Why do computer problems for non-techies cause them to forget how to read?

In my last job all of our terminals were powered 24/7 and fairly regularly after the cleaner has left, people started complaining of "!dead" PC's when all thats happened is the cleaner has used the socket which powers the monitor and just switched the socket off after they've replugged the monitor power back in post cleaning.

This was in an engineering firm with Phd level intellects working there and yet some of them were completely poleaxed when the PC didn't spring to life when they arrived at work despite the lights flashing on the case.
 
RevBillyG said:
My Mrs drives me mad with pop-ups and messages from games or windows. Never reads them, just clicks them away then complains when something goes wrong.
Click to expand...

This is my pet hate.

"My computer isn't working, a message popped up and now it's doing something strange"
"What did the message say?"
"I don't know, just clicked "OK""
ARRRRGH!

Cadder said:
I can understand if I'm trying to help an older person who is getting stressed out trying to use their PC or tablet.
I can't understand if people are almost deliberately being obtuse.
Click to expand...

To be honest, anyone under the age of 40 has absolutely no excuse - personal and office computers have been ubiquitous for the last 30 years or so - unless you've had a very isolated life you've almost certainly been using one for the majority of your adult life :mad:
 
Ayahuasca said:
I thought 3rd line was pretty hands-off in terms of direct customer interaction? Especially for basic issues?
Click to expand...

3rd line deal with 1st/2nd line, who are just as adept at non being able to read, and in small companies it's expected to jump onto calls if they are stacking up.

Any form of support will have to deal with users, it's the job.
 
Haggisman said:
To be honest, anyone under the age of 40 has absolutely no excuse - personal and office computers have been ubiquitous for the last 30 years or so - unless you've had a very isolated life you've almost certainly been using one for the majority of your adult life :mad:
Click to expand...

I don't get how some people younger than me (so in their 20's) can work CAD programs, use Word and send emails, but anything in between those uses is impossible for them to comprehend or deal with.

It has been alluded to in this thread already but people coming to me and saying "there's an error/prompt, what do I do?" without actually reading through it and realising it's really straightforward and almost conversational.


Maybe I am fortunate to have grown up with computers in the house.
 
Why do computer problems for non-techies cause them for forget how to read?

Why does making a post on a forum about non-techies and computer problems cause people to forget how to write?
 
explicit4u said:
Nope even highly educated people suffer from PC illiteracy, work 1st line in a uni and you'll see the ability to use a computer and read basic instructions is lacking even in people with PHDs and internationally renowned work.
Click to expand...

You're not going to convince me that anyone who can't understand "Your password has expired and must be changed" isn't stupid I'm afraid. You don't need to be computer literate to understand that. If someone has literally not used any kind of computer their whole lives (including smartphones, tablets etc.) then I kind of understand, but I doubt we're talking about those people, if they even exist in our society.
 
Worked at a place during a Uni summer job doing IT support

Was back in 2001 and at the time LCD Screens were new (ish) for desktop use and looked "cool" and took up less desk space
All staff had big CRT monitors unless they a)a new starter or b) their CRT broke in which case they got an LCD

Call comes in from a lady in accounts "monitor is broken"
go down to see what the problem is:
"I want an LCD monitor"
"well I cant just give them out - oh its just unplugged "- plug it back in all good now
walk back to my desk, 10 mins later:
same lady from accounts "my monitor is broken"
go back down
she pushed the CRT off her desk and it had smashed
now she gets an LCD...
 
Best one I had was a local printer issue, user complained it had major issues with losing power and it had to be repaired as it was causing issues, ok I thought I need to see this for myself before calling in a warranty repair from HP.

Upon visiting customers desk I witnessed her constantly bashing the in/out tray at the side of her mouse which in turn was knocking the power switch on the printer on the otherside of the tray, next she blurts "I don't why I called you as I knew you'd find someway to blame me when it's clear the power switch is on the wrong side of the printer!" at which point I had to walk away as I really couldn't afford to lose my job at that point in my life.
 
gettothechopper said:
Worked at a place during a Uni summer job doing IT support

Was back in 2001 and at the time LCD Screens were new (ish) for desktop use and looked "cool" and took up less desk space
All staff had big CRT monitors unless they a)a new starter or b) their CRT broke in which case they got an LCD

Call comes in from a lady in accounts "monitor is broken"
go down to see what the problem is:
"I want an LCD monitor"
"well I cant just give them out - oh its just unplugged "- plug it back in all good now
walk back to my desk, 10 mins later:
same lady from accounts "my monitor is broken"
go back down
she pushed the CRT off her desk and it had smashed
now she gets an LCD...
Click to expand...

Worked in a school about the same time and had an almost identical incident with the head of business studies. I was just the IT assistant then and even my 'in-training' eyes could tell he'd broken the CRT on purpose, as could the IT Admin.

HoBS got told he could have a new monitor but he would need to fill in a form and request it. Form was filled in and replied to with a waiting list position, estimated arrival, 16-18 weeks ;)

He went ballistic and tried to get the head of the school to intervene, at which point he was informed of the incident & HoBS was removed from his post as punishment. He quit the week after.
 
Still can't beat the woman at the local council who, when their offices went wireless, insisted on calling for help because her computer wouldn't switch on. Dumb **** had ditched the power cables. I **** you not!
 
I worked support and moved my way up to projects and pre-sales, but still have to be an escalation point for our support desk (IT and Telecoms). Had one last week where a user had gone into our new office for the first time and wanted to be able to print but couldnt. I knew the issue instantly so said to the 1st line guy, remote onto her PC, remove the Waterloo Printers and add the two London Printers.

Queue me in the office yesterday and said user said, ah can you help me with printing. Go to her machine, look at printers, still trying to use Waterloo Printer 1. Remove that and Waterloo Printer 2, then add London Printer 1 and London Printer 2 and she could print. Took me two minutes.
 
The industry I work in seems to be moving towards skipping the whole process by not showing error messages to users at all. It used to be normal for detailed error messages to be displayed. Even equipment that didn't have a screen usually displayed detailed error messages by a flash pattern on LEDs. Newer kit usually just stops working and displays an error message along the lines of "an error has occured - call support". Even if it's something trivial that could easily have been fixed onsite in a couple of minutes by anyone.

EDIT: Regarding the OP's point, I think there are a lot of people who get caught up in the idea that anything regarding a computer is a highly specialised and complicated task so they start from the assumption that they can't do it and that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Routinely using a computer doesn't necessarily help because many people don't see it that way - they see it not as using a computer but as using an app.
 
Last edited:
I support a secure web-based platform which has a login page. We use MFA (Google Auth) on it which is a massive headache in of itself but my major rage is when people email us saying they've forgotten their password.

Like any other secure platform with a login page, there is a link RIGHT THERE ON THE LOGIN PAGE that you can click to fill in your email address and reset your own password if you've forgotten it. Kill me now :(
 
Angilion said:
The industry I work in seems to be moving towards skipping the whole process by not showing error messages to users at all. It used to be normal for detailed error messages to be displayed. Even equipment that didn't have a screen usually displayed detailed error messages by a flash pattern on LEDs. Newer kit usually just stops working and displays an error message along the lines of "an error has occured - call support". Even if it's something trivial that could easily have been fixed onsite in a couple of minutes by anyone.

EDIT: Regarding the OP's point, I think there are a lot of people who get caught up in the idea that anything regarding a computer is a highly specialised and complicated task so they start from the assumption that they can't do it and that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Routinely using a computer doesn't necessarily help because many people don't see it that way - they see it not as using a computer but as using an app.
Click to expand...

Is that why Windows 8/10 gives a sad smiley face on blue screens? "Something went wrong? :(" :cry::cry::cry::cry:
 
gettothechopper said:
Worked at a place during a Uni summer job doing IT support

Was back in 2001 and at the time LCD Screens were new (ish) for desktop use and looked "cool" and took up less desk space
All staff had big CRT monitors unless they a)a new starter or b) their CRT broke in which case they got an LCD

Call comes in from a lady in accounts "monitor is broken"
go down to see what the problem is:
"I want an LCD monitor"
"well I cant just give them out - oh its just unplugged "- plug it back in all good now
walk back to my desk, 10 mins later:
same lady from accounts "my monitor is broken"
go back down
she pushed the CRT off her desk and it had smashed
now she gets an LCD...
Click to expand...

We’ve had plenty like that. At one time our IT was outsourced to a service provider who were very much against giving out ‘free’ upgrades so monitor and laptop replacements were on a ‘like for like’ basis which reduced the amount of deliberate damage although some enterprising members of staff started getting dead TFTs out of the skip, putting them on their desk then calling IT with a faulty monitor that needed replacing. After we got wind of that one we had to start smashing anything that went in the skip.
 
ITT: IT misaligned with business objectives and unaware of who pays their bills.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom