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Computer Stupidities

Hardware Requirements

Many people do not understand the concept of "minimum requirements." There's a reason software packages list quantities of hardware and say, "You must have a minimum of the following to run this software." Nevertheless, this doesn't stop some from trying anyway.

Seen on a web page:

Sometimes it's better to go along with the customer and not ask questions.

My husband tried to install a new networking card. He said he opened it up, and all he found was a TV tube and some electronic parts -- no slots at all.

At school, we have iMacs. I was in computer class one day, and this kid's computer froze up. He knew you could use a paper clip to reset it, but he didn't know how, and rather than asking where the reset hole was on the back, he stuck it in the MICROPHONE.

Recently, my friend told me some recent computer game of his would not work with his computer. I already knew that he had a rather dated computer and told him that he needed to buy a new one, or at least a more up-to-date video card. But no matter how I explained it to him, he kept insisting that the video card had nothing to do with what you saw on the screen, and what he really needed was a new "monitor card."

That weekend, I took him to the local Radio Shack and watched him walk up to the counter and start complaining about his "monitor card." The cashier told him the same thing I did, but to no avail. He refused to buy a video card and walked out of the store, muttering about lousy service and shoddy products. To this day, he is still looking for a store that carries "monitor cards."

This is common. We have people who will tell us they saw the error message 10+ times but have absolutley no idea what it said. We are not psychics.

There's the problem -- the customer doesn't have the minimum requirements to run the software. You would think that once the person finds out he doesn't have the right equipment to run a piece of software, it would end the conversation...but, alas, the following dialogue is more representative of customer responses in such situations.