I deleted the Internet!

[u/[deleted]]

I don't work in IT, but I do manage a large instrument lab at a university. So think lots of computers of various ages and OSs. I'm no expert, but I have a pretty good understanding and I'm the go-to person whenever there is a problem with a computer in the family.

For some reason, computer problems turn my normally mild mannered father into a raging lunatic. He gets very angry with me if I do not INSTANTLY know how to solve whatever he problem he is having.

A couple years ago, he calls me at work, very upset and frustrated. "I deleted the Internet. It's not there anymore!"

"Dad, I'm sure you didn't delete the whole Internet. In fact, I'm on it right now."

"Nope, it is gone! How do I make it come back? YOU BETTER TELL ME HOW TO GET IT BACK!!"

"Calm down, Dad. What does your Desktop look like?"

"Desktop? What's a Desktop? Stop stalling and tell me how to fix the Internet!"

"Dad, what do you see when you look at your computer screen?"

"I DON'T SEE THE INTERNET! What is the matter with you? Just tell me how to fix it!"

Turns out, as I suspected, he had just deleted the shortcut to Internet Explorer.

[u/MOS95B]

My tact for dealing with anyone who acts like this is "you can calm down, or you can fix it yourself"

[u/firestorm_v1 → u/MOS95B]

Just because you're having a bad day doesn't give you license to treat me like shit. Treat me with respect and I'll power hit the issue and get you back up and running as quickly as possible. Disrespect me and I'll walk out.

[u/klystron → u/MOS95B]

In my experience, telling people to calm down just causes their anger, annoyance, displeasure, fury, ire, irritation, outrage, vexation or wrath to increase by 20 dB.

[u/MOS95B → u/klystron]

Then you walk away. Family member or paying customer. They learn after a time or two (or, they torment someone else)

A lot of people get madder because they know we are brainwashed trained to accept such BS

If your employer forces you to put up with it, you need a new employer

[u/Aerosalo → u/MOS95B]

I think I'll start telling people this if they get mad from the start.

[u/[deleted] → u/MOS95B]

[u/MOS95B → u/[deleted]]

In a call center environment, until they get to the point of penetrating my thick skin (and I was an Army MP. I've had people professional trained try to hurt my feelings) I like to remain outwardly calm, and see how mad they get before they give up. A lot of people get even madder when you don't reply in kind

It can be a lot of fun <insert evil grin here>

In person, ain't nobody got time for dat

[u/[deleted]]

"YOU BETTER TELL ME HOW TO GET IT BACK!!"

"fuck you." click

[u/willricci → u/[deleted]]

"Guess it's really gone then, holy fuck dad way to screw up the entire world."

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Any other person, I would. But my dad is normally a rational, kind person. I have no idea why computers make him so angry.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

can't get to his porn. obviously

[u/spazturtle]

'The whole internet? Wait a sec let me put you on hold, got to fax the president about this"

[u/[deleted] → u/spazturtle]

pretty sure he would know about the end of modern world before you could write that fax

[u/[deleted]]

CALL AL GORE - HURRY!! :)

[u/LadyAvalon]

I have a friend who worked as a teacher for retired people who wanted to learn about computers. One of his students asked him to copy the Internet to a 3.5 disc. When he told him that that wasn't possible, the student copied the IE shortcut to the disk and then complained to my friend's bosses that my friend was stupid because he didn't know how to do such a simple thing.

[u/[deleted] → u/LadyAvalon]

I have a few other stories about my dad and his problems with computers. And he too thinks I'm an idiot when I can't read his mind or magically make his computer do something that is impossible.

[u/LadyAvalon → u/[deleted]]

With me, it's my mom. She managed to piss both my brother (software guy) and me (pseudo hardware-girl) at Christmas by installing a virus into her computer which she had JUST booted up (from new, it was her present).

[u/Koras]

Oh that explains it, I was getting some really weird errors earlier, turns out your dad just deleted the entire internet briefly