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Computer Stupidities

Posted: Sat 17 Jul, 2004 00.31
by Neil Jones
(lifted from the site's introduction)

The following is a large collection of stories and anecdotes about clueless computer users. It's a baffling phenomenon that in today's society an individual, who might in other circumstances be considered smart and wise, can sit down in front of a computer screen and instantly lose every last shred of common sense he ever possessed.

Couple of examples from the site:

(paraphrased)
Customer: "I got this problem. You people sent me this install disk, and now my A: drive won't work."
Tech Support: "Your A drive won't work?"
Customer: "That's what I said. You sent me a bad disk, it got stuck in my drive, now it won't work at all. ... The disk got stuck in the drive and wouldn't come out. So I got these pliers and tried to get it out. That didn't work either."
Tech Support: "You did what sir?"
Customer: "I got these pliers, and tried to get the disk out, but it wouldn't budge. I just ended up cracking the plastic stuff a bit."
Tech Support: "I don't understand sir, did you push the eject button?"
Customer: "No, so then I got a stick of butter and melted it and used a turkey baster and put the butter in the drive, around the disk, and that got it loose. Then I used the pliers and it came out fine. I can't believe you would send me a disk that was broke and defective."
Tech Support: "I need you to boot the computer."
Customer: (THUMP! Pause.) "No, that didn't help."
http://www.rinkworks.com/stupid is the web address.

Posted: Sat 17 Jul, 2004 01.13
by Pete
course there's always the old classic

"how do i turn it on?"

Posted: Sun 18 Jul, 2004 18.16
by rts
And who can forget Homer Simpson's classic.

Press any key? Where's the any key??

Posted: Sun 18 Jul, 2004 18.26
by Chris
Hymagumba wrote:course there's always the old classic

"how do i turn it on?"
I was using the copier at college the other week and could not figure why the damn thing didn't switch on. I kept on jabbing the power 'on' button on the front panel in the hope that it would work (well, after all it did say power on it) after checking round the back for a switch and ensuring that the thing was plugged in and switched on at the wall.

I went up to the desk and asked for help as the thing didn't appear to be working, and guess what ... there was a big-ish red switch on the front that you had to flick to get it to switch on, and I had completely missed it. Sure enough, after the person behind the desk came and flicked it on, it worked. I felt rather embarrassed after it.

Just shows how useless I am with copiers! Has anyone else had a similar faux pas with technology? :oops:

Posted: Sun 18 Jul, 2004 23.27
by Cheese Head
Photocopiers. I got a jam in the copier at DHL during work experience because I sent a small peice of paper through with some A4 paper, I just kept trying to put it through, I didnt even look through the weird feeder thingy 'till I thought it'd be a smart idea to ask.

Posted: Mon 19 Jul, 2004 02.56
by russnet
I work in I.T. at the moment offering support to computer queries in the Pub and Hotel trade. Basically anything from their tills going down to the printers playing up.

So I never could explain the lady who rung up for support on how to use their microwave (!) One of many printed off onto the wall of stupidity in the office!

Posted: Mon 19 Jul, 2004 17.18
by hjr
You have performed an illegal operation and this program will shut down

Me? I've broke no laws