Vent: Trying to teach my mom MS Excel...

[Creampuff]

I had a manager many years ago, who called me into his office. He couldn't figure out how to align his cells. Turns out he inputed everything into one cell.

Yes, he inputted tons of data into Cell A1. Yep all of it.

I had to explain the purpose of a spreadsheet, and the purposes of each cell.

Weeks later he called me in again, because he couldn't exit the program. Turns out when the popup dialog box asked him if he wanted to "Save" or "Cancel". He thought Cancel meant exit, and no matter how many times he hit "cancel" he couldn't quit the program.

sigh.

[Syst3m Ov3rrid3]

@creampuff, Sounds like the Customer's I deal with when I fix Computers...

[Librarian]

I had a manager many years ago, who called me into his office. He couldn't figure out how to align his cells. Turns out he inputed everything into one cell.

Yes, he inputted tons of data into Cell A1. Yep all of it.

I had to explain the purpose of a spreadsheet, and the purposes of each cell.

Weeks later he called me in again, because he couldn't exit the program. Turns out when the popup dialog box asked him if he wanted to "Save" or "Cancel". He thought Cancel meant exit, and no matter how many times he hit "cancel" he couldn't quit the program.

sigh.

Another example of the vocabulary problem.

[trg-s338]

Subscribed, thanks.

[ibanezfoo]

So frustrating... She isn't very computer literate... She knows how to access the internet, shut down the computer and check her email. First I went ahead and inputted some info for her and showed her, she said she still didn't get it. So I proceeded to show her step-by-step how to do a Spreadsheet of the cells she needed. GAH! I help her and she gets upset... I don't help her and she gets upset. F'ed if I do, F'ed if I don't. That's what happens when I know a lot about Computers and I'm still living at home, I end up being Tech Support. >.<


Anyone up for some Modern Warfare 3? I need to virtually shoot some stuff
Xbox Live GT: Syst3m Ov3rrid3

Teach Yourself Visually books. Buy them. Give them. Live happy.

[high_revs]

Brandon, i help this policy for more than 10 years now. It's not just that I wanted to be a jerk, but the other side has to put some effort into learning also. More importantly, trying on their own. I tell them to take notes, they don't read it after.

So at the end, i told them... call customer support. that is part of what you paid for. And these are the local community colleges for you to put some of your time that you're bothering me, and learn it on your own time.

I hate to sound like a jerk, but I just can't handle family training anymore. I do remote support, but it's "tell me what you need and stay out of the way"; the countless hours of repetitious Q&A drives me nuts.

-Brandon

[V8toytruck]

Screen capture software will save you...I had train my gf's mom on how to use a computer, screen shots with notes were not working, then I did video capture w/ audio supported with remote desktop. Shes pretty self sufficient now

[wildhawker]

Brandon, i help this policy for more than 10 years now. It's not just that I wanted to be a jerk, but the other side has to put some effort into learning also. More importantly, trying on their own. I tell them to take notes, they don't read it after.

So at the end, i told them... call customer support. that is part of what you paid for. And these are the local community colleges for you to put some of your time that you're bothering me, and learn it on your own time.

Exactly. Thank you for sharing, good to know I'm not the only one that had to take this approach.

-Brandon

p.s. Part of what prompted me to "refer out" was the many, many times notes were taken and discarded, or prompts summarily ignored. Skin in the game matters to me, e.g. try in earnest, and I'll help, but waste my time, and it'll cost you.

[bubbapug1]

So frustrating... She isn't very computer literate... She knows how to access the internet, shut down the computer and check her email. First I went ahead and inputted some info for her and showed her, she said she still didn't get it. So I proceeded to show her step-by-step how to do a Spreadsheet of the cells she needed. GAH! I help her and she gets upset... I don't help her and she gets upset. F'ed if I do, F'ed if I don't. Syst3m Ov3rrid3

Obviously you have never been married if you think you are going through some sort of hell now.

[wildhawker]

Obviously you have never been married if you think you are going through some sort of hell now.

[Scout2Diesel]

Glad I got Mom into computer years ago. Said its the best typewriter She's ever had. Still no grasp of email, google, youtube. But can look up her account balance. She get slack though... vision problems and aging are, as Dad always put it, "Hell"