I'm pretty sure many people agree with this, me too in some way but seriously, what's the problem about helping some relatives with tech stuff?

I don't mind if it's a quick fix or just something they don't quite get, but I tend to lose my patience if they expect me to spend hours troubleshooting something without compensation/refuse to listen and understand what I'm explaining to them 🤔 never tell them to their faces though, just claim I have no idea how to fix it and tell them to ask someone else 😂

I think this should be made into a t shirt

If you’re a software developer and you can’t install windows then there’s something very wrong...

@Elyz I agree xD

@Haxk20 true

call goddam support those people can act like they care just a bit more than me

There's certainly nothing wrong with helping people. What's wrong is them assuming BECAUSE you're a software engineering, then fixing computers is what you do!

@MrWouter If you can install Arch with everything working properly, you can install ANY FUCKING OPERATING SYSTEM! 😂😂

My aunt used to call me to fix her families computers all the time. And she thought that fixing me dinner would be payment enough.

@Hubot-0x58 preach... “I can’t because I don’t know how”

What kind of software engineer is this guy. Lol.

Well, if you help someone and do it successfully, chances are next time something goes wrong they'll call you. And then you help again. And then the word spreads... 'my nephew/niece/brother/sister/whatever helped me last time, here, give him a call'. And then you help again. And then, everyone seems to know that you're that magical kind of IT person that can fix anything computer related.

And yes, we experienced devs in fact can fix almost anything, can't we? You can land a fulltime job helping friends & family out. You just don't get paid. Maybe in appreciation but that doesn't pay your bills.

Many years ago, I came to a point that I would not visit my parents or some friends any more because every fucking time I went there I had to do something with their computer. 'It's so slow, can you have a look?', 'I tried installing this app but can't get it working, can you help out?'

NO! NO! NO!

Of course I CAN, I'm even willing to, but not every fucking time I visit you. Now fuck off.

I'm a hybrid SE/HE and I can do most of those things (provided I have all my physical and digital tools available). The hacking SM profiles is more black hat social engineering type stuff (click trojan, get details) but since I don't do it for anything worse than a damn good reason, I guess i'll include it. The "unlock your computer" is Windows/(limited) Linux only, and the "unlock your phone" only works for iOS if it's been unlocked during current uptime, but I'll include those too.

My problem is that most people I know use windows and when they ask for help..... I haven't properly used windows in nearly 9 years 😬

Hey can you fix my iPhone?

In the 25 years we've known each other, have you ever seen me use a single apple product?

@tmpnull but you probably can 😂
I used to help people with their smartphone even before I had my first one...

Javascript software engineer?

Really?