"Steven Schveighoffer" <schvei...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:op.wfd7p6fxeav7ka@steves-laptop... > On Sat, 02 Jun 2012 16:30:07 -0400, Nick Sabalausky > <seewebsitetocontac...@semitwist.com> wrote: > >> Ouch. I haven't had virus problems on my XP system (knock on wood...), >> but >> my sister's had a lot of virus trouble on her Win7 machine (and guess who >> had to fix the fucking thing every time...) Of course, my dad had a lot >> of >> virus trouble on his old XP machne (and again, guess who got to fix the >> goddamn thing), but then again, he's an idiot and does all sorts of >> stupid >> shit like click on ads, and give the advertiser pages his phone number >> when >> they ask for it, and doing all that *despite* noticing that it all seemed >> fishy, and god knows what else that he *hasn't* told me about. Colossal >> fucking moron. > > Hehe, I think all of us here have similar stories. >
Heh, yea. Ages ago, I used to be eager to let people know I was good with computers. That was because I was proud of it and (at the time ;) ) I liked computers so much. But then I learned to be very selective about disclosing that bit of information because it just makes people want you to fix their busted, usually malware-riddled, computer. I think the final straw was in college when I found myself sitting in some girl's dorm room, fixing her computer (they were all Win9x back then - fun), for free, while she went out with her boyfriend. I believe the right term for that is: "What the fuck am I doing, and why the hell did my dumbass self agree to this?!?" ;) > My in-laws have vista, and after I had to reinstall their computer due to > malware messing up some internal microsoft services, I told them either > they find someone else to help them with the computer, or agree to be > non-admin users on their system. Now only I have admin privileges, and > things have gone much smoother since then. > Not a bad strategy. After my best efforts, my sister's Win7 laptop still has some bizarre audio ads that play out her speakers now and then. I'm done fucking with that, and fresh out of tactics anyway, so my next step is to just backup her data and do a clean wipe and fresh reinstall. But I told her she'd have to meet me halfway (hah! "halfway"...more like 10%) by finding Lenovo's phone number and ordering the restore discs herself (I can't believe they skimp out on including them these days - how fucking cheap!) Unsurprisingly, she's been putting up with the ads ever since. God, users are so fucking lazy. After *years* of trying, I've never been able to get either of my parents to even touch (literally) a "How to use a computer" book. How the hell do they think *I* learned? Christ, they *saw* me reading...*books* as a kid! I seriously suspect they might actually think having been born after 1980 is what gives people computer literacy. No - it's just *normal* literacy that does it. If a *9 year old* could do it, why the fuck can't those grown adults? At one point, (again, years ago) I even *picked out* a book for my mom form the library, one of those dead-simple ones that's 90% *pictures*...It just sat there *literally* untouched for months while I kept renewing, and renewing, and renewing it. I'm not sure she even cleaned around it - and she's a neat freak. It was around that point I decided - I will *not* help a person with basic computer usage unless they can get off their lazy fucking ass and show the basic, *basic* initiative of checking a relevent book out from the library (themselves) and reading the damn thing. I'm not a babysitter for adults. Since then, I've gotten bitched out many times that I won't spoon-fed her the kind of answers that would be the equivalent of giving directions to a store like "Push your right foot down on the left...uhh, you don't know what a 'pedal' is...ok, the left 'floor-thing'...while the car moves forward for 34 seconds, then lift up 2 inches, and turn the big round thing in front of you 4 inches to the right..." Etc. After years of that I think she's finally gotten the message...so now, instead of looking at a basic damn picture book, she just flubs her way though or, failing that, asks my sister for help. Heaven forbid anyone should *ever* have to fucking *learn* anything. Shit, it's a good thing I don't have heart disease: Writing this message probably would have done me in. I feel like Lewis Black, but without the funny. > Unfortunately, malware can still fuck up your IE profile. >