People who shouldn't be allowed to own computer

[russianswinga.livejournal.com]

Background: I'm on helpdesk at a university with > 40000 students, faculty and staff. I receive a call, where a lady with a VERY thick cantonese accent proceeds to tell me about her problem.

L: I can't log in.
Me: I'd be very happy to help you with this. Are you having problems logging into a computer or logging in to check your email?
L: I can't log into a computer to check my email.
Me: ....
L: It say password not correct.
Me: Does your computer say password not correct, or the email program?
L: The computer say password error when I email.
Me: Can you tell me what computer you can't log into? Is this a personal computer, a public lab computer, or a computer that belongs to your department?
L: It the computer, it no like my password. My personal and department and public computer all no like my password email
Me: ????
Me: M'am, your computer, depatmental computers, and public labs would all have different accounts and different passwords associated with them. Can you give me a list of the comuters you can log into and which ones you can't?
L: I call you back, OK? *click*
Me: *sigh* please don't.

Comments

[hisamishness.livejournal.com]

three different authentication systems for one campus?

I feel for you....

[jahbulon.livejournal.com]

Sounds like her email, which she accesses on a few different computers, is having password issues.

[zig-mover.livejournal.com]

Sounds like the OP could be a little more understanding. So her english isn't perfect, but I still got the idea. Unless the campus really has 3 different authentication systems just for email.. this isn't very funny.

[canray.livejournal.com]

Try dealing with a woman with a thick Polish Accent (Yes people, I am able to recognise Polish from the other accents in that area of the world), who demands to install USB Drivers on five Windows 98SE/ME computers.

I'm just lucky they were English Release versions of Windows.

Another one was for a Wireless issue, dealing with a person whose first language was German (His English was good, however), who was translating for his Chinese Wife dealing with a Chinese version of Windows.

So the translation went from Chinese to German (in his head) to English and back again.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

I wish I were culturally aware enough to be able to tell a Cantonese accent from a Mandarin accent.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

...without overheating or visible smoke?

= )