People who become reliant on you for things they can do themselves

[xaero1]

I'll give you an example:

I graduated with a degree in Information Systems (similar to Computer Science) in 2004 and since that date, my mum has asked me to help her install every single piece of software she has bought for her computer.

I mean FFS, just because I'm handy with computers, doesn't mean suddenly my mum needs me to help her even install a program on it. Installing software is so unbelievably easy that after about 6 months of this I started telling her, "No, you can bloody do it yourself!"

However she still asks, even though she's more than capable of doing it herself. Last week we reached a landmark as I told her how to download and install Skype, then plug in her headset without me being there. She actually did it. Yey.

Another example is a colleague at work. I'm in California at the moment training her up and I remember posting a rant about her last time I was here. I appreciate that she is taking advantage of me being here by asking lots of questions, but when you start asking things like, "should I put 'Regards' or 'sincerely' at the end of my email", I start to get a little pissed.

I mean this woman is 15 years older than me and has spent more time working with Aerospace companies than I have in education. I'm now just turning to her and saying, "write whatever you feel comfortable with" and leaving it at that.

It seems she's become so reliant on getting every answer from me, that she's losing the confidence to do things for herself. Either that or she's lazy.

I can't stand it. I'm the type of person that doesn't particularly enjoy asking for help on the same thing over and over. I want to learn it first time and never have to bother anybody again.

I mean, if Michael Schumacher lived next door to me, I wouldn't ask him to reverse my car off the drive just because he's a better driver than me. I'd do it my-bloody-self.

Recently my GF's dad helped me replace discs and pads on the Skyline because I've never done it before. However now I've learned how to do it, I'd never consider asking him for help again.

Don't get me wrong, I'd help anybody if they asked me, but I don't particularly want to help them on something simple time and time again.

Does anybody else come across this? Does it annoy you as much as it annoys me?

[Marky_GTSt]

On a similar note, I find that when people discover im a programmer that they expect I should know about every single possible small detail to do with every computer and computer component that has ever existed, And then without knowing what they are talking about they try and describe a problem to you in the most confusing fashion possible in the hope you can magically fix it (I dont repair computers ffs) and when you give them some possible answers they dont understand!

The other one is, Your a programmer ? oooo can you write me a program that does XYZ or remove the copy protection from XYZ software.... Sure, Programming is so easy it only ever takes 30 seconds to make a computer do anything you want...

You dont get asked to build people free cars just because you work at toyota though do you!

As a mechanic you get the same, Oh I must take advantage and ask some stupid questions about cars....

Why do people allways try to find problems for you when they find out you have a hint of skill or knowledge in certain areas ?

[Jason abz]

Top Rant!!!
Ok, two recent examples for me.
1)A tenent asking me as the landlord to bleed the radiator in his bedroom!!
2) When people find out i am in telecomms they automatically presume i am going to know why they have no Sky signal in their daughters bedroom, why the new router or modem they bought isn`t working or the old fav.....If i give you a phone would you pop round to the house and put a couple of phone sockets in the spare bedroom.....BT wanted over a hundred pounds for it and there is no way i am paying that for something as simple as running some cable!!! Erm.......why don`t you do it yourself then?lol

[ddavej]

Another one......just because you are self employed or work from home people think you do b*gger all every day!!!!! I own a small import company and very often work until 9pm many days, yet i find when some of my mates want to sell their own cars they'll expect me to valet / prep / advertise and actually sell their cars for them. One in particular will finish his job at 4-30 then go straight to the pub, he doesn't work weekends either but then asks me to get his car mot'd for him.......my reply.......f**k off you lazy t**t!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Marky_GTSt]

LOL, Yea working from home, I did that a few weeks back, the week before my dad says to me, "Oh yea, your on holiday next week" I was like, "No, im working from home, it really isnt the same thing"....

[Simonh]

I have long since stopped telling people I work in IT - *always* leads to either dumb questions or can you get me....

what I find worse is when you get asked a question, give the best answer possible explaining the reasons behind it and find out the next time you see that person they did the exact opposite of what you said and then want help sorting it out! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[Jason abz]

Or alternatively Simonh, the other old fav is ask the question then argue with the answer as you have read in some tat magazine or newspaper about a better way to do it!! Why bloody ask then?lol

[Cris]

Don't get me started on magazine reviews!

Here are two processors and this one benchmarks 1% higher than the other so this one is brilliant and the other is rubbish.

Can anyone actually see the difference between the two...

[Simonh]

I also like the "I have a nephew/brother/son/cousin/etc who is great with computers" line.

Fab - what exactly do you expect me to do with that little nugget of information then?

[Marky_GTSt]

Originally Posted by Simonh

I also like the "I have a nephew/brother/son/cousin/etc who is great with computers" line.

Fab - what exactly do you expect me to do with that little nugget of information then?

LOL, yep......

How do they know this person is good ?, The only source of info is usually the person themselves telling people they are good, And its all reletive to the person who is judging, Some people are considered good with computers because they can play games really well....

Its as if people go out thier way to find familiar ground in order to converse, I might start telling people Im a theoretical physicist and see what happens

[Rain]

I just tell people im retired

[YokoAE86]

I'm always reliant on my mum when it comes to cooking

[turboslippers]

Lol at this post...top rant!
I imagine saying the dreaded words 'IT' must obviously mean you know everything about anything why someone else's mum's friend's 15 year old PC has suddendly started going all slow...
Get similar in engineering. You only have to let slip that you are involved with Ford Motor Company and I get 'ah, right...my mates 20 year old 1600CVH Escort has started misfiring...what do you reckon that is?'
One time I was getting rid of an abandoned car for scrap out of a Ford car park and the scrappy bloke was asking which area in Ford I worked with. I mentioned the word 'diesel' and instantly I was personally responsible for the hassle he has with the anti theft system (PATS) installed on a particular fuel pump that makes using them on other cars difficult. He then started having a go and asked what I was going to do to improve the situation...
Sometimes though, it does actually work the other way. You're in a taxi (ford diesel one) and the driver is moaning about something and you've been directly involved with the fix for the problem he's got. In those situations I'm always keen to help out and will advise what the best course of action is and then leave my business card and tell them to contact me personally if they don't get any satisfaction with the dealer/warranty department. When you can help out in this situation and you get a thankyou email it actually makes all the rubbish questions ok!
I'll admit though, when some random person asks you why the sat nav in his new galaxy doesn't pick the quickest route between basildon and newcastle...you try not to despair...

[xaero1]

AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH

I just cannot believe this.

After 4 weeks of me being here my colleague is STILL asking me to double check all the emails she sends to clients. What's worse, is that every fcuking time I check one I spot about 5 errors in her grammar, or where she's given somebody the wrong link into our site.

After 3 weeks of training last time, then 4 weeks of training this time, I'd have thought she'd have it sussed by now. This is not rocket science, it is writing a qualification and confirmation letter/email to a new prospect after speaking with them on the phone.

I tell you what, this woman is about as useless as a one-legged man in an arse-kicking contest. She really is.

[turboslippers]

I think you fancy her actually