I forget the details because it's been a long time now, but I once was pressured into fixing my dad's Windows computer. Note that, while it was long enough ago that I was still using Windows for gaming, at the time I used Linux for everything else both professional and personal.

Anyway, it took me a while, but eventually I discovered the issue was a little known conflict between Hyper-V and some driver that Windows update had applied. IIRC the solution was to revert the update and wait for the next one. Figuring this out involved borrowing his computer for a few days, which was awkward because though it was his personal computer he primarily used it for work. Fortunately his company and customers really liked him and gave him a lot of leeway.

To my dad's credit, he didn't blame me for subsequent issues ... But it seemed like any time after that when he complained about his computer to someone who knew both of us, they would suggest that it was probably my fault for fixing it that one time.

It's got a new issue and it now MUST have been my fault cause last time I touched it.

My family found out quickly this was a bad move, because if all future issues are my fault, then clearly I did a bad job for you and I shouldn't ever touch your computer again. Here's the phone number for geek squad, GFL.

I was probably a dick making them go to geek squad multiple times before helping, but that's how long it took to get an apology.

Had a manager like that.

Went by once to fix their computer, had a little problem with the solution so I had to reinstall Office. Now every subsequent problem they encountered was my fault. Even after I prove to them the new issue is caused by completely different computer. The next issue they have was caused by me again.

Afterwards I just refuse to help that one. Someone else has to take it up.

And it works for Windows, too! Yay Linux daily driving!

, I just go there and while she shows all I do is repeat these two sentences: “What does it say on the screen and what are the options?” and “What do you think you should select?”. She eventually figures it out as I force her to actually read it.

My mother can be the same way. I don't know why. I eventually told her I charge very reasonable $300/hour rates for computer support and she stopped asking for help.

My dad on the other hand... More than a decade ago I got tired of fixing his computer problems so I set him up with ubuntu. He's into it. He manages his own desktop now and never asks for help. I have no idea if he's done weird things on the machine, but he seems happy. He even got a printer working.

“I don’t know! I don’t understand any of this stuff!”

THIS! This is the most frustrating fucking part of it all!

Both of my parents are smart. They have college degrees, were successful within their fields, and can generally pick up on new concepts and ideas really, really quickly. But somehow they just turn off their brains and refuse to engage with whatever is in front of them with a computer. They set up their smart watches quickly, they have no problems with apps and by god, my dad can troubleshoot anything from a boat engine to electrical wiring to freaking concrete work... but if something on the computer isn't working it doesn't matter how you try to explain it, how many times you tell them to just simply fucking. read. what's. on. the. screen. they won't do it. They want someone else to do it all and they won't watch.

Of course you don't fucking understand, you old geezer! You refuse to even make the attempt!

The end there, brutal, holy shit lol. And never any acknowledgement, huh, that she basically navigated the whole scenario herself after one of these sessions?

You have some saintly patience.

Then why am I here?

• questions asked if my mother before I gave up and let her figure it out her goddamned self since she was so fuckin smart

My dad has dementia and he’s at the point where he can’t tolerate even holding an old wall mounted phone. Technology doesn’t exist to him anymore, he can’t comprehend why anyone cares about a digital box with letter buttons or even a TV lmao and he’s only in his 60’s so it’s extra weird to see

“That’s the problem with you computer people, you make things so hard to use!”

My mom has trust issues with computing so deep she doesn’t even do any fucking software update.

IMO software vendors have created this attitude. Don't get me wrong, in an ideal world users would be much more technically literate, but given the behavior of the software industry this really should be the expected outcome.

Its similar to how popups on the web trained users to instantly close dialog boxes without reading them. Its not the fault of the individual person writing the CRUD app that uses a dialog box, but it is the fault of the system that collectively produced all of the things you see on the computer's screen.

I tell my family "I'll fix it if it's hardware but I'm not touching your windows machine, that's broken by design"