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*calls grandpa I don't usually talk to that much to congratulate him for his birthday*

*grandpa picks up*

*congratulates*

Him: so, I know that you study CS and I was working on something [Word document at the moment] and my letters keep getting different sizes! Sometimes they're small, sometimes they're big, sometimes they're in between! I have to erase everything everytime because they just get messed up every time!

Me *sighing, but confused because upper-case and lower-case are the same with "big letters" and "small letters", respectively, in my native language: have you checked Caps Lock on your keyboard?

Him: What is that? I have Esc, 1, 2, 3,... (proceeds to read me the keys on the keyboard)

*explains where caps lock is*

Him *gets angry*: no, you don't understand, sometimes they're small, sometimes they're big and sometimes in between! Caps Lock doesn't solve it! *proceeds to read the keys from the keyboard again*

*thinking that maybe it's the font then, asks about the Word version, to know what to point him to*

Him: WHAT? Word? No! I'm using my keyboard! What don't you understand! I explain to you and you have no idea!

Me: well, I'd need then maybe to see the screen

Him: I'm so angry with you, you say you study so much but are not even able to help me with such a small problem. I'll just find someone else. Thanks for your wishes *hangs up*

And this is how I only tried to congratulate my grandfather for his birthday but turned into a "failing" tech support. I just wanted to be a good granddaughter

Comments
  • 19
    Don't whine about it.
    You'll keep getting such comments for your whole life. Better to get a hang of this.
    It's in our fate. Can't change it
  • 25
    @fahad3267 Even if it's written in stone, it doesn't make it less annoying. I say vent your frustration here, that's why we have devRant.
  • 2
    $20 says you'd bitch if he had to explain how to use a piece of archaic technology that he's familiar with, but you're not.
  • 3
    Learn to say no.
  • 11
    My go-to line for these situations is generally "it's very difficult for me to explain over the phone, I'll have to show you when I next see you."

    I'm always happy to help friends and family, but over the phone is almost always the wrong way to do it!
  • 3
    @CoffeeNcode Key is to stick to it. I've often repeated that phrase near 5 times in a row, but eventually it's likely they'll realise they're not getting an answer there and then.

    Problem comes if you say that then cave and try to give advice anyway, you set an incorrect precedent!
  • 3
    @AlmondSauce too bad we're only seeing each other twice a year, as I have my uni holidays, since I'm studying abroad from my home-country
  • 4
    I don’t know why am i so upset right now, he is not my grandpa but still, I feel it
  • 0
    Really hope he meant the actual letters on the screen and not keys on the keyboard...
    I know it's in the rant, but people asking tech support over the phone seem to often describe things horribly.
  • 2
    I can relate so much... I just usually try to take remote access of the computer when i know the person is computer illiterate. I can disguise into: "It's gonna be way simpler if i show you how." or any kind of excuses to not deal with the incompetence of the person i'm supporting.

    People can't explain shit, doesn't understand basic word. I feel like talking to a child and someone that call for tech support is VERY VERY similar.
  • 2
    Being a software developer, my relatives expect me to fix their mobile phones, hack email ids, assemble their PCs, or develop a giant software in just a few days. Uff
  • 4
    Aah the cringe. I feel you.
  • 1
  • 3
    Go over there, install team viewer and explain him how to start it and have him read the connection id/secret...
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