my profile is viewable to friends only. My mum once told me to delete a post because she took it seriously and my post was intended as a joke and it took me ages to find my post again so that I could delete it. Is anyone else with me here on complex stuff vs Facebook?

Another one for me is the Office 2007+ ribbon vs older Office with file/edit/view/format/help menus. The Office 2007 family has been out for over 10 years now and I still can't get my head around the ribbon interface. Maybe it's because I'm partially sighted, but I have just never been able to memorise the ribbon command placements :(
Click to expand...
I'm the same. I can write code in a multitude of languages. I have built computers. I am the guy my family go to, to fix anything technical.

But I have no clue how facebook or twitter work. I dont even know the differemce between a @ and # on twitter.

I also can't find what I want in the office ribbon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom