JAJT
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FASTLANE INSIDER
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15 years ago I spent half my free time on the phone with relatives fixing their computer issues by phone. It took me a year to decide to be selectively ignorant with these time-wasters. I went from bragging about knowing EVERYTHING about computers to being the "Hmm.. damn, I have no idea" guy.
I recently made a "blue-moon" exception for a friend of mine. He was given a terribly bloated, slow and REALLY screwed up computer by his father when he moved out. I told him I'd completely format and overhaul it for him.
I spent hours of my time formatting, re-installing windows, figuring out unknown drivers, installing a ton of "must have" software and felt extremely proud of myself at the end. I was excited to give him back this pristine computer that used to spend 10 minutes opening up internet explorer but now booted in 15 seconds flat.
Within 1 F*cking week he let his father come by and install some retarded anti-virus software that slowed the computer to a 10 minute boot-up time and dragged it to a crawl for all normal operation. I asked my buddy why the HELL he would allow the SPECIFIC individual who messed up the computer the first time to so much as check his email on this machine. I was told "Oh, well it's free and he has a family license and it has a firewall - I really need a firewall". I nearly shat a brick.
I explained to him very logically and calmly why he should remove it and never listen to his father again. My buddy then goes and talks to his brother (also a moron) who said their dad was absolute right and not to listen to me. My friend comes back to me and says "can you show me proof of why I should do what you say? My brother is citing article A, B and C". I told him I already spent hours on his issues up to this point and have no interest in debating his brother through proxy.
I've now added him to the "Hmm.. damn, I have no idea" list.
I imagine this is how some mentor's feel. Spend a bunch of time doing a thankless job then get slapped in the face by being asked to spend more time fighting the advice of other's despite the proven results you've already provided.
I recently made a "blue-moon" exception for a friend of mine. He was given a terribly bloated, slow and REALLY screwed up computer by his father when he moved out. I told him I'd completely format and overhaul it for him.
I spent hours of my time formatting, re-installing windows, figuring out unknown drivers, installing a ton of "must have" software and felt extremely proud of myself at the end. I was excited to give him back this pristine computer that used to spend 10 minutes opening up internet explorer but now booted in 15 seconds flat.
Within 1 F*cking week he let his father come by and install some retarded anti-virus software that slowed the computer to a 10 minute boot-up time and dragged it to a crawl for all normal operation. I asked my buddy why the HELL he would allow the SPECIFIC individual who messed up the computer the first time to so much as check his email on this machine. I was told "Oh, well it's free and he has a family license and it has a firewall - I really need a firewall". I nearly shat a brick.
I explained to him very logically and calmly why he should remove it and never listen to his father again. My buddy then goes and talks to his brother (also a moron) who said their dad was absolute right and not to listen to me. My friend comes back to me and says "can you show me proof of why I should do what you say? My brother is citing article A, B and C". I told him I already spent hours on his issues up to this point and have no interest in debating his brother through proxy.
I've now added him to the "Hmm.. damn, I have no idea" list.
I imagine this is how some mentor's feel. Spend a bunch of time doing a thankless job then get slapped in the face by being asked to spend more time fighting the advice of other's despite the proven results you've already provided.