Tell me why (rant)

Visual Novel Community Off Topic
#1

Tell me why I try to help people with computer stuff. Tell me why I study IT in the first place.

NOBODY FUCKING LISTENS TO ME!

Most recent examples:

Case 1

My psychiatrist’s computer’s power supply unit broke. Because I had exams, she asked someone else to look at what was wrong with the PC. Then she decided to buy a new PC, considering that the current one was 10 years old, and she didn’t want to risk something like this again.

Why is this a problem, you ask? Well, all she uses her PC for is surfing the Internet, sending e-mail, and watch some graphs in some legacy program.

An older PC is a perfect fit. Replacing the power supply unit in the old PC will be enough to continue running for more years. But no, she doesn’t want to ‘risk’ it. What, the power supply unit breaking is a sign that the entire PC needs replacing? That’s nonsense!

She won’t be a second-hand PC from a shop either, because she wants to be able to write her purchase off her taxes. Aargh!

Case 2

Baldo wants a new laptop, and asks for advice. I give him advice. He appreciates my comments, but sticks with what he had thought of getting. I give further advice, but he doesn’t budge, and will be getting a machine that’s 10 times more powerful than he actually needs! Baldo, if you were already set for your purchase and weren’t going to listen to any advice, then no topic should have been made about it!

Case 3

This was the last straw. A couple weeks ago, a friend of mine was busy with coding the new design of the website of a friend of his. He shows me the base page. It looks good, but then I look at the code, and notice how much of a mess it is - tag soup.

I gave him some pointers on what he did wrong, and then started correcting his shitty code. It took me hours, but I made it. I show him the result.

Today I go to said site, and see that the new design is up, but still with the tag soup. No DOCTYPE either. I complain to him, and he told me that my help wasn’t asked for. So what, there ws no good reason to refuse it. I gave him the solution on a plate! Then he told me he didn’t have the time. No time my ass! There’s nothing hard about replacing HTML code in PHP instructions.

Why the hell do I even try anymore?

[ 09-05-2006, 05:37 PM: Message edited by: Benoit ]

#2

Please remember, Benoit, what I said: I decided to buy a cheap notebook, but, for various reasons, only if specifically available from www.dell.it, and only if gifted with a 17"display (my poor eyesight :slight_smile: , and if you can follow your own heart with no regrets, you will ascend to (your) heaven for sure.

#3

for case1, it may sound easy for us techies to say that changing the power supply will fix the problem, but that may (and often) not be the case for normal, computer-illiterate people like your doctor. plus, if buying a new computer from a trusted dealer makes her feel more safe, then let it be…take it as if she’s buying insurance or something

for case2, sure older specs might be sufficient for playing b-games but like baldo said, he has to choose whatever is being offered from dell, and its very unlikely that dell will still sell models that are made eons ago…and plus if he buys a new machine now its best that the machine is still up to par a few years from now, and god knows what b-games will be like by then. in case you are not aware of yet, b-games are starting to become resource intensive…overflow’s school days/summer days come to mind because of its full animation feature

and like i said before in the other thread, if the same price can be offered with a better config or you get free stuff, why not take it? its not like its illegal and you will feel guilty after taking it…

case3…he only showed you the page, but did he specifically ask you for help, especially on the technical side? maybe he only wants you to look at how it looks visually and not the codes

not to say that you are wrong or anything but sometimes you should think from the other person’s perspective first

and not to add fuel to this, but advice/suggestions are just that: they only suggest ideas to people, not commands that are forced onto people. whatever decision the person makes is their choice as long as they dont regret doing so and are willing to accept any pro/cons that may happen afterwards. if a bunch of people gave very radical and different opinions/advices on the issue does that mean that in the end the person has to make a choice that will be in favor of EVERY advice made?

everybody has their own reasons to make their every decisions and there may be factors that you are not aware of, and you should try to understand them, if not trying to accept it. it’s their life after all, not yours.

#4

He did only want me to look at it and send a screenshot. But I’m also a web standards advocate, so I just had to look at the code.

No, the person would select one advice that seemed the best.

My point of view is that if you’re a computer illiterate and you’re going to ask for advice to someone who’s experienced at it, you’d better follow it too instead of going off on your inexperienced own and possibly make bad decisions.

Thanks.

#5

If the power supply fails, it is indeed reasonable to assume the rest of the machine is going to fail soon as well. First, they aren’t designed to last indefinitely. Second, if the power supply goes, it can be putting out poor quality power for some time before (or can spike violently as it dies), neither of which are good for the other components.

Besides which, it’s “not much more extra money now, versus more hassle later on”. Spending money to avoid hassles is indeed legitimate; this is the whole idea behind insurance, for example.

#6

An advice is just an advice, Benoit. You did well in giving it to them.

It’s a business of them if things are not going to work. :slight_smile:

At least, your coscience is clean. Don’t get so angry for that, it brings bad radicals into your blood shortening your life… :slight_smile:

And, for case 1, if power supply fails the first time i agree, time to search for a new machine. Disaster struck quickly, as i have experienced many times.

#7

My PC is still working very well despite having had to change the power supply roughly two years ago. The PC itself is 8 years old.

#8

what speed is your system Benoit?

I remember back when I had a 286 and I had maxed out the ram on it … but I was able to get Win95 to run (not verry well but it ran, also there wasn’t any room left for anything else)

I also know a little where you are comming from Benoit. As you may know I posted a thread about XC-3 Crashing After a few days I tried a few things and found something that worked for me. I don’t know if my explination is just plain lousey or what but everyone keept complaining of the same problem in the same thread that I gave the sugestion. so I do know how you feel a little. I have been working with hardware and software for about 8 years (that may not seem long but most of the time I can solve my own problems) I post that i have found a problem to see if anyone else has had that perticular problem … that doesn’t mean that I can’t also find the fix for it as well. Anyway I will stop now.

[ 09-15-2006, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: ms308680 ]

#9

It’s a Pentium II 233 Mhz with 160 MB RAM.

#10

Keep your chin up, at least you gave sound advice. That’s better than shrugging your shoulders and saying meh.

#11

MY old PCs worked in a zone where electrical force was designed for industrial factories, and not for business offices. One overload of that kind is not a joke for a power supply - and circuits, too. Still have some burned somewhere as “memento mori”. :slight_smile:

#12