IT Tech Support is full of these stories
I could make a big song and dance about the time I had to help someone because 'My Documents' wouldn't open*, but I have a different story this time.

Our company has a course for those people who have to learn how to use a computer, despite their inability to understand any technology more advanced than a toaster. I actually think that even though technology is very simple once you pay attention, it isn't for everyone. Some people just won't get it, and that's fine. Leave them be.

But those who want/need to learn come to an educational establishment in the hope of becoming at least vaguely competent. They don't need to have a tutor who has never had any training in using a computer themselves. The tutor can teach, and has used a computer for many years. Just no training (which is fine apparently because the paying public are only on a short-term course - go figure).

Anyway, enough waffle. The tutor in question came to ask advice one day.

"There's a computer downstairs that goes a funny colour every couple of minutes and this message keeps scrolling across the screen about having left the computer logged on. It disappears when we move the mouse, but comes back again after another couple of minutes. Do you think it's a virus?"

The scary thing here is that this means we've trained a load more people to be confused and scared of screensavers.

*I walked across the building just to double-click 'My Documents'. It opened.
( Awesome Welles petitioning for foetuses to be rebranded 'wombles', Fri 19 Mar 2010, 12:54, 1 reply)

I just don't get people who think like this.
I wasn't trained to use a computer either; I just got on one and started using it, and it was immediately obvious what to do. I don't see why this isn't the case for everyone.

If you want more IT stories, rinkworks.com/stupid/ is a good site. Shame it updates so slowly.
( Bob Todd whee, Fri 19 Mar 2010, 12:59, closed)