Have you ever had a computer problem and gone to your IT specialist or a friend who knows about computers? When I have a computer problem I do everything I can think of before taking a deep breath and asking for help because I know what’s about to happen.
I will not only feel like I caused the problem, but also be subjected to a long dissertation about the history of computers and why I, a word person, could never truly understand what I’ve done.
The first thing the computer guru will ask is, “Did you reboot your computer?” What I want to say is, “What’s that mean? How do you do it?” Of course I have. Instead I say – on the verge of tears – “I don’t know what happened. I’ve rebooted twice.
The laptop is whisked away for a computer physical. When it comes back, held lovingly and gently by its savior, I’m told in detail what is wrong, what has been done to fix it, and what to do and not do in the future.
Shortly into this conversation my mind starts to wander. Gee, I never noticed that picture is a little crooked. There’s a little dust ball in the corner. I think I’ll have a turkey burger for dinner.
Now it’s time for a favorite expression at our company, "So I should save my work to a separate file?" This means I have no idea what you are talking about; I don't care; and I’ve have stopped listening.
The first time a computer guru hears these words, the response is a blank look and then a string of more technical computereze sort of like, when talking to a non-English speaker yelling will bring comprehension.
At this point I’m reminded of another famous expression we have at our company. Years ago, a our web guy was chastised for not posting the content he had been asked to put on the web. He madly looked for it and then announced, “I posted it. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there!”
Computer people: Ya gotta love ‘em! And what would we do without them!
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