In-house tech support.

[katyism.livejournal.com]

Please remind me to exert more patience than I do at work, when trying to play tech support for a guy who's better at neworking and programming than I am, but can't use Windows XP to save his life. A guy I happen to live with and sleep with. The last thing I need is his arguing about my tech support approach along with his arguing about our love life... Hello? I'm trained to support people who have used Windows all their lives and STILL don't know what the fuck a "shortcut" is.

Back story: I'm a windows tech support person. I have a working knowledge of all versions since 95. It's intuitive for me. I live with and am allowed on the super-duper home network setup by Boyfriend of Doom. He's a linux person. He's avoided using windows at all since the days of 3.1 but his job has required him to get a Windows comptuer so he can run visual studio.

Tonight we're installing XP on it and he has enlisted my help. He thinks the windows install is hard because it involves so much waiting, without any configuration. I think it's easy as pie and there's very little of a Windows install that requires paying attention. Since he knows I get paid to support that shit when I'm at work, he comes to me with questions. And he's JUST AS ANNOYING as the mac/linux guys who call me at work for windows support when they have to work with winodws. As in, "I'm too good to be calling tech support because I'm so great with my own platform of choice. But I don't know this one, and I think it's stupid, and I want you to confirm that for me and explain why Microsoft words their error messages so badly." I don't mean to offend anyone but in my experience those guys are all the same. Interrupting you, insertig choice phrases about how OS# or kernel build X handles these sorts of problems better, talking about networking protocols in detail when they KNOW most PC frontline tech support people don't actually know the science of networking protocols in any detail. We just know what to click on in the control panel, and what to keep enabled/disabled.

My point here I guess is... is supporting your family/friends any more stressful than supporting users at work? Especially when platform specificity comes into play? For instance if Mr. Macintosh God starts bitching at you about how stupid the Windows Start Menu is...

Ugh. I'm really just using this forum to vent :) But I'm sure some of you have some stories. How's about that tech support for parents/siblings/partners? Makes me want to appropriate his PC computer for my own use, personally. I'd do more with it.

teehee

[k8mnstr.livejournal.com]

Customer just wrote in and swore they were using the correct incoming "poop" server. *giggle*

What would REALLY help you at work?

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

Just thinking about a couple of things that would make life easier in my job as TS for a large organisation. Some of these may of course apply to general techjobs everywhere. Any other suggestions?

( Cut for length. )

Well, that's the first nine.

(no subject)

[coyoteden.livejournal.com]

I think the secret is to be seriously sleep deprived before attempting to troubleshoot anything Microsoft.

If you are slow, confused, cranky and ready to fall over, you're in the same state of mind as the system you are troubleshooting.

How your family truly see you and value you as a member of the clan...

[reynardo.livejournal.com]

Sadly true story

Me: Mum, Dad, let me introduce to you the son I gave up at birth, your oldest grandchild.

Dad: Hi. While you're here, reynardo, could you link up the two computers in the study on the home network?

Me: AAARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!