*facepalm*

[ladynisa.livejournal.com]

Ok, has this happened to you? You're going along, teching a call, giving the customer exact directions and all of a sudden, they can't find what you're looking for. Like, say, a link, thats in between two other links???

Me: Ok, now click on Link B.
Cm: I don't see it.
Me: Its right in between Link A and Link C
Cm: I found Link A ... And Link C
Me: ... /ok/, now look between them. Link B.
Cm: ...
Cm: ...
Cm: Now I see it!


WTF?!?!?

no, honestly, try it

[knittinggoddess.livejournal.com]

Last Thursday, we changed Prof. D's email password.
Today she calls up because her email password isn't working.
Coworker: [runs through making sure caps lock isn't on, etc etc]
Prof: I don't understand why this isn't working! It's never given me trouble before!
Coworker: ...Are you sure you're entering your new password? As I recall, we reset it for you last week.
Prof: Yes, you changed it, but this password has worked for months! Why doesn't it work now?
Coworker: What if you give the other password a try?
Prof: But this one has always worked!

My coworker is this sweet college sophomore who still is optimistic about people. This optimism is being quickly revised.

It's not the lack of computer skills that bother me. It's the lack of reading skills and common sense. Why do using your new password or clicking the "apply" button* seem like such ridiculous concepts to these profs? They have PhDs! They're teachers--and generally quite good ones! Is it unreasonable of me to expect that they know to read a screen and respond to simple prompts accordingly?

Apparently so.

*Another prof, another issue:
Prof: I can't get MS Word to save my bulleted list settings! Watch!
Me: Okay...what if you try clicking *that button*?
Prof: Oh, I already tried that. It won't make a difference. Watch! *does the same thing as the first time, without clicking Apply.*
Me: Yeah, but--Could you do it again?
Prof: It won't work!
Me: Just humor me, please? I have a crazy theory.
Prof: *Clicks Apply, and lo and behold it, works.* Oh, see, that time I did [this other thing.]
Me: Well, I'm glad it's working now!