Oldies vs ComputersAs someone who is "good with computers" I get a lot of calls from people who've got problems. Some of them even have problems with their computers.
Back many years ago working for a telecoms company, I was called to a senior secretary who "had put a disk into the drive and couldn't get it out". She had one of the first Mac II machines with two drive slots. But only one drive.
Opening up the case revealed stacks of floppy disks that she'd been posting through the hole in the case for weeks. She'd only decided there was a problem when her boss wanted one of them back...
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chthonic, Fri 22 Sep 2006, 13:58)
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Foxed by oldyI’ve been an IT journalist for over a decade and know a thing or six about computers but one mistake has ruined my reputation as a techy guru.
I’d got a new laptop and was giving my old one to Mum for her 60th. One problem, I couldn’t get the thing to make a sound, it was as though the sound card had completely died.
I tried everything; reinstalled drivers for the soundcard, ran diagnostic software, checked for any bugs or malware and eventually wiped the hard drive seven times and reinstalled the operating system from scratch. Still nothing. Eventually had to admit defeat (in the face of an immovable deadline) and apologise for the state of the thing.
One week later I get a call from a very smug-sounding parent.
"You know that sound problem? Well there’s a little volume control wheel on the side that seems to have fixed it…”
Every bloody Christmas since she’s bought it up. It’s enough to make you weep.
(, Fri 22 Sep 2006, 15:25, Reply)
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