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This person is clearly not familiar with the militantly computer ignorant segment of the user base. Yes, there are ways to write instructions to they are better

This person is clearly not familiar with the militantly computer ignorant segment of the user base. Yes, there are ways to write instructions to they are better/easier to follow, and yes there are plenty of examples of software that is out there that's just absurdly and unnecessarily hard to use. BUT, there is also a large segment of the user base out there that is willfully ignorant of how computers work and do not want to learn. They want the IT people to come down and do it for them, and they will make it happen no matter how many times they need to bounce back clear and simple directions to the help desk. I'm not saying the author is one (certainly doesn't sound like it) or that it's even a majority, I'm just saying that when I do need to call for tech support, I understand exactly why they tend to act the way they do and don't take it personally. Some people are just rock stupid and some of that group willfully remain so. Does that mean all the elitism around IT people is warranted? Of course not, part of your job as support is working with people who you know, NEED SUPPORT. If you aren't down for that job then you really shouldn't have applied, and you shouldn't be treating everyone like an idiot even when you're pretty sure they are. That's what you're paid to do.

zenlikethat 11y ago
Obviously if people are willfully ignorant it's a lost cause. But there are many instances where clandestine technical knowledge becomes "the new normal" for people, and they refuse to have any empathy for users (or fellow developers, perhaps new to the team) that do not deal with the brain-crushing complexity of their niche on a daily basis.
alsetmusic 11y ago
Along those lines, I worked in a support position where I learned to just let go when people didn't want to learn. Me: Here's how I fixed it, this takes only one step... User: Oh, this stuff is over my head. I don't want to know. Me: In that case, it was magic. The user ended up finding my boss to commend me for being so easy to work with.
PhasmaFelis 11y ago
> This person is clearly not familiar with the militantly computer ignorant segment of the user base. The article you're replying to directly contradicts this. He was dealing with militantly ignorant people, made a change to accommodate them, and it worked.
- csours 11y ago
  /r/he/she Author is Rachel Kroll, who has also packaged up and reformated her blog posts into a book: http://www.amazon.com/Bozo-Loop-Rachel-Kroll-ebook/dp/B00878S4J6/ref=la_B0087CLXYA_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452649055&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Bozo-Loop-Rachel-Kroll-ebook/dp/B00878...
devilbunny 11y ago
As a non-IT pro, I'm willfully ignorant of certain aspects of IT. I have, and like, my Mac. I love my iPad. But I don't own an iPhone, because everyone at work knows I'm the guy who can solve computer problems in a flash, and most people I work with have iPhones. They walk up to me, they tell me their problem, and I tell them "sorry, I have a Nexus, don't know how it works on iPhone or any other Android phone. Call your manufacturer or your carrier."
rodgerd 11y ago
> This person is clearly not familiar with the militantly computer ignorant segment of the user base. Given the anecdote she shared relates to doing desktop support for Windows users at the dawn of web proxies, your whole premise seems like a strawman you've erected in order to launch into a non-argument.
- FussyZeus 11y ago
  This is not a strawman, there are dozens of people at the company where I work (Salesman mostly, also mostly over 40) who refuse to learn anything. I'm not talking about setting proxies or backing up config files or something, I'm talking about refusing to use anything but Internet Explorer, refusing to keep computers up to date, refusing to clean their own file systems and regularly infecting their road laptops with unsightly things that we need to clean off. (I'm not a prude but seriously I do not need to see YOUR inclinations in that department.)

zenlikethat 11y ago

Obviously if people are willfully ignorant it's a lost cause. But there are many instances where clandestine technical knowledge becomes "the new normal" for people, and they refuse to have any empathy for users (or fellow developers, perhaps new to the team) that do not deal with the brain-crushing complexity of their niche on a daily basis.

alsetmusic 11y ago

Along those lines, I worked in a support position where I learned to just let go when people didn't want to learn. Me: Here's how I fixed it, this takes only one step... User: Oh, this stuff is over my head. I don't want to know. Me: In that case, it was magic. The user ended up finding my boss to commend me for being so easy to work with.

PhasmaFelis 11y ago

> This person is clearly not familiar with the militantly computer ignorant segment of the user base. The article you're replying to directly contradicts this. He was dealing with militantly ignorant people, made a change to accommodate them, and it worked.

csours 11y ago
/r/he/she Author is Rachel Kroll, who has also packaged up and reformated her blog posts into a book: http://www.amazon.com/Bozo-Loop-Rachel-Kroll-ebook/dp/B00878S4J6/ref=la_B0087CLXYA_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452649055&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.com/Bozo-Loop-Rachel-Kroll-ebook/dp/B00878...

devilbunny 11y ago

As a non-IT pro, I'm willfully ignorant of certain aspects of IT. I have, and like, my Mac. I love my iPad. But I don't own an iPhone, because everyone at work knows I'm the guy who can solve computer problems in a flash, and most people I work with have iPhones. They walk up to me, they tell me their problem, and I tell them "sorry, I have a Nexus, don't know how it works on iPhone or any other Android phone. Call your manufacturer or your carrier."

rodgerd 11y ago

> This person is clearly not familiar with the militantly computer ignorant segment of the user base. Given the anecdote she shared relates to doing desktop support for Windows users at the dawn of web proxies, your whole premise seems like a strawman you've erected in order to launch into a non-argument.

FussyZeus 11y ago
This is not a strawman, there are dozens of people at the company where I work (Salesman mostly, also mostly over 40) who refuse to learn anything. I'm not talking about setting proxies or backing up config files or something, I'm talking about refusing to use anything but Internet Explorer, refusing to keep computers up to date, refusing to clean their own file systems and regularly infecting their road laptops with unsightly things that we need to clean off. (I'm not a prude but seriously I do not need to see YOUR inclinations in that department.)