08-05-2003, 10:25 PM
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#1 |
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Commander
  
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,189
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Helping Family/Friends with Computers
I usually try to avoid helping family/friends with computers because if something goes wrong it creates a weird situation. Like if you sold them a computer, if anything remotely goes wrong it becomes your fault for selling them inferior stuff or you dont know how to install windows or somethign stupid. I have no problem fixing other peoples systems or building them systems. I've worked on over 2000+ computers so far and about 98-99% never have any problems at all.
What about the rest of you computer people? Do you try to avoid helping family/friends with computers? Or am I just overly bitter about my crappy extended family and their computer skills? |
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08-05-2003, 10:28 PM
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#2 |
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Commander
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: The middle of the country
Posts: 1,424
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Dell is your friend...
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08-06-2003, 04:55 AM
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#3 |
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Fleet Admiral
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Michigan
Posts: 9,390
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 Let Dell deal with them. Never build a PC for a friend or family member unless you happen to like being free tech support for life. |
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08-06-2003, 07:48 AM
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#4 |
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Commander
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,189
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Thats what I've been telling them now but they think I'm being a jerk for not helping.
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08-06-2003, 07:55 AM
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#5 | |
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captain awesome
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,054
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Quote:
HAHAHA. I know the feeling, but my family didn't buy anything from me. They just don't know how to explain to Dell what the hell is wrong with the computer, because they don't know what makes up a computer. It's scary when someone thinks Microsoft Windows is the computer itself. Last edited by ray : 08-06-2003 at 08:52 AM. |
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08-06-2003, 08:16 AM
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#6 |
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Commander
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,189
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It always leads to pure hell because instead of exercising their right to use tech support or warranty service, they ask me.
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08-06-2003, 08:25 AM
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#7 |
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What's Da Pho*?
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SoCal (714)
Posts: 13,296
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Dell
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08-06-2003, 08:52 AM
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#8 |
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captain awesome
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,054
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i should persuade my parents to just get a new computer so that they can have the goddamn Dell tech support.
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08-06-2003, 09:09 AM
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#9 |
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Vice Admiral
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,338
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I really do hate helping family members get their computers working.. especially since they all live in Oklahoma.. and I live in San Diego.. so it really is like doing free tech support.. and I get really frustrated that I cant see what they are doing. .cause I know its wrong.. but they always say its right ...
my grandmother tried calling Earthlink when her internet wasnt "connecting" .. and somehow she determined that she didnt have a "modium".. Installed at all... And thats what the EL Tech support.. helped her figure out .. And Im like.. "RIIIGHT.. And she connected last week on her damn Cup and Strings Setup!" .. I hate when other people that are supposed to know what they are doing are idiots.. (tech support for companies.. ) |
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08-06-2003, 09:28 AM
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#10 |
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captain awesome
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,054
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you know slaus, that system we built for your cousin was burned in for 48 hours and we had no problems with it. how he managed to screw it up not once, but three times is beyond me. tell him to learn HOW to use a computer, then you'll help him fix it. If you don't want to tell him that, give me his phone number and i'll tell him to get a clue.
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08-06-2003, 01:57 PM
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#11 |
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Chief of Naval Operations
Join Date: May 2001
Location: City of The Dead
Posts: 13,552
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My brother and I are local tech support. Whenever we show up a family memebers house we get to trouble shoot the problem.
That's why we don't visit our family anymore  |
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08-06-2003, 02:27 PM
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#12 |
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Commander
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,189
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I currently hide from both my cousins because I know they'll ask a computer question. My other cousin recently said she couldnt find a webpage on the internet and made it sound like it was windows xp or my fault because I put windows xp on her system.
"Why can't I find the page?" "Are you sure you put in the same search words as the other people?" "Yeah." "Are you sure?" "Maybe." Needless to say after maybe an hour of this I find out she really didnt know how to use search engines. |
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08-06-2003, 02:42 PM
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#13 | |
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captain awesome
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,054
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Quote:
Isn't the search engine the same as Windows? |
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08-07-2003, 12:21 AM
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#14 |
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Commander
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,189
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My cousins have the magic touch when it comes to computers. I think I've lost count how many times they've messed up their operating systems.
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08-08-2003, 03:54 AM
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#15 |
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Lieutenant Junior Grade
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Worcester, MA, USA
Posts: 70
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You guys *sell* computers to your friends and family? No wonder I'm always broke!
It was very cool a couple years ago when I set up a new computer at my mom's house on Mother's Day, while she was at work, and had it up and running with a whole Mother's Day theme when she got home. She does have some problems with it now, but it's got a lot of crap installed on it at this point, and it's time to build her something a little more modern, anyway (it's an 800 MHz Athlon). She does ask me to fix things now and then, but it's not like she blames me when something doesn't work, and she'd ask me for help even if it was a store-bought computer. |
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08-08-2003, 07:55 AM
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#16 |
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Commander
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,189
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It's always at cost it seems and that doesnt count labor or time involved.
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08-08-2003, 08:35 AM
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#17 | |
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What's Da Pho*?
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SoCal (714)
Posts: 13,296
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Quote:
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Dell Dimension 9200 | Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4GHz) | 4x1GB DDR2 | 256MB nVidia GeForce 8800GT Dell Studio 17 | Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6GHz) | 2x2GB DDR3 1066MHz | 1GHz ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 Intel P4-C 3.0GHz | ECS 865PE-A | 3x512MB PC3200 | 128MB PNY GeForce 6600GT 
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08-08-2003, 09:07 AM
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#18 | |
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Lieutenant Junior Grade
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Worcester, MA, USA
Posts: 70
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Well, okay, that's reasonable. I usually build systems for family members out of parts that are left over after I upgrade my machines, so I figure the costs have already been amortized (is that the right term?).
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-Rich |
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08-08-2003, 09:14 AM
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#19 |
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Rear Admiral Upper Half
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 3,390
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My favorite reply (which seems to be coming out a lot these days):
Me: Get a cable modem, it's really fast. They: Ok, I got a cable modem, AOL is really fast now! Me: You should get rid of AOL now. They: huh? Me: You have the cable modem, you don't need AOL anymore, just go directly on the internet. They: The internet will work without AOL? Me: Where's my gun?!?!
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The Apexer formerly known as SnotRocket. "Like I ****ing said, "Ok, so I hear it may be a repost. Blah But I had never seen it, so..." **** you Canta." -Jenny 12/4/2003 |
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08-08-2003, 03:06 PM
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#20 | |
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What's Da Pho*?
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SoCal (714)
Posts: 13,296
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Quote:
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08-08-2003, 06:41 PM
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#21 |
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Commander
Join Date: May 2000
Location: santa ana ca usa
Posts: 1,156
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man i hear you guys.
built my uncle a computer almost every weekend he calls me up. he keeps on installing ***** he does not need nor use. ahhhhhhh
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PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING YOUR BODY..... |
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08-10-2003, 06:26 AM
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#22 |
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I love free!
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: LA, California
Posts: 2,998
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and i noticed 99% of the problem is software, never hardware, but the seem to look at you like i built the computer using cheap parts. Its amazing how i get guilty before the trial even started.
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08-16-2003, 04:35 AM
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#23 |
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Lieutenant Junior Grade
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 62
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Build it for some relative or friend = tech support for life.
Visit my family in Chicago = repairing all thier software and hardware problems. Sorry I even know anything. Or that they know I know. |
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