The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 4 (of 5)

Sometimes, rarely

something on Slashdot makes me smile.

On stupid things that Technical Support say
http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/05/21/0053239&mode=thread&tid=126&tid=133&tid=186 has the comment..

http://ask.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=108353&cid=9212165

{quote}
The *only* time I've had anyone at Fry's tell me something intelligent was this:

I was looking for something that was on sale that week, probably an HD. Sunnyvale was out, but the guy I asked check the computer, and Palo Alto still had a dozen or so.

Me: "Can you call them and have them hold one for me?"

Him: "Sir, this is Fry's. You can get there before I can get someone on the phone with a clue."
{\quote}

Simon Lucy
Friday, May 21, 2004

I called tech support for a pda device that my company is supporting.

The first tech support person told me:
"Well, Internet Explorer is not compatible with Pocket PC 2003."

HUH?

Then she follows up with:
"Well, if you could tell me what build version you have, I might be motivated to help you."

My response:
"That's funny, I thought that since we've bought 20 of these $2500 devices from your company, THAT would motivate you to help me."

I called back later, got another (competent) tech, and explained my previous experience. Then, when we were offered the chance to become one of their "premiere partners", my boss and I shared our apprehension of sending our users to their tech support if this was their regular quality...

KC
Friday, May 21, 2004

I worked tech support back in high school for a local ISP.

We once had a lady call in and claim that she was unable to install our web-browsing software (Internet Explorer back when it wasn't bundled). We walk through the instructions, stick the disk in the drive, type a:\setup, . . . and it results in Bad Command or File Name. Funny, okay, guess she got some bad disks, so we grab another set in the shrinkwrap and overnight them to her.

Next day, same problem, bad command or filename. Frustrating to say the least, so this time, I open the package of diskettes, verify that the program is actually on them and then overnight them to her.

Next day, same problem! Is the post office magnetically wiping these things in the mail!?! So she offers to bring in her computer to our office to have us fix it.

Two days later she comes in with her computer. We ask to see the disks that we sent her. She hands over two sets of SHRINKWRAPPED diskettes, and a third set bundled exactly how I repackaged them when sending them to her. I ask her how she was installing the software without ever opening the disks that we sent her.

She responds inicating that she was unaware that we had to use the disks that we mailed her, she thought she could insert ANY disk into the floppy drive when the instructions indicated to insert the floppy.

That was one of my favorites.

Elephant
Friday, May 21, 2004

Ouch! That's a goodie. Reminds me of the customer who thought he had to fold-up 5.25 floppies to get them in the 3.5 drives or the customer who thought you had to cut the circular disk out of the floppy cover before putting it in the drive or the one who washes their floppies, or the one...

sometimes it seems like the information revolution is only just beginning...

DRAM
Thursday, May 27, 2004