You totally didn't read that, did you?

[technical.angel]

From ME:

"Hello, I have a work order for *****.

Is the problem with the network port or the cable tv cable?

Also, when sending a work order for residents in your hall, please include a contact number for someone in that room."

From her:

"There is a hole where the plug for the cable should be. There isn't anywhere for the residents to plug the cable into."

And, again, from me:

"Okay, but it is for the tv cable, correct?"

[Banrion]

You are making it too complicated for her. Try this:

Choose ONE (1):

TV ___

Internet ___

[technical.angel]

I'll do that next time. Since there's bound to be a next time.

[Geek King]

From her:

"There is a hole where the plug for the cable should be. There isn't anywhere for the residents to plug the cable into."

Well, obviously someone from your end pulled on the cables too hard.

[Polenicus]

And her reply:

Choose ONE (1):

TV _X_

Internet _X_

"There is a hole where the plug for the cable should be. There isn't anywhere for the residents to plug the cable into. Why aren't you helping me with this? I've sent you dozens of e-mails about this problem and never gotten any replies!"

Never EVER give a baffled customer choices for replies more complex than 'Yes' or 'No', because they will invariably answer wrong. In fact, they frequently fail the yes/no questions too.

And so this woman will have to wait to have her mystery hole plugged.

[Kilamon]

I think the real travesty, the part that hasn't been looked at yet, is that this woman is a college student, right? How can she POSSIBLY make it to college and not understand simple questions? She must be having an affair with the Dean.

[technical.angel]

Not only that, but she's a resident advisor.

[Impetrix]

I think the real travesty, the part that hasn't been looked at yet, is that this woman is a college student, right? How can she POSSIBLY make it to college and not understand simple questions? She must be having an affair with the Dean.

Yoooou've never done support for college students, I see...

(The worst thing is, I'm at a *pretty damn good* private liberal arts/engineering school. That's far, far below the stupidest things I've ever seen or heard. Far below.)

The best unbelievably stupid person story I have right now involves a freshman girl. We techs have to run around the frosh dorms getting them set up and connected and happy joy shoot me now. So, my partner and I go into a double room. They each have an issue. First, the TV's not working. Solution: press the input button until it reaches the cable box. Somewhat moronic.

But the kicker is this:

F(rosh)G(irl): "My laptop's not turning on..."
Me: *pokes around, presses power button, yep, not starting... notice that the charging light's not on... the power supply light isn't on....*

FG: *picks up the plug from the power strip* "Oh wait, is this supposed to be plugged into the wall?"

[technical.angel]

FG: *picks up the plug from the power strip* "Oh wait, is this supposed to be plugged into the wall?"

Heh, I've had one of those before, except we were trying to get her to bring her power supply in (now we have 4 universal power supplies which = heaven).

I finally had to go to her room and grab it.

Then there was the student who argued that a space was a form of punctuation.

[Impetrix]

Yeah, we could really use those. It's a pain in the ass when they don't bring them in without repeated remindings.

Hmmm, I dunno, I can kinda see where the space thing came in (like, any symbol that's not actually a word is "punctuation"). I think not understanding the concept of PLUGGING THINGS IN takes the cake. Again, it's not that she *forgot* to plug in the computer, she seemed *uncertain* that the power strip should *connect to the wall*.

[technical.angel]

Ours are from Targus, work with 11 different brands of laptops. Comes with a chart to tell you which adapter is needed. Very spiffy.

[Impetrix]

I just recommended it to my bosses. Turns out they give them out with the school-owned tablets given to faculty.

They realized it might be a good idea to grab one ourselves, especially for the advanced support area, and say they'll think about it. Thanks for the tip!

[technical.angel]

You're quite welcome. It makes life soo much easier, instead of trying to dig around to find an empty power plug, and mixing up power cords, you just have to pop off the adapter and plug in a new one.