My folks computer was dying. I was hoping it would outlive them, but those stubborn old bastards continue to breathe.
I was dreading them getting a new computer because, as you know, I am their tech support. A new computer means new everything. Thankfully they just needed a new hard drive. So same machine, same migrated data. Only thing new was the operating system. Phew! Dodged a bullet, or so I thought.
My mother’s (86) email wasn’t working. Neither was my dad’s (88). So we decide a tech call was in order. In the past we have used Zoom. Problem though, I couldn’t email a link to click and Zoom link. I had to guide them to Zoom.
Now for anyone remotely computer literate, that’s no big deal. My folks are not remotely computer literate. They can barely operate a mouse. My dad who is only slightly better than my mother with technology tries to “help” by clicking things on the screen.
Using any normal computer term is a waste of time. I have to guide them by saying go to the bottom of your screen, that thingy down there is what we call “the dock”.
My dad will then “help” by describing what he sees on the screen “there’s a white triangle”. Thanks dad, clears that up. I managed after some time to get Zoom working so we could see each other. But in order for them to share their screen, they need to adjust system preferences. And in no world is that happening.
So I opted for a different solution on a different day. For them to download and install TeamViewer. I wrote incredibly detailed instructions which I sent to my dad who can get email on his tablet. Going through it step by step. The first instruction was, do not do anything until I am on the phone with them. At the agreed upon time my dad says, “I am up to the Accept Cookies” step. Ugh.
I spent the next half hour, I kid you not, trying to get him to type in teamviewer.com into the right area on the computer. Seriously. A HALF A FUCKING HOUR! He has Yahoo.com as his homepage and no matter how I described it, no matter how much I pleaded, cajoled and begged. I could not get him to type that in the right spot. Every time, instead of going to the website he got a list of search results.
So I thought, I know what I will do, I will put a “DAD CLICK HERE” link on the center of the homepage on my website.
Once again I am trying to get him to type lutzcreativegroup.com into the URL field to go directly to the website. Nope, search engine results. One of which, thankfully was my “Tech Support With My Parents” page on my site. After confirming he was on my site I had him click my logo to get to the homepage where the link awaited. It was so very professional for a link like that to be on the homepage of my business site, but I was out of options. He clicked and FINALLY was on the right website. I then said, “DO NOT CLICK A FUCKING THING UNTIL I TELL YOU TO”. We managed to get the software installed and partially configured. We are not there yet, but it was progress.
There really is not enough alcohol in the world to numb me enough to deal with another call. But I will.