I plead GUILTY! How do you PLEAD!

[Michael Chiew]

GUILTY!

I plead guilty, guilty to committing acts over-simplification. When the justification was simplification, I was guilty of over-simplification.

My fellow Techimo-philes (if you will pardon the expression), how do you plead. Guilty, or not guilty.

My story began in late-January. It was a month unlike any other for one reason - Chinese New Year was around the corner.

I'd been through more than 50 Chinese New Years, Christmases and New Years. Every time the festive seasons come along, I make way for a little back-tracking. You might say that I'd spend some tme troubleshooting my life - what's changed, what hasn't, what's old, what's new, how many summers I'd lost, how many summers I'd left. The exercise usually leaves me with some regret, some hope, some understanding of what life has dealt me. Sometimes I get a good hand, sometimes I don't.

Anyhow, I'd been contemplating the festive seasons' impact on me and cleaning house for the Chinese New Year when I got a call about a PC problem with an error message INSERT DISK, PRESS ANY KEY AND ENTER. Some of you might remember the episode, which ended with another problem - DISK BLOCK IS LOCKED (incidentally, I'm locked in a battle over the last few days trying to duplicate the error).

I'd started taking part in PC forums a year ago at the other "end". You know, the other "side". I'd posted a problem there, and later became familiar with its surroundings and the people who inhabited the confines of its hallowed halls (forums).

The strangest things happened at the other "end". I started getting e-mail from people about PC problems, etc. There was e-mail from the United States of America, England, Sweden, Holland, Australia and a few other places. Even had a tete-a-tete with a mysterious Socalgal. This lady set me straight on my misconceptions about certain things. She was good, she was cool. At the time, I didn't really know who she was. So I sort of put one foot in my mouth. You know what I mean.

Things first began to change at the other "end" some time, I believe, in September last year. I hadn't been that regular with my participation there. Been cornered by other matters which needed my attention fast. When I did manage to get some breathing space, I made my way there at the other "end". I noticed that familiar names seemed to have disappeared. Then there was a post, pointing the way to a new paradise - a paradigm shift of some degree or another. Of course, I cruised over to the new place. And lo, and behold, the familiar names were all there.

I was confused at first. Being a foreigner with a different cultural background (hell, up to this day I still don't even know what BTW or OT stand for), I didn't understand the sudden exodus. These hallowed halls being strictly American by nature, a lesser entity like myself won't fit in. A kindred soul I am not.

To be or not to be, that's the question.
To sleep, perchance to dream, that's the rub.

I was faced with a decision. Do I stay put there at the other "end", or do I make tracks and join the crowd of familiar names. The choice was a no-brainer. I signed up but had difficulty logging in initially. Sometimes I'm really "dense". Anyhow, a fella by the name of Scott Wainner helped me out and finally got me in. I was touched. I mean a fella of his standing, taking the time to hold my hand to get me in. That's a paradigm shift of some degree or another. For me at least, anyway.

My first "sortie" at the new place was taking part in a thread on the question of dwindling system resources. A lady (someone with a great sense of humor) had posted anxious moments with dwindling system resources. I gave her my two-cents worth, which was quite a big "mouthful". You might say that when the justification was simplification, I was guilty of over-simplification. Long-winded I was, no doubt about it.

By nature, I'm a person ruled by curiosity, by a sense of exploration and adventure. Sometimes I do go on sorties at the other "end". Sometimes, I still take part in threads at the other "end". Sometimes I still get e-mail from people who've posted there. Recently, I posted a reply to someone who had a problem of dwindling system resources. I'm qualified to speak about dwindling system resources, aren't I. I had a track record of over-simplication about the subject.

As it turned out, I over-simplified again. The man, however, didn't take it too unkindly. As a matter of fact, he posted back to say that my "take" on the subject had helped him understand system resources better. It would seem that the man had posted two problems - system resources and a problem at boot-up. I wasn't aware of the boot-up question at the time.

When I was grappling with the issue of DISK BLOCK IS LOCKED, I received an e-mail from him. He mentioned how the posts at the other "end", in general, had been complicated with too many "variables" for an amateur like him to understand. He emphasized that when the justification was simplification, the posts had actually done the opposite, leaving him with too many "variables" in tackling the puzzle he was trying to solve. Poor man. He tried out every suggestion, every recommendation. From disabling programs at start-up to uninstalling certain device drivers to making changes in System.ini. He did them all. In consequence, the machine was all "messed" up.

We got down to solving the problem through an exchange of e-mail. In the process, I tried to re-build his injured perception of what these forums could do. I was as guilty of over-simplification as any other person, me perhaps even more so since I have a record for long-windedness.

About this time, I got myself another e-mail from a lady in America who'd read my "detailed" post at the other "end" about damaged and corrupted files. She said that her server was down and my post had helped her solved two of her three problems. Her third was a problem of a missing file, which just couldn't be located. She asked what I thought was wrong. I told her what could be wrong. Every time I do this, I do so with a measure of unease. What if I was wrong? A few hours later, she wrote back to thank me, saying that my information had helped her solve the third problem.

Over a period of some 10 days, the man with the slow boot-up problem and I got acquainted. He was cheerful; I was excited at the notion of making capital of his misfortune. At the end of that time, he e-mailed me with good news. He'd solved the problem of slow boot-up, something that had haunted him for one and a half years.

What the man had earlier said bothered me, haunted me all the time I was hit by the DISK BLOCK IS LOCKED episode and when I was burying myself with Chinese New Year preparations.

When the justification was simplification, I was guilty of over-simplification.

How do you plead. Guilty, or not guilty.

Michael Chiew

[OuTpaTienT]

You? Long winded? No, no way.

I had a little trouble following you through all that, but none-the-less I sure the hell did enjoy reading it. You ought to be a writer.

Oversimplification. . . for some people there’s no such thing. I know quite a few people, most of them family members, that are so computer illiterate they don’t know a hard-drive from a road-trip. I try to tell them what a pain Windows is and they give me advice like “double-pane insulated is the way to go”. And it never fails, these same people will ask me questions about computers…questions that I can easily answer, but never in a thousand years will they comprehend the answer.

Even though they do not own a computer they will ask things like, “So if I had a computer and I wanted to send you an e-lec-tronic mail….is that going to cost me anything? Is there some kind of special postage I need to get?”

But it’s always their 2nd inquiry that really gets me. Because first they’ll ask about some aspect of computers, like email, and I’ll do my best to feed them an answer that I hope they’ll understand. Then their 2nd question will always be, “So exactly how does that work anyways?” Aaaaaargh! “Uncle Joe, you don’t even comprehend basically how it works…how in the heck are you going to understand exactly how it works???”

But outside of the Einsteins that make up my family, I’m usually pretty good at simplifying computer issues so a user can more easily get their brains wrapped around something they are trying to understand. So I guess I’m guilty as well. But I’m also guilty of over-complication on occasion. Actually come to think of it, I’m guilty of a lot of things. Hmmm, I think it’s time to end this over-complicated message with the single simple message that is all I really wanted to say, and that is; I enjoyed reading your message. -uT

[Michael Chiew]

OuTpaTienT

Words of wisdom, my friend.

Sometimes things get a little clearer when you're on the outside looking in. Thanks for looking in!

I guess deep down we're all guilty of over-simplification of one form or another. What scares me most is doing it when someone dearly seeks a mandate to liberate his house of the demons that haunt him. Are we exorcist, or the bearer of more mayhem.

A guy comes up to a forum thinking liberation is at hand, cheerful, hopeful of being delivered to the "Promised Land" where no demons roam. He ends up worse off than before he came for succour. Certainly, over-simplification must have its limits, the many "variables" ought to have a rightful conclusion.

It's a long road to perfection. At least, we're headed in that direction. I try to; I shall try even harder now. Along the way, we're bound to falter a little. It's inevitable, in life and in the things we love to do.

Michael Chiew

[Gibbo]

I've wasted Hours of my life trying to explain some computer issue to friends & family, even Friends familys. to know now what questions to avoid when they ask them. I usually end anwsering questions with Because it does or just because Saves a hell of a lot of headaches. Especially when ther're just asking for askings sake.


p.s You should be a writer

Guilty, or not, is indeed in the eyes of the beholder. There are many that overstate the solution, over complicate the solution. I would see it time and time again when I was new to the board. A member was new to the fold, having a problem most would consider simple here, yet to the newest member complex and overwhelming. An answer with a simple clear response, most appropriate for the confused user was in order. Yet time and time again confusing answers were given at such a rate as to overwhelm the poor person. Similar to standing in front of the village wall condemned by firing squad with the bullets (or in this case answers) coming at such a rate the poor fellow had no chance and would succumb to the hail and go up in smoke. Or in some cases neglect because the question of great importance to the newest member was ignored by the great minds lording over this realm as insignificant for their efforts. I first arrived here and experienced the later of that scene. Only after pleading did a kind member (who I have over time discovered is one of the brightest people here) slow down and lower himself to look at my question through the eyes of a child still captured in the awe of mysterious wonder and questioning of this marvelous machine and give me advice and courage to go forward.

I made a decision after that, to carry on the torch after his manner in dealing with me in comforting the new person speaking slowly and simply at the risk of offending the seasoned user. I will tell you it has been a very difficult road to follow. I have been involved with answering questions and attacked by more seasoned members. I think some even think me to be lacking in IQ and understanding as to how these wondrous machines work. I have appreciated e-mails sent to me during troubleshooting by others thinking I was wrong not wanting to publicly call me out. Relieved that during the course of the troubleshooting proven correct. I have been poo pooed by the new person asking the question because of an attempt to simplify and get a feeling for their knowledge on my part has insulted their high computer IQ, even at times sticking to my guns refusing to be ignored and being vindicated in the end.

My point being, just because Microsoft word is not working or a new hard drive is not working does not mean the newbie needs to flash their bios.

Yes Michael Chiew you are guilty!
Guilty as charged!
I for one am comforted by that concept.

[TonTo]

I work the hell desk...
over simplifacation and bull****ing are my bread and butter.....

but, it's for thier benifit....

They really don't want to spend an hour on the phone with me, so, bring it in, if i have to work on it for more than 15 minutes(my company outsources all our service work) then i'll have to hand it over to the other company, but if it takes less than 15, no charge....

that line has saved me SOOO much time.....

ya can over simplify the other way thou.... talk WAAAYYYY technical.. and the user becomes simplified... (BOFH "dummy mode on")

it just depends on the situation.....

Guilty as an evercrack adict drinkin redbull

[sharder8]

Michael --

Are you guilty? Sure you are, but I for one am damn happy you are!

Your answers remind me of one other that was on the other side, then came here. We picked on poor Roy with our spelling and grammar, but to be honest, both you and Roy were long winded in explaining so that we could learn. I have enjoyed reading and learning from your posts. Having ADD, I rarely take the time to read, let alone absorb long discourses on how to correct a problem. The number of people, whose long posts I will and do take the time for, is few, but yours is one of them!

Do not change your style my friend, for you have the ability to make things understandable that many of us don't!

Harder

BTW, where is Roy?

[Philip1952]

Your tech skills amd writing are very good. Don't change. If you stop your current stye of writing some of us won't learn as fast.
I enjoy your posts very much. (If I tried to write the same way my posts would be few and far between. It takes a lot of time to find words in websters).

[Michael Chiew]

From THE HOBBIT (pre-quel to LORD OF THE RINGS) by J.R.R.Tolkien -

By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits were still numerous and prosperous, and Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking an enormous long wooden pipe that reached nearly down to his woolly toes (neatly brushed) - Gandalf came by.

All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning was an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.

"Good morning!" said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.

"What do you mean?" he said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"

I had never heard a GOOD MORNING kneaded and rolled with such beauty. The point is - it was stretched, poetically edged on a simple beginning of GOOD MORNING!

Over-simplification, you might say. Yes. Variables, definitely so. We can forgive an arrogantly playful Gandalf for an imaginative play of words. He lives in a world of fiction; we live in the real world.

I had pondered the thoughts of a man lost (for a moment) in his search for an answer to a problem. Took me quite a while to put my own thoughts on paper and to post them. Uncomfortable, I was. Not knowing what to expect, I hesitated. In the end I knew I had to do it, come what may. I was ready to face the condemnation of fellow forum participants, face up to it and be exiled. The validation of guilt is unexpected! When you're on the outside looking in, things do get a little clearer!

There is maturity here, a philosophy born of a simple truth. We try, we try our best. And that sure as hell beats not trying at all.

Michael Chiew

[cadetstimp]

It would seem that the man had posted two problems - system resources and a problem at boot-up

Not to worry Michael Chiew. Sometimes the quality of the question and the circumstances involved has something to do with the quality of the answer. If you don't have the complete picture of coarse something may be missed. Communicating and describing problems and solutions on a forum can be a lot harder than being able to simply investigate first hand, especially if a obscure but crucial detail is missed. You'll notice a lot of the more seasoned members always do a good job of investigating before suggesting.

It's the skill of questioning the question Danielson, that makes all the difference. You Technical skill is great, but you need more balance Danielson! With this, you will have strong root! See if you can snatch the pebble from my hand.... I'm still learning application of technical skill myself <cadet goes back to training ..wax on...wax off....sand the floor...SAND THE FLOOR!>

Heck, I recently gave bad advise just because of a term difference between CD Key and Product Key. I should have asked for more info. No big deal, the important part was other members pitched in and together the problem was resolved in the end.

Very rarely do I see a thread not resolve. It may be long and involved, but with all the minds around here it almost always gets resolved. More heads are better than one, right?


<edit> I forgot to answer.....I plead GUILTY!</edit>