"You do all this technical stuff, right?"
What I always hear as an IT support person is that dreaded phrase: "You're technical, so you can fix...." (insert non-computer object here). The lights. The microwave. The toaster. The vacuum cleaner. Even the occasional non-electrical item (the toilet or whatever) because "well you're technically minded so you must know how to fix it".

Worst thing to do is to get dragged into it and fix it with Google (almost anything can be done by Googling it). Confirms their misconception that an IT person also automatically knows how to get the loo to flush.
(Cloudane, Mon 28 Sep 2009, 13:09, 7 replies)

I used to get this all the time
You know you're in trouble when you see a flustered middle-management type approaching you with their new mobile phone.

The assumption being that because I'm technical I've committed the instruction manuals for every electrical device in existence, including those not invented yet, to memory.
( rofl harris, Mon 28 Sep 2009, 13:28, closed)

"You work with computers"
Or previously "You study computer science?", Then I must be able to solve whatever problem their spyware infested machine is chucking up, by a simple description in the pub without expecting so much as a description of an error message.
( Slippery Mick ‏, Mon 28 Sep 2009, 13:29, closed)

it's easy
tell them to run spybot, then adaware and that'll fix it.

If they later complain that it didn't you say

"did you do it in safe mode?"

if the answer yes or no, you say

"oh well, that'll be it then"
( VampireMonkeyOnSpeed a super sexy sexual sex terrorist sex, Mon 28 Sep 2009, 13:32, closed)

thank christ for google
there's no way I could have done this sort of generalised IT work before google
( VampireMonkeyOnSpeed a super sexy sexual sex terrorist sex, Mon 28 Sep 2009, 13:30, closed)

What I do
is say yes, I can probably fix it but, no, I'm not going to.

Reaffirms that I'm technical and can do stuff, but also that I'm unhelpful, thus making people less likely to ask.
(Seance Trumpet has got no beef with a man enjoying a croissant, Mon 28 Sep 2009, 15:13, closed)

Hold that thought
So many people lose the ability to think for themselves when they know there's an I.T. person to do the thinking for them. The lazy / can't-be-arsed-because-they-have-someone-to-do-the-thinking-for-them attidude kicks in.

Example:
Random non-thinker: The printer isn't working
I.T: What does the big LCD screen on the front say?
Random non-thinker: It says 'Insert paper into Tray 2'
I.T: Well, erm, Tray 2 has ran out of paper. Can you put some more in?
Randon non-thinker: Where do I put it?
I.T: Into Tray 2, the tray that has Tray 2 written on it [jeeez]
Random non-thinker: Erm, ok then. Thanks.
I.T: No problem. [There's another 60 second's I'll never get back]

I suppose in all fairness it's often a fear of the unknown and underlying fear that they might break it that might have something to do with it.

Another gripe: A person who can, for example, build websites, does not necessarily know how to repair your PC just because they 'know computers'.

Ask me once and I will help you. Ask me twice and I will fix it again. Ask me three times and I will consider sticking pencils in my eyes.
(ed-z, Mon 28 Sep 2009, 15:41, closed)

Stick pencils in the questioner's eyes instead.
Much more satisfying.
( flake has nothing against your right leg, Tue 29 Sep 2009, 1:06, closed)