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Mar 7, 2018 at 5:07 comment added anon That last paragraph has been my way out of being the family IT guy for years. "I love you, but I won't spend Thanksgiving/Christmas/this visit doing your IT for free." The key difference there is that I typically see that family only occasionally, so "I don't want to spend our entire time together sitting in my room with a broken computer" works very well.
Mar 6, 2018 at 18:47 comment added Radu Murzea I agree with you. Though, in fairness, if it's your parents, then just sck it up and do whatever it takes to solve whatever the problem is. You owe them. Big time.
Mar 6, 2018 at 17:02 comment added Lightness Races in Orbit @Feathercrown: Hah, nice. I've never thought of that. "Don't you work with computers?" "Yeah, don't you?" Done :D
Mar 6, 2018 at 15:40 comment added Andrew Perhaps there is a moral obligation in this situation for the more knowledgeable person to redirect the ignorant towards the experts or terminology that they need to inquire of? In this manner they can help in a different way, by utilizing their broad knowledge to assist.
Mar 6, 2018 at 14:00 comment added izlin The 2nd paragraph reminds me of something my father used to say: "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king"
Mar 6, 2018 at 10:12 comment added kscherrer I like this answer, but I think the last paragraph is missing the point. OP explicitly says "that it's not that I don't want to help them [...] when I do know, I help however I can."
Mar 6, 2018 at 6:45 comment added Doctor Strange Or you can politely tell them you aren't into this sort of stuff and guide them where to look next.
Mar 5, 2018 at 19:13 comment added Zibbobz My only caveat to this would be to be careful about how to present this in a professional environment - yes, you do run into this in a professional environment, especially if you work as customer service, and are expected to be able to solve all computer-related problems imaginable. Adjust your politeness level for the amount of courtesy the individual deserves.
Mar 5, 2018 at 18:00 comment added baldPrussian @cronax: it works really well for me. That, and "I don't work on people's home computers. It's not that you can't offer enough money, it's that there just plain isn't enough money to get me to do that. The US government can borrow and print all they want and it still wouldn't be enough."
Mar 5, 2018 at 17:32 comment added Feathercrown For repeat "customers": (Them) "Don't you work with computers?" (You) "Don't you use a computer every day from 9-5?"
Mar 5, 2018 at 16:58 comment added Stephen S "I use one on a daily basis, but I'm not involved in doing that" -> could try to make an analogy there - could a chef repair an oven, does everyone know what the best kind of microwave to buy is
Mar 5, 2018 at 16:29 comment added Cronax I'll need to try this one, it seems like it could work well!
Mar 5, 2018 at 14:12 history answered baldPrussian CC BY-SA 3.0