My first computer was a TRS-80. It couldn’t do much. My first gaming system was a Pong. Also, I couldn’t do much. It was when I got my second computer that things changed for, the Apple IIc. Smaller than the Apple IIe and less expandable. It was the origin of Steve Jobs vision of a locked down the computer system. I loved my Apple IIc. I moved to Macs, then PC’s over the next few years. The computer was a tool I frequently used in my classroom. When I moved from Indiana to Ohio with my wife, I left teaching to become a computer trainer and later helpdesk professional. I cannot tell you how many calls I’ve been on with someone desperate to solve a problem.
Some of the folks I talked to are still people I talk to now. The reality of those phone conversations is that back then, that was a lifeline. You may not be able to help, but at the very least you cared enough to try! When it comes to helping people, I think Yoda is wrong. Yoda’s quote from the Star Wars movies is “there is no try only do or don’t do.” I think when it comes to helping people there is a try. If someone tries to help you, give them credit. Not all problems can be easily solved. I got back to those days on the helpdesk. People got mad at you all the time. They yelled, they complained, but in the end, they were struggling with an issue, and as the helpdesk person it’s your job to help them.
Own the problem, when someone says they are struggling and you are willing to try, let them know. The reality of problems is that they are like cockroaches. Left in the dark they multiply and become worse. I remember once, talking to a person with a serious printer problem. The printer was making a horrible noise (she help the phone up to the printer). Finally, I had her unplug the printer and let it cool. She then opened the printer (it was in a U-Haul shop in Georgia) and inside the printer (laser) next to the toner cartridge was a now dead mouse. The printer often overheated and they had removed the side cooling vent so that more air would get in. So apparently mice could. You never know what the problem is, but helpdesk are all about listening!
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Question of
Could I have made the title longer?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Do you believe there is a try when helping people?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
Have you ever felt bad because you couldn’t help someone?
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Yes
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No
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lol. Your title is already a post. I thought my title last time was the longest.
It may have been, I was just giving Alex grief!
I could have included “Let’s Do More…the Crazy Colour Challenge on Wacky Wednesday, with the Indigo helmet”
I should have used
“Let’s Do More…the Crazy Colour Challenge on Wacky Wednesday, How Important wearing an INDIGO helmet when riding bicycle or motorcycle on the street regardlesss of the distance!”
That would have been perfect!
haha… then the content will be..
That’s it!!! Do you agree? ?
I think you should take the Alex challenge and make a long title!
Will Virily approve of it?
The new limit is a lot more characters than it used to be. I don’t know, my posts aren’t approved or moderated any longer.
ahhh so it will come to that point when the post will no longer be moderated… no wonder you can do it faster, I mean other members as well, for me I have to do wait for a day or two.
There was a time when the admins would allow for what they called verified users. They haven’t added many in recent months. Plus they don’t approve as many people that have been on the site a long time.
🙂
I think so. i am a verified user also, I think. but it is okay you deserve it, you have been here for a long time.
verified user means when you submit a post, it is published. You don’t have to wait for the moderators.
yes, I was wrong haha. after I said that, I checked on my status and yours. haha sorry mistake… mistake on me.
no mistake made. No apology needed.
I hope the admins will resume creating verified users. I haven’t seen a new one in a while now.
Some people I know why they aren’t verified. But others are solid contributors and meet all the previous goals for that status.
i am totally ok with my status, anyway, I am just doing this when I have a spare time.
Thanks. now I know what a verified user is.
Sure looks like it could be the longest title but I will tell you about long titles after starting to read it ai sort of lost track like being lost in a forest. Let’s keep those titles simple and short.
what is hilarious is that I have a page full of comments on this post, and it filled two pages of notifications because of the title length.
Normally I keep titles short, this was poking fun at Alex and his dream of the longest title!
That title may have beat Alex. Pretty long. I do try to help others every chance I get. I feel that is why I am still here actually. Sometimes it works other times not but I do what I can.
🙂
Helping every chance you get is a great Mantra! That should have been the short title of this article. Thanks, Carol!!!
You can write another article about that, this one was neat to see the long title. Looks like Alex has yet to comment. He will eventually.
Knowing Alex, he will post a longer title. It appears in this new format of Virily you can actually post a longer title than we used to be able to.
I think you’ve won the length of the title. ? I know that you really want to help. I very much like to help if it is in my power. It’s already a great help if you just listen to somebody.
There are times when the helpdesk person in me can’t help but try. Thanks for the kind words! I like the “just listen to somebody, that is something I can do better!
Thank you very much for your kind comment. I thought everyone was doing my best, but I made a mistake. It’s still hard to believe that there are such people. My friend always tells me to do something for myself and not just for others
Very wise words from both you and Pamela! I think that intentions are very important, but in some cases help needs to be asked for first.
I do agree, help should be requested (except in emergencies).
Yes, I can relate to what you are saying. I have done home care.
I told someone I am sorry about your disability, but I am not God and I am not a Doctor. I can only do little things.
She smiled and said “Its the little things that count!”
Sometimes I have felt a lot of guilt that I can not heal these people.
We do, what we can do. That fact that you were there was huge!