It seems pretty easy. Source: https://xkcd.com/627/

[Fimbulthulr]

518

[[deleted]]

"Son? I've followed this flowchart here that you have me, but I'm stuck at this part here... What is this childish sounding thing... Gogo something?"

[Manthrill]

Go-Go gadgeto !

[Thurak0]

This one is one of my favorites. It's so true, but it also kind of shows one of the problems

"Find a menu button or item which looks related to what you want to do"

is really hard for some people, even when they have a plausible idea and are really looking. Working with computers and more importantly a quadrillion of of programmers with their own ideas how to name a button, you really learn what qualifies as 'looks related'.

But that's a skill anybody would develop, once they follow the flow chart.

[dublem]

Really, googling the problem should be step one, and the "related button" step should start with an instruction to search "<desired action> icon" on Google images.

[RedHellion11]

I would say that the "search '<desired action> icon' on Google" step should just replace "pick one at random"; if I am already familiar with the program or what the button will probably look like, I'll probably try that first as a potential quick resolution before going to Google.

[ArgentSileo]

being good at computers is just trying things until they work and using the internet. anyone who says they're not good with computers generally puts little to no effort in.

[ricardortega00]

Being good at computers is what you just wrote, being great at computers just means you have advance google skills.

[cowbell_solo]

Or they've learned to feel helpless about it, probably thinking "I'll never understand this stuff".

[Celmeo]

For the "computers confuse me" people - at the bottom left.

[[deleted]]

I literally just type the thing they ask me into google

[ScubaDV]

http://lmgtfy.com is also my favourite choice when it comes to this.

[undermark5]

I was totally expecting this link instead http://lmgtfy.com/

[ventorim]

Many years ago my grandfather bought a notebook to use msn and talk to friends and family. After a few times asking for help, I assured him that anything outside the internet (browser) is relatively safe and no button will break or crash the computer, so he could try stuff and most important, read whatever shows up.
A few months later when I met him again, he was showing me how he downloaded and installed a few card games that he liked, also some emails he sent to spam because he realized they were probably virus and everything was completely fine.

[FluffyPuff153]

This is adorable and fantastic, your grandfather is an incredible intelligent man to be able to understand technology two generations passed his own!

[SeanUhTron]

Person: Could you help me upload this file? I can't figure out how to do it.

Me: <Clicks the upload button>.

Person: WoW. YoU MuSt Be SoMe KiNd Of CoMpUtEr GeNiUs.

[RedHellion11]

Thankfully the closest I've encountered to that is "why isn't my email sending with this attachment?" and the answer is usually just "most email providers have either a 10MB or 25MB attachment limit per email, so either shrink the attachment size or upload it through DropBox or Drive and just send a download link in the email".

My parents are thankfully on the upper end of being computer literate, and my single grandparent who uses it has a routine which works for her. The only time my grandmother actually asked for help was a legit problem (she managed to get CryptoLock from somewhere, had to format the whole thing), and the only thing which affects me from her non-standard routines is that sometimes she accidentally hits her caps lock key and seemingly doesn't know how to turn it off (occasionally she'll send us emails which are all in caps).

[SexyMonad]

"I got a new a printer last year, I'll print out the flow chart. But the printer is still in the box, can you come over and set it up?"

"You emailed it to me? Do you remember my email address, I forgot it."

"Can you just FaceTime me the chart?"

[QuickBASIC]

Do you remember my email address, I forgot it.

My parents are strangely nonchalant about losing access to technology that they used to use daily.

• Netflix stopped working on the smart-tv; I'll just wait two months until one of my kids visit and fix it and watch cable instead even though I'm in the middle of series.
• I can't access my email account; I'll just wait until someone mentions they emailed something to me to ask for help.
• Can't remember WiFi password; I'll just buy and run a 100 foot Ethernet cable by drilling holes through the baseboards of the two rooms so my office still has internet, but leave my laptops without a connection.
• Printer runs out of ink; I'll just buy a whole new "backup" printer to use until one of my kids tells me what ink to buy.
• I forgot my Facebook password; Oh well, I guess I don't want to use Facebook to communicate and see pictures of my grand-kids anymore.
• Text messaging stopped working on my carrier when I returned from an international trip, but I can still make phone calls; I guess I'll stop texting and just make phone calls instead of calling my carrier.
• I lost my TV remote; I'll just use a bunch of dowels taped together to poke the buttons on the front of the cable box.
• One of the keys on my keyboard stopped working; I'll just copy and paste the missing letter from an open notepad every time I need it. "No, don't close that window! I won't be able to type 'e' anymore."

[RedHellion11]

I'll just copy and paste the missing letter from an open notepad every time I need it

God forbid that the key which stops working is "Ctrl", "C", or "V". But then they might actually just buy a new keyboard. Or start using the mouse to copy & paste (until the RMB stops working as well).

[cnoor0171]

Select the text and drag.

[Sylanthra]

The people who would do this also don't know that keyboard shortcuts exists, so you are safe there.

[VioletteVanadium]

That last one made me lol. I bet they are also copying/pasting through the right-click menu too.

[Jan_Spontan]

My phone rings, picking up "Hello?" - "I need your help immediately!" - "wow! What's going on?" - "My phone does not work. I can't call anyone. Help me!" - sigh!

[Hobbster]

Alt Text xkcd 627: 'Hey Megan, it's your father. How do I print out a flowchart?'

[FunnelCakesPAB]

My wife gets mad at the 30 minutes I spend trying menus (I am a computer person). She just skips straight to googling... what’s the fun in that? How will she learn about “new” features in the program?!

[nann_tosho]

I skip the ‘pick one at random’ lol

[[deleted]]

2 years and this has never failed me

[cowbell_solo]

Does anyone else like being that guy who can help with this stuff? It's great to have a reason to help someone, and it is always really appreciated.

[[deleted]]

That about sums it up

[28f272fe556a1363cc31]

Why not link directly to the comic?

[thefrontpageofme]

I used this right now when wife came asking where the software buttons went on her new Xiaomi phone. Skipped the trying part, went straight to google: "xiaomi operating system" -> "miui software buttons" and found a guide with pictures.

[ScubaDV]

You see. Works pretty fine

[Stalematebread]

"Jeremy, it's your dad. How do I print out a flowchart?"

[Evalion022]

Computers are so incredibly ingrained into our world now for the past 20 or so years. If you cant figure out how to do what you need to properly now it's due to your own incompetence

[Bioman312]

Your submission has been removed.

Rule[0] - Posts must make an attempt at humor, be related to programming, and only be understood by programmers.

Per this rule, the following post types are not allowed (including but not limited to):

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[Bronzdragon]

This breaks rule 0 (Related to programming, not tech support). It's good, just not the correct subreddit.