Free Technical Support

[cmhcub4u]

Why is it that family and friends believe that if you are in computers, they are entitled to unlimited free technical support for themselves AND their friends? And if you try to remind them that you do this 6 days a week as it is and don't really feel like dealing with it on your time off, they react like you are some horrible monster of a person

Comments

[lostncove]

If I had a dime for every time someone wanted me to proofread their essay for school, or read their poetry or critique their script, or listen for half an hour to their movie script idea...

Having several lawyer friends, I know they are asked for free legal advice constantly.

[cmhcub4u]

Well I feel better that it is not just computer geeks.

By the way, I have this great idea for a movie...

[sunflower1969]

I deeply resent being asked for legal advice. Not only is it annoying to do work for free, but it's also an ethics issue with respect to representation (if you ask someone for advice, can you claim they are your lawyer later?)

Rarely I'll do it for friends, but most people know better.

I have to admit I'm not 100% consistent on this with respect to computer stuff. However, I try to ask my tech friends "where can I go to figure this out for myself" instead of "will you do this for me"?

[cmhcub4u]

Well thats kind of how I am with law questions as well. "Where can I find information on x situation that wont be complete legalese ;-)" If I ask questions its usually something along the lines of, I read so and so and heard so and so...does that sound right to you?

But thats a good point with ethics. Maybe I should start saying no I don't feel comfortable working on your computer because I don't want to be legally or even feel responsible if something goes wrong.

[tekkiecub]

I feel ya. With one or two exceptions, some people around me do the same thing.

I had one "friend" who could only seem to call me when he had computer questions. One night he called and feeling pretty certain that the substance of the call was going to be about computers, I let the call roll to voice mail. When I later listened to the message, sure enough......

I never returned the call and wouldn't you know...that was the last time he called asking about computer stuff.

[cmhcub4u]

I think from now on when someone asks me to do tech support I am going to ask them what they are going to do in return that is equal in value. Clean my house, weed my garden, paint a room. I often get the no money sob story, but I am sure people can do something for me in return.

[tekkiecub]

That could work.

Perhaps you could try telling them that by the time you get home from work, the last thing you want to deal with is computers?

[cmhcub4u]

I do, but mainly from family...I get the song and dance about how they cant afford computer help and yadda yadda.

Oh well, I am mainly venting.

[twiggles_1]

FenixFyre used to say this often as I recall

[cmhcub4u]

;-(

[cincycub]

sadly, it just comes with the territory. and yes, I think all those professions you mentioned suffer similar problems.

[cmhcub4u]

I guess thats true. Now that I think about it, once people know I am also a musician and voice teacher, I am often asked to identify songs, singers, bands for them like I am a giant database of music or something ;-)