Grumpy old man rant.

Aug 19, 2023, 12:51 PM

I've had it with technology. Once upon a time I was on the cutting edge. I had a home computer that was a Gateway. I think it was a 286, might have been 386. I used dial up for years when that was all there was. My first web browser was Netscape. I know why floppy disks are called floppy.

I taught my college employees how to use email. (I had it long before my college got it.)

But, I'm thinking about going off the grid.

Comcast told me I had to change by modem and TV boxes because the old ones would no longer work as of 9/4. I took three boxes and my modem in, plus my remotes. There was a lady there whose job was to switch them out for me. She did. She gave me three different boxes and 2 remotes of one type and 1 a different type.

I came home and hooked up my equipment. After 2 hours of work, I got one TV to work, one to turn on and off and change volume, but not change channels, and one that would not work at all. Plus I had no internet capability at all.

I got tech support on the phone. After waiting for over an hour, I spoke to a human being. After 2 hours I finally asked her, "You haven't got a clue how to fix this do you?" She agreed she didn't. So, we ended the conversation.

The next day I tried again. After waiting an hour for a live person, I spent 3 hours with the technician. While he was trying to fix the internet, I figured out how to fix my second TV. He could not fix the internet or my third TV.

They set up a home repair. The guy walked in looked at the TV and said, "No wonder it isn't working, they gave you the wrong box." He looked at the other two TV's and said, "I'm surprised you got these two working." He also looked at the remote that was different and said it was the wrong remote and switched it." Took him about 30 minutes to get everything fixed.

Fast forward to yesterday. I tried to print something. Printer won't work. "Printer is in error mode." I go on line and try to troubleshoot it. It is a wireless printer sitting right next to my computer. (The printer by my wife's computer is working fine.) I get on line and chat with Geek Squad agent. After 30 minutes she tells me I will have to bring printer into store.

That makes zero sense. Taking my printer 20 miles away from my computer and my internet and wireless connection won't exactly solve anything.

Today, I call Geek Squad to speak to an agent in person. After 30 minutes he can't fix it and hands me off to a second level tech (a real expert). He is online. We are conversing back and forth in a chatroom. He's doing all sorts of stuff with my computer. I get no new messages for about 10 minutes. Then I notice the chatbox is closed. I don't know if it was by accident or if he sent a message I didn't see saying he couldn't fix it and then just ended the chat.

So, I called Geek Squad and told them what had happened. The guy set up a home visit by a tech guy to fix it.

Folks, these are two simple problems.

Comcast - just give me the right equipment, idiots!
Geek Squad - hooking up a printer to a computer used to be Technology 101.

I'm too old for this. It's time for me to go to the home.

But, while I'm still here, "Get off my lawn!"

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Grumpy old man rant.

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