I like my friends and offered to upgrade/troubleshoot their computers.

This couple had a 2010 MBP that I upgraded with an SSD back in 2017 and to make sure they do not mess it up, I made an admin account and then 4 user accounts for all of them. I set up Time Machine on an external hard drive and I printed out and LAMINATED a page explaining all 5 accounts (1 admin + 4 user) with passwords, explained how to plug in and eject the time machine drive, etc.

It was quite for a while.

Today I have some outside social distancing drinks with some friends and they keep texting me that admin password does not work. They sent me picture of that laminated page I made for them in 2017, so I am trying to figure out why the admin password does not work. They say they didn't change it.

A few more restarts, etc and I am about to give up.

I find a moment where I can take a break in the conversation I was trying to have and step aside and take their call.

One thing led to another and I ask just to make sure that it was the old computer with broken trackpad.

Hell no, this is the NEW MacBook Air they got about a year or two later and which I never had to do anything with.

So now they ask me how to reset the password on the NEW computer.

From now on, everyone one is on their own. I only support my Dad, Mother in Law and wife and kids. no other computers, no matter what. I am done.

OMG!

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Grateful11

.....so you are rebooting your life [ without computer assistance ]......???

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

With stupid people, I feign ignorance. It's just easiest.

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********************************************
“A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand.” Seneca the Younger

The police have no duty to respond. See Castle Rock v. Gonzales, 545 U.S. 748 (2005) or Warren v. District of Columbia[1] (444 A.2d. 1, D.C. Ct. of Ap. 1981)

Judge Lee wrote that “we cannot jettison our constitutional rights, even if the goal behind a law is laudable." 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

[www.youtube.com]

I had as similar long standing rule related to "switchers". I would never preach the benefits of the Mac to Windows users, I didn't want all problems to become my problem if they "switched". I did have some friends who decided on their own to buy a Mac and once they had it I would give them advice on how better to use it, but I never wanted to become their personal "IT person".

....never help people who are obvious 'clueless'.....many will just use you as a wikipedia for answers......

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_____________________________________

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Unbelievable

Same, in-laws and immediate family. No cousins or friends. I just recommended a Costco PC to a friend, it comes with support and if they don’t like it, they can take it back.

Your experience was heartening to me as I am in the same, "used to help friends, coworkers, elderly and family with computers but no more. I got so tired of hearing, "I know you told me not to do xxx, but...can you get my computer running like it was before?" Also, because so much of the work is mental, and what is visible is waiting for the machine to boot, software to install, diagnostics to run, etc. that I often got asked, "People pay for this?"

I, too, am done.

I work in IT support and have never done any on the side for friends. Direct family only. OFC there are people at work who try to get me to help with their home computers but our company policy is to fix work computers only and not have competing interests, so I can just use policy to say 'no'.

I learned this lesson about a decade ago.

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It is what it is.

I will not read class in Mad.
I will not read class in Mad.
I will not read class in Mad.
I will not read class in Mad.

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!#$@@$#!

proofraed by OwEn the c@t.



Nobody remembers their first download, but everyone remembers their 1st LP.

No family, no friends, only clients. And I charge them, a lot.

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

I really only help my wife and kid and mom. My dad does not use computers. With others I offer general troubleshooting or suggestions. For both Macs and PCs. I also don’t usually recommend one or the other to switchers. Although I do share my experiences with both and answer their questions. Basically I try to help but don’t get to involved.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2020 04:41AM by bazookaman.

I have neighbors with Windows machines that ask me for help! A couple of years ago, their computer guy retired so they have no one else to call anymore. I try to help but I know less about Windows than I do about Macs! But, every once in a while, I find what the problem is. Mostly what I tell them is to reboot and that usually works. Also, I tell them it's very important to install those patches that show up every morning when they start the machine...

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...more music...

Disclaimer: This post is checked for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Any attempts at humor are solely the responsibility of the author and bear no claim that any and all readers will approve or appreciate said attempt at humor.
My name is DP, and I approve this message.

My oldest sister used to ask for a lot of help with her Macs, but I didn't mind too much because she runs a home-based accounting business. Most of the help I'd give her was upgrading machines, or setting up network stuff. And she paid me, at her insistence. She could write it off. Another sister occasionally asks for help and I happily oblige. Youngest sister also only occasionally asks for help. Brother is big-wig IT person at Amtrak and despises anything Apple.

My MIL used to own a PC, but I got tired of trying to help her. She was calling just about every other day for a while. We finally told her if she wanted help, she needed to get a Mac. I work on PCs all day at work, but the myriad of problems that can occur on a PC is just overwhelming. Switching got her quiet for a while, but she's still calling about once every other month or so with some weird problem. The biggest problem with her was that she thought I should know everything about every piece of software she would buy. She would call asking why Quicken wouldn't do something... I have no idea. I don't use the software.

Of course, I work on my wife's and son's Macs. She just bought a PC laptop because some software she uses for embroidery only runs on the PC, and she didn't want to use bootcamp or parallels. I told her she's on her own with it. If there's a problem, she has to figure it out.

Space,

Been there, done that. Just _way_ too much agita involved in performing computer (and other work) for people outside of the immediate family. Used to make some big bucks doing it but decided long ago that it just wasn't worth the money.

These days, I only do work for immediate family and my closest of friends. I keep a list of reputable IT people on hand for everyone else. Much easier and has reduced the amount of stress in my life tremendously.

Robert

I'll try to help immediate and extended family. My FIL is the worst. He doesn't call anymore but comes over and complains that Microsoft won't help him with his 'mainframe'. So, I go to his apartment and fix what was wrong - ususally just entering the correct password (which is written down for him). He asks what the problem was and I usually say it was PEBCAK (problem exists between chair and keyboard) and he says 'oh'. Now when he comes over he says there's a problem with the PEB again...

space-time,

In for a penny, in for a pound.

It's your fault. You failed to explain that sheet is like the keys to a car. It won't work on another car or another computer. Passwords are keys to locked items, for heaven's sake!

Why this thought does not occur naturally to everyone that has the ability and good sense to not soil their shorts is beyond me.

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Ed (modelamac)

I think I will just put an OUT OF ORDER
sticker on my head and call it a day.

Quote
wolfcry911
I'll try to help immediate and extended family. My FIL is the worst. He doesn't call anymore but comes over and complains that Microsoft won't help him with his 'mainframe'. So, I go to his apartment and fix what was wrong - ususally just entering the correct password (which is written down for him). He asks what the problem was and I usually say it was PEBCAK (problem exists between chair and keyboard) and he says 'oh'. Now when he comes over he says there's a problem with the PEB again...

At least he's honest about it!

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It is what it is.

Quote
modelamac
space-time,

In for a penny, in for a pound.

It's your fault. You failed to explain that sheet is like the keys to a car. It won't work on another car or another computer. Passwords are keys to locked items, for heaven's sake!

Why this thought does not occur naturally to everyone that has the ability and good sense to not soil their shorts is beyond me.

I disagree. This is 2020 -- personal computers have been a thing for forty years. This should be common knowledge by now.

Forty years after the automobile was introduced, was it necessary to explain to a driver that one car's key will not work on another car?

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It is what it is.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2020 12:28PM by N-OS X-tasy!.

Reminds me of the classic:

Help: "Are you sure the computer is plugged in?"

Customer: "I can't tell, the power has been out for hours."

I've been answering twice-yearly questions from a retired colleague for the last 20 years. Last month it was, "Can I move Word files from my Mac to a PC?" Usually very simple questions and very simple answers. She's pretty bright (but afraid to just try stuff), so an answer, maybe with a link to some Youtube video, almost always does it.

Quote
Michael
I've been answering twice-yearly questions from a retired colleague for the last 20 years. Last month it was, "Can I move Word files from my Mac to a PC?" Usually very simple questions and very simple answers. She's pretty bright (but afraid to just try stuff), so an answer, maybe with a link to some Youtube video, almost always does it.

That's the best kind of support to provide.

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It is what it is.