Experiences with non-techies

[Al Hoff]

I'm gonna say.. back when I was in the third grade or so my computer/typing class?? teacher (well the gym/PE teacher too lol) was just explaining some things to us and I remember her saying a computer can only have one operating system. I replied and said it can have many operating systems. She said no it can not. I gave up right then and there BUT I knew I was right-- just did not know how to explain it at the time. I don't know if she meant running OSes simultaneously (which you can do with virtualization) or just having the capability to switch between OSes utilizing multiple partitions or more drives for that matter. Yeah those were the days.. barely 1.5mb floppy disks and the quick brown fox jumped over the fence or some crap like that.

 

OH also my grandpa doesn't grasp the concept of a desktop--browser--start bar--directories... so asking him where he put something usually means I have to dig around many many folders for a half hour. Its also a pain when he doesn't grasp uploading and browsing for his files too, so when he is trying to snag them ladies on those dating website I pretty much have to be the one who finds his files and clicks upload and then make the one he wants his default picture his default picture. Many-a-inconvenient times he calls needing immediate assistance! So many tabs are often open as well.

 

Interesting stories everyone lol  :lol:

[Ceatra]

yes

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[WkdPaul]

Haha funny joke! I do know how y0u can mak3 $5000 a m0nth by w0rking from hom3 though! Cl1ck here to find out how!

I actually blocked family and friends emails because of those "Gates is gonna throw money at you if you forward this email to all your contacts" ... One cousin even sent that email on multiple occasions!!! (I think I started blocking email because of her repetitive forwards actually)

[Fgtfv567]

This is just weird.

Hypocrite mom...

[Crowes]

"Grandad, there's a stupendous amount of adware on your computer. It shouldn't be there."

"Well, it's not doing any harm!"

"Grandad, your computer keeps freezing up, that's not normal."

"It's fine, I usually just restart it."

I think he has this idea in his head that if he doesn't click it, it won't do anything; or if something's wrong it will fix itself by him leaving it. On the contrary, perhaps i just like to polish the kinks out of my system as they arise - as in, I won't be satisfied until it is back to normal.

At this point I just leave him to it and wait for the time to come where he gets so frustrated because his computer won't do anything simplistic like open Google on Internet Explorer or run Microsoft Word. Then he'll come to me, I'll explain, and do the whole, "I told you so" routine I've been doing lately, and finally fix it for him because I want him to be happy.

More on that, a family member will buy something, lll notice it's a shoddy cheap version of something (subjectively) perfect and tell them, and they'll give me the same shitty response.

My father bought something called an EZCast - like a shit version of a Chromecast that went off screen casting and websites alone. I told him to splash out a tiny bit more for a Chromecast return (of the EZCast) after return, and for the typical money-prudent excuse, "it's fine for me" with a touch of uncertainty because they realise out of the two of you, you know what you're talking about. I feel like just snapping that It's fucking "fine for them" because they don't know what they're missing out on. God that dismissive grinds my gears.

[Dude]

Not relevant, but we're close to 900 pages, lads!

Ceeeeeelebrate good times, come on!

[DimasRMDO]

snip

When we use PC.... Our perspective vs Parent's

 

Us:

Game = Game.

Forum = Forum.

Video = Video.

Video/Photo Editing = Video/Photo Editing.

Work = Work

 

Parents:

Game = Game.

Forum = Game.

Video = Game.

Video/Photo Editing = Game.

Work = Work.

 

Yeah right, can't do a lot....

[DigitalHermit]

When we use PC.... Our perspective vs Parent's

 

Us:

Game = Game.

Forum = Forum.

Video = Video.

Video/Photo Editing = Video/Photo Editing.

Work = Work

 

Parents:

Game = Game.

Forum = Game.

Video = Game.

Video/Photo Editing = Game.

Work = Work.

 

Yeah right, can't do a lot....

 

not in my case...

(from parents' POV)

Game = Game

Forum = Game

Video = Game

Photo/Video editing = Game

Studying = Game

Programming = Game

Work = Game

Hanging out with friends online = Game

Music = Game

[DimasRMDO]

snip

Damn that must be tough, yeah my parents even think that programming is a game.

I was practicing, my parent came to my room...

 

"Dimas, shut down your computer. Stop playing your game!"

"Mom, I'm programming."

"Yeah you need to stop studying about your game!"

"No, no this isn't a game, it's completely different."

 

*Mom checked my screen

 

"What's this?! name=raw_input(bla bla bla)"

"That's the code mom, I need to practice, I keep on getting errors."

 

*I checked my code, new windows popped up

 

"Ah, I knew it! You're playing hidden games right! Stop lying!"

"No, no...."

 

*Mom unplugged my PC

 

"Nice one mom...."

"It's for your own good!"

"Okay...."

[Chugle]

Damn that must be tough, yeah my parents even think that programming is a game.

I was practicing, my parent came to my room...

 

"Dimas, shut down your computer. Stop playing your game!"

"Mom, I'm programming."

"Yeah you need to stop studying about your game!"

"No, no this isn't a game, it's completely different."

 

*Mom checked my screen

 

"What's this?! name=raw_input(bla bla bla)"

"That's the code mom, I need to practice, I keep on getting errors."

 

*I checked my code, new windows popped up

 

"Ah, I knew it! You're playing hidden games right! Stop lying!"

"No, no...."

 

*Mom unplugged my PC

 

"Nice one mom...."

"It's for your own good!"

"Okay...."

Wow that's a fucking dick move man. What if you're in the middle of typing valuable code, and she just walks in and unplugs your PC. I'd personally flip shit, but my mother wouldn't do that. 

[DimasRMDO]

Wow that's a fucking dick move man. What if you're in the middle of typing valuable code, and she just walks in and unplugs your PC. I'd personally flip shit, but my mother wouldn't do that. 

I was learning Python, I was trying to learn to use "raw_input".

My mom unplugged my PC, my mind went crazy but I had to be calm. She's my mom, but if my friends did it I'd punch them in the face.

[TroubleKlef]

My first realization was trying to explain photography terms to a friend who bought a new camera.

[DigitalHermit]

Wow that's a fucking dick move man. What if you're in the middle of typing valuable code, and she just walks in and unplugs your PC. I'd personally flip shit, but my mother wouldn't do that. 

 

I used threatening them with replacing my gear should something break if they do that... The now wouldn't dare touch my gear without permission after how I flipped when some malware got on (not my fault, and getting it off cost me a few hours off my free time)... (I also tend to notice if someone used my gear when I'm not home)

 

We're not from a rich family and replacing the PC (or any major component of it) would set us back big time...

[Chugle]

I was learning Python, I was trying to learn to use "raw_input".

My mom unplugged my PC, my mind went crazy but I had to be calm. She's my mom, but if my friends did it I'd punch them in the face.

If my friends did something like that, and I punched them in the face I'd be in major fucking trouble. Most of my friends are like below 6 feet tall, and me standing at 6 foot three inches... Ya know, I punch em and they're... unconscious...concussions...

[DimasRMDO]

If my friends did something like that, and I punched them in the face I'd be in major fucking trouble. Most of my friends are like below 6 feet tall, and me standing at 6 foot three inches... Ya know, I punch em and they're... unconscious...concussions...

Most of my friends have become violent so calming them down would create bigger trouble. They've punched me in the stomach....

[Mattrixx]

I actually blocked family and friends emails because of those "Gates is gonna throw money at you if you forward this email to all your contacts" ... One cousin even sent that email on multiple occasions!!! (I think I started blocking email because of her repetitive forwards actually)

Oh God those are the worst. I really only see them on social media websites though. Only relative I really E-mail is my grandfather on mother's side, and he's into technology (we talk about new and emerging tech; he's incredibly interested in it), and worked some really cool jobs. He once told me how he was working as material research on early fiber technologies, trying to find out how best to get a signal through thin glass. 

 

But back on topic: so yeah... no E-mail horror friends from me... just all social media crazies. NowYouKnows or "plz forward this!" take the cake.

[McGinSpace]

"Nice one mom...."

"It's for your own good!"

"Okay...."

http://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/software-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,17.htm

Show her that....and if you're in pre-secondary school, ask a tech teacher to show your Mom what programming looks like ha, or your college instructor even.

Unless your mom understands already, and maybe you spend 8 hours a day in front of the monitor and you need to look after your body and a bit of a social life and that's what she's talking about ...

[Oldaccount1234123]

Grandfather almost got duped into buying anti virus for £170 that will only work in 1 country... I installed MBAM and sorted it in a couple clicks. (About 3000 detected files, mainly adware)

[Fgtfv567]

Grandfather almost got duped into buying anti virus for *ridiculous money*

Replace grandpa with most people who use a computer

[turbopiki]

my brother taught that every PC can play every games that prices in store are based on the looks of the PC

[Guest]

Whenever I enter the BIOS to fix computers at a school...

The students be like:

 

"Teacher, he is hacking again! He is blocking windows from loading!"

[cjunit]

I always get asked why did you built your PC instead of buying one, and then I try to explain and they still don't get it. Its frustrating for me sometimes.

[Fgtfv567]

I always get asked why did you built your PC instead of buying one, and then I try to explain and they still don't get it. Its frustrating for me sometimes.

Did you try telling them that you have a much better control of the parts you're putting in (most manufacturers don't know how to pick parts that make sense) and that it's usually cheaper than buying?

[Chaos_Corrupter]

Whenever I enter the BIOS to fix computers at a school...

The students be like:

 

"Teacher, he is hacking again! He is blocking windows from loading!"

OMG when a student saw me go into BIOS and thought I was hacking, I used it to prank him. His computer was the end of the table so when he went to sharpen a pencil. I quickly shut down his computer and went into BIOS making sure that he saw me. He yelled at me to stop so I walked behind the computer unplugging his mouse and keyboard.

[Guest]

OMG when a student saw me go into BIOS and thought I was hacking, I used it to prank him. His computer was the end of the table so when he went to sharpen a pencil. I quickly shut down his computer and went into BIOS making sure that he saw me. He yelled at me to stop so I walked behind the computer unplugging his mouse and keyboard.

Genius.