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Try the easy thing first

by Greg Krehbiel on 3 February 2010

From time to time I get frustrated when I submit a request for tech help, either to my hosting company, or to somebody I rely on at work. The first response is usually a glib, silly reply that implies I’m stupid, or that tries to send the problem elsewhere.

Today I realized that these folk are just following an old rule my dad used to tell me. Always try the easy thing first.

When I was in college I did not follow this rule on a day when my key got stuck in the ignition and I couldn’t turn it or get it out. I ended up taking apart the steering column. All I really had to do was wiggle the steering wheel.

These tech support people who assume (1) user error, (2) user stupidity, or (3) somebody other than them needs to fix the problem are just playing the odds. One of those three answers is probably correct, and they’re just trying the easy thing first.

2010-02-03  »  Greg Krehbiel