Tales From Technical Support Content
Being a programmer, website designer, and network tech everyone (Friends and Family) feel I'm a free tech support, and usually pay me in food... Which I am perfectly fine with..
So that is where this story starts...
My grandmother calls me (Grandma = G, Me = M)
G: The new computer we bought turns off and on automatically.
(At this point I run her through all of standard things i.e. Sleep mode times etc)
M: Ok, since those haven't worked, I'll just come down to fix it this weekend.
G: Ok see you then.
[That weekend and a few hours later(With research)]
M: Grandma, call XXXX and say you need a new power supply and you're under warranty.
(She does so and gets the computer back in about a month... The company confirmed a faulty power supply and happily replaced it)
[6 AM phone rings]
G: Brandon, the computer isn't working..
M: What's happening?
G: It wont connect to the internet
M: (Sigh)
(At this point I take her through all of the wireless internet fixes and what not, but still.. no avail)
M: I'll come over this weekend...
G: See you soon.
[That weekend]
(During this time I'm uninstalling, reinstall, rebooting, reconfiguring, checking router information.. but still an un-recognized device as wifi adapter)
M: Grandma.. I can't figure this out, I'm calling tech support...
G: Just do what you have to do...
(Tech support = T)
M:(waiting)
T: Hello I'm (Generic American name with heavy Indian accent) how may I help you today?
M: Hi, I'm currently having an issue with my wireless device, it's saying it doesn't exist.
(Tech guy has me restart, go through wifi settings..the whole sha bang)
M: I'm fairly sure this is either a hardware or driver issue.
T: Ok, I want you to right click on wireless profiles..
M: No, no, no... This wont fix the issue... It's either driver or hardware...
T: Ok, sir at this point I want you to re-install the Opera-
[CLICK]
I am not a fan of this option.. But after more frustration I reinstall the OS (a new computer, nothing to lose)..but still... I call tech support..I get walked down the same path until...
T: Ok, I want you to re-install windows
M: I just did, literally 30 minutes ago...
T: Ok, to reinstall the system insert your windows disk into the cd tray and pre-
[CLICK]
Obviously this wasn't getting anywhere..
After all of this I finally open up the compact slim line computer..and find out when the new power supply was put in they didn't fully reassemble the wireless device..
This is what happens when you try to follow tech advice...
you install your OS 20 times until you say screw it and reassembly the horribly built computer...
So earlier today I'm with family at a get together, and I'm mentioning that sometimes when I get Windows-created PowerPoint presentations the audio does not play with the Mac version of PowerPoint. I say that the audio included _is_ of a type that's playable on my Mac (all appropriate codecs installed, even for WMP music files on a Mac and the more obscure AVI formats). The presentations work fine with PP for Windows on my own PC. The audio _should_ work... I'd have thought *sigh*
I mention this because I'm creating a presentation on my Mac for family to be played on a WinPC and am mildly concerned the reverse issue could arise. I'm a geek, but I so rarely use PowerPoint I've never bothered to get to the bottom of this issue. Perhaps I will now because what happened next has me groaning inside STILL hours later. Arrrgh...
My aunt's husband who is an average clueless user says "iTunes is a fascist application". I have no idea WTF he thinks iTunes has directly to do with PowerPoint playing audio on a Mac, so I ask what he means.
I get told iTunes for Windows takes over his media player settings and there's no way to get back control (wrong). Before I have a chance to mention he had to have said yes when iTunes asked if he wanted it to handle music media playback, or say he might be at odds with the QuickTime browser plugin's mime settings (that he okayed when he told iTunes to take over), and how to change this, or ask what relevance this has to PP and iTunes for Mac...
Enter the clueless computer freaking scientist (you'd think _they'd_ know something)... my very own uncle. A real life computer scientist who does advanced programming and app development way, way beyond my capabilities.
He apparently ignores the lack of a relationship between iTunes on my Mac and audio playback in PowerPoint for Mac. Or maybe he just doesn't care that didn't make sense.
Either way he jumps in and says that iTunes for Windows took over his media settings and wouldn't let go (bollocks unless it somehow hosed the registry, in which case there'd be bigger issues afoot), forcing him to REINSTALL WINDOWS (stupid, but it still has no relevance to my issues on my _MAC_).
Obviously his action was a massive overreaction and totally unnecessary here - duh. I'm sure you geeks know he just didn't get that once again he a) okayed that change and that b) it was Quicktime's mime settings (iTunes uses QT for playback and needs and does install it as well) that needed to be altered, and/or file associations and media player settings needing to be reset to his preferences (people - iTunes ASKS you for a reason - don't just click yes every time an app asks you something, ESPECIALLY if it's the first time it's run).
Perhaps he just annoyed that the QT browser plugin now was the default for playback in his browser. That's so easily solved/put back the way it was it makes my head hurt to think an actual computer scientist can't even google for solutions to user problems with an app he's clueless about.
ARRRRGH! The worst thing is I have to grin and bear it and pretend I don't think these two are idiots. Neither are actually dumb. But once again otherwise smart people - even a bloody real life Phd in Comp Sci - just fail to even consider they don't know WTF they're on about, and look it up. They don't even seem to analyse their own actions and apply their own usually functioning bullshit-o-meter to them.
*massive sigh* Thank goodness I get tomorrow without them around. The urge to point out their boneheadedness is very strong. But I must be diplomatic with freaking family *grits teeth*
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