Perpetual Stupidity

[EricKei]

I have known some people to type EVERY website address into google and search it to click on a link. They think the search box is where they have to enter the website, and it can't be done any other way.

We get numerous calls from people who do this -- or worse, from people who were talking to an outside tech (Dell/HP mainly) who did this. They get our site second on the list (often the first non-paid link) because (a) we've been around forever and have good SEO, and (b) they look for "<softwarename> tech support phone number"...OUR site (and even our results) shows a number because we do outside support for those products. The people who make the software show up next because they go out of their way to keep the direct line to tech support hidden (thus, no hits on "phone number" -- does nobody understand how search engines WORK?!). Naturally, these people think that we're <software>...Even tho they could reach that company's ACTUAL SITE by going to www.<software>.com ... arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh

Once in a while, we do get a convert out of these people, but it's maybe 8%. One call a day. Totally not worth the other 92% who are sometimes even FURIOUS that we would DARE to PRETEND to be <softwaremaker>!! Well, ya see, if you'd CLICK that link, you'd see our name. And a site that looks nothing like <software>'s site.

dipshits...

[Buffalo]

I get crap like that all the time, except my users think that the page they're trying to reach = The Internet (TM).

So I get calls that start off with "Buffalo, I can't get on the Internet!"
I surf to a couple pages to make sure things are working, which they usually are.
When I investigate the issue, it turns out that ONE page in their Favorites doesn't work. Or that their homepage doesn't work anymore.

Tip for the lusers: try 10 seconds of troubleshooting before bothering me, please, it'll save us both a lot of time. If you can't load a page, try going to Google and searching for "dog" or something. If Google works, you're connected to the Internet. If ONE WEBSITE doesn't work, but others do, the problem is with that ONE WEBSITE. Also, your homepage is NOT the Internet. It's some random redirect page on msn.com from when your computer was set up 5 years ago. Don't just freak out when you see the "This page cannot be displayed" message.

Wait, 10 seconds of troubleshooting? Don't freak out? I've momentarily forgotten who I'm talking about.

[Andara Bledin]

Ugh. How annoying. >_<

I always direct people to UPS.com. If they can't get there fast, then there might be an issue.

^-.-^