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No, I Will Not Fix Your Computer

broowaha.com — The real reason your company ’s computer guy doesn’t want to work on your personal PC.

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  • RMoore08, on 06/03/2008, -49/+18Interesting. Never saw it from that point of view.
    • 33PercentGod, on 06/04/2008, -11/+10And why would you digg that down? Were you people semi aborted during birth and are complete mental retards now?
      • RMoore08, on 06/04/2008, -2/+7I agree.. If it isnt hilarious then people will digg it down. Kinda sad.
        • alamandrax, on 06/04/2008, -3/+2I do apologize, I've been led to believe that digging down the first post was some kind of Digg tradition. I am guilty of kow towing to peer pressure.

          Oh how will I ever survive in life? Woe is me.
    • MarkusGarvey, on 06/04/2008, -0/+5mirror...
      http://www.broowaha.com.nyud.net:8080/article.php? ...
  • nihility, on 06/03/2008, -6/+248I don't like the generalization near the end...I personally do enjoy working on PCs, and would work on personal ones as long as they accepted the fact that I was able to work without the liability of further problems.
    • porch88, on 06/04/2008, -1/+152My only reason I don't always work on other people's computers is because as soon as you touch it, they act like you own it. Any problem that occurs after you have worked on it (even 6 months down the road) must be due to something you did. Not everyone is like this, in fact most people aren't. But all it takes is one or two people like that and I don't want to work on anyone's computer.
      • ozid, on 06/04/2008, -1/+75YES. This has happened to me like 4 or 5 times this year. I fix a ton of personal computers since I don't have a real job while I'm in school.

        I get ***** from people I haven't talked to in months about a virus that I somehow put on their computer. Cmon man, I'm not fixing your computer again unless you pay me to do it. If you don't trust me call geek squad and pay 4x what I charge.

        Also, about the article, This dude goes through people's files? Why is this guy even in "My Music". I literally only go through that if I know the person has good music, and I ask first.

        I don't a house cleaner to come to my house and start riffling through my ***** like the tooth fairy.
      • LZeppelinJ0, on 06/04/2008, -2/+8Totally understand where you're coming from on this. Can't tell you how many times somebody has botched their own system to the point of it not booting up, they ask me to make it boot and when I do, everything else wrong with the computer is my fault.... even though they botched it up.
      • kd1s, on 06/04/2008, -0/+4I have a standing policy that says if I touch the machine it's an instant $80 and then $80 per hour thereafter. I still get repeat calls but they pay.
    • blackinthmiddle, on 06/04/2008, -1/+36I agree that there are a lot of generalizations.

      To me, what's most annoying are family members expecting you to fix their computers and give advice for free. In one really annoying case, my good friend's brother used to call me all the time and say the very helpful, "Man, my computer's not working. I think these kids did it." No matter how many times I told him he has to keep his cables neat and zip-tied, I'd find a complete mess of chords all knotted up. "What's wrong with it?" he'd ask. "I have no freakin' idea!" Once, I spent 45 minutes just taking everything apart and putting everything back together. He also has his phone running through his router and often would call me from his cell phone. "Man, I need you to come over NOW. I have no phone!" I simply stopped taking his calls, hoping he'd learn to be a little self-reliant. He once went without a phone for a week!
      • spoulson, on 06/04/2008, -0/+4I agree. And IMO, I don't have a problem providing simple knowledge and expertise over the phone and such, as long as the recipient can run with it and fix it themselves. I feel much better after helping someone help themselves, rather than repeatedly fixing moronic problems.
    • TdiFFRob6876, on 06/04/2008, -0/+12If you do this as your profession everyday at least 40 hrs a week you'll understand. I'm sure this guy was a happy soul as you were before he took it up fulltime.
    • Sophistifunk, on 06/04/2008, -1/+62Gotta say, buried for pretending IT guys are upset at pirate software and MP3s. In reality, they're copying it off your PC.
      • juniorb, on 06/04/2008, -0/+10Yes and no. I know IT professionals exactly like this one when it comes to pirated software. Music filesharing like is ubiquitous, but I know a few people who would say it's a character flaw to "steal music."

        But I also know IT guys who would agree with the article's premise, but have RAID arrays with terabytes of music, movies, and software.
      • tico24, on 06/04/2008, -3/+3I don't like working on someones computer that has been used to pirate software because that is usually the cause of the problem. On the personal PCs I've worked on, the majority of issues were due to viruses/malware accidentally downloaded through p2p software (kazaa, limewire etc).
    • Figtoria, on 06/04/2008, -0/+6I don't like working on friends computers, cuz if it was a customer's machine and it's loaded with viruses, I'd just ghost the drive, wipe & reload, do the updates and drivers, slap on an anti-virus and copy their old data back over to a directory. Two hours work - two hours charged.

      But with a PERSONAL, family, friend whatever - they expect you to clean it and leave everything the way it was, which is WAY more work and there's no way you get paid enough for what it takes.

      And yeah - pfffffffffft - I don't care if anyone has music/movies on their machine. "Illegal software" - I'm not the MS police, I don't care.

      Dude did not sound like he really knew that much about fixing computers anyway.
    • dystra, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3same here, i love working on computers and i hate seeing friends and family (some co-workers) get screwed over by pc repair shops. I tell them "i can do it way cheaper than those repair shops but it will take way longer, do we have a deal?" then i show them how much it would cost at Geeksquad and they usually say hell yeah!. whats wrong with a little money on the side...
    • d3k4y, on 06/04/2008, -2/+2Agreed, the reason I won't work on your computer is because I don't want you sitting there, looking over my shoulder the whole time, asking stupid questions, and trying to force talk about dumb ***** while your kids annoy the crap outta me. *****!

      And I don't give a ***** about your MP3s either. The only part I agree with is the money. If its not at least $100 to $200 an hour, it's not worth it. I don't care if you bought the computer for only 500 bucks from Best Buy. Pay up you bitch.
      • skyroket, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1That's why you charge more to go to their house; less if they bring their tower to your "shop". I smile when people still say they want me to come to their house - I'm getting paid a ***** more than normal! If I have to drive more than a couple miles, I tack on an extra $10 or $15, even though it didn't cost me that much to drive there.
    • IglooBurner, on 06/04/2008, -3/+1if ur a hot chick and im getting ass after im done with ur computer, than we have a deal.
      • skyroket, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1We have child labor laws - you can't work on her computer until after you've hit puberty, bud.
    • KTemplar, on 06/04/2008, -2/+2Personal every computer and computer system is just one large rubik cube to be solved for me. If you have a problem and you need it solved i will do it. Its not for the money (which is never worth the job), its for the challenge.
      On that note a Mac problem can be solved in a matter of minutes and at worst case 1 hour. Never more. PC's on the other hand can take anywhere from a 20 minutes to 3 days and with the right virus ... not at all and a reinstall will be needed, and the user will never have the drivers so add another hour to find the drivers.
      I do like to spend time at home with my family but then again they are the ones that ask for the most support, so going home sometimes means more work then work and without pay and they are more demanding (because they're family they feel they can try to speed you up in the process.)
      The one thing i have learned though is that you cant teach them how to use a computer because they just think you fix anything for them.
      On that note i have forced all my family members to switch to Macs so i could eliminate the Virus/reinstall Windows syndrome, which has given me 70% of my time back.
      • asforme, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1Have you ever tried to deal with a hardware problem on a mac? Try replacing a water cooled G4 motherboard. Then tell me what's easier to work on.
    • Albion01, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1I agree. I have no problems at all working on my users home computers. What I don't like are the users coming to expect it. Not only that but they refuse to take the time to learn how to keep the computer running smoothly. It's not my fault that you're ignoring my advice. Get your fat ass off the couch, turn off American Idol, and read something that will help you save some money on computer repair costs. I totally abhore people who say they "don't have time" or "want to spend time with their family." there are things in life that sopmetimes require an escape from free time. And I refuse to be your scapegoat.
    • cmoney298, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1totally agree the limited liablity is the greatest asset you can have for side jobs, doesnt matter the circumstances, put in a new drive way or fix a computer all the same.
  • Gantos, on 06/03/2008, -30/+12From my own personal experience: spot on.
    Dugg.
    • WebWorker, on 06/04/2008, -2/+2You are the reason that IT personnel generally suck. Someone like me who doesn't care about the things listed and will work on personal PC's have to clean up messes that you leave/make, in and out of the office.

      Call me elitist, but for most people it's just a job.. the rest of us have actual knowledge and experience. Sucks cleaning up a virus and installing windows.. yeah make a slipstreamed install disc you lazy bastage.
      • dggeek, on 06/04/2008, -1/+1Hah, you high-and-mighties crack me up. I love working on computers, but I don't touch my co-workers' machines. My free time is worth more than I feel comfortable charging people I deal with on a daily basis.

        That and people don't like to hear when you tell them how they broke it.
  • whitezombie420, on 06/03/2008, -16/+351the first reason is wrong, at least for me, i work in outsourcing so there is no standard set of hardware and software. frankly that would be boring, instead i work on anything and everything that a customer needs worked on. from pcs and macs, to windows xp and linux.

    the second reason is also *****, for everyone. if your a pc tech and say you dont download software or cartoons or anything else illegal you're a liar. the author of the article included. you dont have a problem overlooking these things. and if you do, you're just a dick.

    the third thing however is definitely true. even when at work, a pc make take 4 or 5 hours to get all the ***** off of it, but we cant charge a customer for that much labor. the same is true of a personal customer.

    and four is just stupid, if you dont like working on pcs, why are you at a job that requires you to work on them? you're so specialized, find something that doesnt involve fixing pcs.
    • et3rnalnigh7, on 06/04/2008, -3/+59Sounds like that guy is working in the wrong field, I work at a college where we only fix computers owned by the college to begin with due to liability but I will often fix personal computers outside of work.

      First point can't be right, If you don't know how to fix, at least a majority of PC's, how would you get the job in the first place?

      No one in IT cares enough about illegal software to not fix a computer and if you do your a self righteous dick and need to get out of this line of work.

      Data backup, virus scanning, reformatting, they all take a while but its not like any of those processes requires so much attention you can't carry on with something else or go back to whatever else you were working on.

      Whether Nvidia has a new card or Amd finally releases that 45nm quad that will blow us all away I love reading about it and can't wait to try it out.

      I like working on personal PC's, it is usually very simple problems and is nice to know I am saving the person from having the deal with Best Buy or Circuit City.


      • compdude32, on 06/04/2008, -16/+15Clearly you have never worked in corporate environment, grow up a few more years and get a real job and you will see just how accurate this article is.

        When you finally grow up and have a real job you will have to decide if you want to spend you few hours of free time a night reading about the latest Video card, or reading the white paper on the new database your implementing. Unfournately most IT professionals simply don't have the time to keep up on kids stuff.
        • etherreal, on 06/04/2008, -0/+15Actually, I found the article to be quite asinine. There is good money to be made being someone's personal hero by saving someones data. I have been in the industry for nearly a decade now...and I am happy to make a couple hundred bucks every weekend fixing gramps' PC. Heck, I carry business cards now so that they hand them out. I charge half of what geek squad does and I still make a killing. The important thing to keep in mind is "No Freebies". I only get annoyed when my friends expect free tech support, and that just aint gonna happen. The only ones who get a free pass are my wife, my parents, and my grandma (and my grandma still pays anyway).

          His second point is moot, he shouldnt be looking at their data without a specific need anyway. If I need to reinstall software, I get their key. If they dont have it, tough luck for them. As for the ethical standards that come with Microsoft certifications? Puh-lease.

          Thirdly, the data backup and recovery is practically automated anyway, so to wipe a box and recover it takes more like 30 minutes of actual work. The rest is spent watching porn on my main box while I wait, which I would be doing anyway.

          Fourthly, yes I enjoy working on PCs. A lot.
      • Drahkar, on 06/04/2008, -1/+9I have to disagree with the first point and the second. And I have worked in the corporate world. Any IT Supporter worth his salt will know the general problems to be able to diagnose problems on any system. Just because they are made by different people doesn't mean anything. The same types of problems can develop. Plus that's what the Internet is for. Its a powerful source to gather information on what could be causing a problem. So the First point is just the author being lazy.

        The second point is even more *****. Frankly Microsoft Certifications mean dick in the market anymore. Why? Because its become apparent that anyone can do a cram jam study session, get the certification and not remember any of it. I've met more MCSE that couldn't even configure a TCP/IP Stack manually than I care to remember. And if he's going to be such a stickler about someones home PC running unlicensed software or music, he needs to get a serious attitude adjustment. Its none of his business. In a corporate environment where he works is one thing. But someones home computer? Get off your high ***** horse.

        Now his third point is 100% true and one of the primary reasons that people who work in the Corporate world won't work on home PCs. The people who bring in their home computer to a co-worker wouldn't pay full price if they took it to some store they had never been to before and didn't know the staff. What chance do you have as a 'Friend' or 'Co-Worker'. They would expect some discounted price. I get paid very well for what I do and frankly spending a day rebuilding your spam infested system for fifty to one hundred bucks doesn't sound all that appealing to me.

        And as to his fourth point I have to agree with others that if he hates working on computers he is in the WRONG industry. And by the answers he had for the other 3 points I'd say he should seriously consider looking for a new job. He doesn't know how to properly diagnose systems or else he could do it for any computer. He has a serious bug of his ass about things that are none of his business in regards to illicit software or music. And finally anyone who is a shill for Microsoft enough to use them as a talking point and reason why they won't work on home PCs needs to just not talk in general. They have already shown they have no good sense.
    • zenmasher, on 06/04/2008, -0/+23I know he gave examples of what "illegal" stuff is ... and those examples were stupid, but a friend of mine (who just passed) who fixed computers for a living was astounded by how much child porn he found on people's computers and was faced with the decision of reporting is clients, which he did do. He couldn't believe how stupid people were to leave it on there and perhaps insulted that he was expected to overlook it.
      • lynx44, on 06/04/2008, -5/+4How did he know it was child porn? I'm not accusing him of anything, but I'm honestly wondering if he had a legitimate reason to be viewing their personal files? Was it just by the names of the files?
        • jmhyer51, on 06/04/2008, -0/+17You know, ever since XP, Windows has had this nice "thumbnail" feature.
        • grimward, on 06/04/2008, -0/+7jmhyer51, in this instance I think we all can agree that such a feature wouldn't be "nice" :/
        • NCg8r, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1Legitimate reason?!? Since when is "because I can" not a good enough reason?
        • lynx44, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3I guess I'm weird, I don't go around looking at personal stuff when fixing computers. Like I said I'm not judging the guy, he certainly could have good reasons but if someone says their computer is slow I'm probably going to just run virus scan not dig around on their hard drive to see what kind of files they have. Its not a "holier than thou" thing its just that I want to spend the least amount of time possible fixing someone else's problem, and I can't think of a reason why I would need to look in their "My Documents" folder, so thats why I was asking. Typically people don't leave that stuff on the desktop, and even if they did it wouldn't be in thumbnail view.
    • mx13punk, on 06/04/2008, -7/+10In response to this response to that... Ya:

      I won't argue with your first point because that's your field, which is fine. But as an It professional myself working as a desktop technician, I can tell you that I agree with the original posters comments. There are far too many "what could go wrong" situations with home PC's. If one of these situations pops up on a company PC on the other hand, it's as simple as reformatting and and reinstalling the standard software to fix.

      The second is most certainly not *****. While I'll admit to downloading the occasional software/movie/whatever, that does not mean I want to be responsible for your illegal activities, and asking me to work on a PC that has downloaded material on it is asking me to do just that, get involved. And lets face it tech guys and gals, we've all gone to work on a buddies computer and found midget scatt porn or something to that ilk and could never look at them the same way. NOBODY wants to have to look at their co-workers that way.... /shutter

      Third point... I don't think anyone is going to argue that point. If I have to work on someones PC I tell them I'm going to expect at least $35 an hour, because that is the equivalent of what they'd pay me to do the same ***** at work. If they don't like it, they can go somewhere else.

      Fourth, Just because you get your rocks off to Wired doesn't mean the rest of us do. But you are the reason that everyone assumes we just can't wait to spend the evening "Overclocking my new processor and installing that bangin new video card I just bought! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT COD4 LOOKS LIKE AFTER THIS!!!!1111" We're specialized in these things because it's what were good at. Just because an author can write a fantastic novel doesn't mean that he can write a poem, and it certainly doesn't mean that he enjoys reading about them, practicing haiku's on his days off. In the same way just because an IT professional is whizzbang at working on broken hardware doesn't mean he cares about what software you need installed. And vice versa for those who work on software. And even if they did, I know this is true for me, it doesn't mean I want to waste my spare time working on your computer so you can get back to e-molesting that level 62 night elf priest on World of Warcraft.

      And there is my little rant :) I feel better. Sorry if it wasn't coherent, I'm pretty blazed right now... Why is that you ask? Because I'm not at work.
    • inigomntoya, on 06/04/2008, -0/+13Totally agree with everything you say. I hate being asked - "What do I owe you?"
      I always say, "Nothing" but I hope they give me something for my time.
      I had to laugh one time because I took a nasty virus off of someone's computer once and reinstalled and updated their missing virus software. I pointed them to Best Buy's Geek Squad to see how much they would have to pay a "professional" to do the same thing. It was like $300! (http://www.geeksquad.com/services/detail.aspx?id=4 ...
      I got a Best Buy gift card out of it. I am not sure how thankful I should be about that. I guess they didn't get the clue as how much I despise Best Buy and their Squad of Maroons.
      • juniorb, on 06/04/2008, -3/+4That's priceless! I'll be telling a couple IT guys at work about your Best Buy gift card tomorrow morning.

        That guy is either totally oblivious or wickedly sarcastic.
    • haleym, on 06/04/2008, -2/+12> four is just stupid, if you dont like working on pcs, why are you at a job that requires you to work on them?

      Just because one enjoys one's job enough to pick it over other possible careers doesn't mean they're so passionate about it that they want to spend their spare time doing it as well. Some might, but not all.

      To put it another way, even wildly successful rock stars who get paid millions to do what they love (with thousands of fans cheering them on every step of the way) need to take a break from touring once in a while. And, no, they probably don't want to come do a private show in your basement for you and your friends while they're on hiatus.
    • SinisterBunni, on 06/04/2008, -6/+1Very well said you guys. Basically the gist of my rant later. The tool that wrote that crap just gives professionals in our industry that love what they do a bad name.
    • Rooster99, on 06/04/2008, -0/+5He does have a few good points - There have been times when I have wanted to help a friend out, and when I looked at the system it was a windows 98 pc with a dial-up connection. I told him right there that had I have been charging him for the service, it would be cheaper to just go out and get a new computer than have me ***** with it for hours on end.

      I tell friends that they get their 1st service for free. After the service (usually a backup and reformat) I explain what they should and shouldn't be doing to avoid problems (avoid limewire, use ATV/FW/Anti-spy-ware/firefox etc). If they listen to me, then I don't really hear from them again unless its a genuine issue, and then ill do what I can. However, if I come around and see that you have done all the things that I told you not to do, then you either pay up or you are on your own.
    • Cybrwolf, on 06/04/2008, -0/+6The whole premise of this article is just lame! I got out of corporate IT, by fixing other people's PC's!
      I did it part-time, for about three years, and finally, I decided to go into business for myself.

      Now, I make $80 an hour, for non-contract, non-senior work. Generally, I make the offer to take the systems to my home office to work on, over a weekend, and I charge a flat two-hour rate. Then I watch movies, and play games, while data gets copied, or windows gets re-installed.

      I make 50K a year, pay my taxes, and enjoy working about 10 to 20 hours a week. Life is meant to be enjoyed, so do it while you can!
    • gritta, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1You're spot on in my opinion. Buried the story as inaccurate.
    • megamod, on 06/04/2008, -2/+1I LOVE YOU

      Dear Whitezombie420,

      I want to have your zombie babies for the rest of my life. You know my every thought and I think we would be perfect soul mates. Please let me know if you're insterested, I look a little white on my profile pic but I can have gotten a nice tan since my trip to Brazil.

      Best regards and please marry me,

      megamod
  • WallnutBoy, on 06/03/2008, -13/+390Site ran a little slow, so just in case -

    The real reason your company’s computer guy doesn’t want to work on your personal PC.

    “I’m sorry, I don’t work on personal PC’s. It’s nothing personal, I promise”.

    Have you ever heard these words come from the lips of your company’s in house IT guy? Have you ever asked and been rebuffed? Well don’t fret. Rest assured dear user, it really isn’t personal. A lot of us computer guys just don’t work on personal PC’s.

    “But why not?” you ask. A computer is a computer right? If it’s broke you can certainly fix it and maybe make a little money on the side. It shouldn’t take you long, you’re an expert.

    As tempting as tax free money on the side sounds, it usually just isn’t worth the hassle. That’s right, I said it. It’s a hassle for us to work on personal PC’s. The laundry list of why it is a hassle is long, but I will try to just touch on the most significant aspects of it.

    First off you have to realize that people that work in a corporate or government IT dept are used to dealing with standardized hardware and software configurations and being in total control over the goings on of their network. We know the hardware and software inside and out. We are in control of the inventory, we know what types of printers we have, and know what the most common problems are that occur with our standardized hardware and software. We like to be in control. When you bring us your personal PC from home, we don’t know what kind of software you have installed, where it came from, or what kind of hardware you may have connected to it that may or may not be causing your issues.

    Secondly, we don’t like to have to “overlook” stuff you may have on your computer that may or may not be “legal”. Is that copy of Office 2007 you have installed on your PC properly licensed? Did you pay for the thousands of mp3’s you have in your “My Music” folder? It honestly bothers us to work on somebody’s computer and see software like Limewire or the likes of it, because we then know you are illegally downloading music. Honestly we want no part of that. We don’t want to know because many of us possess professional technical certifications from Microsoft and others, and with those designations come ethical responsibilities and the like. These companies are our bread and butter if you will, and we don't like to see them ripped off. Plus when you get sued by the RIAA, we don’t want to be called on to testify against you.

    Thirdly, we honestly can’t charge you what our time is actually worth. When you bring in your PC loaded down with viruses and trojans, we could literally have to spend hours cleaning it up, and even then we may not be able to successfully clean it. Nasty infections are generally very difficult to get rid of and usually require that the operating system be reinstalled from scratch, which just adds time to our task.

    Fourthly, (is that even a word?) we don’t enjoy working on computers as much as you might think. You know those guys you see on TV that are always messing with computers and talking about the latest whiz bang graphics card that renders a bajillion polygons per second? Guess what. We’re not them. We are IT professionals. We are usually highly specialized in our fields and concentrate on one area of expertise. We usually don’t know about the latest graphics card unless one of our AutoCAD users is getting a new machine and it requires a high end graphics processing unit. To us computers are just a job, a way to make a living. When we go home at night, we want to spend time with our families, chilling in front of the tube and eating dinner. We don’t want to spend all evening trying to figure out why your ipod won’t talk to your computer.

    Please understand I’m not trying to be rude. I’m just trying to make it easier for you to understand that it’s really not personal, it’s not that we don’t like you. We really just don’t like to work on personal PC’s.
    • wynja, on 06/03/2008, -143/+6GD it, don't post the whole ***** article. Plz just post a ***** mirror.
      • mrminty, on 06/04/2008, -1/+39Ha ha, I love how you avoid saying "Goddamn it", yet you say ***** twice in the rest of your comment.
        • Zyphron, on 06/04/2008, -0/+27Thanks for clearing that up. I kept trying to figure out who GD was...
        • wynja, on 06/04/2008, -1/+1Yeah man, that's my catch line.
      • Kratos76, on 06/04/2008, -0/+9You Lose.
        • infinitiesedge, on 06/04/2008, -5/+1You just made me lose the game. =(
    • WallnutBoy, on 06/03/2008, -1/+115...every time I try to help out.. =(
      • theaceoffire, on 06/04/2008, -0/+68Your heart was in the right place.
      • et3rnalnigh7, on 06/04/2008, -0/+52I don't get it, whats wrong with posting the whole article?
        • Heywoodj, on 06/04/2008, -0/+40Nothing at all!
          As predicted the servers toast.
          @Wallnutboy ya done good. Have an attaboy and a thank you.
        • Kzoo, on 06/04/2008, -0/+5Likewise. If I don't want to read something I do something really novel. I. . . scroll past it :O

          Heh, yeah, don't worry about it WallnutBoy.
        • kingo123, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3Thanks for that WallnutBoy, having the content here is better than jumping to a different website. Many thanks once again for your kind help. Looks like it was a very good thing to do indeed, as the website is down!
      • lolwutpear, on 06/04/2008, -0/+20when i dugg you, you went from -2 to +68 diggs. it looks like we're starting to appreciate your help =)
        • Professr, on 06/04/2008, -0/+8Either that, or you're Kevin Rose's best friend. Or your computer was given to you by alien overlords. Or you are somehow charismatic enough to just GIVE 70 diggs with each click of your mouse!
      • Zyphron, on 06/04/2008, -0/+12I think now that the site got digg-effected, they will appreciate it more. I did.
      • Mawds, on 06/04/2008, -0/+8Dude you did good, don't worry about it.
    • MrPig, on 06/04/2008, -0/+54No, I will not fix your webserver.
    • ligyron, on 06/04/2008, -1/+43I don't know what it is about computers, but even if you spend a little extra time than most people on the computer, everyone just assumes you're a genius and have extraordinary talents on the computer and think you can fix everything. One thing I hated when I was in high school is that people would always get me to fix their computers. 80% of the time it was impossible to fix or would take a day due to old hardware and bloated software.

      Eventually I said ***** it and act like I know jack ***** about computers (Oh, World of Warcraft? Is that out for the Wii yet?) Things are easier this way. I don't think I ever initiated a conversation about computers in the past 5 years, but because of my past people still seem to think I was born with a PhD in computers and ask me retarded questions to which I say "I don't know, I haven't really been keeping up with computers over the past 5 years so everything I knew then is useless now" and to everyone else that is retarded enough to ask me that I say "***** if I know"

      Wii is awesome man
      • Zyphron, on 06/04/2008, -0/+9My boss just tells everyone he is an accountant. I have been considering taking up that idea.
        • zeroduck, on 06/04/2008, -0/+36They'll ask you to do their taxes. Then you're *****.
        • Tenoq, on 06/04/2008, -0/+29People don't ask accountants they know to do their taxes, because they KNOW accountants will charge them a fortune - friends or not.

          For some STUPID reason, IT guys aren't respected like this. If you're the IT guy in the family/friends area, then it's almost EXPECTED that you fix everyone's PC whenever they ask, and do it for free. Like you actually enjoy spending 3 or 4 hours of you life disinfecting their porn-surfing machine.
        • DeathfireD, on 06/04/2008, -0/+9I agree with Tenoq. It's gotten to the point where I just point friends and family to a html file I made that walks them through how to install Spybot S&D, Ad-Aware, AVG, Firefox, Adblock plus and how to boot into safe mode to scan their PCs...etc. That seems to be working fine so far.

          I've also slowly been getting my e-mail reading youtube watching family to move over to Linux since its safer. My grandma loves Ubuntu lol.
        • elipabst, on 06/04/2008, -0/+4"They'll ask you to do their taxes. Then you're *****."

          Seriously. I'll bet the accountant goes around telling everyone he's an IT guy because he'd rather try and fix their computer than get stuck doing everyone's taxes.
      • estvir, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1Yeah, I noticed I was venturing into the label as the "PC guy who can fix my PC, woo, yeah!" and I than turned down basically "Hey, can you help me with x" if x was related to fixing their damn computer or some inane question.

        It's funny to watch others squirm as they get asked for help because they have that "PC guy" label.
      • DarkDx, on 06/04/2008, -1/+2>I don't know what it is about computers, but even if you spend a little extra time than most people on the computer, everyone just assumes you're a genius and have extraordinary talents on the computer and think you can fix everything. One thing I hated when I was in high school is that people would always get me to fix their computers. 80% of the time it was impossible to fix or would take a day due to old hardware and bloated software.

        I'm 16 and just described EXACTLY my situation, they see me like I know EVERYTHING about comptars, c'mon.

        >Eventually I said ***** it and act like I know jack ***** about computers

        This is what I'm going to start to do, I haven't (procrastination ftl) but I will.
        • Zipko, on 06/04/2008, -1/+2It works pretty well. People who know me know I'm smart enough to figure it out, so I can't just play a complete idiot. So what I say that's close to that is along the lines of "I'm sure it can be done, but offhand I don't know how and don't really have time to learn it." One of my roomates asked me to mod his XBox for him and I gave that line as a polite way of saying yes I can do it, but no I'm not going to. It works for general PC debugging too, just tell people that the problem with their computer could be ANYTHING and that it may take days to figure out what's wrong and how to fix it. Sure you could do it, but you don't really have an entire week free to work on it.

          The trap you have to be careful about is if they respond with "can you at least take a look at it, and if it's something complicated I'll take it to a repair shop." Don't let that one suck you in.
    • l800LEMMINGS, on 06/04/2008, -0/+19dude the Best Buy computer tech makes that guy look like a little bitch.
      • zeroduck, on 06/04/2008, -1/+19Their solution to most problems is to format the computer and start fresh. For some extra money, they'll even back up your files.
        • jgtg32a, on 06/04/2008, -1/+19You make that technique sound bad.
        • etherreal, on 06/04/2008, -0/+4Unless its an easy fix, why not? A clean format once a year is what I always recommend. Besides, I always dump a backup on my NAS before my format, so my customers dont have to worry about the data they forgot to tell me to backup.
    • KaiSe7eN, on 06/04/2008, -0/+48Does anyone really ***** care if you see Limewire on someones computers because they're downloading music illegally, besides the fact that you're about to engage in a war with hell, due to the slew of viruses about to pound you in your ass?
      • gotamd, on 06/04/2008, -1/+7I'm not bothered by that as much as I am by stumbling across a porn collection.
        • outsid3rNo17, on 06/04/2008, -0/+7It sucks when you find a porn collection and you don't have your external hard drive with you.
      • pintomp3, on 06/04/2008, -2/+9i don't care if i see. i hate being asked to install or repair pirated or cracked software.
        • Zipko, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2I don't have a problem with it ethically, it's more that it's an added pain compared to getting just the legitimate software working. You've got to fix whatever's wrong with the software AND try to get a licensing workaround working. The one place I don't mess around with it at all is work, since that'll get you in a lot of trouble in the corporate world. But if someone wants to crack a game on their PC I don't care. Just makes it more of a pain to get working.
      • ElectroBot, on 06/04/2008, -0/+7It bothers me when people who use an application/OS to generate income/revenue, don't buy/license that application. If you use something to make money (and you're making enough - i.e. your business isn't going bankrupt), then there is no reason why you shouldn't support the people who wrote the software that you're using.
        • trevorh, on 06/04/2008, -1/+7It's okay for poor college students to pirate programs for school still, right?
        • ElectroBot, on 06/05/2008, -0/+4As long as they're not making money off of it (or enough). But once they get a degree and start using those apps in a business environment, be it an corporation or self-employed, they better pony up the license fee.
    • darthbob, on 06/04/2008, -1/+40Gee, isn't 'Personal PC' just a bit redundant?
      • Sawta, on 06/04/2008, -0/+4It's more exacting.

        I think that since the article was originally intended for people who would ask a "computer wiz" to fix their PC, it would help them differentiate the two...or some crap like that.
      • MScrip, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3I agree.

        I thought they were called computers now. I can't even remember the last time I hear the word "personal" come before computer.
        • nickj6282, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2When you work in a server room, you hear "PC" all the time.

          I used to work at a shop that ran HP blades, IBM and HP rackmount boxes, and iSeries (aka AS/400) boxes running Windows 2003, Linux, and of course OS/400. To say "computer" wasn't specific enough.

          A "PC" to us was any desktop or laptop workstation-type machine, regardless of OS.
      • Stupidumb, on 06/04/2008, -1/+1No it's is isn't not.
    • gavintlgold, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1OR: http://www.broowaha.com.nyud.net:8080/article.php? ...
    • inkyblue2, on 06/04/2008, -1/+39my personal favorite quote from the article:
      "We don’t want to know because many of us possess professional technical certifications from Microsoft and others, and with those designations come ethical responsibilities and the like."

      last i checked, "MCSE" did not stand for "righteous paladin of all cyberspace."

      (more like "my resume needed some help.")
      • Kirizan, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1that was one of the funniest things I've read all night.
      • craiginct, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1Ethical just like (some) lawyers -
        They are forced, inside a business, to have properly licensed software. Ethical would be not bypassing the company interwebs tracking software and wasting company time searching for pron. Just like the A/V club in high school, there is a back room where the grown up A/V club (now IT) does lots of unethical things (pron, playing games, hacking (watching) users...). Not all the time, but they do it from time to time. How many IT departments played 2 girls one cup???????

        The author could have said finding pictures or video of the computers owners family is a reason not to work on peoples pcs without getting all ethical on us.
      • grimward, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2Dugg for "righteous paladin of all cyberspace" .. I'm gonna have that label for all the license nuts from now on :D
    • Gizza, on 06/04/2008, -0/+22Wow, if this guy truely believes his fourth point then he is completely in the wrong profession.

      "You know those guys you see on TV that are always messing with computers and talking about the latest whiz bang graphics card that renders a bajillion polygons per second? Guess what. We’re not them."

      I have yet to meet a IT guy or developer who doesn't get excited over the latest hardware and games.

      "To us computers are just a job, a way to make a living. When we go home at night, we want to spend time with our families, chilling in front of the tube and eating dinner"

      I hear this all the time from people, "I bet the last thing you wanna do when you get home is look at a computer."
      Nope, I get home after working all day on a computer and plonk myself right in front of my home computer and start gaming.
      • mrbad101, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3Right on buddy! I can't get enough of it. Its my work, and my play.
      • Kzoo, on 06/04/2008, -0/+5Good point, though that's a little different than fixing someone's computer :P
    • staser9er, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2I'll have to disagree with your fourth point, I am an IT guy for the school I go to and I worked for another IT company as well for a while, but I also enjoy working with computers in general and about the latest graphics cards with X amount of polygons, I work on them because I enjoy them.
    • humbled, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1I definitely disagree with the fourth point, and moreover, if fixing the computer is a hassle, charge more. Think about what price point it would really take to make it worth spending the time to fix it. Ask for that. It's better than saying no, because you could score a lot of cash that way. (I mean - why not ask for $150 or more per hour of time it takes to fix? At least you know you'll be raking it in - and if they say no, well, you were going to decline anyway...) If you assume that the price you want to charge is unobtainable, you'll never find out. If you don't ask, you'll never get.
  • wynja, on 06/03/2008, -5/+161As a system's analyst, I veered quickly away from PC repair as I can't stand it. The problem is that friends and and family see me as a computer expert, and in their minds that means expert of the PC as they have such limited interaction with the IT world. While I can diagnose and fix most any problem with the PC, there's a ***** reason I don't do it for a living. STOP ASKING ME TO CLEAN VIRUSES FROM YOU PC TO SPEED UP YOUR PORN BROWSING!!!!
    • SuperWinner, on 06/04/2008, -0/+112The thing I hate most about working on someones computer is that they see anything that goes wrong in the future as my problem, since I'm the last person who worked on their computer. Basically if you fix it once, you'll be fixing it for the rest of your life.
      • Coded1, on 06/04/2008, -1/+43Amen brother
      • KnifeOrSpoon, on 06/04/2008, -0/+49Agreed.

        There are 3 occupations you should avoid telling people you are in at social gatherings:

        1. Mechanic - Because you will be forever fixing your friend's cars and expected to do it on the cheap or pro-bono
        2. Computer Technician - The reasons mentioned in the article
        3. Mobile Phone Salesperson - Because every time you goto a BBQ or an outing with friends you will be continuously asked questions about mobile phones and if you can fix a problem with their dodgy $100 phone.

        By extension, I should probably put in there Web Developer / Web Designer, however most people make the mistake of associating an WebDev / WebDesign person with a Computer Tech. Which is equally as annoying!
        • thcobbs, on 06/04/2008, -0/+11You forgot "Doctor".

          Especially "The Doctor".
        • etherreal, on 06/04/2008, -1/+1The easy answer to this is charge money, no matter what. NO MATTER WHAT.
        • Troy64, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1CPA is another one. The field is very specialized and we don't want to answer your tax questions. We definitely don't want to know what you are trying to deduct.
        • rothgar, on 06/05/2008, -0/+1sucks for me. I love working on cars, I happen to do computer repair for work, and I used to fix/sell mobile phones.
          Maybe no one likes me cause I haven't been asked to fix anything for quite some time.
      • nexus420, on 06/04/2008, -0/+14God yes. Cause you know 10 seconds after you walk out the door with their ***** humming, they go in and try to "see what you did" or something. I can't count the number of times the computer I just fixed, literally hours ago, is now "not working anymore", or it's "still" broken.
        Me: "What did you do?"
        them: "Nothing! I SWEAR!"
        Me: "*****. What did you do?!"
        them: "I cant remember."

        I still help out family and close friends....but no one else....ever again. :)
        • CCmachined, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3love that punchline.
          "i did nothing..." *****! tell me! lmfao xD
          Dugg.
      • Zipko, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1No kidding, you're not just talking friends and family either. 3 Month Warranty on software doesn't mean much to a plant if their production lines go down, even if it's not really your fault or problem which half the time it isn't.

        The worst tech support call I've seen was a guy who called because he couldn't log into a system we provided. He knew how to bring up the login prompt, and typed in his user name and password but then called us saying it wasn't working. We had to waste half an hour on the phone before we realized he wasn't pressing the 'OK' button on the prompt. And of course he didn't have a support contract, he just figured he'd call because we installed the system and somehow own it forever.
      • NCg8r, on 06/04/2008, -0/+0Happened to me too, until I began to plan for it. Now I mention everything up front, then remind the "Client" (which is what they've become at this point, regardless of your relationship prior to this) once more of the key points (i.e. anything you haven't told me to back up will be deleted, and you can't get it back after that... I can't be responsible for things that break after I've repaired the problems we know about, but I will fix anything that breaks due to my mistakes... I will charge you, in cash, but not as much as I could and not NEARLY as much as Geek Squad will, and I expect to be paid when I complete my services...)

        It doesn't keep people from trying to blame me for something that breaks 6+ months down the road, but I don't feel bad about it after I remind them of our little talk. I'll try to help, of course, because I like repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. But I remind them that I have always been honest with them (to the point of sounding cruel at times... mea culpa) and if it wasn't my fault, I expect to be paid to fix it.
    • Harfish, on 06/04/2008, -0/+38Not just an expert on PCs my friend. I had someone ask me if I could fix their cell phone for them. I'm a fracking server admin, what do I know about cell phone repair? But apparently it's "all the same thing isn't it?"
    • lordewoks, on 06/04/2008, -0/+21Thank you! It's the same for me too! I now have to support infrastructure for my family that spans over different states. My number 1 pet peeve: When they ask you to remember their password for them!
      • blackinthmiddle, on 06/04/2008, -0/+9Mine is them expecting me to do hours and hours of work for free.
        • AnarkeIncarnate, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3I have a network of family and friends I help (Found out not to do this too late). My problem is the assumption that "It will only take you 5 minutes, why can't you come now?"

          OK. If I am the "Computer Guy" (I work as a UNIX systems admin for a major fortune 100) let ME decide how long it will take. You, who can't figure out AOL's email, don't know how long anything will take, especially the 20 min drive, each way, that you somehow forget about....and want me to take on my way to work so you don't have to stay where you are (personal business) past 6PM. That would inconvenience you..... we can't have that.

          The last time that happened, I literally came in, and the "Problem" was that they mindlessly clicked OK to the "Desktop Cleanup Wizard" and "Their icons disappeared" and they didn't know how to find the programs without them.

          Yes, that time it took about 2 minutes to restore everything and get out the door. The time it would take me "2 minutes" to recover a failing disk drive.......yeah, I remember the 3hrs of work that took just to get the disk detecting, and leaving it overnight running a recovery tool.
    • Kzoo, on 06/04/2008, -1/+0I'm glad I don't get asked about computers (especially considering I only know enough to fix something minor for myself), but I feel your pain. I'm the family vet and doctor. . . even though I studied ecology. . .
    • rchargel, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1I'm not an "IT professional", just a software architect. But I still get pestered by family and friends to 'fix my internet' (okay, lemme just go to Cyberspace and convince King Interweb to allow your internets to pass through his tubes). The other big one is 'my Word won't work' (neither will anyone else's, download OpenOffice or buy Word Perfect). This is perhaps even more annoying considering the fact that I am NOT an IT guy. If I didn't write it, I'm not fixing it. Lately, I've just been using the same lame excuse: Is it Windows? Then I can't fix it.
      • spider256, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1Dugg for "lemme just go to Cyberspace and convince King Interweb to allow your internets to pass through his tubes"
  • krystalo, on 06/03/2008, -34/+525No, I will not fix your computer. Why?
    a) It's a Mac so I don't ***** know how.
    b) Jobs said it wouldn't break.
    • SuperWinner, on 06/04/2008, -9/+226But all the programs have rounded corners... doesn't that make it easier to fix?
      • v1c1ous, on 06/04/2008, -3/+70depends, does it match the desktop theme?
      • celkin, on 06/04/2008, -25/+4Leopard doesn't have rounded corners :[
        • MalDON, on 06/04/2008, -1/+35Pretty sure it does... And I'm typing this on Leopard so I would know.
        • Gneekman, on 06/04/2008, -1/+17That's just the menu bar that lost its roundness... basically all other corners are (except the bottoms of some, such as Firefox here)
        • celkin, on 06/04/2008, -3/+11Wait, you thought I was talking about OSX? I was clearly talking about an actual leopard.

          Oh wait...
        • outsid3rNo17, on 06/04/2008, -2/+1Then say "A leopard" or "The leopard".
        • SirCrumpet, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1And what part of a leopard do you not consider rounded?

          http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/ ...
          Those corners all look pretty rounded to me...
      • smoger, on 06/04/2008, -2/+13you'd think so, until you realize it's an Emac so you need to dance around a charged up CRT to replace a hard drive.
      • tkaStryc9, on 06/04/2008, -1/+13No it actually makes it harder because the wrench keeps slipping off.
      • breezytrees, on 06/04/2008, -1/+4but my programs all have round edges at the top but square edges at the bottom. is mine broken?
    • FireSlash, on 06/04/2008, -51/+16No, I will not fix your computer. Why?
      1) It's a PC so I don't want to touch it
      2) Ballmer said Vista was secure
      3) If you'd bought a mac, it wouldn't be broken.
      • MrCoke, on 06/04/2008, -1/+11or just accept they can both suck.... and don't fix either.
      • Oddish, on 06/04/2008, -1/+6Worst rebuttal ever...(kinda like this one)
      • G5745, on 06/04/2008, -1/+61) Mac users feel intimidated by the sheer masculinity of the PC, it's too... spartan. They also fear those "games" they keep hearing about.
        2) Ballmer is a good comedian, some people just don't dig his humor.
        3) While the idea of an invincible machine may sound bat-***** insane to some, Mac users believe in the divine origins of their beloved Macs. Alas, Macs are made by mortals for mortals, and as we all know - mortals are a bunch of *****.
    • Kratos76, on 06/04/2008, -1/+12OMG. I've answered those very responses at work, I don't know HOW many times. Thank You!!
    • EntropyFan, on 06/04/2008, -5/+40c) The user has been such an arrogant prick about having a Mac (and how it couldn't break) that I no longer care.

    • elf25, on 06/04/2008, -7/+15that's funny, I'm a mac guy and everybody asks me to fix their damn PC and clear our the trojans. I won't do it. Even my wife... (mixed marriage)
      • hellotyler, on 06/04/2008, -1/+8Mac guy here as well and I routinely clean up PCs for a little extra spending money. Never have to do that stuff on mine. If it's a problem then it's usually hardware.
        • s1mph0ny, on 06/04/2008, -0/+4To be fair, I clean up windows infections all the time as well. My windows pc doesn't ever get messed up, but I've had enough experience with trojans to know how to avoid them.
        • orlyfactor, on 06/04/2008, -3/+1...and Apples have TONS of hardware issues. fo'realz.
      • ifknot, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3"mixed marriage" - lol
    • G5745, on 06/04/2008, -5/+68No, I will not fix your computer. Why?
      a. I'm too lazy and ***** up on weed.
      b. My PC is a ***** P4 with 256MB RAM, and I hate you for having the new Core2Duo just to check your ***** emails and send Flash holiday greeting cards to your retarded friends.
      c. I'm a ***** programmer, not a technician.
      d. If you're a sexy chick, I won't get a blowjob for this.
      e. If you're a dude, I won't get a blowjob for this.
      f. You use Vista.
      • DarkShroud, on 06/04/2008, -18/+3Vista is surprisingly decent at fixing its self.
        • evulhotdog, on 06/04/2008, -3/+13No operating system is good at fixing itself. Die in a fire.
        • AgarwaenUmarth, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2Until you hear: "I'm sorry, Dark. I'm afraid I can't do that."
      • doshindude, on 06/04/2008, -2/+3dugg for reason a, b, and f.
        a. lawl
        b. I agree 100%, I use an old P4 for everything, I've upgraded the insides from 256MB to 1.25GB RAM and gave it a relatively good graphics card, but the processor is from 2001 and it shows its age quite a bit. It will have "senior moments" when the whole PC just hangs. I hate it when people buy a new PC that can run circles around mine and they only use it for web browsing or email.
        f. No explanation needed. I'd probably tell my customer that the problem with their PC is that they don't have XP on it.
    • crpndeth, on 06/04/2008, -2/+1That's awesome! Actually I've been using the reverse for my excuse. I can work on any platform (Win/Mac/Linux), but when people ask me for help I usually tell them I only have Macs and I don't know much about Windows. Not trying to say that only Windows PC break .... I mean, Windows still has like 95% of the market, so most people asking me have Windows.
  • xero69, on 06/03/2008, -7/+119I prefer not to work on your personal computer because you are (probably) too stupid to properly hide the nekkid photos of your wife or your stash of inter-racial midget pron. Oh and those pictures of yourself dressed as little bo peep molesting her sheep? Well I'll just keep those handy in case I need to blackmail you someday :-)
    • xz9925, on 06/04/2008, -1/+12well it depends.. is his wife hot? then i can over look the other stuff.
      kinda.. the bo peep *****.. i donno.. good blackmail.. fun to post around the office..
    • bigfloppydonkey, on 06/04/2008, -2/+15I agree, I've worked on a female friends computer that had about 5 gigs of animal + people pron.
      Needless to say I stopped hitting on her.
    • compdude32, on 06/04/2008, -2/+0Is the wife hot?
    • du4l1ty, on 06/04/2008, -3/+2You hide your porn?
  • kungfujedis, on 06/03/2008, -1/+177most of the reasons given: crap. the correct one; you cant afford what i would charge to fix your computer.
    • blackinthmiddle, on 06/04/2008, -0/+9Exactly. Which is why they're asking you in the first place (and not calling geek squad). It's my number one issue with fixing other's pcs.
    • javaroast, on 06/04/2008, -0/+6We have a winner! They can't afford me. I tell them my rates and they don't ask again. Works for both of us. I will work on systems of people that are close to me either friends or family who help me as well.
      • DarkDx, on 06/04/2008, -0/+5Oh the thingy is some of your non so close family (because I would fix for free the pc for a close relative but not's my cousin's girlfriend's mother.) can get offended if you charge them high rates.
    • smashingmonkey, on 06/04/2008, -1/+11My response to this article...

      1. If stepping out of your uber-controlled comfort zone is so disconcerting, you're not much of a troubleshooter and thus the problem is that you wouldn't be particularly good at fixing a home PC.

      2. I don't look for it, but I overlook stuff all the time - porn, gay porn, illegal music, stolen software. It doesn't bother me because I know it's not my place to judge.

      3. This is where I kind of agree, but plenty of people are willing to pay me my full rate, so maybe not so much.

      4. You don't like working on computers that much? Well maybe that explains your first point, where you're not comfortable with unfamiliar setups.
      • s1mph0ny, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1Sometimes it's not so much the comfort level, but the hardware to match systems. I ended up with a pentium 4 ht system to troubleshoot a while ago. Took me forever to confirm that the processor was dead, and the MB needed an update to support a new cedarmill. Intel didn't clue me in on this, which made solving the issue a drawn out process.

        Having enough hardware to diagnose systems is difficult, and expensive. Having the hardware quickly available is nearly impossible, especially at rates that are still considered reasonable.
  • BigManOnCampus, on 06/03/2008, -21/+9This guy pretty much sums up why I don't fix my parent's computer anymore. I'm not an IT guy, I don't work in IT, my degree isn't in IT. Which is probably why it took me so long to realize why I kept getting frustrated by helping my parents out. The reason was simple, I couldn't control what they did with/to their computer when I wasn't there. I couldn't control them, and they would do things that would completely undo what I had tried to for them. At one point after hearing that they had called someone else in to completely reverse what I had done, I told them they were on their own.
    • ResonantToe, on 06/03/2008, -2/+22Wow, I bet your folks thought the same about you in your teen years...

      Have they given up?
      • BigManOnCampus, on 06/04/2008, -4/+2No, they didn't, I didn't give them a reason to be frustrated.
    • Rikkochet, on 06/04/2008, -1/+20"I'm not an IT guy, I don't work in IT, my degree isn't in IT."
      Then... The article doesn't really apply to you, does it? Not being snarky, it just seems like the article was written by someone (a total ass, actually) who was feeling more professional frustration than anything.
      • jawbreaker4fs, on 06/04/2008, -1/+3The applicability of this article isn't strictly limited to people with IT degrees. I have a degree in CS, and I constantly get asked to fix peoples' computers. People make the assumption that because you're a 'computer guy,' you must know how to fix computers. There are many problems with this assumption, but the most obvious is best clarified through analogy. Suppose someone designs in-dash GPS systems for automobiles. It would seem ridiculous for someone to approach him and say 'hey, you're a car guy... can you fix this buzzing noise coming from my engine?' That's the situation most people in computer related fields (namely software engineering and computer science) have to put up with constantly. If you're unable to fix the problem, people assume that you're an idiot, when in reality they're actually asking you to do something outside your area of expertise.
        • burrgrinder, on 06/04/2008, -1/+1People assuming I'm an idiot solves the problem. Nobody goes to idiots for computer repair. That, or I'm just a huge ass to them and they don't ask to begin with.
      • jimmiss, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2I am a control technologist, which brushes with IT only slightly. The article was for anyone who possessed the skills, but has had them for so long they are no longer fun.
    • sleepwalkers, on 06/04/2008, -1/+13If your parents fed, clothed and raised you throughout your childhood and teenage years, the least you can do to pay them back is help them out with their technology.
      I don't terribly enjoy fixing my parents' computers and electronics, but I'm sure they didn't enjoy shelling out the cash it took to raise me. An eye for an eye, I s'pose.
      • BigManOnCampus, on 06/04/2008, -2/+3And when I messed something up for the 100th time, they stopped helping. Same applies here. There's only so many times I can tell them how to keep spyware and crap off their machine. After that it's on me to save my breath.
        • ResonantToe, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3or... you know, set up a decent system that doesn't get those problems in the first place.

          Automatic updates are a Bitch these days aren't they?

        • BigManOnCampus, on 06/04/2008, -1/+2oh, I tried that, they messed that up.
        • DarkShroud, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2Not to mention scheduled scans. Not giving their accounts Admin status, especially if they call you to install software for them anyway.
      • evulhotdog, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1OR that was their choice for having you. They knew the responsibilities, they should deal with them.
      • chewbie, on 06/05/2008, -0/+1you don't really owe that much to your parents. Whatever you think you owe them you owe to your own children. Basic rules of nature
      • jimmiss, on 06/06/2008, -0/+1My parents are the only ones I'll help. The only problem is they usually tell people.
  • eliot2000, on 06/04/2008, -1/+456Here's another: once you fix something- anything, on a less-than-savy user's PC, the next thing that goes bad is automatically your fault.
    • goat2, on 06/04/2008, -1/+116this is so......SO SO SOOOOOOO ***** true. and it is probably the ONLY reason why i wouldnt.


      every time something else EVER ***** up on that persons computer is your fault. and they will keep coming back, forever.
      • Coded1, on 06/04/2008, -0/+56... and want it fixed for free ...

        There fixed that for you.
        • Alex2, on 06/04/2008, -0/+13No, you broke it. I demand a new 'fix'.
          Fix DIGG! NOW!
      • keviniskool, on 06/04/2008, -0/+14I've had one person think something they did was my fault.

        After they got a new computer.
    • Wolfspirittt, on 06/04/2008, -0/+32Very true. I cleaned out some viruses and spyware crap off my father in law's friends computer once and it was a huge mistake. The guy kept calling me and harassing me saying that I made his speakers not work after I removed the viruses from his computer. He eventually got the point when I wouldn't return his calls or answer the phone when he called up. This is the reason why I am so hesitant to do side work on PCs after my primary IT job during the day.
      • blackinthmiddle, on 06/04/2008, -0/+10I program and wanted to make some side money. Some guy wanted me to code a few pages for a clothing shop and I did it no problem. The guy calls me. "Hey, the code you wrote is broken!" I hate hearing those words. I look at the code and sure enough, it's not right.

        It happened again. This time, I was a little suspicious and made a copy of the file after I fixed it. The third time around, I compared the files and timestamps and saw that they were different. I asked, "Do you have someone else working on this as well?" Sure enough, someone else was working on the same file and getting their stuff to work (while breaking mine). I found myself playing detective and it got to the point where basically I was working for $5 an hour!

        Now, if I do consulting work it has to be for a real company and I tell them up front I want $50 an hour. I make enough money from my day job where if you don't want to pay me what I'm actually worth, I'll just sit on the couch and watch t.v.
        • waxoff, on 06/04/2008, -0/+5Three letters. SVN. Don't forget to tag the release. You can thank me later.
    • talonstriker, on 06/04/2008, -3/+37The only worse thing is accidently ***** up their PC and knowing that you ***** it up for the worse. But you don't know WTF to do, so you just lie to them that something is wrong with their BIOS and that they need to send it back to the manufacturer. Then you live out your life in guilt.
      • DarkShroud, on 06/04/2008, -0/+10Yeah, like loosing a driver for some POS card in the PC that's so ancient or so generic you can't even find the company who made it.
      • halexmar6, on 06/04/2008, -1/+13sounds like me when i try to introduce someone to ubuntu when they really will never need vista, but then it gets ***** up because of one little thing that just doesnt work. I do live my life in guilt when it comes to that...im done trying to show ppl ubuntu....im just keeping it to myself now...thanks for letting me finally vent and confess my sins.
        • metalwolf, on 06/04/2008, -4/+0You know you could just test the stuff out with the live cd right?
        • talonstriker, on 06/04/2008, -0/+4@metalwolf, some stuff (e.g. wireless) doesn't work with live cd on some laptops.
        • kupa, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2question; if they couldn't figure out windows, what the hell makes you think they could handle Ubuntu?
        • DarkShroud, on 06/05/2008, -0/+1@kupa, some Linux users actually believe that most home users will be able to just use and love it so much they'll never want to go back to Windows again.

          Personally, I lost faith in the average home user when I was once asked to fix a laptop that had stopped updating and needed the version of Office that came with it needed to be activated. It couldn't update anymore because the daughter had filled the entire 80gig HD full, with Sailor Moon episodes.
    • bledig, on 06/04/2008, -2/+9that's why i stopped fixing my home computer! man...suddenly the wireless is not workign and family would go berserk asking what i did to break the internets. guys! u trip the line! plug it back in
      • AdamFromMyspace, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3You must have a pretty special family if they can trip on wireless internet! :D
    • waxoff, on 06/04/2008, -0/+16I'm a software engineer. I thought I'd start a side business supporting small businesses run their networks and maintain their computers. That is until I realized a supporting small business is almost exactly like supporting home users. My first customer calls me up after I finished moving all their computers and a very basic network from their old office to their new one. The computers were randomly rebooting overnight. Of course I was to blame. My first guess is a temporary power loss. So I go out and buy them UPS devices, replacing simple surge protectors for the four desktops and a new UPS for the one server. They call me the next morning. Same deal. They are convinced I'm to blame and I feel the stares as I trouble shoot that Sunday. I look up the model number for the Dells they have. Turns out this model has capacitors which blow on the motherboards. The Dell website describes how you need to crack open the case and check for swollen capacitors. Bingo. I call Dell and they agree to send someone out the next day, no charge, all under warranty. I'm thinking I just vindicated myself with ample proof. They were willing to pay, but didn't like that I was charing all these extra hours and for the UPS devices. They considered all the work as part of the estimate on the move. The fact that this was an entirely separate issue was lost on them. Guess what business I never want to get into again.
    • trackersNZ, on 06/04/2008, -0/+7Amen to that, even a year down the track if something breaks they assume its because of something you did. GRRR /rage
    • metalwolf, on 06/04/2008, -3/+0Oh yeah, I have that problem with my best friend. Today he said I messed up his internet when I was setting up our new server at his house. When I asked what he did to fix it, guess what his reply was. He hit the reload button a bunch of times and that fixed it.

      yep, it was completely my fault!
    • bmarc, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1amen to that, this is one of the primary reasons why I hate fixing personal PC's.
    • NCg8r, on 06/04/2008, -0/+5I gave my step-mother a PC. FOR FREE. Just gave it to her so she and my Dad could have a PC. She constantly b1tch3d and complained about the PC, and how it never worked right. I eventually figured out that she was deleting files, so I fixed it, made a ghost image, and just flashed her HD with the image any time she broke it. Eventually, she determined that the PC was no good.

      She said "the keyboard works, the mouse is fine, the monitor is good... can't we just replace that box thingy?" I told her that she was right, and it probably would be a lot simpler to replace the box-thingy rather than have me out to fix their broken PC all the time. I gave her the 800# for Dell and Gateway, and told her she would be glad to know that they have IT folks on demand, 24/7!

      Suddenly, Dell makes a crappy PC that never works right. Oddly, it had the same problems as that crappy PC that I built for them... Weird....
  • badNetAdmin, on 06/04/2008, -0/+139Amen to number 3. I always get the douchebags that want to buy me lunch to fix their PCs. No thanks...it's not really worth a double cheeseburger from BK for me to spend hours cleaning all the spyware and viruses from all the lame porn sites you visit.
    • SuperWinner, on 06/04/2008, -8/+45General rule, if they use Firefox, I'll take the 30 minutes to run Spybot for them and fix most of their problems. If they run IE, they are on their own...
      • DarkShroud, on 06/04/2008, -1/+11Uh huh, maybe after you get some more experience. You'll soon discover that malware can now infect more browsers than just IE. And a lot of these people are so stupid it doesn't matter what browser because they click yet to install on everything. My personal fav is "I couldn't use that Mozilla things."
        • SuperWinner, on 06/05/2008, -1/+1Did I mention I spybot the computer, blocking 99% of known malware? Its about making it as safe as possible, there is no such thing as 100% safe.
      • ThreeDee912, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2A few months ago, I cleaned out my computer-illiterate friend's PC. After running Spybot, installing AVG (the new 8.0 kinda sucks BTW), ran MS update, and set everything to auto-update. I also installed Firefox, and told them to only use that. They actually DID listen to me, but then one day, they said something was wrong with their "new internet" (Firefox). Next thing I know, I find the infamous MyWebSearch toolbar in Firefox???

        Really. I even took a screenshot:
        http://image.bayimg.com/aajhpaabn.jpg

        (yeah, that's me googling how to remove it)
    • rambocommando, on 06/04/2008, -2/+4Had this exact thing happen to me, coming from my roommate "Hey can you put that 'Veesta' on my computer, I'll buy you dinner or somethin."
  • jcannonb, on 06/04/2008, -0/+79I don't like working on personal PC's because they want you to do it for (next to) free. If I gave it away all the time, I would be broke :( I love helping people, but its a two way street. Once you help someone the first time, they feel like they can ask you anytime, and basically abuse the resource.
    • snoogit, on 06/04/2008, -1/+10^^ THIS

      When I was in college, and the time after when I wasn't working in IT I would do the odd personal job here and there, fixing random problems friends and family had.

      Then I got my Network Admin gig, and that stopped dead cold. I have most of my co-workers trained to not ask me to fix their personal computers, and only a handful still bug me about it (Always getting the same response from me: No.)

      However before I got there the IT Tech already there was doing personal jobs, and even built a few systems for folks. So my first few weeks were basically nothing but co workers asking for personal favors on their computers. Sadly the older IT tech is still hounded by people looking to get work done on their systems. It's amazing he hasn't gone insane.
      • jp12380, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2Honestly, I think you just have to be honest to them and tell them what you will charge to fix it. Make it a number that isn't anything close to a BK meal and tell them that is your price, if you continually do that I don't think they will keep bugging you.

        I think that a lot of techies undervalue themselves and that is why they get stuck doing jobs for free and or for petty compensation.

        When you do a job for someone cleaning out their spyware, tell them if they infect themselves again you will look at the timestamps and you will charge them again if they reinfected themselves.

        If they don't like the price, just stick to your guns. They will stop bugging you or agree to pay it.
    • NCg8r, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2Be selective, but take advantage of these offers. What can THEY do for YOU??? It takes me 4 hours to re-load your OS. What can you do for me in 4 hours??? Quite a lot, it turns out (no, not sexually you pervs). I had a nice couple come clean my house while I fixed their PC. Scrubbed it better than me or my wife have ever cleaned... I wish they still broke it all the time, but (sadly) they actually listened to me when I told them how to avoid problems in the future...
  • MorganFreeman, on 06/04/2008, -0/+91I don't like working on personal PC's because once people know you're "good at computers" everyone expects you to fix their computer because its "slow". And then after they pay you next to nothing (they think since its computer work, its easy work), if their hard drive crashes a week later, you are the one who gets blamed.
    • Reziarfg, on 06/04/2008, -8/+4Hehe, you just said "personal PC's"

      That's like saying personal personal computers!
    • zeroduck, on 06/04/2008, -7/+2Well, it's not like it's *hard* work. Relatively speaking, of course.
      • BlackAdderIII, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2When you've spent all day/week working hard as a developer/sysadmin/whatever, spending your only free time thanklessly repairing someone's borked windows installation seems like BLOODY hard work.

        People assuming it's not hard work, or that you must enjoy it because you "like/know computers" is especially annoying.
  • bxblox, on 06/04/2008, -1/+39An easy way I've found to get around the problem is to charge for it before they ever need the service. Let it be known that you'll fix minor problems for a certain rate (if you're actually willing to that is). Most of the time people wont ask because they know it's not free.
    • Harfish, on 06/04/2008, -0/+18I used to quote an outrageous hourly rate which scared off most people. "Can't do it during work time, have to take it home and do it in my spare time, how's $200/hour?" Surprisingly very few people ask me to look at things anymore.
      • snoogit, on 06/04/2008, -0/+8Heh I have done the same, although I was asking for $75/hr, and still a minority of people were still interested, managers backed off quick, but some of the less savvy users were intrigued. For those that were interested I finally had to confess why I wouldn't do it.
        • javaroast, on 06/04/2008, -0/+7Raise your rates! We need to come up with a consistently scary number.
        • jp12380, on 06/04/2008, -0/+5$75 an hour isn't that bad of a price actually. I think that is pretty fair if you are skilled enough.

          Good luck to them finding someone that will do it for less.

          They will have to get their uncle Charly or their nephew to do it and who knows if they really know what their doing.
    • pendrachken, on 06/04/2008, -0/+14True, the ones I really want to scare away I tell I charge by the hour, $75 / Hour charged at full hour increments... so if it takes 61 minutes thats $150. Only the really desperate / totally clueless stick around then.
  • ileftfark, on 06/04/2008, -3/+497Just a few months ago, I was fixing or taking home ~3 computers a week. I don't even work in IT. I'm just a geek who knows my gizmos (maybe some of you can relate?) After fielding tech support for my entire family, they tell their friends "Oh, my son could fix that for you..." or perhaps a regular at the bar I frequent hears me going through how to do a System Restore from memory over the phone (it doesn't even have to be anything impressive), and suddenly everyone just wants you to "take a look". That "look" would cost you $150 at Best Buy, and I'll actually get it fixed. But as soon as you start telling people you can't do it for free, they act like you have a large pizza to yourself and won't share a slice. Time is ***** money, people. I put in 40hrs+/week at my job, like most adults. They don't pay me; I sell my time and skills to them. For my mom, yeah, I'll delete the WildTangent suite of malware because she wanted to play Scrabble one time. But unless you have wiped my ass when I was little (or even last week), can literally call me "bro", or have given me oral pleasure, you better ***** pay.

    /end rant
    • Gravey9, on 06/04/2008, -0/+59so ***** true man so true this is exactly like me. I fixed my mom's comp then my uncle's and all of a sudden every John, Harry and Suzie wants me to fix theirs for free. I lowered my price and even offered flat rates and still they get pissed when I show them the bill.

      Like I say "If you didn't raise me, pays me."
    • djpaec, on 06/04/2008, -1/+20Amen, I just tell people I can't fix there computer unless it's through my company otherwise I'd get fired. Which is technically true
      • RoflCoptah, on 06/04/2008, -10/+4their*
        srry, just couldn't help it
      • cawpin, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2djpaec - Your company can't tell you what to do on your own time. I don't care if it's in a signed contract or not. That violates your rights.
    • lordewoks, on 06/04/2008, -1/+94Dugg for "have given me oral pleasure"
      • tas08, on 06/04/2008, -0/+18Dugg for "(or even last week)"
      • nobeastsofierce, on 06/04/2008, -0/+6I'm hoping its unrelated to the mom references
    • itspuddingtime, on 06/04/2008, -0/+61+1 for the pizza analogy
    • jawbreaker4fs, on 06/04/2008, -0/+48I feel like people in computer related fields can best relate to doctors in this respect. I'm sure doctors get asked questions all the time like 'oh, you're a doctor? Can you tell me what to do about [insert medical ailment]?'

      That being said, I never ask a doctor to provide free medical advice in a social situation. It's just plain rude.
      • Sawta, on 06/04/2008, -0/+24I can also imagine this kind of thing happening to Lawyers, and pretty much anyone who works in a "specialized industry" where they are paid large amounts of money per-hour. I guess you can't really blame people for trying though.
      • cawpin, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3jawbreaker4fs - And we're all just as disgusted at seeing a machine full of spyware/viruses as the doctors are when Aunt Flem shows them her "little bump" on her inner thigh.
      • AngryAngryBrian, on 06/04/2008, -0/+7Valid point, but there is still a difference between asking a doctor about a sore muscle while hanging out with him, and asking him about the 10 kilo lead brick in your colon (spyware).

        It is fine by me when someone comes up and asks what antivirus I recommend, but if you want me to pull that brick out of your ass you better stop by my office and bring cash.
    • cglisson, on 06/04/2008, -1/+28A-*****-Men. 37 internetz to you sir.
    • snoogit, on 06/04/2008, -0/+30That comment is full of win.
    • yuanzhoulu, on 06/04/2008, -0/+8yeah, especially i'm personally worried about liability too. i enjoy working on computers but i make this clear to people --
      1. if there's warranty, go get it warrantized. anything i do will void your warranty.
      2. if there's no warranty, and you're about to toss it and get a new pc and don't care, and it's easy to fix, i'll attempt it and give it back to you possibly fixed, possibly not. you might get lucky, you might not.

      especially when it comes up to stuff like laptops with loose-connection power connectors that require some solder work, if i screw up i might wreck something so i really have to make this clear.
      • PoorCollegeGuy, on 06/04/2008, -0/+6dugg for warrentized.

        Sometimes my dad will screw some crap up on his work computer (which I don't even touch) that doesn't allow him to connect to the wireless network, and he'll wake me up at four in the ***** morning to fix it.
    • Takuro, on 06/04/2008, -1/+11Dugg for the pizza analogy. As weird as it is, I knew exactly what you meant. :/
    • TdiFFRob6876, on 06/04/2008, -0/+10I wish I could digg your comment more than once. This is so true. It's like having a car everyone wants a ***** ride. Rides take gas and gas takes money.
      • cawpin, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1Well, just like his comment, rides could also take head.
    • bradleyland, on 06/04/2008, -0/+17Man, I feel you. When people ask me if I can fix their personal PC, my answer comes in two parts:

      * That'll be $85/hr with a 1 hour minimum to come by. I accept cash your check, paid in full before I leave.
      * The work I do comes with no warranty. I cannot tell if your computer is going to die tomorrow.

      I love it when someone tries to tell me my work is "easy". If it's easy, do it yourself. There's plenty of work for competent IT guys out there; I'm not wasting my time justifying my work to you. Go find some other schmuck to take advantage of. My time spent bending over backwards for everyone else ended a long time ago.
    • iamvahe, on 06/04/2008, -0/+10+1 Million. This happens to me all the time. People are almost offended when you say no. For me its not so much about the money as it is about the headaches that follow. The questions never stop after you've helped once.
    • urbanRock, on 06/04/2008, -0/+19My brother-in-law is a mechanic. We made an arrangement. I fix his computer, he fixes my car. It works for us. Now I just gotta find out what other labor-trading I can do in the family.
      • moonlessrat, on 06/04/2008, -2/+5hehe same thing for me last week, I fixed a guys comp and he (mechanic) fixed my motorcycle....like going back to olden days without cash, 3 bags of flour for a pig hehe
        • Clodhopper, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3Or right now in Egypt. 5 camels for 1 woman.
    • cursim, on 06/04/2008, -3/+2You got it completely right dude. As if knowing how to fix a computer means you're an ***** for wanting to charge for it. Sheesh!
      • doshindude, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1would you rather be a hobo or do you like putting food on the table?
    • manonfire285, on 06/04/2008, -11/+5The slash in "/end rant" means "end" itself. The word "end" is redundant. Therefore, the proper term is "/rant."
    • bingostud722, on 06/04/2008, -0/+4So true. Everyone wants you to fix their computer for free (or damn near close to it)

      The worst is when they have assloads of viruses etc on their computer. you try to tell them DONT DOWNLOAD THAT PROGRAM AGAIN.....2 weeks later I'm back out there because they are tards and did it anyway.
    • chaoscode, on 06/04/2008, -0/+2This got so bad when I lived near my family I ended up having to move to different state to avoid it. My family pimped me out like I was a computer tech hoe. I got so tired of them doing it. It actually caused a division in my family becuase my wife and I made no money and were starving. yet people were bitching about charging to fix stuff. I say amen brother amen.
    • NCg8r, on 06/04/2008, -0/+1I usually diffuse the situation by countering their request for free (or implied as free) service by saying "You know, I run a little business on the side and I usually charge......" This way, you're not saying "NO". You're simply offering them a service that they may or may not take advantage of. If they get offended, fark `em.

      Family gets free service, tho. Once per issue. I won't fix the same problem 3 times.
    • kpmoore, on 06/05/2008, -0/+1That comment applies to me so perfectly, I wish I could Digg you twice. Good to know I'm not alone.
  • clak, on 06/04/2008, -83/+17My conversations with Windows users usually go like this.

    "Hey, John, my PC is really slow. What can I do to make it faster."
    "You probably have a lot of malware slowing you down."
    "But, I haven't even been to any bad sites. I don't even look at porn that much these days."
    "Have you visited the web more than twice this month?
    "Yeah."
    "Then you're screwed. Windows doesn't require you to actually visit bad sites to download malware, because of ActiveX controls...uh, never mind."
    "Okay."
    "Tell you what. Buy some more RAM and Norton Anti-Virus."
    "Okay."
    "And Spybot: Search and Destroy."
    "Yeah."
    "Ad Aware."
    "Okay."
    "And defrag your hard drive once a week."
    "What day do you do it?"
    "Oh, I have a Mac. I don't have to defrag my hard drive. OS X uses something called Hot File Adaptive Clustering."
    "Huh?"
    "Never mind, just buy the RAM, install those programs and you should be fine."
    "Okay."

    A month goes by and my Windows friend calls me back.

    "John, my PC is running slow again."
    "You buy the RAM and all those AV programs I told you about?"
    "Yeah."
    "And you're defragging?"
    "Yeah."
    "Re-install Windows."

    Another month goes by. My phone rings.

    "Dude."
    "Buy a Mac."

    Click.

    • BlackKnight6, on 06/04/2008, -5/+67So Mac users are snobs to their friends too?
      • Coded1, on 06/04/2008, -10/+1Nelson: HA HA /Nelson
      • Murdats, on 06/04/2008, -2/+42their computer is running slow again because you told them to buy norton, if you are recommending norton you obviously dont know what you are on about.
        • Kirizan, on 06/04/2008, -0/+19Friends don't let friends use Norton
      • snoogit, on 06/04/2008, -2/+8NOD32 for the win!
    • NathanCH, on 06/04/2008, -21/+4Lol. True
    • HardSide, on 06/04/2008, -6/+18Please tell me you don't work in the field of computers...if somebody told me their computer is running slow, yes malaware would be the culprit, but i wouldn't point it at just that, id ask questions as to how and when it started, and most of the time in my exp, its faulty ram.

      And telling your friend or customer to buy a mac, or just buying another computer in general without actually looking at his/her problem/situation...it just creeps me out that people like you have IT jobs (I presume thats what you have, correct me if im wrong).
      • mike17032, on 06/04/2008, -9/+3*****.

        I did work in IT for several years, and It was ALWAYS some kind of virus/spyware/porn dialer that was slowing down the computer. Every single time. Either Spybot fixed it, or reinstalling Windows did.

        What kind of ***** awful RAM are your friends/company using that breaks all the time? Like anything RAM can go bad, but I have never had it be the cause of a slow computer.

        I dont give a ***** how locked down the computer is, if its running windows and has ever been on the web its got spyware. Its all a matter of how much.
        • HardSide, on 06/04/2008, -1/+9Breaks all the time? I never said it breaks all the time, and I wasn't inferring it was just 1 or 2 people that have the same problem always. But if you must know, I've seen computers with burned RAM, EIDE cable's, among other things.

          I know you probably won't see this reply, since you clearly "don't give a *****". But I figure some Digg readers should see, that automatically blaming viruses/malaware on peoples computer problem's doesn't really resolve anything, without diagnosing the problem first.
      • bingostud722, on 06/04/2008, -2/+2Oh, I'm sure he does. I would probably say that 50% of people who are IT "Professionals" think they know more than everyone, and can diagnose without actually looking into a problem. I feel bad for consumers who run into these people.
    • Lane, on 06/04/2008, -2/+40Buried for recommending Norton. You're sick dude.... Sick, sick, sick.....
      How about "try firefox" and problems solved!
      • mike17032, on 06/04/2008, -0/+3Firefox only helps with some of the ways people get *****.

        It will do nothing to prevent ***** coming in on limewire or anything else they are stupid enough to install.