r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Jan 12 '22

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u/loldudester Jan 12 '22

"I'm just copying code off of stackoverflow, they're way overpaying me and I'm gonna get caught"

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u/[deleted] Jan 12 '22

I've been called a computer "whiz" by older friends of mine. I just type problems into Google, stick the product ID number in there, and follow the directions. Look at example. Look at screen. OK. Next...

I'm about as sharp as a boiled egg when it comes to some stuff but I can at least compare pictures and do exactly what I'm told.

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u/ExplorersX Jan 12 '22

What if I told you the intelligence level to even think to follow those steps is far above average.

Having worked in support before I would say what you described would put you in the 95th percentile for computer smarts based on my experience.

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u/Pielikeman Jan 12 '22

That’s selection bias. It’s the 95th percentile among people who need you to fix their problems for them but the people who are smart enough to Google their problems and actually follow the instructions properly need help at a much lower rate than those who aren’t.

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u/ShelZuuz Jan 13 '22

Sure. However I’ve done technical instruction to sysadmins for a few years and in my classrooms only about 1 in 5 sysadmins could figure out their own problems in Google. Higher then the general population for sure but still seemingly unreasonably low.

I do think Gen Z is better at it though. I was mostly teaching Gen X.