The tech guy next door
BY ANSWERING a knock at the door yesterday, I nearly became The Tech Guy Next Door.
So, there was the neighbour on the doorstep holding a brand new laptop and asking if I could help her set it up because “it’s all so confusing”. Well, yeah, it’s complicated, duh! That’s why I get paid to work with them nine hours a day for five days of the week. And, that’s why you should not take it as granted that I would happily agree to spend two hours of my week-end sorting out your computer problems for free.
I managed to fend her off with the excuse that I was expecting guests for dinner. But, that was a very close escape, as she seemed very convinced that I had to help her — she came prepared with a bunch of games that she wanted me to install.
Anyway, she has probably managed to get her new toy working, but since she is bound to have problems — it’s a Windows laptop, after all — I think it’s about time I start rehearsing appropriate responses for the next time she comes knocking.
Eddy.
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Hey! My blog has been taken off Mauritius Blog Tracker! Can u please see to it that it’s tracked again??
Thanks
:)
Comment by carrotmadman6 — Monday, 29 October 2007 05:11 GMT #
I think it’s been removed because a lot of your posts were obvious copy-paste from other websites, which is not something that MBT wants to promote.
Eddy.
Comment by Eddy — Monday, 29 October 2007 10:26 GMT #
Again!!!
Everyone is complaining about plagiarism… :(
Anyway, i think another problem is that MBT displays the full post for Blogger - & i can’t think of any feed service that only provides a summary of the posts.
If i could find one it would be ok, then?
& btw my last post was something that i would have liked all Mauritians to know… just too bad MBT removed my blog before that. :P
Comment by carrotmadman6 — Monday, 29 October 2007 11:52 GMT #
I’m quite honest with people and tell them that I’m far too busy to help and get enough of that at work.
My tech support extends to people I’ve lived with, i.e. immediate family.
[)amien
Comment by Damien Guard — Monday, 29 October 2007 14:48 GMT #
Damien,
It’s the same for me, only relatives. And, that’s only if it’s not too involved. Otherwise, the next time, the computer has new problems, I’ll be the first one they will contact.
–Eddy
Comment by Eddy — Monday, 29 October 2007 16:02 GMT #
carrotmadman,
Well, plagiarism is bad. Even if summarised, the text is still not your own writing. Anyway, take it up with MBT; there is a contact e-mail address somewhere on the site.
–Eddy
Comment by Eddy — Monday, 29 October 2007 16:03 GMT #
It seems like the Hollywood films and series where the sexy blond neighbour came for help :) Hope she got your message and not pester you anymore.
Comment by clive — Monday, 29 October 2007 16:11 GMT #
Actually, I don’t mind helping someone with computer problems as long as they have a minimum knowledge of how the thing works and can figure out future problems by themselves.
But, I am afraid of opening Pandora’s Box by helping them a first time only to become their first port of call for all future problems.
BTW, before you all think I was mean, I was indeed expecting guests for dinner. Which was perhaps a blessing since I am a terrible liar.
–Eddy
Comment by Eddy — Monday, 29 October 2007 16:14 GMT #
People in the UK barely know their neighbours, unlike mauritius, so I’m surprised she came to you. Having said that, if someone came to me for some medical advice, I would fend them off if I didn’t know them well, cos 1. I don’t want to be legally responsible if something happens 2. They will start pestering even more; so yeah, I agree, tell her to f*** off, go to PC world and they will fix it for her for a fee, that’s what they are there for..
Comment by yune — Monday, 29 October 2007 17:36 GMT #
We’ve become a bit too close to these neighbours, and they are starting to get on our nerves :-) Seriously, they’re turning into neighbours from hell!
The girl is 18, but acts like she’s 14. I’m glad I did not have to help her, as we know her to show no gratitude whatsoever to her parents. It would be even worse with us.
—Eddy
Comment by Eddy — Tuesday, 30 October 2007 10:26 GMT #
I live in an apartment building. I don’t know most of my neighbours, and they don’t me either. I’ve helped my superintendent with his new computer (Vista). He is a very nice person and helps us a lot, and that was the least I could do for him.
The feeling I get from your post is that she did not want to figure it on her own (like reading the manual) and found it easier to get someone else do to the hard work for her. I won’t say too many bad things, since after I got my first PC in 1996, I used to call a good friend of mine (you know him very well :-) late in the evening, or should I say early in the morning, to help me solve some of my computer problems.
Comment by Patrick Ng — Wednesday, 31 October 2007 02:11 GMT #