Don't You Just Hate Using Someone Else's Computer?

[TheTerrorist_75]

It seems like everything is completely messed up when you need to use another person's PC. You get so used to your own that once you have logged onto a stranger's PC it seems as though you were dealing with a Neanderthal. Their computer is so totally setup wrong that it causes you work double the hours to accomplish anything.

Talk about being spoiled. I whined for the 30 hours I was using the PC I was fixing. Why couldn't I have my mouse gestures, where are my tabs, why is this darn screensaver going off every 8 minutes and why does it boot to the log-in screen coming out, why did they put those files there, over 80 items of malware found, you do not have administrative permissions, and etc.?????

Damn it feels good to be back on my sweet setup of a machine.

[JSKY]

Hahahahaha..... HAHAHAhahahahahahahahaha.....

Boy.... I know exactly how you feel.... You said it all in a nutshell.

[tjet]

Yeah, but that is why I use XP / IE.

Most of the people around here do.

Although it looks like I will have to learn vista soon though.

As a side note I have taken to insisting that the more clueless have accounts for each user as 90% of the times I can snag files, pictures, etc out of them and delete / create new acounts and end up with problem solved.

[irregularjoe]

And then you find out they use AOhell!

[Honda_Boy]

Most people's computers I fix, I install FF and stuff on and ask them to use that stuff to help protect their PC's. I hated using the PC's at school until I installed FireFox on a thumb drive. Now whenever I log into my account, I just plug in my thumb drive and go.

Oh I do despise using my brother's computer........................... damn iMac.

[TheTerrorist_75]

You can't change most Dull users. They will insist that if Dull installed it then it must be good. They also believe that the preloaded McCrapee will protect them forever without renewing or updating. Of course AOhelL's Security will back up the outdated McCrappee, not! Then there is the multiple toolbars stuck on the AOhelL browser and IM programs. Don't forget they add those nice smilies that infects the PC or those foolish game downloads that do the same. Why is it many Dull users end up with MyWebSearch?

[Honda_Boy]

Man no kiddin. That's pretty much the story of every computer I've fixed. I uninstall a crapload of stuff, install AVG and FF and tell them to quit installing everything they come across.

[JDoors]

And of course any problems they have after you've used their computer is because YOU did something wrong. No, it's not the malware they had, or the new malware they got, it was something YOU must have done! "What did you do???"

One pet peeve is that I use IE in "kiosk" mode, there are NO buttons, toolbars, nothin' when I'm using it. Just the site and that's that. The toolbar drops down when I need it. I use someone else's computer and the site is restricted to this (to my eyes) TEENSY little window, lost among the buttons, tabs, toolbars, and I don't know what else. I can't stand it.

A corrolary is, can you stand WATCHING someone else using a computer? "Uh, why don't you just do THIS instead, it's SO much easier?" "This is the way I do it." "Well, you're dumb." Not that I'd say that but ... I'm thinkin' it!

[tjet]

I have to agree about AOL but I feel the same way about Yahoo.

About two weeks ago I went over to an old friends who is totally PC illiterate.

He told me 14 year old son was having problems but the machine still connected to the net on MCHS.

It was running XP pro.

The desktop picture had been replace by what looked like a flaming bio hazard logo with a caption that said the box was badly infected (no sh*t) and click here to fix.

There were three AVs I never heard of trying to run scans.

The PC connected to the net alright but with a redirector to the site from hell that said it would make all the problems go away for just 29.99 9 (It was connecting using Firefox BTW).

No task manager as it said I didn't have permission from the admin.

I didn't have my usual stuff with me as I assumed with a connection I could download what I needed.

So I went out and got a copy of NAV 95 I had in my briefcase in the car.

Spent thirty minutes clicking pop ups and windows warnings to install and update the AV.

Then I restarted in safe mode and the Norton removed 51 items and deleted all the AVs and unfamiliar security programs that were on it.

When I rebooted in full XP there was the devil again as my Friend had taken to calling it and no connection except to site from hell.

Couldn't even keep the run box open long enough to enter cmd and push enter.

After four and a half hours I got pissed and reloaded XP.

I was in such a good mood by this time that I formatted it three times before reloading.

Left the Norton on it and loaded my favorite anti malware, CCleaner and the MVP host file blocker.

After lessons on using and updating their new protection I left them with a fully updated and certified MS box.

In exchange my friend is going to put a new exhaust on my Buick this Thursday for just the cost of parts.

[garmanma]

Every time I go on my wife's computer it's so disorganized, it takes me an hour on what should have been minutes. She might be a whiz at Office applications and the keypad but when it comes to the internet, browsers, and such my grandson has her beat