NO! It doesn't WORK that way!

[harry-whodunnit.livejournal.com]

Customer: "I can't afford a virus scanner program anymore, so I'd like to just change my password instead."

Hope that works out for ya. I wonder, do mechanics ever get people calling them to say "I couldn't start my car this morning, so I decided to stick some bananas in the air intake and wear a purple shirt"? Is computing the only field where people will try 'solutions' completely unrelated to the problem or any kind of logical process?

Comments

[jjjiii]

As long as they use a REALLY clever and hard to guess password like "Trustno1" they should be fine.

[megpie71.livejournal.com]

I think it's just tech.

Some entries from my RantJournal (a series of text files, each documenting a year of the frustrations of working tech support) on this very subject:

* "Do you want me to log into notes on this other one?". [sarcasm]Well, no. We're troubleshooting a notes problem, so I want you to open Internet Explorer and see if you can reach http://www.phwoarcheckthetitsonthat.com. What the *hell* do you think I want you to do?[/sarcasm]
* Okay, you're trying to fix a hung PC by hot-swapping the mouse. Why? Did you actually think at all, or did you just decide to try something completely irrelevant to annoy the hell out of Tech Support?

I've had people asking me whether the issue they had with $EMAIL_CLIENT is due to an update to $ANTIVIRUS_PROGRAM that ran earlier that day. I've felt like asking them whether they would check the plumbing in the building if the microwave didn't work.

[jahbulon.livejournal.com]

Antivirus program Norton's updates are constantly causing issues with Email Client Outlook Express.

[aphrodeia.livejournal.com]

Better yet, I love the ones who 'fix' things themselves when they'd NEVER do something like that to their car.

"Yeah, it was running loud, so I dumped the oil. Maybe that was causing it. Funny, it won't start anymore...."

[ravenshrinkery.livejournal.com]

Despite my employer's distinct preference on Norton due to backend arrangements with Symantec, we do offer Mcafee's security suite and I waste no time recommending it if a customer needs it. Of course, anyone with more intelligence than a rock gets AVG or Panda :).

[anivair.livejournal.com]

you mean "secret" won't do it?

[jacobine.livejournal.com]

I get this all the time. 'Ever since the update ran, I can't access $program! You caused this problem!'

Um, that automatic update had nothing to do with that...

[jahbulon.livejournal.com]

AVG works properly at least, though I don't much like the interface. I've never used Panda, I read a few people on here recently saying how much they hated it hehe..

[jacobine.livejournal.com]

I mostly send people to Panda when they're looking for something at home that they can run free -- it's got a free web interface for on-the-spot checks.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

"When was the last time it was running perfectly?"

"Oh, it's been broken for weeks now!"

[dmsalem00.livejournal.com]

So if GOD would care to change her password...

[igz00.livejournal.com]

they might even try "password" thats super secure and no one will ever guess it