Current Events > I started charging my friends for IT work

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm so sick of people calling me asking to fix this or fix that. Time to pay the fiddler whores!
---

I wish my job paid me in whores
---

Great idea, actually.
---

Only in America
---

daftpunk_mk5 posted...

Only in America

What do you mean by that exactly?
---

Yeah i retired from that. I dont mind pc/laptop stuff, but after about 5 iphone screen replacements, i quit.
---

Johnny_Nutcase posted...

daftpunk_mk5 posted...

Only in America

What do you mean by that exactly?

In other cultures, people aren't selfish pricks
---

What sort of IT work do your friends request from you?
---

Do Americans really clap when someone fixes their IT issue for them?
---

"Friends"
---

I've had to do the same for family members. They somehow thought doing IT work wasn't skilled labor compared to a family member who's a plumber (and who always got paid for doing work in the family).
---

daftpunk_mk5 posted...

Johnny_Nutcase posted...

daftpunk_mk5 posted...

Only in America

What do you mean by that exactly?

In other cultures, people aren't selfish pricks

So they hire someone to do labor instead of expecting an acquaintence to do it for free? Must be nice.

The downside to working in IT/software, basically anything where people go "oh computer stuff!" Is having this conversation, word for word, every time you meet someone.

"Nice to meet you."
"You too."
"What do you do?"
*insert job here*
"Can you look at my ________?"
---

rabbi_baby posted...

I've had to do the same for family members. They somehow thought doing IT work wasn't skilled labor compared to a family member who's a plumber (and who always got paid for doing work in the family).

Yeah, my friends are tech savvy enough that they'd only ask if it was something really tough (and half my friends are in the IT field so they can figure it out themselves/are among the pool of people who are asked) so it comes up rarely, but family, man. My grandpa is 88 and always is having issues with his PC or internet, and generally I can't just come over and fix whatever, he has to stand over my shoulder and try to show me what to do even though I'm there to fix it, lol. Plus he completely forgets various logins and passwords all the time. I love him and its kind of cool a guy that age is still trying to be into technology, but sometimes... ugh.

My parents are slightly better, but not much.
---

When I was in college for IT, I'd fix computers for free.

Once I got an IT job, I started charging because I was already working with them all day at it was. Everyone would get 1 free fix then charging after that. My mom would try and hand off all of her friends computers to me and expect the work to be free. Ridiculous.

Once I hit about 4 years into my career, I stopped fixing them all together. Just not worth my time anymore.
---

Turn it off then on, you can PayPal me $20
---

daftpunk_mk5 posted...

Johnny_Nutcase posted...

daftpunk_mk5 posted...

Only in America

What do you mean by that exactly?

In other cultures, people aren't selfish pricks

Oh? You don't get paid for your work?
Oh you do? How very selfish of you.
---

Zombified_Toast posted...

Do Americans really clap when someone fixes their IT issue for them?

And we expect a tip!

rabbi_baby posted...

I've had to do the same for family members. They somehow thought doing IT work wasn't skilled labor compared to a family member who's a plumber (and who always got paid for doing work in the family).

This.
But for me it's not family. It's family of friends. At first I didn't mind, always happy to help. But after having to do it for the umpteenth time in a few weeks, I got a bit sick of it. And it's always for the most trivial shit.

A while back I had this conversation on the phone

- I bought a new wireless mouse and it doesn't work, can you come over?
Nah, easily solved by phone. Did you put the batteries in? Plugged the receiver into an USB port?
- I did
Might be a slower or faulty USB port. Try another one.
- I've tried. There aren't any that fit.
You're trying to plug it in the wrong way. Flip it
- No, I'm not. There aren't any other USB ports
No modern laptop only has a single USB port. Besides I was there when you bought it 6 months ago.
- Well I don't know what to tell you, it only has one.
No, you're not doing it right. I have the specs right here, 1 USB port on the right, 2 on the left. Flip the receiver
- I am doing it right. There's only one USB port
Goddammit, I'll be right there.

What bugs me the most is that these people recognize I'm more tech savy than them. Yet they try to argue every single time.
---

fusespliff posted...

What bugs me the most is that these people recognize I'm more tech savy than them. Yet they try to argue every single time.

This goes for everything. Literally every single thing.

In fairness, sometimes when people respond like this there's an implied "maybe I'm missing something but" before yeah most people just really want to be right about whatever they're wrong about.

I generally give somebody one second chance and after that they're on their own. Like this conversation I had with a friend trying to build a PC:

"Hey can you look at my build?"
"Sure."
"Here's what I have so far:"
*listing for a case*
"Looks like a good case I guess but you should probably start with the stuff inside and then find a case that will work with it."
"But it's a gaming PC."
.....
"Ok then."
---