I love my mom - I really do…but there are some people on this earth who should not own a computer and she is one of them, and if anyone ever worked a computer help line, please let me apologize if you had to help my mom.
Bless her heart, (stealing from Brighton) she just has no f*in clue when it comes to computers. The last computer she bought brand new - was an IBM 286 - and my Uncle S who works for IBM came and set it up for her. (that was when I was in the 8th or 9th grade - we weren’t allowed to touch it without asking permission.) The other computers she has had have all been desktops and hand-me-downs from one of us kids. She just never saw the need to upgrade etc. Getting her to go on-line was short of a miracle.
A few weeks ago - their computer died and Dad finally talked her into getting a new computer. So she asked for our opinion. Mr. Incredible loves computer stuff and found something on-line that would work well for her. We sent it to sister L (the cheap one) and then Mom didn’t understand how to order it. I talked her into going to Best Buy and taking the specs with her to find something comparable. She surprised the heck out of me and got one for a few $$$ more and it’s a better model. and get this it’s a laptop!
Then the phone calls started:
8:30 pm Tuesday - MOM: when are you coming up? I need you to set up the computer.
Mr. Incredible talks to her for 45 minutes and convinces her that she can open the box and yes she bought a good computer.
Tonight she calls 1st call at 9:00- and asks where the modem on the laptop is. Mr. Incredible (ever the patient man) tells her look in the right side - and talks her through that.
10 minutes after they hang up she calls….
Mom: Are DVD’s the same as CD’s?
FG: No - well what do you mean?
Mom: I have a CD from the Internet company, and I don’t know where to put it.
FG: Mom - you have to manually open the drive there is no button look at the front of the laptop - put the CD in it - it will Click into place and then you have to manually close the drive.
Mom: Oh, ok - it does fit. Now why is all this (insert name of computer here) stuff going - why does it do that?
FG - there should be something that you can click on to stop that…
Mom: Do I need to buy virus protection? The internet provider gives us…
FG: that should work make sure you run the update and you should be fine.
Mom: Now the paperwork says I have wireless…
FG: Mom, you have dial-up you do not have wireless, the computer is capable of doing wireless, but until you get a cable modem or DSL you do not have wireless.
Mom: Oh - but it says….
FG: I know, but you don’t have a wireless network in your house so it won’t work.
Mom: Can Mr. Incredible install wireless …
FG: Yes, but you will have to pay to have DSL.
Mom: But that’s X amount of money per month
This conversation goes on for a few more minutes… and then it sinks in.
Mom: So I can still use this laptop in the living room - I just have to take a phone wire with me?
FG: Yes.
Mom: What is my log-in name for my Internet?
FG: I don’t know - did you write it down anywhere?
Mom: no, I didn’t want someone to steal it.
FG (thinking to myself - who the hell is going to steal your dial up account): call tech support and they can talk you through this.
Mom: But they are only open during the day, I guess we will have to wait until then.
FG: Good night mom.
Mom: I really wanted to be able to send some emails tonight, but I lost all my email address’s when the computer died.
FG: I’ll send you all the family emails I have. I’ll ask everyone to do the same. Good Night - Love you.
Mom: Did you know this computer can….. blah, blah, blah
FG: Mom, I hate to cut you short, but I have to get up in the morning and get kids ready for school and go to work.
Mom: Oh, is it late?
FG: Only if you need sleep and you have to get up at 6:15. Good Night Mom, glad you like the new computer - have fun!
Mom: good night….
Anyone want to answer the phone the next time she calls ? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? No One? Y’all are chickens!
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11:44 pm
Welcome to my daily world… don’t you feel just a little sorry for me now? At least you can get off the phone with your mom, I am stuck in the same office with my tech challenged charges.
Good luck and try drinking, it helps. : )
12:05 am
hehehe im like your mom, cept I just bug hubster for everyhting…..two years ago I had to be walked thru turning the darn thing on
12:40 am
My dad got his first computer this year and is doing pretty well with it.
My mom won’t touch it and probably never will.
4:43 am
Sounds like my MIL. She’s braindead, err, clueless when it comes to computers. Luckily one of her sons does tech support for a bank so he has to deal with her.
I lucked out, my mom also does tech support. So, if I can’t figure it out I can call either mom or BIL. Prefer mom of course!
The cool thing about BIL though is that he has a program at the bank that he can have me get online and send me to a certain website and log in. Then he logs in with a special code, and he can see what is on my computer. I can see HIS mouse roaming around my computer while he tries to fix the problem. It is pretty freaky, but oh so cool to have someone roaming your ‘puter from 15 miles away!
Hope your mom figures this out soon, so super hubby can relax and not have that annoying feeling in his stomach everytime the phone rings hoping it isn’t more problems!
And backing up a day or two…I hope you will LOVE Vegas. Flying isn’t going to bother you I have a feeling…after all you are Fantastagirl!!
Jamie
4:44 am
Wow, sorry about the epic long post! LOL.
Jamie
7:32 am
Jamie - no problem - I just realized my post was super long. I need to edit - and now have to take Pan to school, Tink to daycare and get myself to work…. geesh - work doesn’t realize all that it gets in the way of!
7:50 am
Yeah…I supported a few applications in a law firm (which is now Nappy’s job) and trying to trouble-shoot coputer issues over the phone with attorneys is like banging your head against a wall…it feels great when it’s over.
You’re a good daughter.
8:19 am
Oh wow… you ARE my long lost sister. I had no idea I had one, but it’s clear now that we have the same mother.
Hello sis!
10:49 am
Love it. Hope you don’t have to suffer too long.
10:49 am
Love it. Hope you don’t have to suffer too long.
11:45 am
OneHung doesn’t know how to put this, but you and OneHung must be related because you just described MommaHung.
1:22 pm
Thats to funny!!! I have friends like that who call me at work!
1:34 pm
I guess you could always change your number, huh?
2:20 pm
are u sure you wernt tlaking to my mom?..holy crap they could be twins.
2:20 pm
are u sure you wernt tlaking to my mom?..holy crap they could be twins.
5:36 pm
Oh man. That sounds like my mom too. It must be all moms past a certain age…
10:13 pm
LOL…that is SOOOO my mom! She’s totally braindead when it comes to computers. She doesn’t even have a REAL computer. She has WEBTV! And she has trouble running that half the time! LOL. So not a techy person is my mother
1:06 am
Scary… i used to have these kinds of conversations with my grandmother, but prior to the advent of computers. We were always on the phone about her television remote control.
11:30 am
Why does it always seem that the people who need tech support the most need it so often? Like you said. They should stay away. Stay far, far away.