I also work in IT, supporting a public service client.
I understand that most people who have to call us for support, are not computer literate.

However, if they use one every day, one would think they'd at least have basic knowledge of what the component parts are called.

That's what happens when technology becomes ubiquitous yet people aren't trained in the basic fundamentals of what they are using.

If you had someone using a typewriter every day, that didn't know what the ink ribbon was called, then you would think they were a bit simple. I fail to see why computers are any different.
(wuckfit Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori., Sat 10 Apr 2010, 3:29, 1 reply)

Quite
I've also had customers who didn't know the meaning of 'right-clicking'.

Going back to the car analogy, that's a bit like someone driving around not knowing what the 'brakes' do, or that funny stick in the middle with the numbers on.

It's not the user's fault. I can understand they come from an earlier generation who didn't grow up with computers. But if they have to work with one, you'd think they'd at least receive some sort of training on how it works.
(Flap Burger hasn't really got a burger made of flaps, Sat 10 Apr 2010, 7:00, closed)