Rules for Talking to a Techie

1. Don't demand that they "do something right now". Sometimes they don't know what to do to fix your problem, and need more information. If they do the wrong thing right now, it could take longer to fix your problem, or might even cause more problems.

   Especially don't demand that they do something if you aren't prepared to specify exactly what that might be. There is no secret "working/not working" switch the techie can flip. The techie is not sandbagging or holding off fixing things just to get you steamed. The computer doesn't have a hidden screen or readout where it says exactly what is going wrong. It may take a lot of testing and poking around to figure this out – maybe even testing that only you can do. Until the techie can "reproduce the problem", any fixes are just guesses. (Sometimes they're really good guesses, but not always.)

2. Don't get upset when they ask you questions. Technical problems can't be fixed if the fixer doesn't know enough detail about what is happening. (See previous item)
3. Don't get upset when they seem surprised that you're having a problem, or remark that the problem isn't happening for other users.

   This is part of a process of thinking out loud, in which the techie is trying to identify what it is about your situation that is causing the problem. By thinking out loud, perhaps you will think of something that those other users have in common but you do not, and thereby help the techie solve your problem.

   What it is not intended to do is suggest that the problem is somehow the result of your personal inadequacy. It may be that something you are doing differently is causing your problem, but a good techie will consider it a duty to either fix things so the problem doesn't happen anyway (so you can keep doing things whatever way works best for you), or else to gently educate you as to why your way gives the results it does.

4. Don't yell at (or act hostile towards) the techie. It makes them sad. Sad techies don't fix things very well, though they may continue trying.

   Techies often feel the same intense frustration towards technology that you do – but they have learned that if they keep a cool head, they can usually solve the problem. Being yelled at works against keeping a cool head, and feeling angry at the person they're trying to help makes them less inclined to want to help.

5. Do give the techie any information that seems relevant. Or seems vaguely related. You never know.