Why-oh-why do I do it? I knew that offering PC support to my relations was going to bite me, but I did it to keep domestic peace, what a mistake.
Among numerous pointless and tedious support calls I had to field [up 'til now] one, with my Mother-in-Law went something like this:
blah blah [my computer] blah [Explorer] blah ["C" drive] blah blah -- Fast forward through a further 5 minutes of utterly mindless head banging >
Me - Ok, Close that window
MIL - How?
Me - Just click the White Cross
MIL - What White cross?
Me - The one in the top Right hand corner of the window, in the little Red box
<pause>
MIL - Don't have one......
Me - Sure you do. Can you see the whole window, the four corners?
MIL - yes, of course
Me - Right, what is in the top Right hand corner of it?
MIL - A little Flag (Windows emblem)
me - OK, Right above that, about 3mm, Red box, White cross???
<pause>
MIL - No, not there
This went on for about 2 minutes with me directing her around the screen, perfectly sure that she just wasn't listening having long ago given up trying to follow me. Eventually I simply gave up breathless and almost shaking with frustration, handed my wife the phone and walked out the room. On my return I asked if her Mother ever found the white cross, "yes, although it took about another 2 minutes".
My father is as bad. I mean, I think it's great that he has a PC but I just wish he would either listen to advice or throw it away, it would be such a relief either way. I've told him numerous times how to attach an image onto a mail message for example and even made an instruction document including screenshots. But no, he CANNOT do it. His machine is the same as mine, I should know, I configured it ! He asks for help, I start giving it but I hear his interest wain and fall away after only a minute or two, but does he admit it? No, I have to go through the same dance every time I call him... It's like "Dad, we covered this the last 6 times I called !!!!"
The mind simply boggles sometimes.....
Among numerous pointless and tedious support calls I had to field [up 'til now] one, with my Mother-in-Law went something like this:
blah blah [my computer] blah [Explorer] blah ["C" drive] blah blah -- Fast forward through a further 5 minutes of utterly mindless head banging >
Me - Ok, Close that window
MIL - How?
Me - Just click the White Cross
MIL - What White cross?
Me - The one in the top Right hand corner of the window, in the little Red box
<pause>
MIL - Don't have one......
Me - Sure you do. Can you see the whole window, the four corners?
MIL - yes, of course
Me - Right, what is in the top Right hand corner of it?
MIL - A little Flag (Windows emblem)
me - OK, Right above that, about 3mm, Red box, White cross???
<pause>
MIL - No, not there
This went on for about 2 minutes with me directing her around the screen, perfectly sure that she just wasn't listening having long ago given up trying to follow me. Eventually I simply gave up breathless and almost shaking with frustration, handed my wife the phone and walked out the room. On my return I asked if her Mother ever found the white cross, "yes, although it took about another 2 minutes".
My father is as bad. I mean, I think it's great that he has a PC but I just wish he would either listen to advice or throw it away, it would be such a relief either way. I've told him numerous times how to attach an image onto a mail message for example and even made an instruction document including screenshots. But no, he CANNOT do it. His machine is the same as mine, I should know, I configured it ! He asks for help, I start giving it but I hear his interest wain and fall away after only a minute or two, but does he admit it? No, I have to go through the same dance every time I call him... It's like "Dad, we covered this the last 6 times I called !!!!"
The mind simply boggles sometimes.....
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