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1.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Anonymous Coward, Oct 3rd, 2002 @ 7:23am

   
   

   I tend to cause things to blow up when I am asked for help. They usually don't call again.

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2.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Anonymous Coward, Oct 3rd, 2002 @ 8:50am

   
   

   As an IT Manager flying solo, I am often expected to help people with their personal PC problems. I even had a sales rep call me AT HOME ON A SICK DAY to ask a PERSONAL computer question. Boy, did I let him and his boss have it in ACES..
   
   I find it rude that people don't come up and ASK for help, but rather they just start gabbing about the problem, and expect an immediate answer..and then don't offer any compensation, or think that they can pay me in BEER. I don't even drink!!
   
   It got so bad, that I had to go to the President of the company to get a line added to our personnel manual about personal IT "consulting".
   
   Now, it's not that I don't enjoy what I do, it's just the attitude that because I know about technology, I'm EXPECTED to help everyone at the personal level. I honestly feel bad when I am forced to tell them my hourly rates. They look at me like I'm some sort of ass.
   
   I simply explain to them that if they went to our finance department, and asked for personal tax advice/consulting, they would get hearty laugh. It is only THEN that they understand my predicament.

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3.  

   random thoughts...

   

   Ed, Oct 3rd, 2002 @ 9:47am

   
   

   I think that a senior exec at GM should have some understanding of what's under the hood of an Oldsmobile. He doesn't have to be a master mechanic, but he ought to be familiar enough with the company's product that he wouldn't get ripped off himself by a mechanic or dealer.

   On the other hand, one shouldn't expect their friends or neighbors who are engineers to provide free services any more than any other profession. I'd like to see what would happen if the guy profiled in the article went back to the family of doctors who needed his PC help every time he had a rash.

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4.  

   Re: random thoughts...

   

   Anonymous Coward, Oct 3rd, 2002 @ 10:16am

   
   

   I always make sure to mention my favorite faux quote on the subject: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Show him where to plug in his PC and you've become free tech support for life."

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5.  

   What's worse? Family or Co-workers?

   

   Anonymous Coward, Oct 3rd, 2002 @ 12:50pm

   
   

   I find that co-workers are more understanding than family. My parents seem to have no problem offering my services to everyone they know.

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6.  

   Re: random thoughts...

   

   Mark Fox, Oct 3rd, 2002 @ 2:49pm

   
   

   On Michael Moore's show "The Awful Truth" he challenged CEOs to use their companies' products. It don't recall if Bill Gates responded to the request to format a floppy disk but a auto company CEO did know how to change a car's oil, which was cool to see.

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7.  

   Two quotes come to mind:

   

   Anonymous Coward, Oct 4th, 2002 @ 1:03am

   
   

   Bill Gates does my tech. support.
   
   and
   
   Are you sure you're not a computer ludite?
   
   ...the second one is from the person referenced in the first one.
   
   One other comment... yeah, and look where Oldsmobile is today.

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