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How it is to be a dev in my country?

At bit of an odd question this week.

For me (in the USA), it's being technical support for *every* website my family uses.

Over the weekend my wife visited her aunt and I get a call.

Wife: "How do I create an ebay account?"
Me: "I don't like where this is going. We already have an account."
Wife: "Not for me, dummy, Aunt T. She found some books she wants to buy on ebay."
Me: "You go thru the process to create an account? Email, name, password, etc."
Wife: "We tried that, but it's not working."
<few seconds of silence>
Me: "Oookaaay...why isn't it working? Is there an error?"
Wife: "I don't know, we already clicked off of it. Something about the email."
<few more seconds of silence>
Me: "Can you reproduce the error and tell me?"
Wife: "Uggh..are you serious? We've done it like 10 times, its not working. Just tell me what I need to do."
Me: "If you can't tell me the error, I can't help you. I'm not there and can't see what you see."
Wife: "Stop being an asshole."
<Aunt T takes the phone>
T: "Said something about using another email address. Does that help you?"
Me: "Are you sure you don't already have a ebay account?"
T: "No, I don't think so. I hate ebay. but I really want these books. I don't want the same problems as last time."
Me: "Last time?"
T: "Yes, I bought a coffee cup on ebay from China and it never arrived."
Me: "OK, so you do have an account?"
T: "I don't know, I mean, I never got the cup."
Me: "What email address did you use? I'll send a 'remind me' email so you can reset the password and login"
<go thru the motions, she is able to login>
T: "Ahhh...I do have an account! There are the golf balls I bought for <husband> for Christmas."
<face smack>
Wife: "Why didn't you do this from the start? I thought you knew a lot about computers. We basically figured this out ourselves. Goodbye!"
<click>

Comments
  • 26
    Divorce material
  • 4
  • 13
    I usually reply along the lines of "damn, never came across that issue. I'm afraid I can't help with that as I have no experience with <long slur of words containing "web assembly" and "network recursions"> websites. Maybe try to google it?'

    Make them feel like they discoverd the rarest bug ever to have existed.

    I don't care if they think I'm a good-for-nothing retard when it comes to computers, they don't pay me and I'm not tech support. It's good that they think that.

    If granny struggles with her new printer fine, I'll go over and set it up. I even struggle with my printer from time to time.

    But if my wife comes with shit like A LOGIN FORM, the only thing I'd ask her is if she passed reading in elementary.
  • 9
    @PotatoCookie > "if my wife comes with shit like A LOGIN FORM, the only thing I'd ask her is if she passed reading in elementary."

    Watching my wife fill out a form is painful

    <she is getting stressed with every field>

    Wife: "Name..name....my first name?"

    Me: "Yes, it field says 'First Name'"

    W: "Do I put my last name here?"

    Me: "Yes, field says 'Last Name'"

    W: "Phone number? Do I put my cell number or the house number?"

    Me: "Do you want them calling your cell number?"

    W: "NO!"

    Me: "Then type in the house number".

    W: "I don't want them calling the house either!"

    Me: "Phone is required, so pick one."

    W: "YOUR NOT HELPING!!!"

    On the flip side, she could write a book on the things I know nothing about. Child birth, laundry, comforting a sick child, etc etc. Its like she has superpowers when it comes to that stuff.
  • 5
    @aviophile > "Divorce material"

    Nah..too expensive. She makes up for it in good looks and other 'wifely' duties. I married waaaay above my pay scale.
  • 1
    @PaperTrail There is a huge value in complimenting your strengths with your partners. But yes this sounds a little painful; good opportunity to build up your patience, though.
  • 0
    @PaperTrail unexpected wholesome side though :)
  • 2
    Hint for the future: Let them go through password recovery first. Only if that doesn't work, guide them through account creation.
  • 2
    @PaperTrail You're too nice to people outside of your immediate family.
    I've stopped giving help to people like aunts and uncles (for free). They usually don't value your time and effort and keep expecting free help "cuz family". Additionally, most of their IT problems can be solved by a really simple only search.
    Lazy and cheap fuckers.
  • 2
    @PonySlaystation > "I've stopped giving help to people like aunts and uncles (for free). "

    This is going to sound terrible, will often help my in-laws before my own family for that very reason. On more than one occasion I've ignored my sister's requests because I know the issue will drag me into a pit. TL;DR, she once tried to trick me into bringing over one of my printers I knew I wouldn't get back ("I just need to print XYZ, I'll bring it back when I'm done, I promise"). Nope. Already 'lost' enough cables, paper, batteries, etc she was too lazy/cheap to get on her own.
  • 4
    @PaperTrail haha, yeah, I stopped lending stuff too to anybody... you never get shit back or it's fucking broken or missing parts.
    🌈 It Just Disappeared™ 🌈
    🌈 Nah I Never Borrowed It™ 🌈
    🌈 I Bought It Myself™ 🌈
    🌈 It Already Was Like That™ 🌈
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