It's not always the computers fault

273 Views 15 Posts PC Software

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Before we get started I would like to say I'm far from being a computer expert and I run into computer issues all the time just like the rest of us.
However since I use computers everyday and I would pretty much be screwed if I didn't have them, I have done what I can to at least learn the basics. What to do to keep it running well and what not to do so I don't end up stuffing it up. Just few basic maintenance things you can do periodically can keep you out of trouble. Same deal with the "do's and don'ts", things like clicking on weird attachments on emails, installing programs you nothing about, hitting the reset button while the computer is updating etc etc.
All of that and more I have taken on board so I don't stuff up a piece of equipment that I depend on every day. You learn how to look after your car and drive it properly because again that's something you would be screwed if that wasn't working... so why can;t most people do the same for the PCs?

For example in my workplace we all have our own computers (I have a few more running other equipment), my computer has never had any major problems. But my workmates computers are always running slow, locking up temporarily, crashing and more. Oh yeah they come crying to me when something is not working right even though I'm no where near IT qualifications.

One common phrase I hear is "I hate this computer" . I follow up with "why what is it doing?". The most recent response I got to that was "I can't edit this item because someone else has it open somewhere else and it has made my screen lock op". Well that's not the computers fault it's the software and two people not communication about what they are doing.
Another classic is "My computer is always running like shit!" out of curiosity I check their computer to find that there's like 1 or 2gb of HDD space left and 10 pending updates. I say "Clean up your hard drive and install your updates" which usually follows with "I don't have time for that because I'll have to restart my computer"... [Facepalm]
I have many many more face palm PC stories, but I'd like to hear a different tune. Share some of yours.

tl;dr? people depend on computers but not willing to look after them, computer breaks they blame the computer.

21/05/2012

I'm a level 5 Laser Lotus

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GreenThumb

It's common sense that you need to maintain your computers in a certain way, Like you said about cars, You need to maintain them.

Also:

Before we get started I would like to say I'm far from being a computer expert and I run into computer issues all the time just like the rest of us.

- Impossible :P

21/05/2012

I have AIDS (Artifical Intelligence Defense System)

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M@ndyz

its like your body ..

21/05/2012

Add me on steam........... bootie [mmgn] Or raptr.......... bootie101 Or wiiu. Also bootie101

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whaling

M@ndyz said: its like your body ..

Electronic and expensive to upgrade?

21/05/2012

On a vessel.

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maxiboy

whaling said:
M@ndyz said: its like your body ..

Electronic and expensive to upgrade?

People think living with a cyborg arm is easy, it isn't, I have to oil the moving parts and soon I'm going to upgrade it so I can crush necks! [MOG]

21/05/2012

Sydney, NSW

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Desi

whaling said:
M@ndyz said: its like your body ..

Electronic and expensive to upgrade?

No, full of silicon! Hurr hurr hurr. [MOG]

21/05/2012

And I love starting sentences with conjunctions! >=D

Kudos: 96,230

Skarteh

The most common one for me is "I need a new laptop, mine has gotten slow". The invariable response to this is "No you need to format it because you are a ****head and download everything you see until the poor bastard can barely run". It is always. ALWAYS. Fixed by formatting it and clean installing Windows. Suddenly its "like new" again because they haven't yet installed so much shit it is running on bugger all memory.

The most basic, basic thing everyone needs to learn is to not install everything. If you download something in order to perform one task, one time, or open one file... UNINSTALL IT! Whenever you see a system tray with like 20 ****ing icons, and see 60 active processes... You know shit has gone wrong.

I pretty much resolutely refuse to fix this. When it has gotten to this stage I will offer to format it and that is it. I am not going to spend hours figuring out what is and isn't needed.

21/05/2012

Melbourne, Victoria | Walk with me in hell

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Guyver

I've done a few laptop cleanups in the past, exact same description as above.

22/05/2012

I'm a level 5 Laser Lotus

Kudos: 14,833

whaling

Skarteh said: The most common one for me is "I need a new laptop, mine has gotten slow".

Then again, I've seen people with 10 year old laptops pay for repairs. Surely it'd be cheaper to buy a new one in that case? They could get something more powerful than their phone.

22/05/2012

On a vessel.

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Gryllis

tl;dr

People do tend to be using a 6 year old computer, never format, install new software and then be all like "why is it running slow" [Rage]

22/05/2012

The member formerly formerly known as ICC_06, formerly known as Ben.

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Kerosanak

"It's not the computers fault, or my fault, you studied IT. Fix it"

[Shifty]

22/05/2012

I'm still kind of a big deal in the Capital Wasteland.

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whaling

Kerosanak said: "It's not the computers fault, or my fault, you studied IT. Fix it"

[Rage] And then if something goes wrong in the fixing process, it's your fault, and not the hard drive they've filled with malware.

22/05/2012

On a vessel.

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Doles

I hate when people come in to the shop with a really vague description of their problem.
"when i click on the front page, nothing happens!"
"what are you clicking on?"
"the one that opens the word thingy"
"You click on Microsoft Word and it doesn't open?"
"GOOGLE!"
"google won't open?"
"yes the google will open, but i can get it to read me my email!"
"google doesn't read email"
"i always read the google from my email."
"what are you trying to achieve?"
"i keep getting spam mails"
"if you scroll down you can unsubscribe from those."
"I NEVER SUBSCRIBED! DID YOU DO THIS!?"
"just scroll down and hit unsubscribe"
"how do you scroll down?"
"HOW HAVE YOU MADE IT THIS FAR WITH SUCH LITTLE KNOWLEDGE!? GTFO!"

22/05/2012

Western Australia | /dev/null is already 98% full

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Guyver

Misses wants me to setup iTunes on the laptop because she got a work phone. Fair enough...but for the past 20 minutes I've had the thing struggling with just the download and instal. I said what have you done to this thing it's running like crap. "Why do you blame me?" . Who else is there to blame I never use the thing -_-

24/05/2012

I'm a level 5 Laser Lotus

Kudos: 21,063

Pact

Hey Guyver, Tell your boss that IT support is above your pay grade and unless he wants to pay you some more cash you wont do it.

And for your misses lappy, Format that shit.

24/05/2012

The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands, To fight the horde, sing and cry: Valhalla, I am coming!