Microsoft's new competitor (funny story)

[Cpt. Morgan]

I know, for a 100% fact, that working in retail is the singe WORST job ever! I have held only six jobs in my seventeen years, and six of them were in retail, and that was enough for me! I just parted ways with Circuit City, one of the biggest electronics store chains in North America. I should have known the day I took the job that with computers becoming more and more popular, I was going to get some stupid questions.

"Microsoft or Microhard, is there a difference?"
This incident made me rethink my job choice. I had been working for three hours or so on the current shift, and I was just about to clock out for lunch, when a younger gentleman of, say late thirties approached me, with our weekly circular. "I work with computer all day," he started. I thought this would be an easy; "I walked in looking for a flash drive, but the person working there sold me a brand new computer" type of sale.

I could have someone walk in looking for a television, and fifteen minutes later, I sold them on a new computer. Anyway, the guy continues; "and I wanted to start taking my work home with me," another awesome opportunity to sell this guy a computer, "but I don't know what type of computer to buy." Bingo, I was selling this dude a Mac in the next twenty minutes, tops.

"So you don't know if you want a laptop, or a desktop sir?" I asked, knowing that most people that walk in with these kinds of questions are looking for a laptop, they're impressed with the "sleek factor" if you will. "Well," this guy began, opening the circular, "I saw that this computer had 'Microsoft Windows Vista', but I was wondering if you could tell me what the difference between Microsoft and Microhard are, so I can know what my best choice would be.

I stared at the guy in disbelief. Here's a dude that works with computers. He knows what the internet is, he could have done research! I explained that there is no "Microhard", and he would most likely want a Vista laptop. The guy wasted fifteen minutes standing there listening to me talk about tech. specs, only to walk out saying he'd "come back another day".

[the_std]

I hope, from the bottom of my itty bitty heart, that this guy was pulling your leg. If not...

Wow.

[MiloMorai]

Just because they USE a computer at work does NOT mean they know jack about them. They can usually get into the mail, a couple progs they need for work and solitaire.

[Foxglove8778]

probably knows just enough to annoy his IT department to no end & to mess up things he should leave untouched

[thehippie777]

I once attempted to train a guy who claimed he had certificates in computer programming/repair. Super, he should be easy to train right? Yeah the guy had a horrible time. He couldn't simply put numbers into an already prepared Excel sheet, let alone understand much else. He even had the nerve to blame it on his "ADD"...constantly.

[Hotfoot]

In the years and years I have worked around technology, I have heard and seen some odd things, but sir, I think you've topped me. The only other thing I've heard that is even remotely close is when I was at J&R Music World buying my Eee PC (I love it so) when the guy in front of me, who was buying the same thing, struck up a conversation. I could tell right away that he was a novice user, but I underestimated how novice, as evidenced by the following conversation.

IC = Well, we'll just call him inexperienced
Me = Huzzah

IC: So, this thing has wireless internet, yeah?
Me (Head over heels): Oh yeah, plus the standard network ports. It's a fantastic little workhorse.
IC: Cool, I have such a problem with connecting to the wireless, but this will do it right out of the box, right?
Me (Techie Sense Tingling): Well, yeah, the wireless connector is built in and all of the software is pre-loaded, so it should work just fine.
IC: Oh, good, good. Every time I've tried to connect before, it keeps asking for a password.
Me: ...
IC: You wouldn't happen to know the password to get on the wireless, would you?
Me: Well, see, you need to have a wireless router to actually make a wireless network. Are you telling me you don't have one already set up?
IC: I have DSL, that works, right?
Me: ...well, if you have a wireless router, sure...they're off in that direction (pointing to the networking section of the store)

Cue five minutes of me trying to explain to this guy that there is no free wireless internet for the city and that every person is responsible for their own wireless, and that you have to pay to use some public wireless systems.

"What's the password for the wireless?"

PS - The reason it's called the "Eee PC" is because that's the sound I make when I talk about it. Is so tiny and functional! EEEEEE!

[Boozy]

My boss uses our work computer everyday, but only fucks something up on it every other day. She's getting much better.

This Microhard thing - you sure he wasn't making a really terrible joke? There are a lot of bad wannabe comedians out there.

[Cyphr]

i'm hopeing he meant macintosh and not the status of him.. erm... dandgly bits....

[HawaiianShirts]

I was thinking along the lines of what Cyphr said... uh... sort of...

Maybe he did confuse "Microsoft" with "MacIntosh."

Or maybe he confused "Microsoft" with "software" and really wanted to know the difference between "software" and "hardware." I actually get that one quite often from normally intelligent people who just seem to have left their brain at home that day. They know the difference conceptually, but for some reason they've just never connected the concepts to the words.

Or perhaps one of his buddies told him to ask that question as a kind of prank. Y'know, like sending someone to a automotive shop to ask for blinker fluid.

[chainedbarista]

or radio repair guys sending a newbie for a can of squelch.

serious or not, he had every right to walk out of there...in embarrassment.

[chops]

i'm hopeing he meant macintosh and not the status of him.. erm... dandgly bits....

Yeah, "Microhard" isn't exactly something you'd want to brag about.

[LifeCarnie]

or radio repair guys sending a newbie for a can of squelch.

serious or not, he had every right to walk out of there...in embarrassment.

When I was in the military, in a helicopter unit, we used to send the newbies around the squadron asking for rotor-wash.

Rotor-wash isn't a cleaner. It's the term for the blast of air current produced by the turning rotor blades of a helicopter. On the larger cargo helicopters, it can knock you on your arse if it catches you right.

[marasbaras]

If he already has Microhard, I get lots of spam that'll help him with that problem.

[Pagan]

I once attempted to train a guy who claimed he had certificates in computer programming/repair. Super, he should be easy to train right? Yeah the guy had a horrible time. He couldn't simply put numbers into an already prepared Excel sheet, let alone understand much else. He even had the nerve to blame it on his "ADD"...constantly.

Sound like this yahoo that I work with that was hired as a "computer specialist". Which means that he took the same idiot computer class that they make everybody at our community college take. Yet, one day, I'm showing him how to cc e-mail in Outlook and several other things in Word and Excel. Which, btw, are programs that I never use!

If he already has Microhard, I get lots of spam that'll help him with that problem.

Hahahahahahahahaha!

[Banthor the Unruly]

I once had a guy come in looking for a desktop computer. I don't think is had been in the country for very long, his English was not very good. So I point him to a machine that will work for him but he insists that he does not want the extra box in the Monitor and CPU set I was showing him. I had an interesting time trying to explain to him that the box WAS the computer.