For months, I have quietly endured a very, very slow computer. You can guess why, right? I don't want to deal with tech support. I would rather put my eye out with a fork. I did, however, call AOL in a weak moment. My new buddy Andy there in support was obsequious, but assured me the problem is with Microsoft, not AOL. He said the MS firewall and the AOL firewall don't like each other. No shit.
He gave me two numbers to call at MS and a case number from AOL. That was at least a month ago. Today I finally tried to call. The first number doesn't exist any more, but they gave me support.microsoft.com, which I went to. No help there, since I bought my computer with MS already loaded in. I tried the second number, and it was for sales. Thanks, AOL. That guy gave me a third phone number of 800-936-5700, where I made friends with Paul. He gave me the option of paying them $35 at yet another phone number to fix my problem, or call Gateway, or go to support.gateway.com.
I accepted the idea of calling Gateway. I was already in a bad mood by then. I figured one more phone call couldn't hurt anything. Ms Phone System there almost got me to use four letter words (OK, I admit I said a bad word AFTER I hung up. That doens't count, right?). She wanted to know if I have a letter, and not just numbers, in my serial number. Hello, want to tell me where my serial number is? I finally turned the laptop ass up, and found a serial number that starts with N, so I pressed 1. Oh sorry, your computer was purchased in a retail store. You need to call 408-273-0808.
I didn't do it. I am taking my computer to class with me. My assistant worked for IBM for 30 years and is very tech savvy. We joke that he is high tech, I am user friendly. That is why they like me to teach - I can get on the same level as the students. I think that is because I belong there. Barney will fix my non-compatible firewalls. Probably I need to close the MS one, but I don't want to make that decision on my own.
I do not hate tech support any less after these calls. I just wasted more than 30 minutes and have nothing good to show for it. My computer is still slow, I am crabby, and the beagle puppy's mom is still at work.
Maybe I can go shred someone's socks.
Actually, tonight I get to teach my all-male class to surf the web. Somehow I will teach them how to find porn. I realize they will eventually figure it out, say in 93 seconds, but I will teach them enough about search engines so they can skip the first 87 seconds of confusion. I won't actually say "porn." I figure it is all part of the lesson, though. Why else would they have signed up for the class?
14 comments:
Suzy, I was told the same thing. They're like Beta fish, the firewalls don't play well with others. Hope your friend can resolve that for you.
Best wishes,
Debi
I had the same problem. I had to turn off the computer's firewall and just use AOL's firewall. The tech is right. They are not compatible. If you just go to your security settings on windows you can disable the firewall. It's pretty easy honestly. Good Luck.
Missie
I Had something similar happen to my computer
about a year ago. Had to deal with AOL and
the folks at Dell. I was ready to yank my hair
out!
Connie
oh man i have talked to people in india, arizona new mexico, florida and india again the last time they couldn't help so i fixed the problem by myself lol have fun at the class
Deb
I bet that is why mine is so slow! I gave up on getting help from anyone along time ago..I hate the voice mail, then half can't speak English.
You porn pusher! Jae
Can I give you a little inside info? They already know how to surf for porn,
They want to know how to hide the cookies and history so their wives don't find out where they've been.
Trust me, Remo, I taught them "how teenagers erase history to keep their parents from knowing where they had been," and also "how to erase cookies to keep the computer more safe." I told them to write those down, since they were not in the manual. I showed them the "image" button on Google. The rest is up to them. I have total faith in them to find what they need to find!
xoxo
Sh*t, after that I'm going back to play my office dare game! ;-)
It's always an adventure in frustration. I HATE when they ask for the serial number. It's so SMALL.....who could read it? I always tell them I'm guessing at about half the characters. They never think it's funny.
I hope Mr. High Tech got you all straightened out.
Hopefully they all spoke a language you could understand. Now you know why I bring out the hammer when my computer acts up. Rose~
Tell Molly to stay away from the porn. Also tell her to pack her bags the boat leaves on Friday!!! I already have her passport ready.
Terra
Recently Bloglines did some upgrading and totally knocked my feeds to hell. I was given the total run around about how to fix it or even where to look. I'm sure if I had had any type of computer training/class I would have known what to do. Iam so proud that I figured it out on my own tweeking and twisting my internet settings....I always start off telling them I have no idea what they are talking about and they need to talk (type) as if I am six years old. I'd rather poke a fork in my eye than tango with them...evil people.
ROFL
Our public library had to install filters since there were so many men surfing porn and then masturbating in the bathrooms...
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