Opaque Lucidity

I'm Not Into Quilting, Either

I know at least a few of you have done helpdesk-type work for medium and large companies. If you have, you've had this conversation (or one like it) before:

"IS Department, this is Matt"

"Matt, this is Carol. I can't log in to (insert password-protected website here)."

"Do you receive an error message when you try to log in?"

"No. In fact, when I click on the thing on my screen, it takes me somewhere else."

"Do you mean another website?"

"Yes."

"Ok, let's try this...open Internet Explorer."

"What?"

"Internet Explorer...the browser you use."

"What?"

"The icon that looks like a blue 'e'...double-click it."

"Oh! You know, I'm just not into this computer stuff."

That's when I slowly fade from consciousness and go to my happy place. I don't expect everyone to be an expert, but I do have the expectation that if you have been sitting in front of a computer for the better part of two decades, you should have learned something about it. To me, learning about the tools you use to do your job is PART OF THE JOB, not something you have the option of being "into". If you work in an office today, possessing basic PC skills is a fundamental requirement.

The company for which I work is defined rather narrowly in terms of demographics, so maybe it's just my situation. But it seems sometimes that no one wants to learn anything that might mess with their comfort zone.

By the way, I have to slap myself to keep from continuing the above conversation this way:

"Carol, are you into cars?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you read 'Road and Track' and 'Automobile' magazine, right?"

"No."

"But you drove here today, didn't you?"

AM I ALONE IN THIS?

Sorry, ladies and germs, it's just been one of those days. Talk amongst yourselves. ;-)

Posted by Matthew at July 31, 2007 07:20 PM