When I have a problem working something or doing something, I often do what I can to figure it out myself. Google and search is often a major help. I often laugh when I hear someone struggle through something.
The conversation may go like this. How do you do X? I am trying to get it to do X. Why isn't it working! Stupid thing! Work already!!!!! Ah, there it goes. :)
Here is some one's convo via an IRC room, won't disclose the name of the person, which I found funny.
IM: anybody know how excel uses time
IM: this is so confusing
IM: I know that it uses 1 for day so 1 am is 1/24
IM: when I format it to time I get 1:00:00 AM
IM: never mind I got it
I would have done a search at Google to find this page from Microsoft on How to use dates and times in Excel.
Comments
Ironically it's a room full of SEO/SEMs.
Posted by: Jeff | November 13, 2007 1:09 PM
Yeah Google is a powerful thing if people would just use it :) You can find about any answer to any problem.
Posted by: knupNET | November 13, 2007 1:34 PM
I now tend to tell them how in general terms but not hold their hand through the entire path. It's been my experience, particular when dealing with apps, that they just have to grind it out and put some "seat time" into it or it'll never stick. Of course, they hate it when I tell them that.
One thing I have noticed is that with apps many people have something akin to banner blindness. Links, menus, help files, etc. that are outside the F-patterns just do not register until you tell them something like "In the bottom RH corner, click such-n-such."
...And drop-downs under File or View? I've given up hope that anyone will ever explore them without being held at gunpoint and forced to do so.
Posted by: rcjordan | November 13, 2007 1:45 PM
As amusing as that is, a lot of people (most people?) aren't very search savvy. They might try Google first, but not find the results they need, because they aren't good at searching effectively. Hence, they turn to other people for help.
Posted by: Adam Snider | November 13, 2007 2:13 PM