Yes, I Do Not Want To Fix Your Computer

[howto]

Yes, I Do Not Want to Fix Your Computer

From...

http://www.pcmech.pair.com/show/influence/748/

Category: HOME / Under the Influence

Written: January 20, 2005 | Last Updated: January 21, 2005

Author: Ken Circeo

Type: Not specified

I don't want to cause a problem. I really don't. I'm not one to go looking for conflict, and I think I'm a pretty nice guy. But sometimes even nice guys have to draw the line. And my new line is this: I DO NOT WANT TO FIX YOUR COMPUTER.

There are more reasons for this than I can list here. So I'll just start with the biggest reason and work my way down until I run out of space.

It always takes longer than you think.

Again, I'm not trying to be a bad guy here, but all you're really giving me are symptoms. I have to perform the diagnosis and administer the treatment. That takes time, and sometimes multiple visits. Who has that kind of time? After work, if I'm not taking someone to the batting cage or gymnastics, I'm home trying to meet a writing deadline. And frankly, if you're smart enough to figure out how to scrape enough money together to buy a computer, then you must be smart enough to spend a little time learning about the thing.

Other people can do a better job.

While it's true that I may know trifle more about PCs than the average user, don't mistake me for a real technician. Computer technicians are paid to do things like clean your registry, adjust your page file size, and remove your spyware. I know they charge a lot, but that's because most of them know what they're doing. When you get your computer back from them, the bill is too high but your PC runs better. It's like taking your car to a garage. Same thing. Furthermore, real PC technicians seem to enjoy tinkering with computers. It's like fun to them. One Microsoft guy, Adam, actually smiles whenever he opens the box. It's eerie. I mean, what's there to get excited about? An extra expansion slot? For crying out loud, Adam, it's not a Christmas present, it's a computer! Silicon, wires, jumpers, and fans.

But Adam loves it. He's knowledgeable and patient, and, like the mechanic who works all day at the garage and all night on his '68 Charger, Adam has found his passion in life. He proved that last summer when a bunch of us went jet skiing at the lake. It was an expense paid, all-afternoon event.

On the way back, I said, "Anyone know where Adam was? I didn't see him at the lake." To which someone replied, "He said he was going to overclock an old PC."

"Cool," I said, as though the two activities were even remotely comparable. (Hmm, can't decide what to do today…go skydiving or upgrade my hardware drivers.)

The problems are many and varied.

While a PC's core components haven't changed much over the years, the problems introduced by massive applications, multiple peripherals, and (especially) the Internet, have made diagnosing a computer's problems more difficult today than ever before. For example, back in the 1980s, when my PC was running too slow, it probably meant that I had either overloaded my hard drive or needed more RAM to run my applications. Simple stuff, really. Just offload some old programs and see what happens. And while that remedy is still viable today, the modern PC is more likely to be slowed by spyware than by memory thrashing.

So when you say your computer is running too slow, what does that mean? Has it slowed gradually at startup? Do apps take forever to execute? Is it only when you're on the Web? This goes back to the time issue. If I'm going to fix your problem, I need to find it first, and that alone will probably take more time than I've got. Heck, since I bought SpeedUpMyPC, I don't even spend time taking my own computer's pulse anymore.

It's just too awkward when something goes wrong.

This probably deserves to be higher on the list because it's such a big deterrent to my ever making a house call to fix your PC. Let's face it, things happen. Wires get yanked. Pins get bent. Files get deleted. And when they do, you want restitution from the responsible party. If that party is me, the conversation goes something like this:

Me: Geez, will you look at that?

You: What?

Me: I thought I saved that file before I changed it, but now I can't find the original.

You: Is it important?

Me: You might say that.

You: Can we get it back?

Me: Do you have a recent backup?

You: Backup?

Then I start apologizing and you start making like it's not a big deal, but we both know that it's best for all concerned if I just leave. That's awkward, man. So why take a chance on putting us in that situation by asking me to fix your PC?

So, yes, I do have a life outside of my job, and, yes, since we're friends, that life does involve you. But instead of making me your friend AND your personal PC fixer, let's keep computers out of it and just stay friends. Agreed?

[Nio]

Get a life man

[neverdie]

You forgot to sign this off......END OF RANT!

[Carib]

This explains it all:

Category: HOME / Under the Influence

Written: January 20, 2005 | Last Updated: January 21, 2005

[RKASA]

There are several varied versions on the net. One is "Why I don't show relatives my Linux"

[12DrinkMore]

I am in total agreement with this.

"Oh, can you just look at this problem I have?"

"My friend has a small problem with his computer, can you help him?"

"I have just had my computer back from the Thai shop and can't find my data and there are all these Thai programs installed"

These "small problems" inevitably lead to me spending several hours to fix them.

SORRY GUYS! Please do NOT ask me to fix them unless you are prepared to PAY me in CASH, and a BEER is NOT enough.

Just because I can fix the problems doesn't mean I want to spend my FREE time in front of your computer for FREE. This is WORK and NOT pleasure.

Thank you.

[welo]

Having a job that you actually enjoy doing is a great blessing. It turns at least parts of your working time into valuable life-time.

That doesn't mean I enjoy my job always, or I love to work for free and 24hrs, but I greatly appreciate that life was favorable to me and gave me the opportunity to choose a profession that I actually like doing.

But maybe somebody can explain what the point of this post is, I don't really get it There are many professions and most of them have to deal with private requests from friends. Btw, can somebody please fix my car!?

I guess this thread is just to out everybody who doesn't have a life LOL

welo

Edited March 10, 2010 by welo

[elkangorito]

Sorry for the off topic post but...

Fixing home computers - can be dangerous...if you don't unplug the thing before you delve inside.

What's the worst thing that can happen? - damaged hardware if all safety precautions are realised.

What's it cost? - depends (as the OP explains). Could be free, could be a couple of beers or could be an hourly rate.

DIY electrical - is definitely dangerous even if you are a professional.

What's the worst thing that can happen? - death...even if safety precautions have been realised.

What's it cost? - depends. If you want "western quality" at a Thai price, good luck. If you want the job done properly, be prepared to pay appropriately.

The comparison does not seem equivalent but there are many people who have the opinion that "fixing" electrical problems is quite similar (& as easy) as fixing home computer problems.

[welo]

Can one really get off-topic in a thread like this

@elkangorito

The burden with voluntary and unpaid work is that you still put some responsibility on your shoulders. Just take a voluntary job like school crossing guard. You hardly need any qualification to do that job, but what if a kid gets hit by a car while you are there...

Just recently I bought a laptop at Pantip for our neighbors, 2nd hand, and it broke down after 3 months with a rather severe hardware issue (GPU related). I found out that this model is well-known to develop this kind of issue, so I should have avoided it in the first place. Repair costs of more than half the laptop price were possible. I know quite a bit about computers, but I don't deal with laptops on a regular basis therefore lacking the experience to not buy this model.

I was lucky and the shop did the repair under warranty.

Not sure what I've had done if they had charged me for the repairs...

welo

[12DrinkMore]

The burden with voluntary and unpaid work is that you still put some responsibility on your shoulders.

Exactly, and somehow the return of a beer would not be judged as sufficient.

Now I just drink the beer, state I know nothing about computers, and derive a perverse pleasure from hearing about all the problems after a Thai "expert" has had his hands on the computer. And naturally we all have the opinion that as soon as a Thai is involved there will be problems, so when they occur it is expected and nobody expects the Thais to accept responsibility.

Please turn off your computer if I come around. Cheers!

(another problem are the "buffs" who think that I am in the slightest interested in the latest P4Bxb processor or quad NKhx RAM module, sorry guys, this is INCREDIBLY BORING, please do not even mention computers to me, THANK YOU SO MUCH)

[nikster]

I've developed a hard and fast rule that works pretty well - if I can't fix it in 10 minutes, I won't fix it. I told my neighbor to take her machine to the fix it people. In Thailand that's pretty easy because they don't charge much for labor here. I even do the same thing for broken iPhones - "please have a shop re-install your jailbroken iPhone OS". I know how to do it, and I know it takes a long time and many things can go wrong.

Anyway, quite often I am able to fix problems in under a minute, and I am happy to do it even if it's Windows. I might tell them to get a Mac though

It's not that Macs never have problems - who'd think to "repair permissions" on their disk regularly - but Mac problems are very simple. Of the ones I have encountered over the years, they were all either of the 1-minute variety, or they were serious hardware problems that can only be fixed in a shop. In either case, they don't waste my time endlessly like Windows tends to do. Windows issues are often obscure things, viruses, installations gone bad, or just mysterious bugs that don't make any sense even with 10 years of Windows hacking experience.