RANT: Wipe means Everything!

I just experienced #1. "Wipe" Means EVERYTHING from this article: http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-reasons-guy-whos-fixing-your-computer-hates-you_p2/

I even had the customer sign a document stating the all data would be removed.

Now he's complaining that Microsoft Office isn't on the new installation of Windows 7.

1) I can't back up software even if you wanted me to.
2) You didn't ask me to back up anything. I told you EVERYTHING would be removed. Including all 4 antivirus programs you had running in the background wondering why your computer was so slow to begin with.
3) Um, don't you have the installation DVD for Office?!

I don't understand people.

</rant>

 

So install Open Office 3.0 and tell him there is no charge for the upgrade!

 

"You can't fix stupid."

 

I have the same issue with customers. Although I ask customers if they have an files, music, pictures, etc. they want me to attempt to save (and charge a fee for doing so if successful), they are clueless as to why their (bootlegged) copies of Office, Photoshop and other software disappear if I have to reformat or replace a crashed drive.

The sad part is that Craigslist is packed with hundreds of people openly offering pirated software locally for around $25. Although I refuse to install any customer provided software unless it comes with a COA/license code, it makes it tough sometimes to compete with those who don't play by the rules.

 

Or on the other side of things - Clients insist on me saving their 'irreplaceable' documents and pics., (that they should have backed up like I told them to), just like their O.S. wouldn't be hosed if they'd used the A.V. programs I installed. So I waste a whole day doing that and giving them a new O.S., etc. The next day or so I get told, "Durh, I formatted the hard drive, anyway. Can you just re-install everything. Oh yeah, I can't find the install disks for my programs, either. Is this it?" (Hands me a big pile of scratched up, filthy music Cd's and AOL discs, that are just absolute crap that has nothing to do with anything).rolleyes

My answer?:- "How about NO!!!".:mad

 

People are funny, what amuses me is people who claim to be computer literate or "know more than the average joe"
Well all I can say is average Joe must know little more than how to switch his PC on.

I recently helped a work college who constantly got offended when I would explain something about a PC and I would get told how much they know.
Ok, that's good.
PC running slow, don't know why.
"Have you cleaned it up with ... "

"Of course, I use Avast and ccleaner and malware bytes, I DO know about computers you know, I took lessons and have been doing it all myself for years"

"Oh good, good choices, but it's still running slow?"

Long story short it simply needed more RAM.
When I mentioned this I got "Oh I doubt it, it has like 500GB of memory"
*face palm*
"No, not your storage memory in your hard drive, your RAM"

"Oh the RAM, well I think it's like 2.8"..... *face palm*

So basically I gave this person a stick of ram and explained how to install, I think we all have to agree that RAM is likely the easiest thing to install in a PC.
Yeah only took 6 tries and several emails.

But you know, they know more than the average Joe... poor old Joe, he clearly knows nothing, it wouldn't be so bad if he knew he knows nothing... but he doesn't

 

Express install FTW!:-D

 

That browser rocks! Just need a couple of more tool bars on it. :-D

 

LOL. Open Office sucks.

 

Hmm, I honestly never had this problem before, much less had a piece of paper signed before hand. Now I've had them gasp and moan after having heard this but that was about it, and this is after 10+ years of dealing with these things, both at work and on the side. :confused

Things like this REALLY need to be expressed in layman's terms many times over to make sure they grasp the severity of the issue. I've even dealt with unrecoverable data due to HW failure (which I would explain as well). I give them an alternative which would be a "specialist" in hard drive recovery, which can be VERY VERY expensive (around a thousand with no guarantee). I've only had 1 instance that a customer chose that route and he still didn't get 100%, think it was closer to 80%.

S*** happens

 

The customer won't know that unless YOU tell them.... :cool

And WeatherBug in the notification area too! rolleyes

 

The types of peasant outlined in the above posts are usually the ones that are throwing their perfectly good P.C. out on the trash heap the next bulk rubbish collection day, because they think it's easier to buy a new P.C., (always from the most expensive store in town, because they saw it on t.V. and are convinced that paying $5k+ for one thousand dollar computer is a "great deal" rolleyes).
I get more free P.C.'s that way, and donate them to someone with no money and actually deserves one . I remember re-selling the SAME computer back to some moron who threw it away, with nothing wrong with it, apart from a crap-load of virus'. He swore that it was 'much better than the old p.o.s. that he threw away and was sooo grateful LOL. (So was I, for getting him back for the endless hours I wasted on the punk!....roflmao)

 

Open Office rules. Thank you very much.

I don't personally clean computers. If it's a specific issue, I will fix it, but I don't clean computers. If I'm asked, I charge. And since it includes a frustration fee, I don't get asked often.

 

Its better than being poked in the eye with a sharp stick. Barely :-D

 

Did you get that picture my sister's husband's laptop? I swear his looked JUST like that. :-D

Every time I visit my sister, I always get asked the same question. The laptop isn't working right, can you fix it? I always do even if it just gets messed up a week later rolleyes Just the other day, my sister sent me a message on facebook calling me by my real name (we usually use nicknames, unless it's serious) so I get this message "I need your help". I start to panic and all the scenarios start running through my head of what kind of help my sister could need. So, I message her back, text her, even call her.. no reply. One hour later she nonchalantly messages me back "I need you to fix (husband's) computer." Way to make me panic for nothing. :mad I love her dearly but sometimes she drives me nuts. :-D

 

Hmm,,,yeah, I get a few P.C.'s like that - with the top third of their browser a mass of toolbars and Addware. Have a little program called "Toolbar Uninstaller", or similar, to nuke them. But it's not so much the crap-ware that's the problem, but the stoopid humanoid behind the keyboard that thinks he/she is missing out on something if they don't click on EVERYTHING and install as much crapware as possible rolleyes.

 

I have two people in my life that - when they call me at all hours of the evening with PC issues - I look at the caller ID and answer "9-1-1, what is your emergency?" :-D :flip

 

Anyone remember PEBKAC?

Problem
Exists
Between
Keyboard
And
Chair

 

@ dyamond: That's the entire point of sisters.

@ Adry: I have yet to find anything Microsuck Office can do, that Open Office doesn't do better.

 

Try writing VBA into a spreadsheet.

Or...

Create a Project Pan

Or...an Access database.

Or...One Note anything.

Outlook? I think not.


Anyway, the reference to a poke in the eye was in reference in that it is ugly as sin. I like my applications to be attractive if I am staring at them constantly. I use Office more than for Word. If I was just using Word, I might be able to swallow Open Office or Libre Office.

I use:

Word
Excel
Access
Project
Visio
Outlook
Powerpoint

 

"I like my applications to be attractive if I am staring at them constantly."

Almost sig worthy. :-D

 

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2056318/lin_libre.png

vs.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2056318/win_word.PNG

 

What, Tequila!! :wine AND guns!? :guns

Well, not recommended at the same time, but to each their own.