Which One is the "Any" Key? [Archive]

blur xc

July 23rd, 2009, 05:37 PM

How many people have seen someone type a correctly formulated URL directly into Google and search for it? If you haven't seen this, I assure you, it happens.

What are some other things that people do that just make you crazy?

Why does that bother you? That's my standard practice- who needs the stupid address bar when there's more functionality w/ the google search box?

A lot of times, at least it used to more than it does now, it would take you right to the website w/o displaying a seach list... but not so much anymore...

And most importantly, it's like spell check for url's... I'm a notorious letter superimposer, so instead of getting the 404 page not found bull crap, I get a suggestion for the correct url. BAM! I call that service. Not only that, but as it happened to a friend of mine trying to book a flight on american airlines from work, he mistyped the address and pulled up a porn site. Wouldn't have happened if just googled it...

It's just better... Autofill is even more wonderful- I don't even need to type the whole thing- three, four letters, click (or scroll with the arrow key) the result I want- BAM...

I get irritated when people waste time guessing a url for a store in the address bar when they could use the google tool bar...

BM

edit: Did a simple test- enter "www.ubnutuforums.org" into you address bar, and again into your google bar, and see what you get.

tacantara

July 23rd, 2009, 05:39 PM

your network goes down daily?

Just about. I don't know if it is the network admins "tinkering" with the network, or if it is something beyond their control. Typically we lose connection for 5 minutes or less at a time. If we're lucky, we go a whole day with uninterrupted service. It's not a total loss to productivity, just a nuisance.

ibuclaw

July 23rd, 2009, 05:52 PM

raronson

July 23rd, 2009, 06:00 PM

Why does that bother you? That's my standard practice- who needs the stupid address bar when there's more functionality w/ the google search box?

Not a bad point. In fact, this is the way Google Chrome does things by default--which means the dumb people have won. Please, no offense, I'm kidding(?).

It's one thing to know the correct URL, yet still type it into Google, and quite another to use Google as an aid in URL guessing. The former makes you type it, wait for Google to respond, then find the site you're looking for, click the link, and wait for the page to load. The latter skips the Google-by-proxy approach.

raronson

July 23rd, 2009, 06:04 PM

When you ask the question: "Have you rebooted the computer" and receive the answer: "Yes".

Then when you look at the uptime, it tells you the OS has been booted for 32 days, 17 hours, 43 minutes and 9 seconds...

That's priceless. My guess is that they have logging in cross-referenced with "reboot" in their wetware.

TheNosh

July 23rd, 2009, 06:10 PM

when my friends brag about how awesome and untouchable their computers are, and then a week later have to have me sort out all their windows problems (2 of my friends just got new laptops)

CharmyBee

July 23rd, 2009, 06:12 PM

There are times where I just typed in "Google" into my google search bar to get to Google's front page.

Bodsda

July 23rd, 2009, 06:15 PM

Did a simple test- enter "www.ubnutuforums.org" into you address bar, and again into your google bar, and see what you get.

Did a simple test- enter "www.ubuntuts.com/wp-admin" into you address bar, and again into your google bar, and see what you get.

MasterNetra

July 23rd, 2009, 06:29 PM

Whats the Any key? Why its that button on the computer that people also call the power button. :p

raronson

July 23rd, 2009, 06:29 PM

blur xc

July 23rd, 2009, 06:42 PM

I had a friend tell me that his "whole internet just crashed." Hmm, I said. Then I opened up his command prompt and pinged Google:

"No, says you're connected."
"Where's it say that!? What are you doing to my computer?!!!"
"Relax, this just checks your connection."
"No, no. My internet is down."
"Internet? You're connected with a 72.6 millisecond delay."
"What?"
"Nevermind. Show me what you mean..."

He then proceeds to aim his mouse at the Internet Explorer icon on his desktop--which is but one of 200 icons on his glorious display. He clicks about 20 times and doesn't even get "an hourglass."

Okay, IE is borked. I get to the task manager and kill every instance of Internet Explorer 'not responding.' It takes a while... a long while, in which we have a delightful conversation about processes. All done.

"There. Try it again."
<click-click>
"$&!%#!, man! Thanks! What'd you do?"

that's like me explaining to my mother in law how to work the multiple remotes for her tv... She still things she's watching "TV" and hte "TV" remote should be used to change chanells, no matter how many times, in an exhaustive number of ways, (uh, where was I going? ..oh), that she's not watching TV. She's watching the DISH. Change channels on the dish box- no the tv... etc.. etc... then of course it's a multi function remote and we get into the whole discussion of what happens when when she hits the aux button. Or accidentally changes the TV input... it goes on and on. And, she has a sister that's an order of magnitude behind her, and often requires another drive to her house to get her tv working...

A much funnier anecdote- A friend of mine once said he witnessed his grandma pick up a calculator and point it at the tv, while wonder why nothing wash happening...lol

BM

TheNosh

July 23rd, 2009, 06:44 PM

I had a friend tell me that his "whole internet just crashed."

i have friends who don't understand the difference between a browser and "an internet"

for instance, they've said things like "i just use the internet that came with vista, i don't feel like installing my own internet... like that one you have with the red 'O'" (i use opera)

Maheriano

July 23rd, 2009, 06:44 PM

When I worked for a telecommunications company as a customer service representative and I'd have people pull the battery from their phone as a form of troubleshooting, the call would end. They'd be pulling the battery off the phone they're talking on expecting the call not to drop. Happened daily.

SunnyRabbiera

July 23rd, 2009, 06:46 PM

How many people have seen someone type a correctly formulated URL directly into Google and search for it? If you haven't seen this, I assure you, it happens.

Yeh I admit I have done this one myself a few times, but often when I am tired.

chriskin

July 23rd, 2009, 06:48 PM

There are times where I just typed in "Google" into my google search bar to get to Google's front page.

i have done that too :)
can't say i'm proud but i always laughed after i understood what i was doing

HappyFeet

July 23rd, 2009, 06:49 PM

There are times where I just typed in "Google" into my google search bar to get to Google's front page.

That makes a lot of sense. :rolleyes:

And yes, I have seen people type yahoo.com into google. Heaven forbid you should go directly there.

raronson

July 23rd, 2009, 06:51 PM

LowSky

July 23rd, 2009, 07:08 PM

these are the same folks whose microwave oven and VCR clocks all blink "12:00"

decoherence

July 23rd, 2009, 07:15 PM

Certain colleagues who do up these gorgeous, graphically rich web sites in Dreamweaver and upload them to my web server without testing them in at least Firefocks and IE. And then they ask me why it doesn't look right in X browser, as if my server was messing with their page. Even better is when they say "well it looked fine in Dreamweaver!" and then they look doubtful when I say Dreamweaver's previews lie.

And, of course, any fixes I make to the HTML, once it is uploaded and problems have been identified, are blown away the next time said colleagues update the page.

Basically my peeve is with people who don't know how to use the tools they're supposed to know how to use (being teachers and all.)

NightwishFan

July 23rd, 2009, 07:18 PM

My favorite..

"Photoshop is infinitely superior than gimp and Windows is better than linax. MSOffice is better two!

As they are illegally bittorrenting all of them. Drives me batty! :o

raronson

July 23rd, 2009, 07:31 PM

My favorite..

"Photoshop is infinitely superior than gimp and Windows is better than linax. MSOffice is better two!

As they are illegally bittorrenting all of them. Drives me batty! :o

Yeah that kills me too. Back when I didn't know any better and played a lot of pc games, I always talked about computers with friends and co-workers; the typical, "I have a 32Kbps modem, with 250Mb of RAM!", which is the info-conversational-equivalent of, "my Dad can beat up your Dad." Then the bragging would start about how many "keys" they have, and what other software they can get, or have cracks for. Some people still think that this is where it's all at. They also like the word "hack" a lot--even though can't produce a single line of code in any language.

Hmm, maybe if they could download Borland and find a crack for it...

Shazaam

July 23rd, 2009, 07:46 PM

My brother refers to his hard drive as "ram" or "memory".

Shibblet

July 23rd, 2009, 07:54 PM

dragos240

July 23rd, 2009, 07:55 PM

Something that irritates me is when people refer windows as an application. One time I asked a teacher what operating system they used, they replied "Outlook". I asked someone what they used as an operating system, they replied "Internet explorer", also I asked another teacher what they used, they said yahoo. This drives me crazy. People need to learn what an operating system is!

gletob

July 23rd, 2009, 07:55 PM

My dad doesn't understand the concept of dragging over text. It's always click and the end of url then hold backspace.

My mom costanty says "Ugh I wish all these ADs weren't here, yet after explaining the Adblock Firefox plugin to her she still refueses to use firefox.

And I just got them trained to leave the server ON even if I'm not there.

decoherence

July 23rd, 2009, 07:57 PM

TheNosh

July 23rd, 2009, 07:58 PM

They also like the word "hack" a lot--even though can't produce a single line of code in any language.

to top it off, if they're anything like a lot of the people i know who think they're "l33t h4xx0rz" (sorry you had to read that) they're actively afraid of the command line

Something that irritates me is when people refer windows as an application. One time I asked a teacher what operating system they used, they replied "Outlook". I asked someone what they used as an operating system, they replied "Internet explorer", also I asked another teacher what they used, they said yahoo. This drives me crazy. People need to learn what an operating system is!

mine is deffinitely verizon chocolate =P

dragos240

July 23rd, 2009, 07:59 PM

It seems most of the population needs to learn computer 101.

decoherence

July 23rd, 2009, 08:00 PM

They also like the word "hack" a lot--even though can't produce a single line of code in any language.

working at a school, you hear that word being thrown around improperly all the time.

"My email got hacked."
"How do you know?"
"I gave my friend my password and he deleted all my mail!"

It's totally meaningless now. To the students it basically means someone messed with you in some way that has something to do with computers.

dragos240

July 23rd, 2009, 08:01 PM

Some people are just stupid.

TheNosh

July 23rd, 2009, 08:07 PM

working at a school, you hear that word being thrown around improperly all the time.

"My email got hacked."
"How do you know?"
"I gave my friend my password and he deleted all my mail!"

It's totally meaningless now. To the students it basically means someone messed with you in some way that has something to do with computers.

that one kinda depends how the "friend" got them to give up the password, i'd argue that social engineering is one of the most valid sercurity exploits

armandh

July 23rd, 2009, 08:31 PM

went over to help the grand mother who lives next door

all 3 of the computers fixed to open a google home page [to save time]

the dim screen on the one owned by the AAU fixed by turning the brightness and contrast controls

one showing the net unpluged needed the extra unused lan card disabled

one just needed a hard restart

koenn

July 23rd, 2009, 08:34 PM

that one kinda depends how the "friend" got them to give up the password, i'd argue that social engineering is one of the most valid sercurity exploits
bit it's not a hack.

raronson

July 23rd, 2009, 08:35 PM

It doesn't matter how user friendly the program is, someone can always find a "new way" to try to operate it.

This is why Microsoft's Beta Testing department is comprised of mostly 5 year olds. ;) J/K

But if you don't believe me, go stand in line at your local cell phone provider and listen to the people in front of you who are having problems with their cell phone.

Heck, go stand in line at the returns department at Wal-Mart, then you'll hear some really crazy stuff.

• This alarm clock doesn't pick up XM.
• I couldn't figure out how to use this curling iron.
• This DVD Player doesn't play VCR Tapes.
• This cell phone charger plugs into my Nokia, but not my Samsung.

Actually, I feel bad(?) for the people who buy netbooks thinking that they just got a sweet little laptop. Have you read some of those stories?

Other things that drive me crazy:

When I hear someone talk about how their toddler "knows more about the computer than them" and how they can't program their VCR. Honestly--I wish people would stop perpetuating this meme like it's an original thought.

When the "The Video Professor" from TV shows the testimonials of his satisfied customers and begs you to "try his product."

When ISP's speak techno-babble using the new buzz term, "High Speed."

Just the other day I received a spam snail mail from Qwest offering me either a "Fast", "Faster", or "Fastest" internet package (no mention of actual capacity for any offering). They finally realized that no one will ever understand what broadband is.

Shibblet

July 23rd, 2009, 08:43 PM

Just the other day I received a spam snail mail from Qwest offering me either a "Fast", "Faster", or "Fastest" internet package (no mention of actual capacity for any offering). They finally realized that no one will ever understand what broadband is.

I think people don't understand, because they don't really care to know.

It's not important in "Bob's" life to understand how to use a computer, or what RAM is... "What's a Gigabyte?" All Bob cares about is looking at the funny crap that was sent to him in his Email.

Bob doesn't give a flying flip which OS he is using, or how fast his internet is. Bob thinks that the little laptop sitting on the table in front of him is some kind of airplane flight control system, where if one little thing is done wrong, the laptop is going to blow up. Bob get's confused when the computer pops up a little window saying "Windows updates are complete" And he has to click the "OK" button.

It is a mental block, that makes people think they are operating something they "SHOULDN'T" It puts them in a high-anxiety frame of mind, and makes them nervous.

Watch a person who drives a motorcycle for the first time, or tries to sew with a sewing machine for the first time. Watch someone try to replace a speaker in their car, or change the oil.

Private_Ops

July 23rd, 2009, 08:57 PM

I think people don't understand, because they don't really care to know.

It's not important in "Bob's" life to understand how to use a computer, or what RAM is... "What's a Gigabyte?" All Bob cares about is looking at the funny crap that was sent to him in his Email.

Bob doesn't give a flying flip which OS he is using, or how fast his internet is. Bob thinks that the little laptop sitting on the table in front of him is some kind of airplane flight control system, where if one little thing is done wrong, the laptop is going to blow up. Bob get's confused when the computer pops up a little window saying "Windows updates are complete" And he has to click the "OK" button.

It is a mental block, that makes people think they are operating something they "SHOULDN'T" It puts them in a high-anxiety frame of mind, and makes them nervous.

Watch a person who drives a motorcycle for the first time, or tries to sew with a sewing machine for the first time. Watch someone try to replace a speaker in their car, or change the oil.

Hehe, changing oil is always fun... dropping a transmission pan and having ATF all the way down your arm and on the garage floor is even better ;) .

My parents are about like that, they don't care what is what or how it works as long is it gets them to the internet and they're stuff done. When something doesn't work... I'm the first to hear about it and always the one to fix it.

MY GF is about the same way, although, I'll give her credit, she can actually install stuff and change settings... even when I have to explain something... she atleast listens (she's a keeper! :D ).

Shibblet

July 23rd, 2009, 09:04 PM

My parents are about like that, they don't care what is what or how it works as long is it gets them to the internet and they're stuff done. When something doesn't work... I'm the first to hear about it and always the one to fix it.

MY GF is about the same way, although, I'll give her credit, she can actually install stuff and change settings... even when I have to explain something... she atleast listens (she's a keeper! :D ).

Yeah, Bob is my dad.

It's funny how that all works. But I wonder if they didn't have someone like us to fix all of their little problems, would they bother with a computer at all?

I get tired of the constant phone calls with REDICULOUS tech support questions.

"I can't download my email."
"Oh, that's because the Internet is out."
"Well, I don't understand, it worked just fine yesterday."
"I know, it's out today. I've already called them and they said it will be back up soon."
"Well can you call them back and find out when?"

DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN!

This however isn't really a computer problem, it's more a relationship problem I have with my father. ;)

But I digress... He doesn't want to understand, and truthfully, doesn't NEED to understand, because if he has any issues, he just calls me.

Most people who have computers, and don't know a thing about them, have someone in their life that does. And that person is the nerd.

mcduck

July 23rd, 2009, 09:30 PM

He doesn't want to understand, and truthfully, doesn't NEED to understand, because if he has any issues, he just calls me.

This is something I've noticed as well. Quite many people I know to be eaily capable of learning the basics of computer use still call me every time they have any small problem. Interestingly they are always able to solve these problems on their own if I'm not able to talk at the moment and ask them to call back in 10 minutes..

I mean really, when an electrical engineer calls me and tells that he plugged out all power cords when leaving for a business trip, and now after returning home the printer doesn't power up I can only wonder what funny aspect of human mind made the aforementioned engineer to call me instead of deciding to check again if he forgot to plug in something..

Or my mother who 15 years ago was easily able to do text processing an pay here bills online with a machine running DOS doesn't seem to be able to learn even the basics of computer use (like the idea of a "window" and program that's running inside it, which makes things rather interesting every time I have to tell her to close some program..).

My guess is simply that since every media tells them that "this stuff comes naturally for kids these days" and "old dog can't learn new tricks" and stuff like that they simply don't bother even thinking any more, instead fixing the words "I can't do this" so strongly in their mind that it fogs any thoughts about actually trying to figure things out with their own brains.

***

I spent two years living in Denmark. That was probably the best thing that has happened to my close family's and friend's computer skills. When I was around they called me for every single problem and didn't really bother listening if I tried to teach them anything, when I wasn't around they actually had to put couple of brain cells working together and solve their little problems on their own..

Private_Ops

July 23rd, 2009, 09:32 PM

And that person is the nerd.

Me... but given the old stereotypical description... I'm not.

Whatever though... I like messing with computers regardless of the "nickname" it lands me. :D

.

My guess is simply that since every media tells them that "this stuff comes naturally for kids these days" and "old dog can't learn new tricks" and stuff like that they simply don't bother even thinking any more, instead fixing the words "I can't do this" so strongly in their mind that it fogs any thoughts about actually trying to figure things out with their own brains.

Stuff like that get's on my nerves sometimes. I tend to be able to do things without hardly thinking about it (I take this for granted sometimes). Yet, I've worked with people (given, I'm 18 and starting college next month, my definition of "worked" with someone is a little different) that have to have the process explained to them a couple times before I get annoyed and just do it myself. They couldn't even figure out how to use google...

Maybe I'm acting like I'm better than anyone else, but truthfully, I'm not... and never have thought I am. My knowledge is more than what others have I guess.

TheNosh

July 23rd, 2009, 09:52 PM

bit it's not a hack.

Hack has several different meanings these days. it doesn't matter how much you maintain that cracking is not hacking, these days it's accepted word usage. same goes for social engineering. read just about anything written by Kevin Mitnick.

language evolves.

Shibblet

July 23rd, 2009, 10:57 PM

Hack has several different meanings these days. it doesn't matter how much you maintain that cracking is not hacking, these days it's accepted word usage. same goes for social engineering. read just about anything written by Kevin Mitnick.

language evolves.

I think most people believe any operation of a computer that doesn't fall under the "ordinary" is considered hacking.

Ordinary is anything that isn't a point and click environment. ;) So when you open up the terminal or command prompt, you're "hacking" LOL.

linuxguymarshall

July 23rd, 2009, 11:00 PM

There are times where I just typed in "Google" into my google search bar to get to Google's front page.

Sometimes I type Google into my Firefox Google search just so I can preform a Google search from the Google homepage

blur xc

July 23rd, 2009, 11:41 PM

Sometimes I type Google into my Firefox Google search just so I can preform a Google search from the Google homepage

You could just make google your actual home page? I use igoogle and like it well enough.

BM

HappinessNow

July 23rd, 2009, 11:50 PM

when my friends brag about how awesome and untouchable their computers are, and then a week later have to have me sort out all their windows problems (2 of my friends just got new laptops)

When people buy Apple computers due to this and think they are now untouchable.

Blacklightbulb

July 24th, 2009, 12:10 AM

Shibblet

July 24th, 2009, 12:17 AM

The only way to force them to learn is to force them to do it themselves. When a friend calls me on for some troubleshooting I tell him:

"I'm quite busy now. Try troubleshooting it yourself. Also Google helps. Don't worry about messing around with it. I'll arrange everything tomorrow"

Something like that. It really help. These people don't learn mostly because they are too afraid to try out new things because they might do some real damage.

In my experience, if I said "I'll arrange everything tomorrow." That person would just wait until tomorrow, and have me do it all.

To be honest, one of the reasons I switched to Linux, is so when people call me with Windows problems, I just say... "Gosh, I use Linux, I don't know Windows at all."

andru183

July 24th, 2009, 12:45 AM

my girl friend types urls into google all the time, why i ask?! why!!

bodhi.zazen

July 24th, 2009, 12:47 AM

Which One is the "Any" Key?http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:kYk-hIHOa25ErM:http://rlv.zcache.com/having_issues_bang_head_here_mousepad-p144960746586432266trak_400.jpg

Firestom

July 24th, 2009, 12:54 AM

When friends tell me they don't want Linux because it's unreliable and come back two days later saying Windows won't boot or always gets a BSOD at startup. And that's when they are ashamed of what they said, because they else they would tell me only a few hours later.

And when one says I can't run Vista on my ice-age old computer, I tell them I have a PVR using MythBuntu and it doesn't lag. That's my little revenge. And if at college they tell me to install XP, I tell them "Get F*****"!

When people buy Apple computers due to this and think they are now untouchable.
The worst is that I actually have a classmate that thinks he is on top of the world because of his Mac. He just discovered multiple desktops and remote access! Laughing My *** Off So Hard!

TheNosh

July 24th, 2009, 01:14 AM

In my experience, if I said "I'll arrange everything tomorrow." That person would just wait until tomorrow, and have me do it all.

To be honest, one of the reasons I switched to Linux, is so when people call me with Windows problems, I just say... "Gosh, I use Linux, I don't know Windows at all."

i try that, but all my friends come back with "but you use windows 7" (they know how fond of the RC i am)

and besides, if they don't have working computers who will i play team fortress two with?

ibuclaw

July 24th, 2009, 03:49 AM

http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:kYk-hIHOa25ErM:http://rlv.zcache.com/having_issues_bang_head_here_mousepad-p144960746586432266trak_400.jpg

:popcorn:

Another favourite one is: "Can you go to My Computer and open up the V drive?"
With the received reply: "Sorry, I don't know what you are talking about, I'm not technical."

Luckily though, I can map to most drives in the network, so I can diagnose from remote with ease (most the time though, Personal shared drives being the only exception).

collinp

July 24th, 2009, 05:07 AM

http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:kYk-hIHOa25ErM:http://rlv.zcache.com/having_issues_bang_head_here_mousepad-p144960746586432266trak_400.jpg

http://www.mental-hygiene.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/headdesk.gif

My any key > yours.

lisati

July 24th, 2009, 05:28 AM

Here are a couple of annoyances:

Being expected to fit several hundred gigabytes of video footage onto a regular memory stick or flash drive - the one the person has in mind can probably take only 256Mb or so
A lack of even a basic appreciation of the differences between a CD and a DVD (as in "Could you please make me a copy [of that video] on CD?" or a blank stare when you start talking about storage capacity)

Bodsda

July 24th, 2009, 06:56 AM

a blank stare when you start talking about storage capacity)
[/LIST]

My girlfriend asked me what I was doing one day. On that fateful day, when I was explaining compilers, preprocessors and multidemensional arrays, I got the blankest look in the world then she said, "Uh huh, im gonna watch tv, have fun."

raronson

July 24th, 2009, 01:37 PM

I think people don't understand, because they don't really care to know.

Thanks, Shibblet. That's absolutely right. I started this thread because every once in a while I feel the petty urge to rant about how dumb people are for not knowing what I know, or caring about the things that I think are important. Techno-elitism is something not well received in the larger world. So where better than here to release my frustrations amongst like-minded people who can probably commiserate?

Though it's easy to forget that as smart as we are, there are many other complex subjects or activities where we'd probably appear as the dummy. Bob may be able to play guitar better than me for example, or know more about music theory--and neither would be a stretch to say. That being said though, there's just something about being techno-savy that gives the illusion of universal intelligence, which is not always the case.

I work with a lot of people who maintain that others are "stupid." But in my environment, everyone is sectioned off into various specialties, so it's not realistic that someone from a different section should know my job as well as theirs. I often point this out when the case warrants it, and the reply is usually, "You're stupid." Though if they were forced to put words into writing, it would most decidedly be rendered as "your stupid." :)

Thinking that other people are stupid just makes a complex world easier to deal with I guess--and also makes a good thread when you feel the need to vent...

decoherence

July 24th, 2009, 01:39 PM

that one kinda depends how the "friend" got them to give up the password, i'd argue that social engineering is one of the most valid sercurity exploits

Sure, but social engineering is specifically not hacking, nor is it cracking.

Like you said, language (d)evolves. Seeing as the theme of this thread is what ticks us off, seeing language change so that certain terms take on a less specific meaning ticks me off ;)

raronson

July 24th, 2009, 01:54 PM

When people buy Apple computers due to this and think they are now untouchable.

I answer a lot of questions about this when people see my macbook. It's irritating to be associated with the "Hi, I'm a Mac" guy and then get into the conversations that ensue. It's a conversation stopper when I show them that I'm only running Linux on it with no OS X anywhere to be found. Then they don't have much to say after that besides, "it looks like Apple", or, "it looks like Windows", or the how the terminal looks "like DOS."

One of my biggest turn offs to Apple/OS X is the largely non-technical user base. I just like the design of the laptop...

forrestcupp

July 24th, 2009, 02:34 PM

How many people have seen someone type a correctly formulated URL directly into Google and search for it? If you haven't seen this, I assure you, it happens.
It's actually useful to type a url or domain into Google. That's a great way to search for something specific when you only want to search a web site instead of the entire web.

It's not always stupid. ;)

jespdj

July 24th, 2009, 02:36 PM

Your keyboard is missing the Any key? You'd better get another keyboard then. ;)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Keyboard-anykey.jpg

collinp

July 24th, 2009, 02:38 PM

Youe keyboard is missing the Any key? You'd better get another keyboard then. ;)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Keyboard-anykey.jpg

http://webjunk.info/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/fail-keyboard.jpg

I couldnt resist.

RATM_Owns

July 24th, 2009, 02:52 PM

My dad refuses to install another internet browser since he thinks having "two things (internet browsers) installed at the same time will slow them down"

ericmc783

July 24th, 2009, 02:53 PM

Hmmn, things that people do that annoy me....

Having a gazillion different items on the desktop, and not taking the time to file them in My Documents or whatever.

Leaving 30 programs and files running constantly, including like 10 different excel files, word docs, etc. They claim "but I have a lot I need to work in". And then dont touch some of the files for hours at a time.

NightwishFan

July 24th, 2009, 03:10 PM

Yeah, the Windows/GNOME desktop is terrible. Any average person that uses either one has infinite icons cluttered everywhere. I am thinking of using KDE just to evolve from that. :o

stwschool

July 24th, 2009, 03:15 PM

Just do what I do in Gnome and don't let Nautilus draw your desktop. No icons on desktop, no clutter.

RiceMonster

July 24th, 2009, 03:18 PM

Having a gazillion different items on the desktop, and not taking the time to file them in My Documents or whatever.

Yeah, that drives me insane too. Also when they put 1000 things in the quicklaunch so there's almost no room for tasks on the taskbar, or they use internet explorer, and let it fill up with all kinds of toolbars they never use.

stwschool

July 24th, 2009, 03:23 PM

Yeah, that drives me insane too. Also when they put 1000 things in the quicklaunch so there's almost no room for tasks on the taskbar, or they use internet explorer, and let it fill up with all kinds of toolbars they never use.
God toolbars are an annoyance, then they complain to me when a web app I've built doesn't work for them. Well, duh, you've ****** your browser. What do you expect?

Zenze

July 24th, 2009, 03:28 PM

i have friends who don't understand the difference between a browser and "an internet"

for instance, they've said things like "i just use the internet that came with vista, i don't feel like installing my own internet... like that one you have with the red 'O'" (i use opera)

Yea I feel you there. Sadly tho this is more common than not. I forgot the name but there was a video on youtube that interviewed people on the street about what browser they used/what a browser was. Needless to say it was very funny yet slightly sad.

One thing that annoys me endlessly is explaining to my mother that the monitor is NOT the computer and that turning off the monitor is not turning off the computer. She seems to think that they actual computer is some irrelevant box (tower as she calls it).

koenn

July 24th, 2009, 04:49 PM

language evolves.

it does, apparently :

i have friends who don't understand the difference between a browser and "an internet"

for instance, they've said things like "i just use the internet that came with vista, i don't feel like installing my own internet...

ericmc783

July 24th, 2009, 05:11 PM

I forgot the name but there was a video on youtube that interviewed people on the street about what browser they used/what a browser was. Needless to say it was very funny yet slightly sad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4MwTvtyrUQ

I just saw this for the first time not long ago.

*sigh*

RATM_Owns

July 24th, 2009, 05:26 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4MwTvtyrUQ

I just saw this for the first time not long ago.

*sigh*
We need more people like the guy at 1:21.

blur xc

July 24th, 2009, 05:34 PM

One thing that annoys me endlessly is explaining to my mother that the monitor is NOT the computer and that turning off the monitor is not turning off the computer. She seems to think that they actual computer is some irrelevant box (tower as she calls it).

My mother-in-law pulled that one on me last week... ](*,)

BM

Maheriano

July 24th, 2009, 05:37 PM

My dad still, to this day, turns off his monitor every night before going to bed. It's a 19 inch LCD which puts itself into standby when not being used. Still he'll turn it off every night.

raronson

July 24th, 2009, 05:41 PM

Yeah, the Windows/GNOME desktop is terrible. Any average person that uses either one has infinite icons cluttered everywhere. I am thinking of using KDE just to evolve from that. :o

I keep a hidden dock for applications (Gnome-do/docky), and have a hidden file on my desktop called '.Desktop' for when I actually want to put things there temporarily before I sort them into their proper location.

ericmc783

July 24th, 2009, 06:20 PM

I like the Gnome desktop. I just use it properly, placing files where they belong, instead of cluttering the desktop. :-)

themusicalduck

July 24th, 2009, 08:53 PM

I knew someone who's wifi wasn't working one day. She said she thought it was because it was raining outside, and that the rain was interfering with the 'thing in the sky' she was getting her internet from.

MaxIBoy

July 24th, 2009, 09:20 PM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fb/Userfriendly.20030128.gif

lisati

July 24th, 2009, 09:31 PM

<cartoon> (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fb/Userfriendly.20030128.gif)

That sums it up nicely!

RATM_Owns

July 24th, 2009, 09:40 PM

I use GNOME and have no desktop icons. :P

(Besides, I have a awesome Tool 10,000 Days desktop which I don't want getting covered up with icons. And any icons that are under Conky would just get hidden.)

raymondh

July 24th, 2009, 10:12 PM

these are the same folks whose microwave oven and VCR clocks all blink "12:00"

That includes me ... but simply because I don't care :)

kk0sse54

July 24th, 2009, 10:31 PM

Dullstar

July 24th, 2009, 11:27 PM

My dad still, to this day, turns off his monitor every night before going to bed. It's a 19 inch LCD which puts itself into standby when not being used. Still he'll turn it off every night.

Actually, since my computer is in my room, I do that a lot because I never bother to turn off the computer until I absolutely have to.

I like the Gnome desktop. I just use it properly, placing files where they belong, instead of cluttering the desktop. :-)

Exactly, I only have 5 icons on my whole GNOME desktop. Three of them are the ones that it puts on your desktop when you stick in external storage devices. I even keep those organized. External Storage Devices (except in the case of an external hard drive if I ever need to get one) are kept in the bottom right hand corner, my two icons that are always there are kept in the top right hand corner. To top that off, I have a really nice custom theme that I made by combining things from the themes that came with the installation (not the default theme, a combination of the alternatives to the default that come with Ubuntu.

This quote is here only for the purpose of organization!

Like several others do, I hate it when people refer to their web browsers as "their Internet."
Once a friend said that I should dump Firefox and use the Internet.
Wow.

First, I wouldn't listen to that because IE (what people are usually referring to when they call their browser the Internet or their Internet) sucks.
Second, I wouldn't listen to that because the basis is one of those myths.
Third, they don't seem to realize that if I'm using Firefox, I am using the Internet. If you are using a web browser and are connected to the Internet, you are using the Internet, regardless of browser, regardless of OS, because the Internet is not a web browser.

Yet another filler quote...

Schools give such a crappy eduction on computers, don't they? They claim to teach you how to use a computer. In reality? They teach us how to use Windows, Microsoft Office, and in some cases, Internet Explorer. The only thing they teach you that can be done outside of Windows is how to type.

Last filler quote...

Whew, that was the last thing. Didn't expect that to turn into a rant!

magh-87

July 24th, 2009, 11:29 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4MwTvtyrUQ

I just saw this for the first time not long ago.

*sigh*

That's depressing. Fortunately for me, most of my friends are fairly tech savvy. My girlfriend and her brother both use Ubuntu and their own respective OS choices. My gf for example dualboots OSX and Ubuntu and her brother has a laptop that dualboots XP and Ubuntu, and his desktop is for only 7.

Of course, I also know people that installed Ubuntu on their computer and don't know how to use it whatsoever (not that I'm a total exception from this list). My manager at work installed ubuntu and just uses it to charge his ipod. Aside from saving the cost of an OS, I really don't see the point.

magh-87

July 24th, 2009, 11:30 PM

So? I do it too.

Both of my monitors do as well, I choose to turn them off since I have cats that also enjoy playing with my mice.

Shibblet

July 25th, 2009, 01:29 AM

Thanks, Shibblet. That's absolutely right.

No prob. I see the humor in it too.

I work with a lot of people who maintain that others are "stupid." But in my environment, everyone is sectioned off into various specialties, so it's not realistic that someone from a different section should know my job as well as theirs. I often point this out when the case warrants it, and the reply is usually, "You're stupid." Though if they were forced to put words into writing, it would most decidedly be rendered as "your stupid." :)

Yep, calling it "stupid" makes it irrelevant. Watch how people use the word "should" also.

It's actually useful to type a url or domain into Google. That's a great way to search for something specific when you only want to search a web site instead of the entire web.

It's not always stupid. ;)

Funny how it works though. Looks like Google knows "User-Friendly"

Having a gazillion different items on the desktop, and not taking the time to file them in My Documents or whatever.

Leaving 30 programs and files running constantly, including like 10 different excel files, word docs, etc. They claim "but I have a lot I need to work in". And then dont touch some of the files for hours at a time.

I love that. "Can you see why my computer is so slow?" And they have a desktop cluttered with Crap-ware, and processes filling up the taskbar! "Well..." I say. "You've got too much stuff on here." And then after a 45 minute conversation as to all the "stuff" they absolutely "need". We decide to leave it the way it is.

raronson, you inspired me... to make this picture... ;)
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