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Actual dialogue of a former Wordperfect Customer Support employee:
"Ridge Hall computer assistant; may I help
you?"
"Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect."
"What sort of trouble?"
"Well, I was just typing along, and all of
a sudden the words went away."
"Went away?"
"They disappeared."
" Hmm. So what does your screen look like
now?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"It's blank; it won't accept anything when
I type."
"Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you
get out?"
"How do I tell?"
"Can you see the C: prompt on the screen?"
"What's a sea-prompt?"
"Never mind. Can you move the cursor around
on the screen?"
"There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't
accept anything I type."
"Does your monitor have a power indicator?"
"What's a monitor?"
"It's the thing with the screen on it that
looks like a TV. Does it have
a little light that tells you when it's on?"
"I don't know."
"Well, then look on the back of the monitor
and find where the power cord
goes into it. Can you see that?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell
me if it's plugged into the wall."
".......Yes, it is."
"When you were behind the monitor, did you
notice that there were two
cables plugged into the back of it, not just
one?"
"No."
"Well, there are. I need you to look back
there again and find the other
cable."
"....... Okay, here it is."
"Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged
securely into the back of
your computer."
"I can't reach."
"Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is?"
"No."
"Even if you maybe put your knee on something
and lean way over?"
"Oh, it's not because I don't have the right
angle - it's because it's
dark."
"Dark?"
"Yes, the office light is off, and the only
light I have is coming in
from the window."
"Well, turn on the office light then."
"I can't."
"No? Why not?"
"Because there's a power cut."
"A power... A power cut? Aha, Okay, we've
got it licked now. Do you still
have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff
your computer came in?"
"Well, yes, I keep them in the closet."
"Good. Go get them, and unplug your system
and pack it up just like it
was when you got it. Then take it back to
the store you bought it from."
"Really? Is it that bad?"
"Yes, I'm afraid it is."
"Well, all right then, I suppose. What do
I tell them?"
"Tell them you're too fucking stupid to own
a computer."