Getting help, the Quiller way
Welcome to the second installment of my dainty tech column. This week we'll be discussing the how and why of getting tech help. Whether you're an experienced computer nerd, an avid gamer or a complete technophobe, I'll try to cover the basics of what, how and when to seek assistance. First and foremost, find someone to ask. It might be your dad, a member of START or, yes, even myself (hint, hint). Regardless of which technologically inclined individual you're talking to—remember, it's not "nerd" or "geek," those are offensive terms... at least, that's what I'm told—all of the following points should help you significantly.
Regardless of your experience, there will eventually be a time when something poses a daunting problem—before we go any further, though, let's define what exactly a "problem" refers to. Before you can solve the problem, you have to identify what obstacle is standing in your way. Everyone assumes the problem lies in the software, but perhaps the computer shorted a wire or had water spilled on it? In all cases, finding the basic cause of the problem will hopefully lead almost directly to the solution. In most cases, there are several potential sources: software, hardware, malicious code (e.g. a virus or spyware) or the lovely foul play known as "user error." If you legitimately don't know, don't worry, just be honest about it. Honesty, as we all know, is the key to a happy marriage... it might also be the key to a happy technical support call.
Once we've found the source, now we need to narrow down what exactly is causing problems. Following the wonderful cliché, the first step is to K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Essentially, the trick here is to always look to the most obvious, easiest source—in the case of a computer, make sure the power is on, for example. Yes, I know I'm coming off as an egotistical, condescending nerd, just imagine how embarrassed you would be if you spent three hours troubleshooting your Internet connection, only to discover that the cable wasn't plugged in, after all.
No matter the situation, there is one item that will speed up the process exponentially: detail. When somebody comes to me with a description of "My computer is broken," I am infinitely less inclined to help than if they told me "My computer tells me it is unable to print." Especially when it comes to errors and really obscure problems, make sure you either write down the error—always, always read the error before clicking "OK" or "Yes"—or write down some idea of how to replicate the problem. That is, if there's no error message, wait for the issue to re-appear and then write down whatever you did, preferably in order. The more informed you are, even if you don't know exactly what the information means, the more your friendly nerd can help out. Think of it as preparation: If I'm going over to a friend's house to fix his/her computer, I need to know what tools (if any) to bring.
Finally, and most importantly, is the importance of your attitude. A nice smile and the occasional thank you can go a long way, just as they can for any walk of life. Once again, I might come off as belittling, but I'm not trying to. In actuality, my goal is to provide my readers with the help they need in order to, well, get help. If you're coming into the situation with as much detail as you can, a positive attitude and the willingness to be flexible, you'll be surprised how willing the other side (read: the computer geek) will be.
Now that we've covered this week's topic, let's look ahead to next week. What do you need help with? What annoys you? Looking to purchase something that requires electricity? If you have a question or problem, be it about your computer, the Internet or anything else that nerds might associate with, I want to help. Don't be ashamed, just write to rev_tech@nebrwesleyan.edu.