Tranquility7 Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 I know, stupid first world problem. But I do. I DESPISE it. I was a software developer ten years ago. Even THEN I hated dealing with IT junk. I wanted to write awesome software, not deal with random technical problems all day. But because I used to be in tech, everyone assumes I should be able to solve every computer problem anyone has. The kids' laptop isn't connecting to the internet anymore. Do I know why? Nope. Have I already spent two hours I don't have trying to solve it? Yep. Is it completely hampering our productivity? Yep. Am I about to toss their laptop out the window? Yep. Grrr. DH is of no help because despite the fact that he works for a huge tech firm, his job has nothing to do with tech and he doesn't even know how to check his VM on his cellphone (I am not kidding). :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :cursing: :cursing: :cursing: :cursing: :cursing: 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 You know, my printer isn't connecting properly, could you tell me what is wrong with it???? (sorry, couldn't help myself! I only WISH I could understand anything about computers.) 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Ivy Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 :grouphug: Dh is the same way. It gets frustrating. He doesn't mind fixing issues for close family (my parents, sister/bil, or his mom and sister), but it's super annoying when acquaintances and random people just ask for his help. It's amazing what people will ask for, even if they don't know you well. ETA: DH has finally trained me to just shut up when there is a problem and to not pester him or get upset. He will fix it if he can, but even he doesn't always know what's wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professormom Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Oh wow, do I hear you! Same thing at our place, I used to run web development projects when it was still "new media" lol. So now I have to handle our pcs, iPods, iPads, phones, Internet, and those of my in-laws. I am soooo tired of it. Things can do so much more now, but they also break or get wonky SO much more often than they used to because of all of the updating. It is so crazy-making! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalex Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 We've been known to avoid seeing a certain family member because DH always ends up trying to fix their computer for the whole visit. ....it takes so long for scans and downloads and uploads and looking for whatever kind of fix.... Yup, I feel for you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 LOL, you need to hold a "tech conference" and teach your family how to Google solutions to tech problems. ;) On a similar note, my DH is the "counselor" for his family. He has a ministry degree, so naturally, if anyone EVER wants to talk religion or discuss their crazy problems or what-have-you, they feel they should call DH. Sometimes we're just like: go find a COUNSELOR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 You should do what Roy does: Here's another one: 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 my husband hates being the tech person as well. Long ago he pushed me to try linux. Bought me RedHat so I could call them for help. The tech people I called knew nothing...and said they were windows people ;-) So he pushed me to mac. And I can do a lot without his help. But when I need his help, I really need his help! And it's never a simple fix. He hates it. It's worse when the family calls wanting help. B/c they are CLUELESS about how to turn things on much less explain to him what is going wrong lol. It's awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 If everyone else can connect to your wifi router, either the onboard wifi is spoilt or the wifi drivers are wonky. If no one can connect, power cycle your wifi router and your modem. My hubby was his extended family tech support even after we moved out of country. They Skype him to ask how to do IT task or to troubleshoot. The irony is that my BIL has a bachelors in computer science while hubby is from engineering. Luckily they are too polite to ask me for IT help if they can't get hubby. It took a few years for them to ask BIL to do the first round of troubleshooting instead of hubby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Preach it, sister! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 My MIL has a degree in IT and worked in IT for years before retiring and she still calls DH for help all the time I have learned to try to fix things myself first and only ask DH as a last resort. The kids are also learning to fix their own computer problems. Though often times they get middle kid to help because he is better at solving problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 My DH used to have a shirt that said, "No, I will not fix your computer." LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 My husband's a programmer and people think that just because I live in the same house as him, I should be semi competent. Um, no, if anything I'm LESS competent because all I have to do is ask for his help when something goes wrong. :) Yet I still get questions. Seriously, I don't know. Just hit buttons till something gets better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Ugh, I hear you. I feel for you. I am so right there with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 LOL. I'm an IT/CSC professor, and I always have to be clear that I don't run a computer fix-it shop. Last week an online student posted on a discussion board about not being able to install their software. That's ALL they said. I asked them where they bought it. They bought it from the vendor. I gave them the link on how to contact the vendor. They got it installed. That was tough! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 My DH gets frustrated when the same person keeps managing to break the same computer. He repairs what he can for my parents and sister, and his parents. He never has a problem fixing our stuff at home. He'd rather I wait for him to get home instead of making it more of a mess (I can handle basics of trying new drivers for printers and unplugging and plugging in cables to reset the Internet). Random people don't realize that asking him to fix their computers is akin to stopping the family doctor in Walmart and asking for a diagnosis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Oh yeah, we have someone like that in our family! It sure is handy! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 My husband says similar things. Well he actually does like tinkering. He just doesn't like when people expect stuff to be fixed yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 I have found that YouTube is my friend for fixing computer issues. It's also pretty exhilerating when someone non-techy such as myself nevertheless follows an on-line troubleshoot and does manage to fix the problem. Feels heroic. More people should try that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 I have found that YouTube is my friend for fixing computer issues. It's also pretty exhilerating when someone non-techy such as myself nevertheless follows an on-line troubleshoot and does manage to fix the problem. Feels heroic. More people should try that. My Mom has been known to lose "the Google" so I don't think directing her to YouTube would help lol 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 I have a degree in comp sci and used to be a software engineer/designer/developer. I just had to buy a new laptop for my mom and oh my gosh it was a HUGE pain picking one out with every amenity she wanted plus setting it up. I FORCED her to pay for a Geek Squad package. LOL. I'm starting to play stupid more and more. DH also has a masters in software development and an undergrad in comp sci, so at least SOME of this stuff defaults to him. We have a new laptop on order and I'm getting hives about thinking of setting it up. DS is going to move over to that for school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessReplanted Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Yes, me too!! And I don't even know what I'm doing most of the time. My husband truly believes that he is incapable of doing anything related to the computers, or the internet. It's to the point where I have taught him how to scan a document several times, and he just still says that he doesn't know how to do it. It can be infuriating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 When something doesn't work, I yell "tech support!" And DH comes and fixes it. Are you saying this isn't charming? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 My Mom has been known to lose "the Google" so I don't think directing her to YouTube would help lol lOL! I can totally hear DH saying that, "Well, I *would* look it up but the Google thing disappeared..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharonM Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I totally understand. Dh and ds are both in computer related fields. I really try to learn more so I bug them less. My dh worked for a big software company. When we would go to Aunties house for thanksgiving or Christmas she would ask him to fix afew little things. His holiday was spent in their spare room fixing their stupid computer. He always told them not to download the "cute crap" that invariably had malware attached, which they always did. After a couple of years of this going on, I heard her refer to dh as her computer guy, she wasnt worried to have problems cuz her "guy" could fix it. ugh. We stopped going to their house for holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermama Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I spent over an hour last night when I was supposed to be getting DS ready for bed walking a family member through using a piece of software I'd never heard of on an OS I haven't used for 5+ years. It doesn't happen that often, but oh my gosh, my family always comes up with doozies when it does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieA97 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I'm not sure how I became the tech person in our family-maybe it was the time I worked admin in an IT department? :) My FIL is the worst. He will call and say I can't find the presentation I was going to show at church (that someone else created for him). So I have to walk him through it step by step. OK, hit the start button. Where is that? Which button do I press on the mouse? This is what comes up- and then reads me every. single. option listed on the start menu. Drives me up the wall! And he never calls at a convenient time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 For my immediate family (Wife, DD, Stepson/DIL, I am the IT person and the Network Administrator in our house. I have no problem with that role. But I remember, many years ago, spending hours, when we were in the home of one of my wife's nieces, upstairs, in a room alone, working on her PC. Many other hours I spent working on a very old PC a friends DD had, but I had that PC in our house, so that wasn't so bad and I was able to work on it and research the problem in my "spare" time. Now, if someone could tell me what happened to the Windows 7 installation on my laptop last Saturday morning, when I turned it on and it hung at the "Starting Windows" message. Apparently that's a very common problem and I suspect it had to do with a recent Windows Update or a Driver. It was a "dual boot" (Windows and Linux) box and I wasn't able, for some reason, to restore from the System Image I'd made with Clonezilla live. Now, it has a fresh ("Clean") installation of Windows 7 and I will not make it dual boot again. Dual boot did not cause the Windows disaster, but it made recovery more complicated. It will take countless hours for me to reinstall the Applications and Utilities I had on that laptop. My wife and DD flew to Bogota Monday afternoon with that laptop and then DD called me and told me they couldn't connect to the WiFi. I had tested the WiFi, here in "the office" and in the bedroom, last weekend. I believe they got it working properly, after getting the configuration settings correct. I am using my wife's Dell Latitude E6400 laptop now, which has a hard drive that is failing (the "SMART" threshold was exceeded)..The replacement hard drive should be delivered to our Receiver/Forwarder in Miami today. I think I will have my wife replace the hard drive (a 2 minute job) and then after I run Diagnostics on the hard drive I will restore from the System Image I made with Clonezilla Live. (The hard drive has approximately 38,320 POH (Powered on Hours) as I write this, and I have a lot of respect for this Seagate hard drive). My wife and DD can do things with the Android Tablet and the Samsung Galaxy Android phone that I will never be able to do, so they are the experts with cell phones and remote controls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I hate being the family cook. Despise it. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I hate being the family cook. Despise it. :( Me too! I do enjoy cooking, just not everyday. No idea what to make tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davysmom Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I thought it was just me. I hate this so much!! I am hoping one of the kids is the next IT person, so I can "retire" :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I feel your pain. Except, I have no background in IT at all. I'm just the person who uses a computer the most and I am pretty quick to figure out how to use new software. Why that translates to "I can't connect! Fix it, Audrey! Fix it!" I just do not know. It aggravates me to no end. I always do or tell them to do the same thing: power cycle the modem and router; if that doesn't work, reboot your computer; repeat or give up because that's all I've got. Yet, they never remember that this is how it always goes. It's enough to make a pacifist have day dreams of Rambo-esque sprees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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