[919] in Humor
HUMOR: Consulting Nightmares
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Andrew A. Bennett)
Mon Jun 12 11:02:57 1995
To: humor@MIT.EDU
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 1995 10:20:32 EDT
From: "Andrew A. Bennett" <abennett@MIT.EDU>
Date: Thu, 08 Jun 1995 21:01:54 +0000 (GMT)
From: Espacionaute Spiff domine! <MATOSSIAN@aries.colorado.edu>
Date: Wed, 07 Jun 1995 16:49:05 -0600 (MDT)
From: Richard Johnson <Richard.Johnson@Colorado.EDU>
From: straz@cambridge.apple.com (Steve Strassmann)
Subject: call of the day
All in a day's work at the Support Center for the world's
easiest-to-use computer.
- - --------
Subject: Calls of the Day - June 6, 1995
____________________________________________________________________________
Had a customer [who kept getting an error type 41 message].
Customer wanted to know what was wrong because he was typing "41" and still
couldn't get the dialog box off his computer.
____________________________________________________________________________
* Caller: I have a floppy disk in my machine but I can't seem to open a file
on the disk .
* Agent: (after walking customer back to Desktop) Can you see your floppy
disk icon?
* Caller: No but I know its in the machine because I can see it.
* Agent: (pause) How do mean you can see it?
* Caller: The floppy is sticking out of the hole...but its definitely in the
machine.
____________________________________________________________________________
Customer calling about setting up file sharing between his Mac SE and PowerBook
520c:
* Caller: I have the computers connected but they won't see each other.
* Agent: Are you using a LocalTalk cable plugged into the printer ports?
* Caller: Umm.... I have a cable hooking the two together. I took it from my
Keyboard.
* Agent: You have your Keyboard plugged into the PowerBook?
* Caller: No, I have the cable from my Keyboard connecting the PowerBook and
the SE, and they will still not see each other!!
____________________________________________________________________________
I was assisting a customer with her new PowerBook 520. Early in the call she
indicated to me that she had to get on the floor for a moment. I didn't think
too much of it, but later when I asked her to open her Chooser and she told me
again that she needed to get on the floor - I was curious. She told me she had
to get down on the floor in order to be able to see the screen. I asked
hesitantly, "Can you tilt the display back so that you can see it easier?
After a very quiet moment she answered, "WOW!"
____________________________________________________________________________
The caller wanted training in her area and was having trouble finding a [local
training provider]. During the course of locating a training provider for her
she asked me if I could provide the training personally. I told her that I was
in California and it would be a little difficult for me to come to Florida to
do so. Her response was 'Well, I work in a topless bar and use the computer
there. Is that a good incentive to make the trip?"
____________________________________________________________________________
Lady from New York called and gave me family number from her keyboard, which
turned out to be the original Extended Keyboard. Then I asked her what kind of
computer she wanted to plug it into.
* Caller: One of my friends gave me an ImageWriter printer and this keyboard.
He said he gave me all the cables, but I can't figure out how to connect them.
Am I missing something?
* Agent: Well, a computer would help.
* Caller: You mean this keyboard isn't a word processor?
* Agent: (Gently): No M' am, its just an input device?
* Caller: Then I need to buy a computer, right?
* Agent: Yes.
* Caller: Do you think I'll need a monitor, too?
This went on for a couple of minutes, then I... convinced her she needs a
Performa, with everything bundled and ready to go. She liked that idea.
____________________________________________________________________________
* Caller: I just got a Performa 6115 and my CD drawer doesn't work.
* Agent: What do you mean by "doesn't work?"
* Caller: The drawer doesn't open.
* Agent: Alright, sir. Would you please hit the little button that's right
below the CD door.
* Caller: This little one? Right next to the CD drawer?
* Agent: Yes.
* Caller: Nothing happens.
* Agent: Okay, sir. Could I get you to turn the power on?
* Caller: Okay.
* Agent: (After hearing the startup chime) Would hit the button now, please?
* Caller: Hey! You mean it has to be on in order to open?
____________________________________________________________________________
I was helping a customer disconnect peripherals from the back of her machine. I
asked her to tell me what was plugged into the back of her computer.
* Agent: Ok, what do you have connected to the back of your computer?
* Caller: I have a printer, a modem and the system 7 module.
* Agent: Excuse me, but could you repeat the last item?
* Caller: The system 7 module.
* Agent: The System 7 What?
* Caller: It's the module to upgrade the system to 7.5.
* Agent: ...and it plugs into the back of your computer?
* Caller: Yes.
* Agent: Does this "Module" plug into anything else?
* Caller: It plugs into the wall outlet.
* Agent: M' am, that's the power cord.
* Caller: No, I can see the power cord, and this module is plugged in right
next to it.
* Agent: M' am, there is no such thing as a System 7 module.
* Caller: Oh My goodness, I'm sorry, I forgot. Its the power supply to the
HyperCard.
* Agent: M' am, HyperCard does not have a separate power supply. Would you
mind following the cord from the outlet until you find what it plugs into.
* Caller: OK.
* Agent: (waiting for more than 10 minutes).
* Caller: It hooks into the printer.
