How far we've come

[fiannnachruinne.livejournal.com]

I ran across this tonight and had to share it. Sometimes it's always good to look back on your history. For all the problems and headaches we have with computers now, look how very far we've come in 35 (and 27) years.

How It Works: The Computer

And to keep things otherwise on topic for the community; why must users, when they get over to me without a support contract, inevitably argue that they shouldn't have to pay for support. Especially when they just sat on hold and listened* to the message that this is a fee-based service over and over. I even tell them that we cover things that fall outside the scope of the support they get with their warranty (and thus isn't covered) and STILL they argue that they bought an x year contract for our services. No, that was your WARRANTY which, as I already told you, does not cover this issue.

*okay, maybe I'm wrong here by assuming the users actually a) listened and b) comprehended what was being said since they obviously can't comprehend it when I say it.

Comments

[fixerkitty.livejournal.com]

I look at those books and God, I feel old. I think I remember reading the revised edition as a kid, I was four (and yes, I could read quite well then) and my parents bought me damn near any book I wanted. Esp. when your mother is a biologist w/a minor in computer science.

Thanx for finding those!

[fiannnachruinne.livejournal.com]

Hey, that wouldn't make you much older than me (and that's assuming it was brand new when you read it). If it makes you feel any better, I read (and understood) a book by the name of Black Holes and Warped Spacetime when I was something like 8.

[fixerkitty.livejournal.com]

Sweet.

I found that reading at a college level BEFORE I entered school created a lot more problems than it solved, though. *sigh*

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

If that was before primary school, then either you had the world's most advanced reading age, or there's something seriously wrong with your local college students :)

[fixerkitty.livejournal.com]

This was according to the standard battery of tests PA administered to all school-age children at the time they entered the school system. I learned to read at age 2, it's actually not that unusual. I came from a family of readers and so books were toys as much as information sources. Math I suck at. Asking me to make change for a dollar is a source of much hilarity. :/

Ironically, I got held back in kindergarten because I was too physically small to keep up w/the other kids. And my sister's the reverse, she does advanced math in her head (hence being the VP of a bank) and yet she's mildly dyslexic. Hmm...

[bassgirl.livejournal.com]

Some mild forms of dyslexia are actually now being thought of as forms of autism, actually.

I don't know when I learned to read, because my mom gave me a book one day with the intention of teaching me, but I had already figured it out. When I was in grade 1 I also tested at a college level in reading, yet like you, I can NOT do math. I also can't spell. I find that very odd, but I've also learned to click the spellcheck button a lot!

[fixerkitty.livejournal.com]

And I can tell you never spent time in ASU's Manzanita Hall. You'd get a contact high just from the elevator, swear to god. You could ask virtually anyone on campus for a drink and not mean alcohol, and you'd get half a dozen beers in 30 seconds. ;)

[spacebird.livejournal.com]

I remember going in for my pre-K testing and reading Sherlock Holmes (and not the dumbed down ones) while the other kids were reading Disney picture books. It only got worse from there. By the time I was 12 I'd checked out 1500 books from my local library.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

I think I'd read my local library :)

My Grade Two teacher didn't believe I could read the books I said I could, so I kept a reading diary for three months. I think I read and summarised over a hundred YA- and adult-level books before she caved :)

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

*okay, maybe I'm wrong here by assuming the users actually a) listened and b) comprehended what was being said

Yup, pretty much. About 75% of people are apparently fundamentally incapable of absorbing information from screen, paper, or voice on the other end of a phone. They have to be walked through it, step by step, by someone who is physically sitting next to them and saying "Who's a good doggy then?" every two minutes.

[fixerkitty.livejournal.com]

Sometimes you give people too much credit.

[(Anonymous)]

Well, then you also have the companies that will tell you everything falls outside of warranty support.

Like the few times I've called Dell with regards to a problem with their factory load of Windows XP - Microsoft won't support it, period. Dell says it's fee-based, even on a brand new box.

[fiannnachruinne.livejournal.com]

It depends on the problem, really. Some (many) things DO fall outside of the warranty. Oh, and MS will support it, you'll just have to pay them for it.