It’s an occupational hazard for support techs. While I do know quite a bit about Windows, and even MS-DOS (having been around since those days), I know squat about anything Mac-related or Linux. I’ve just never used them. We’ve had some MD’s buy their own computers, and buy Macs and expect us to be Mac Geniuses. I have users purchase some obscure software package directly (instead of going through IT like they’re SUPPOSED TO) and then ask me to show them how to use it.

Some of the personal support requests are from Mac users, and I get questions about “what do you think about Linux” all the time. I have a RAZR for personal use and an HTC Hermes for work, and get questions about iPhones. Luckily I have an iPhone-owning co-worker to refer those to. :~)

As the old sayings go “knowledge is power” and “access to power is power.” Being PC- or mobile technology-savvy seems to make one a valuable asset in social circles for those reasons. What I’ve observed is that what I take for granted, using my Windows-mobile phones or my iPod touch or my laptop and such, is a feat of considerable skill to the average person out there. The Internet is I think in the minds of many non-techs some amazingly complex, vast storehouse of the sum of human knowledge and means of mass communication. The problem for them is how to access, filter and interpret all that knowledge in a useful fashion. Tech geeks like us have for the most part learned how to do this pretty well, hence we become living “access points” if you will, however when people begin to come to us for every little thing instead of doing the research themselves…that becomes a nuisance. I sometimes feel like I have to be careful in some social situations telling people what I do, because mentioning that you have some understanding of the byzantine internet and personal computer/cell phone technology can be like saying you’re a doctor or lawyer: everyone starts pestering you for advice or asking about diagnosing a computer/electronics problem.

There is also an odd phenomenon that so many folks I have encountered display, and maybe others here have noticed this: the assumption that all electronics technology (hardware and software) is seen as equivalent. By that I mean that typical non-tech types assume that since I have internet access on my phone I must know how to fix a computer, or if I listen to music on my iPod I must have a good idea about home theatre systems, or if I am savvy with PCs I must know how to operate ANY piece of software for ANY OS in existence or know why their system is running so slowly. Anyone here have THAT problem?

@Carly Z: The next time someone asks you a tech question and gets mad when you refer them to tech support simply tell them that the tech support department has agreed not to try to do your job and you’ve agreed not to try to do theirs. :~)

Worse though is that I’m seen as “the tech person” in the office, which means I get peppered with all sorts of questions, ranging from “how do I do this in outlook” to “why can’t we do ___?”…people get SO MAD when I tell them they need to call tech support!