Go AWAY!

[buran.livejournal.com]

Why is it that when I'm not at work people continue to ask me tech questions? I do support. At work. But now it seems like I'm expected to ALWAYS be able to fix peoples' crap!

People call me and ask questions. I log into IRC, they ask me how to set up their routers so they can send files. I log into an online chat/roleplay system and someone's bugging me to magically know why their computer can't see their printer. I'm frickin' TIRED. I'm answering in short one sentence answers. I don't WANT to deal with this person's problem two nights in a row.

And then there's the ones who eventually get the point (usually when I outright tell them) that I can't help because I'm tired or because I outright don't know the answer ... then I find that the conversation I was having petered out ... and then I find that the person I was talking to got distracted by the aforementioned idiot going and bothering THEM for help!

Gah! I didn't tell you to stop bothering me directly, when I'm not being paid to deal with this stuff, so that you could start bothering me by taking away my distraction from your stupid ass!!

(Occasionally, though, it's worth it. I just mentioned PrinterIdiot on IRC and a message popped up on my screen: "Of course not. It takes a webcam to be able to do that." I'm sorely tempted to use that as my official response!)

Comments

[fnordx.livejournal.com]

My response is normally "You know, lawyers charge for legal advice, even if they're not at work..."

[buran.livejournal.com]

I gave them the webcam line, said I was tired and going to bed, and logged out.

Ha, take that. ;)

[buran.livejournal.com]

I've wasted too much time hitting "random page" on snopes before! My mom? She got an iBook. She can use it and is proud of it and loves how simple it is (and I love how powerful they are -- I love macs!) and it's hard to muck it up. And she can't get viruses, either. (But she does ask me about them when she gets them and is paranoid and deletes them -- good attitude to have if you don't know what else to do! I trained her well.)

[d1550lu510n3d.livejournal.com]

I trade knowledge for hardware unless it family, then i trade in food and *free* petrol

[greeklady.livejournal.com]

Dude, I feel for you. Not last week my sister called me and wanted me to call her new lust of the week for free tech support. I said yep for $50 an hour. After about 15 min of whinning and complaining I got it through her head I am not fixing his computer so she can get laid.

I swear I am going to smack her the next time I see her. Just quote people $50 an hour and leave it at that. It will shut them up becuase normal big issues will take at least 3 hours. Or that is my experience on how bad my 'friends' fuck their systems up.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

Yup. High rates, cash up front. It's the only way to get the message across.

[normal1.livejournal.com]

Thats what I do... - I charge $125 hourly minimum of 3 hours up front. You'll be amazed at the faces I get after that. "hmm okay.. so how was the game yesterday?" - they change the topic in a hurry